Handhelds and alkaline batteries

I have an Icom transceiver and have no problems with batteries. I too
use the alkaline batteries.

Ross

Ross Oliver wrote:

I recently purchased an Icom A23 Sport handheld transceiver, which
uses 6 AA alkaline batteries rather than the rechargable NiCad.
I chose the Sport model because I plan to use it primarily as an
emergency backup, the alkalines will hold a charge much longer than
the NiCads. The radio receives great, but it will not transmit
at all. Even with brand new name-brand batteries, the "low battery"
warning comes on as soon as I key the PTT, and the transmission is
so badly clipped that it is unreadable. I'm guessing that the alkalines
simply cannot provide enough current to adequately power the transmitter.

Has anyone else tried transmitting using a handheld powered by alkalines,
either the A23 or any of the other brands? I'm thinking about trying the
Sporty's model next. It uses 8 AA rather than the A23's 6.

Ross Oliver

In article ,
(Ross Oliver) wrote:

Has anyone else tried transmitting using a handheld powered by alkalines,
either the A23 or any of the other brands?

My King KX-99 works fine on alkaline batteries.

--
Larry Fransson
Aviation software for Mac OS X!
http://www.subcritical.com

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 18:05:01 GMT, Larry Fransson
wrote:

In article ,
(Ross Oliver) wrote:

Has anyone else tried transmitting using a handheld powered by alkalines,
either the A23 or any of the other brands?

My King KX-99 works fine on alkaline batteries.

ditto for my KX-99

I've always used disposable AA's but am thinking about getting rechargable
Nicads and a 2 hour recharger (instead of overnight). It's about $30 vs $20
for the slower recharger. Comes with 4 AA's.

Any brand suggestions or thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea?

I have bought the e2 batteries and they really last a long time but think I'll
do better with the rechargable ones.

Thanks in advance.


Trip



In article ,


On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 18:05:01 GMT, Larry Fransson
wrote:

In article ,
(Ross Oliver) wrote:

Has anyone else tried transmitting using a handheld powered by alkalines,
either the A23 or any of the other brands?

My King KX-99 works fine on alkaline batteries.

ditto for my KX-99

"TripFarmer" wrote in message ...
I've always used disposable AA's but am thinking about getting rechargable
Nicads and a 2 hour recharger (instead of overnight). It's about $30 vs $20
for the slower recharger. Comes with 4 AA's.

Any brand suggestions or thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea?


Nicads have much less charge capacity and the annoying feature of self discharging
(especially in hot environments like locked up in the aircraft). That being said, if you
use NiCads you should always keep a pack with alkalines in it for emergencies. I can
tell you the story of coming back into Dulles NORDO because the NiCad's were dead in
the handheld.

"Ron Natalie" wrote in message om...
Nicads have much less charge capacity and the annoying feature of self discharging
(especially in hot environments like locked up in the aircraft). That being said, if you
use NiCads you should always keep a pack with alkalines in it for emergencies. I can
tell you the story of coming back into Dulles NORDO because the NiCad's were dead in
the handheld.

I can relate. I can tell you story of going NORDO at liftoff from
PHX because the NiCad died. A few weeks later I had an alkaline
battery pack for my KX-99. Haven't used a NiCad since.

John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)

On 8 Aug 2003 18:35:52 GMT, TripFarmer wrote:
I've always used disposable AA's but am thinking about getting rechargable
Nicads and a 2 hour recharger (instead of overnight). It's about $30 vs $20
for the slower recharger. Comes with 4 AA's.

Any brand suggestions or thoughts? Good idea? Bad idea?


Problem with using AA rechargables is you can't charge the AA's while
installed in the radio. You have to remove the batteries from
the radio, put them in the charger, then reassemble to be ready to use.
To combat self-discharge, you will have to do this frequently. This is
enough of a hassle that I would probably neglect to do it, and end up
carrying around $400 worth of ballast in my flight bag.

This becomes even more of a hassle if you go on trips of any length,
because you have to haul that bulky AA charger around with you.
And you will want the 8-cell charger rather than the 4-cell, so you
can charge a full set at once rather than half-and-half.

If I were to choose rechargable, I would use the battery built for the
radio so I could simply plug it into the trickle charger whenever
it is not in use.

On Wed, 06 Aug 2003 16:28:27 GMT, (Ross
Oliver) wrote:


I recently purchased an Icom A23 Sport handheld transceiver, which
uses 6 AA alkaline batteries rather than the rechargable NiCad.
I chose the Sport model because I plan to use it primarily as an
emergency backup, the alkalines will hold a charge much longer than
the NiCads. The radio receives great, but it will not transmit
at all. Even with brand new name-brand batteries, the "low battery"
warning comes on as soon as I key the PTT, and the transmission is
so badly clipped that it is unreadable. I'm guessing that the alkalines
simply cannot provide enough current to adequately power the transmitter.

Has anyone else tried transmitting using a handheld powered by alkalines,
either the A23 or any of the other brands? I'm thinking about trying the
Sporty's model next. It uses 8 AA rather than the A23's 6.


Ross Oliver

I have a new Icom A-5 and I have also experienced an immediate low
battery warning with the optional alkaline battery pack installed. I
have also had difficulty charging the rechargeable battery. It has
been taking an average of three attempts to get a charge on the
battery. Every time I think that I've had enough and should send it
back, it charges and I forget about it until it needs a charge again.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I'm not happy with it. I
haven't even tried to transmit yet.

Rich Russell

Alkalines have a problem when you get to the power levels we are talking about
for transmit. They last a mercifully short time in most HTs. We've found that
popping for the NiMH cells is far better from a time and life point of view.

Try www.thomasdistributing.com Probably the best price in the country.

Jim



"Greg Burkhart"
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:

-"Ross Oliver" wrote in message
...
- Has anyone else tried transmitting using a handheld powered by alkalines,
- either the A23 or any of the other brands? I'm thinking about trying the
- Sporty's model next. It uses 8 AA rather than the A23's 6.
-
-I don't have direct experience with the Icom radios, but I was with Jay
-Honeck when he picked up his A5 at OSH. The dealer mentioned when using
-alkalines in the Icom, don't use Duracell brand. He said there was a
-'compatibility' problem when using that brand for some reason. Jay picked up
-a set of industrial Energizers and used his new handheld for a few days
-without any problems.
-
-Jay, any problems with either new radio or the other goodies?
-

Jim Weir (A&P/IA, CFI, & other good alphabet soup)
VP Eng RST Pres. Cyberchapter EAA Tech. Counselor
http://www.rst-engr.com

Jim Weir wrote:

Alkalines have a problem when you get to the power levels we are talking about
for transmit. They last a mercifully short time in most HTs. We've found that
popping for the NiMH cells is far better from a time and life point of view.

For an emergency only radio, NiMH are about the worst battery to use. They have a
self discharge rate of 10% per day. The Lithium Ions are the next best then
NiCd. Of course the self discharge rate of alkaline batteries are a lot better
than any of the rechargeable but they don't do well with high current loads that
some electronic equipment need. The non rechargeable Lithium batteries are the
best in that regard, they last a long time, lowest self discharge rate of any
battery and they can take the high current loads, the only down side is they are
expensive, especially if you go to the corner drug store where they some times will
charge $8 or more each, if you look around on the internet you can get them for
less than $2 each. Of course that doesn't do much good if your radio doesn't have
a pack that will take the CR123 lithium batteries.


--
Chris Woodhouse
Oklahoma City

"They that can give up essential liberty
to obtain a little temporary safety
deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-- Benjamin Franklin, 1759 Historical Review of Pennsylvania