W8USR - Station Equipment
Yaesu FP-29 External AC Power Supply
Technical Specifications
The Yaesu FP-29 is an external, dual-voltage AC switching power supply specifically designed to power the 200-watt Yaesu FT-1000MP Mark V HF transceiver. It is engineered with a split-rail output configuration to simultaneously handle both the high-voltage demands of the radio’s power amplifier and the low-voltage needs of its control circuitry.
| Engineering Property | Manufacturer Technical Specification Value |
|---|---|
| DC Output Voltage | Dual Rails: +30.0 V DC and +13.8 V DC |
| DC Output Current | +30 V rail: 15 Amps (continuous high-demand) / +13.8 V rail: 3 Amps |
| Input Voltage Range | AC 100-120 V or AC 200-240 V (50-60 Hz, internally switchable) |
| Current Consumption | ~9 A at 100-120 VAC / ~5 A at 200-240 VAC |
| Thermal Management | Internal, thermally-switched 90mm cooling fan (auto-activates during high current draw) |
| Circuit Safety | Features a specialized soft-start circuit to control inrush current upon power-up |
| DC Interface Cable | 2-meter heavy-duty cable (Part T9022299) terminating in a proprietary 6-pin Molex connector |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 4.2" x 5.3" x 13" (106 x 135.5 x 331 mm) |
| Weight | 7 pounds (3.2 kg) |
The History as Part of W8USR
At W8USR, we purchased this heavy-duty power supply brand new in August of 2001 alongside our flagship transceiver. It remained a continuous, unsung workhorse of the station for nearly a decade until July 2010, when the station layout transitioned to a single-source architecture via the Icom IC-7300 software-defined radio. Throughout its nine years of service, the FP-29 silently supported an aggressive operating schedule through a full solar cycle. It reliably converted mains power for the station during long, high-duty-cycle events like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner Rollout Celebration, The Year of Pluto Special Event, and the 50th Anniversary of Apollo 8. The unit was also subjected to intense thermal testing during marathon state QSO parties in Michigan, Texas, and Florida. By the time it was retired, its stable voltage delivery had laid the foundation for every certificate on our walls, from single-band SSB DXCC milestones to the Canadian Maple Leaf and CQ County Hunter's awards.
Station Role
While the transceiver received the limelight, the Yaesu FP-29 filled the critical, high-stakes station role of providing the raw electrical foundation for the entire W8USR main console. Because the 200W Mark V lacked an internal power supply, this dedicated unit sat right alongside the rig, tasked with delivering exceptionally clean, ripple-free DC power to prevent hum on our transmitted audio. Its primary responsibility was managing the strict dual-voltage output required by the radio's complex architecture. It supplied a low-current 13.8V line to keep the VFO, digital filters, and dual receivers operating seamlessly while simultaneously anchoring a high-voltage 30V/15A rail to feed the transceiver's Philips BLF147 power MOSFETs. Whenever we squeezed the mic to bust a split pile-up for rare QSLs — such as Hawaii or the Cabras Islets (Ilhéus das Cabras) in the Azores — the FP-29’s internal cooling fan and tight voltage regulation ensured the transceiver could run in ultra-linear Class-A mode without voltage sag or distortion. It was the quiet, indispensable backbone of our analog station era.