*PRODUCT REVIEW* Power-Mite-NF Power Supply

One of the unpleasant facts of life with DXpedition work — particularly journeys which involve international airline travel — is the high cost of excess baggage and its significant impact on the pockets of DXpedition team members.

On a recent DXpedition to the Pacific Island nation of Vanuatu for instance, the airline company charged Tom and me $10 AUD for every kilogram over our standard baggage allowance. 

This worked out to be quite a sizable sum of money when you consider the collective weight of our radio equipment (i.e. the radio transceiver x 2, antenna x 2, power supply x 2 and accessories), coupled with our normal luggage (i.e. clothes, toiletries and incidentals). 

About $400 AUD in fact!

Take it from us then, when involved in DXpedition initiatives, the weight — as well as the size — of radio communications equipment becomes a VERY important consideration. 

Unless you want to be forking out ridiculous amounts of cash to airline companies that is for excess baggage…hihi.

With additional baggage costs fresh in my mind (and my YL’s), one radio comms product to pop up on my retail radar recently, and one which I believe would be ideal for DXpedition work, is bhi’s Power-Mite-NF 22 Amp power supply which is just 1.61 kg.

And NO it’s not a typo!

At 16.5cm in diameter x 5.5cm in height x 14.7cm in width, this “mini” size switch-mode power supply which weighs less than 4 cans of beer (or soft drink) and delivers 22 Amps of continuous power (25A peak) with a variable voltage of 4 – 16 V DC, meets all the requirements of a radio comms power source……AND SOME! 

Many hobbyists, in fact, might describe the Power-Mite-NF 22 Amp power supply as a “power supply on steroids”.

Another exciting feature for me, in addition to the super light-weight and diminutive size, is the noise offset function (NF) which allows the radio operator to move any noise spikes out of the band via a front tuning control.  

This brilliant noise reduction spec is so typical of all bhi sold products and one which makes their products so attractive to radio comms hobbyists!

In conclusion, the Power-Mite-NF 22 Amp power supply seems to be ideal if you are a DXpedition enthusiast planning an overseas DX venture in the future. 

Not only is the power supply light weight and therefore wallet friendly, but it’s also small in size which allows it to fit easily into a standard suitcase in combination with clothes and other belongings.

And correct me if I’m wrong but I don’t know of any other power supply for ham, CB and 11m radio enthusiasts which offers the listening luxury of a ‘noise reduction’ feature!

73 de Darren, 43DA001