On Sun, 7 Nov 2010 08:06:33 +0000, MrRas
wrote:


Hi all,

I've decided to do something that I've wanted to do for a long time, and
that is to get my ham license. I've got the book and I'm reading up. I'm
signed up for a test in December. I'm pretty excited. But I've been
looking around just "window shopping" for components to build a radio in
the coming months. I have a probably really basic question. How do you
power the radio itself? I have a scanner, and I know that it came with a
wallplug, but when I'm looking around at radios I don't see any mention
of this.

example; I look at a radio and it says "power; supplied DC power adapter
13.8v" or something to that effect.

How do I run this thing indoors? I don't want to run this in my car. I
know it can be done, but how? I'm just not sure of the name of the thing
that lets me go from wall plug -- radio. Once I get that, I'll be good.
I've searched sites like radioshack for things like "power adapter"
"radio power supply" to no avail. I live in a place with out many shops
so my main shopping will be done online unfortunately.

Thanks for any help.

Start with these folks.

http://www.mfjenterprises.com/

There are a few Hams that bad mouth MFJ (Mighty Fine Junk) but I have
been dealing with them for a long time and have never regreted a
purchase.

Acquire a recent copy of the ARRL Handbook (last five - ten years) and
use it as a reference.

Good luck with the test and I hope to meet you on the air!

John Ferrell W8CCW