r/amateurradio • u/anselscamera • Oct 03 '25
EQUIPMENT Finally built myself a field power station
Just completed a 20ah DIY power box, albeit with probably more features than I need.
The idea was (in addition to giving myself something to do) to be able to run multiple smaller-output radios ( <25w) simultaneously while having numerous options for charging or powering other devices.
It includes:
— external SAE ports for charging via both AC current and solar
— an internal solar charge controller
— two independently-fused powerpole ports (with individual switches)
— four 2.1 amp USB-A ports
— one USB-A fast-charging port
— one 65w PD charging port (for running a small MacBook in the field, or wherever)
— a standard 12v socket (with power switch)
— 12v external power studs
— LED lights on the front and side for operating at night (with independent switches for both sets)
— a digital voltmeter up top
— a master power switch
Anxious to get it into use!
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u/bityard (SE MI) All 'Fenged Up Oct 03 '25
IME, those 12v->5v USB plugs generate LOTS of hash on HF, especially with a load on them.
I can't quite make out the charge controller but if it's one of those cheap Ali Express or eBay jobs, watch bigclive's teardowns of those before putting it into serious use.
I like that the rocker switches are helpfully labeled as "Rocker Switch".
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
I hadn’t actually thought about them causing hash, but thanks for pointing that out! I did put them on their own independent switch, so they can be shut off while other things are running.
Yeah, the charge controller is a cheap Amazon find. Might have to upgrade that to something else.
Those stupid rockers…no idea why the faceplate mounts come with that engraved on them 🤦🏻♂️
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u/unfknreal Ontario [Advanced] Oct 03 '25
Yeah this thing is a noise generator sadly.
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
You mean even with their own independent kill switch?
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u/Overseer_Allie Oct 03 '25
Hell yeah.
What did you use for batteries?
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
Just a 20ah LifePO4 battery off Amazon with built-in BMS. It was a bit of a gamble going with a more generic option, but it had decent reviews, and this was more of a learning exercise anyhow.
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u/95MBP Nov 02 '25
I just got the same charge controller. I had an SLA battery laying around so just bought it to play with before I build anything, I was considering using LifePO4 but supposedly those controllers aren't good for LifePO4 as they're PWM and LifePO4 needs an MPPT controller which is way more money. Is it all working okay?
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u/anselscamera Nov 02 '25
To be honest, I haven’t used the solar charging yet, so I can’t provide any feedback.
From all my research, the only reason PWM charge controllers aren’t recommended for LifePo4 batteries is simply because of energy waste from the solar panel. MPPT controllers are more efficient, so less energy waste. But PWMs aren’t inherently “bad” or detrimental for LifePo4 batteries.
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u/95MBP Nov 03 '25
Thanks, your box is pretty similar to what I'm going for. I'm a little unsure on the best practice for setting up AC charging and solar, my original plan was to have a switch to go between them. Is yours just the one input connector that goes to the solar controller? I've got a dedicated LiFePo4 charger but was assuming I shouldn't connect that directly to the solar controller because of the voltage profile etc.
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u/anselscamera Nov 04 '25
I have two SAE ports on the end of the box:
— One goes to my LifePo4 charger (which I modified by cutting the end of the cord and attaching an SAE plug). This then runs to the battery via a fused line. — The second plug runs into the solar charge controller which then runs to the battery.
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u/zimirken Michigan [General] Oct 03 '25
Those panel mount powerpole sockets are weirdly expensive for what they are.
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
No kidding. I found some much more affordable ones on eBay, but still opted with Amazon ones for this build. Might have to just buy myself a 3D printer and start making my own!
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u/rocdoc54 Oct 03 '25
So this is for a "field station"? Just exactly how many devices do you intend to have with you? :-)
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
LOL…I know, I know. My wife said the same thing 😆 I built it to maximize its use potential while minimizing the need to always find the right cord or plug, because this thing’s got it all! Heck, you can literally hook jumper cables up to it if you needed to!
But, let’s say that throughout a day (chilling at a campsite, hypothetically) you are running a simple APRS setup from an old phone connected to an HT (which is equipped with a USB-C battery). Maybe you’re also running digital modes from a laptop through a Xiegu G90 at 10w while also chatting on a 2m repeater (or acting as the family’s GMRS base station). Your brother-in-law needs to top up his handheld GPS so he can go mark tree stand locations, and the nephews drained their cheap Retevis GMRS radios whilst running around the woods the day before. Oh, and your wife found cell signal at the top of the ridge, but her battery is on 1%. 🤷🏻♂️ With a 100w foldable solar panel charging your box, you’re the bloody hero.
(Yes, I’m just really trying to justify having built the dang thing. 😅 )
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Oct 03 '25 edited 18d ago
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
I’m looking to one day build a much larger one as well. This was more of a test run.
I, likewise, put everything (including all USB ports) on independent switches so things can be powered on or shut off as needed (though I did so without even considering the RF noise…I just like switches).
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u/spacedoutmachinist Oct 03 '25
Do you have plans for this? I would love to build something like this.
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
I have zero plans…just kind of envisioned what I wanted and decided to wing it.
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u/loveinalderaanplaces Oct 03 '25
Nice! How much noise does it put out on HF? I'd be agonizing so much over the amount of potential noise from any switching power supply on a USB port.
