I would like to use the STEALTH LOOP antenna as a portable. I didn't read anywhere what voltage range it is possible to power ATU 2? There is certainly a voltage range in which it would work and it would be possible to use only a suitable battery for power supply. Alternatively, is it possible to use a DC/DC converter? I'm worried about interference here...
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The nominal voltage range of the ATU-2 is 24V, but it will work with as little as 15V. The linear actuator is also nominally 24V, but will operate down to as little as 6V, obviously with very much reduced speed. I too have found that operating the Stealth loop portable requires a 24V supply, and as the current consumption is only of the order of 400mA when actually tuning I use two small 12V batteries wired in series. It is also possible to use only one small 12V battery and to wire that in series with the main 12V battery operating the transceiver. I did experiment with a DC-DC inverter boosting the main 12V supply to 24V, but that inverter from eBay was too noisy. I did find an inverter that was suitable, provided it was mounted in a screened metal box from Pololu ( www.pololu.com ) model: S18V20F24. It accepts I/P voltages between 3 and 30V, and gives a fixed O/P of 24V, at a maximum current of 2A. This might be what you are looking for.
Adrian, 5B4AIY