Summary of Mobile Radio Power Controller ( MRPC )
The author installed a mobile radio power controller to automate the power cycling of a Yaesu FT-8800 in their car. Since the radio's native Automatic Power Off feature could not turn it back on, they sought an external solution to match the vehicle's ignition state. The project involves purchasing and installing a specific device designed to toggle the radio's power based on whether the car is running or off.
Parts used in the Mobile Radio Power Controller Project:
- Yaesu FT-8800
- Mobile Radio Power Controller (MRPC)
Before I began the installation of my Yaesu FT-8800 in my car I knew I wanted automatic power ON / OFF. This is a feature that I have always felt was lacking in my other mobile rigs as I am forever leaving my ham radio on long after I have departed the car.
Let’s start with an action packed video of the finished product, then we can talk about how we got there.
First, I set out to determine if my radio has such a feature natively, and I found the following. Per the FT-8800 user manual, there is an Automatic Power Off ( APO ) feature. Below is a screen cap from the manual describing this operation.
As you will read, this feature can be used to turn OFF the radio, but not back ON. And for the APO to turn the radio OFF there are several specific requirements including leaving the radio in a non-scanning mode – not necessarily something I can commit to. In the end, I determined this APO is not helpful to me in its current form.
Recalling that my radio will return to its last known power state meant that I only have to apply power to the radio when the car is ON and disconnect the power when the car is OFF to achieve my goal.
Having ruled out the APO feature on the FT-8800 I set out to see what products already exist on the market to automatically toggle my radio power. Surely there should be something for <$50.
For more detail: Mobile Radio Power Controller ( MRPC )
- Why did the author install a power controller?
The author wanted automatic power ON/OFF because they often leave their ham radio on after leaving the car. - Does the Yaesu FT-8800 have a native auto power off feature?
Yes, the manual describes an Automatic Power Off feature, but it cannot turn the radio back ON. - Can the native APO feature turn the radio back on automatically?
No, the feature can only be used to turn OFF the radio, not back ON. - What condition prevents the native APO from working reliably for this user?
The radio must be left in a non-scanning mode, which the author felt unable to commit to. - How does the author achieve automatic power cycling with the radio?
By applying power when the car is ON and disconnecting power when the car is OFF. - What product did the author look for to solve the problem?
The author looked for products to automatically toggle radio power, specifically mentioning a Mobile Radio Power Controller.
