HELP NEEDED “DIY Charger for RODA Rocky RK9 (MIL-STD-810G/461F) — Have the correct Amphenol 62IN-56T8-33P plug, need wiring help + setup tips for comms/GPS mapping”
Hey everyone,
I just picked up a used RODA Rocky RK9 (Core 2 Duo P8400, 4GB RAM, military green magnesium chassis) for $80 on eBay as a dedicated field laptop for communications mapping and GPS data work in Arizona (vehicle-mounted/field ops in the Sonoran Desert). It’s fully MIL-STD-810G + MIL-STD-461F certified with great legacy serial ports, sunlight-readable screen, and optional uBlox GPS support — perfect for FalconView or QGIS overlays.
The challenge: No original charger. I already bought the correct male Amphenol 62IN-56T8-33P 3-pin MIL connector. From what I understand I can buy the correct power bank 19v 5A or 90-120w and cut the end off to reattach the correct connector.
Questions:
- Best way to wire the Amphenol plug? (Pinout confirmation: Pin A = +19V, Pin B = GND, Pin C = NC?) Any tips on strain relief or testing polarity safely?
- Has anyone run one of these RK9s successfully? Recommended OS (Win7 or lightweight Linux?), drivers for GPS/serial ports, or FalconView/QGIS setup tips?
- Any other upgrades (RAM/SSD is planned) or gotchas for field use?
Photos of the ports, connector, and laptop attached. Any help getting this tank running would be awesome — it’s going to be a beast for real-time mapping and comms once powered up!
Thanks in advance!