Power supplies for FCDEV3B boards

[Mychaela Falconia]

Hello FC community,

I just got my standalone (non-smartphone) digital camera working and
took some pictures of one of those ultra-compact power adapters I keep
talking about:

https://www.freecalypso.org/members/falcon/pictures/PSU/

I have a total of 10 of these adapters currently, and given that I
need to save a few for my own use, my ability to sell them will be
quite limited unless I can get more of them.  I just sent an email to
Kingdatron (the apparent manufacturer), inquiring if they can make a
new batch or if they have any existing stock they can sell.

These ultra-compact AC to 3.6 VDC adapters (the adapter brick measures
only 93x49x35 mm) are the most convenient way to power an FCDEV3B
board when it is used for its primary intended purpose of FreeCalypso
development or general GSM tinkering, as opposed to integration as a
component into some larger system.  When I work with FCDEV3B boards
myself, this is the power supply I use most of the time.  Of course I
also have a "traditional" bench power supply with a voltage tuning
knob and an ammeter display (much much bigger and heavier than these
little adapters), and I use this heavy-duty bench PSU when I need to
test operation at different voltages or see the current draw, but for
most usage scenarios the ultra-compact 3.6 VDC adapters are my power
supply of choice.

Of course at some point we are going to need to test truly mobile
operation with cell reselection, location updates and handovers, at
which point the FCDEV3B will need to be powered from a battery,
controlled by a laptop that also runs on its battery.  That setup
would involve an ad hoc battery equipped with a Weidmuller connector
for the FCDEV3B, along with an equally ad hoc external charger for it.
But for stationary operation in a typical development environment a
battery-less power arrangement that ultimately comes from AC mains is
the most convenient.

M~