The Basic lessons · Station assembly, practice and safety · B-003-008

Inside a Linear Power Supply

Learn how a linear power supply converts wall power into stable DC for your radio, step by step. Understand why each part exists, where safety happens, and which component gets hot.

This lesson is part of SignalPrep Pro. The subsection's 6 exam questions are free to practise: practise B-003-008.

What this subsection asks

• If a linear power supply provides overvoltage protection, where is the voltage monitored?
• What is the purpose of the transformer in a linear power supply?
• What is the purpose of the rectifier in a linear power supply?
• What is the purpose of the filter in a linear power supply?
• What is the purpose of the regulator in a linear power supply?
• In a linear power supply, which stage typically requires a heat sink?