Diamond GSV3000
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| Frequency | n/a (1-15 VDC linear power supply) |
| Bands | n/a (station power supply) |
| Power | A 13.8 V-class linear DC power supply with a wide adjustable output. It delivers 30 amps continuous at 100 percent duty (34 amps peak; later production units are rated 34 amps continuous), with an output adjustable from 1 to 15 volts. |
| Modes | DC power supply (1-15 V variable, linear regulated) |
| Weight | 9.5 kg (20.9 lb) |
| dc output | Front-panel binding posts and quick-connect terminals for the main DC output, plus a built-in 10 A cigarette-lighter socket |
| ac in | 100, 110 or 220 VAC depending on market (50/60 Hz) |
| power req | 100/110/220 VAC input (market-dependent). Output 1-15 V DC variable (or fixed 13.8 V), 30 A continuous / 34 A peak (later units 34 A continuous). |
A clean, heavy linear supply that produces no switching hash, so it suits sensitive HF and VHF/UHF receiving, and it has an unusually wide 1-15 volt adjustable output (or a fixed 13.8 V) that makes it useful for testing and for powering non-13.8 V gear. It delivers a full 30 amps continuously with very low 3 mV ripple, has a large selectable volt/amp meter, front binding posts, quick terminals and a 10-amp cigarette socket, and full overload, short-circuit and reverse-polarity protection.
Being linear it is heavy at about 9.5 kg and physically large, and it relies on a cooling fan that runs under load. The 30-amp rating suits a 100-watt radio but not a big amplifier, and switching supplies are far lighter and cheaper if their RF hash can be tolerated or filtered.
The Diamond GSV3000 is a popular heavy linear power supply with a wide 1-15 volt adjustable range, 30 amps continuous, very low ripple and no switching noise. It suits an HF/VHF operator who wants clean, flexible bench power for a 100-watt station and does not mind the weight; amplifier owners need more current, and those who want light and cheap choose a switching supply such as the Alinco DM-30.
The Diamond GSV3000 is a heavy linear 13.8-volt-class power supply that has been a popular choice for base stations, especially outside North America. Most ham radios run on about 13.8 volts DC, and this supply turns mains AC into that voltage to feed a transceiver. What sets the GSV3000 apart from a typical fixed supply is its wide adjustable output: the voltage can be set anywhere from 1 to 15 volts, or locked at 13.8 volts, which makes it handy for powering or testing gear that needs something other than 13.8 volts.
It is a linear supply, using a large transformer and linear regulation rather than a switching circuit. That makes it heavy, about 9.5 kilograms, but it produces no switching hash, so it does not raise the noise floor on sensitive HF or VHF/UHF receivers. It delivers a full 30 amps continuously at 100 percent duty cycle (later units are rated 34 amps), with very low ripple of no more than 3 millivolts. A large front meter switches between reading volts and amps, and the supply protects itself against overload, short circuits and reverse polarity, with an automatic cooling fan that runs only as needed.
For connections it has front-panel binding posts and quick-connect terminals plus a built-in 10-amp cigarette-lighter socket, which is convenient for mobile accessories. It measures about 250 by 150 by 240 millimeters, is made by Diamond Antenna of Japan, and sells for around $250 to $280.
It suits an HF/VHF operator who wants clean, flexible bench power for a 100-watt station and does not mind the weight. A station running an amplifier needs more current, and operators who prioritize light weight and low cost over absolute quietness can choose a switching supply such as the Alinco DM-30; in North America the Astron RS-35M is the comparable heavy linear option.