Visar Power supply

[fallspolice]

This is a crazy request, but I hope someone can help. I have a visar radio, but no charger for the 2 dead batteries that I have (at least I hope its the batteries and not the radio). I tried to tape 5 AA batteries together to make the 7.5 volts needed to power the radio, and I put the positive tip of the make shift battery pack on one contact, then a long line of unbent paper clips from the negative tip on the battery to the other radio contact. That didn't make the radio power up. All I'm looking to do is see if the radio comes on. Can anyone please give me a simple solution using common household products?

Thank You

[tvsjr]

I'd suggest PMing me and buying a charger for your batteries, personally. I've got several on hand.

In the future, I wouldn't admit to such a feat of "engineering". By the way, you put the batteries in parallel - you created a 1.5V pack with higher capacity. Ever wonder why batteries in things like remote controls were put in there with some pointing one way and the rest pointing another? They didn't just do that for amusement.

[thebigphish]

then a long line of unbent paper clips from the negative tip on the battery to the other radio contact.

Chances are he had them end to end, and that's why he needed the "long line of unbent paperclips" to make the connection, so he probably had them in series. If they were in parallel, he wouldn't have been able to put the"positive tip" of the battery pack, he he would have had to put the 5 different battery tips to the positive terminal, or he would have had to make a common positive to work.

What i use for rapid diagnostics is some old variable voltage radio shack power supplies, the old keyed black plastic changeable head types, with the little slide switch on the front...with the heads cut off, and replaced with some insulated mini-gator clips. I do have a nicer variable voltage power supply w/ ammeter in the shop, but in the station, i have that kicking around in the closet so i can rapidly power up radios for tests. I even have a couple of old phone warts that i lopped off the heads for and replaced with clips for the odder voltages that i may need for particular things, that my rat shack wall wart doesn't cover.

Total cost? Like 11 bucks, in like 1995!

[WB6DGN]

I'm wondering if you got the polarity correct when you connected the batteries. If I remember correctly, the polarity is not marked on the outside of the radio chassis,though it is marked on the batteries, I think. Reversing the polarity will blow a pico fuse connected to the positive battery contact and make the radio totally inoperative. Not a major problem but it will put an end to any further testing until that fuse is replaced. There is no easy way to connect an external source to those battery contacts (pogos as they're called) short of the factory made adapter (you don't want to know the price of it even if it is still available) or a good, charged battery. You need to buy a charger or, at least, have someone charge one or both of your batteries so you can determine the nest step. If the fuse is blown, don't expect to change it yourself. You need a heated tweezers to remove the old fuse properly and a very small soldering iron tip or, preferably, hot air to replace it. By the way, what band is the radio? is it for ham use? If not, you may want to talk with your radio shop about using it for work, may be some complications there. If you wish, email me and I'll explain further.
Tom DGN