Name: Astron SS-30M
Brand: Astron

all

Bands

Frequency	n/a
Power	13.8 VDC, 25 A continuous / 30 A ICS. SWITCHING (light, efficient); fold-back current limiting + crowbar overvoltage + over-temperature shutdown + internal fuse; M = volt/amp meters
Modes	n/a
Weight	2.27 kg (5 lb)

Connectors

dc out	terminal block / screw (PowerPoles + USB on -AP)
ac in	3-conductor cord
meters	front-panel volt + amp
power req	105-125 VAC in; 13.8 VDC out

Astron's modern switching supply with meters: 25 A continuous / 30 A ICS at 13.8 V, a fraction the weight of the linears Crowbar overvoltage protection (uncommon on switchers), fold-back current limiting, over-temperature shutdown, internal fuse Safety/EMI certified: UL/CUL/EN/IEC 62368-1; built-in EMI filter to CISPR 22 / FCC Part 15 Class B; Energy Star; RoHS M = volt and amp meters; the -AP variant adds Anderson PowerPoles and dual 1.5 A USB ports (PowerPole pairs rated 45 A) 3.75 x 7 x 9.375 in, ~4.2-5 lb; terminal-block (screw) outputs; fan cooled Powers any 100 W radio at a fraction of the RS-35's weight; the modern default for a portable or weight-conscious station Made by Astron (Irvine, CA); current production (the new SS line)

Strengths

Astron's switching answer to its own linears: 25 amps continuous and panel meters in a 5-pound box, with the crowbar overvoltage protection switchers usually lack, plus modern UL/EMI certification and an EMI filter. The -AP adds PowerPoles and USB. For a 100-watt station that wants light weight without giving up Astron's protection philosophy, it is the sensible pick.

Weaknesses

It is a switching supply, so it does have a switching frequency (the EMI filter and Class-B certification keep it clean, but it is not the dead silence of a linear); it is fan-cooled (some fan noise); and at 25 A continuous it is sized for a 100 W radio, not an amplifier.

Verdict

The modern Astron: switching light weight and panel meters with the crowbar protection and certifications that set it above generic switchers. For a weight-conscious 100-watt station it is the easy choice; the linear RS-35M is the route to absolute RF silence at four times the weight.

The Astron SS-30M is the company's modern switching supply - its answer to the weight-and-price argument that switchers won years ago - and it brings Astron's protection philosophy with it. It delivers 13.8 volts at 25 amps continuous (30 ICS) in a roughly 5-pound box a quarter the weight of the equivalent RS-35 linear, and unusually for a switcher it includes a crowbar overvoltage circuit alongside fold-back current limiting, over-temperature shutdown, and an internal fuse.

It is also properly certified in a way generic switchers often are not: UL/CUL/EN/IEC 62368-1 safety, a built-in EMI filter meeting CISPR 22 and FCC Part 15 Class B, Energy Star efficiency, and RoHS. The 'M' adds front-panel volt and amp meters; the -AP variant adds Anderson PowerPole outputs (pairs rated to 45 amps) and dual 1.5-amp USB charging ports. It measures 3.75 by 7 by 9.375 inches, weighs about 4.2 to 5 pounds, and is fan-cooled.

The honest trade versus a linear is the one inherent to the technology: a switching supply has a switching frequency, and although the EMI filter and Class-B certification keep it clean, it is not the absolute silence of the transformer-based RS-35M; it also has a cooling fan. At 25 amps continuous it powers any 100-watt radio, not an amplifier. For a weight-conscious station that still wants Astron's crowbar protection and real certifications, it is the modern default. Made in Irvine, California; current.