DX-398 6V power adapter for Bluetti power supply

[BDavis27707]

I love to use my DX-398 a lot while camping but it burns through the 4xAA batteries quickly. I have a Bluetti EB70s power station that I would like to use as a power supply to the radio. I could use my AC adapter but don’t like the idea of going DC to AC and back to DC.

I have located a USBA to DC plug adapter that would fit but that would only supply 5V to the 6V input on the radio. Before I go that route was wondering if you guys think I should use a 12V to 6V adapter on the DC5521 or Cig Lighter ports, or try to figure out a way to use the USBC PD3.0 port. Thanks for you advice.


Power Station available ports:
1x Cig Lighter 12V/10A
2x DC5521 12V/10A
2x USBA 5V/3A
2x UCBC PD3.0 (5V/3A, 9V/3A, 12V/3A, 15V/3A, 20V/3A, 20V/5A) 100W Max

DX 396 6V Input Jack:
6V/300ma 5.5 mm OD/ 2.1 mm ID barrel plug

 

[ka3aaa]

I would use the power supply that came with the scanner, that's whats it is for and will defiantly save on batteries.

 

[BDavis27707]

The power supply is AC and I need this to work while at the campsite which will have no AC available. That's why I would like to adapt my battery power station to run my shortwave receiver.

 

[BDavis27707]

Something like this would work but I was hoping a more elegant solution utilizing a USB port could be found.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018PHSBOG/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

 

[Dirk_SDR]

I also use a small powerstation revolt HSG-240 for my radios and SDR equipment.
One possibility would be to use a car cigarette lighter adapter like this one:

https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B07KWQXDK7/

But you'll have to test, whether your reception suffers from the noise of the step-down voltage converter in this adapter.
I've used a linear voltage regulator for this purpose with the 78xx or the LM317 like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07R76MCXZ/

It is simple to build.

 

[BDavis27707]

This screen grab indicates that AA batteries spend a good portion of their service life at or below 1.25V, so the USB 5V port might work.

 

[BDavis27707]

But you'll have to test, whether your reception suffers from the noise of the step-down voltage converter in this adapter.

That's a good point and one I have not considered.

 

[Boombox]

You could make your own battery pack. A battery holder that would hold 4 D cells, wire up a cord with a plug wired correctly, and you have a DX-398 working off 4 D Cells.

 

[BDavis27707]

I cut down a USB cord and adapted a DC plug to it. Radio works fine connected to the power pack USB port. Success!