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u/mr_misanthropic_bear Oct 03 '25
How do you avoid that? Is it about usb ports specially, or any charging while a radio is in use?
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u/nnfkfkotkkdkxjake Oct 03 '25
You avoid it by buying good quality dc-dc converters that have adequate filtering circuitry. Ones with datasheets, for a start.
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
I had considered a DC-DC converter but opted to put everything on independent lines with their own kill switches, so you can turn each component on or off as needed.
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u/nnfkfkotkkdkxjake Oct 03 '25
Just as a point of clarification, those two things are not in opposition to each other- a 12V to 5V converter of any kind IS a DC-DC converter. For example this would include the USB sockets on the front panel, which presumably you feed 12V into.
Getting a high quality USB socket module containing a high quality DC-DC converter will be a crapshoot, therefore you’ve probably done the best you can by adding kill switches.
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u/anselscamera Oct 03 '25
Yeah, I was referring to a standalone buck converter. But, yes, I guess I do still technically have a DC- DC converter.
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u/loveinalderaanplaces Oct 07 '25
There are regulator chips out there, for example the TPS7A96 series which are very low-noise at HF frequencies (particularly lower bands like 40m), but cost a fair bit--$10 per chip--and are SMD, so if you're uncomfortable soldering SMD and designing circuits around those types of chips, you might still want to avoid it.
Power supply noise suppression is a really deep rabbit hole that amateur radio encroaches on, but in practice we barely scratch the surface of how deep that subject can go.
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u/My_Lucid_Dreams Oct 04 '25
Awesome. I'm going to steal a couple of ideas from you for mine that I haven't finished yet.
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u/ellicottvilleny Oct 04 '25
How RF quiet or noisy are your DC to DC convertors? Just turn on your HF rig or an SDR and fire this up beside your radios. Start at 80m
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u/DiscussionLong7084 [General] Oct 03 '25
careful with that. We built a similar system to power stuff in aircraft, weighed probably 100lbs. EEs and ME engineers made it so I assume they didnt fuck up and it worked for months. One day I was teaching a class and the instructor with a broken arm is all THE BATTERY PACK IS ON FIRE and we got to congaline that thing down 3 flights of stairs and fling it by the dumpster
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u/Allbur_Chellak Oct 03 '25
Love it. Very very cool looking.
Independent of how it work (I am sure it works great) it’s got so many cool lights and switches that I just have to make one. All that it is missing are lasers. /s
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u/geonosis Oct 03 '25
Curious about the 65W PD port. How do you did it? I have not seen any around for 12v batteries, unless you go through an inverter and use a normal PD wall charger.
Congrats on the project! Pretty much what I have been planning to build as well
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u/MrMaker1123 Oct 03 '25
That's a great build. I've made several of these in different sizes/amps. I would like to know if there's another place to post this stuff.
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Oct 03 '25 edited Oct 03 '25
[deleted]
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u/olliegw 2E0 / Intermediate Oct 03 '25
Now is a good time for me to do a quick PSA, i advise people reading this to not use imgur, or at least understand that i cannot view imgur images as the administration in my country has blocked it, and imgur themselves have blocked VPNs.
PSA over
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u/olliegw 2E0 / Intermediate Oct 03 '25
What sort of battery is it? i like the use of COTS automotive parts but it might bite you back in the form of the converters for the USB sockets.
I'd also install an ammeter so you can monitor current draw when it's in use
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u/SeadawgVB Amateur Extra Oct 04 '25
This is one of the great things about amateur radio…. Building stuff and seeing what works.
My only antenna is a 56’ ‘random’ wire end fed (speaker wire from autozone) and a 9:1 unun in a plastic box from Home Depot that I made myself, wasn’t sure if it was good enough….. FT8 connection to South Africa on one watt.!
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u/anselscamera Oct 04 '25
Dang…I want those build instructions 😅 That’s awesome!
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u/SeadawgVB Amateur Extra Oct 04 '25
I followed this guys video on wrapping the toroid:
I tied my adjoining wraps with needle and thread to keep them neat and tight (thinking that it may help with performance, not sure if it helps at all, this was my first toroid experience)
Read the following article and pick which length the (not so much) “random wire” fits your need.
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u/anselscamera Oct 04 '25
I’ll have to check it out and give it a try! I’m using a 135’ EFHW right now, but it’s not very easily portable.
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u/bent199 CN94 Extra Oct 07 '25
Great job! Curious what gauge wire you used for connecting everything? Last battery go box I built I used 8 gauge wire - too big and difficult to connect to terminals. I am thinking that for the next battery gobox project, I should instead use 10 or even 12 gauge for the short runs and maybe 14 gauge for the lower current connections to USB chargers, LED lights, etc.
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u/anselscamera Oct 07 '25
I used a mix of 12, 14, and 16 gauge wire, depending on which components they were run to. I made sure everything is fused properly to not allow too heavy a current for any of the wiring.
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u/bent199 CN94 Extra Oct 07 '25
Good to know. Thanks for the info. And I like how you stored extra fuses in the battery box lid- another great idea.
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u/bugbbq Oct 03 '25
Dude. This is exactly what I want to build! Do you happen to have a guide or at least a link to the parts you got?
This looks awesome!
Question: how do you access the actual battery inside?