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 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

I have had a JRC and I have the new Vertex. Both work great on alkaline

--
-------------------------------------
Scott F. Migaldi, K9PO
IDCS-150972
PP-ASEL
center
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PADI-Instructors/join

**"A long time ago being crazy meant something, nowadays everyone is
crazy" -- Charles Manson**
-------------------------------------
"Ross Oliver" wrote in message
...

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 use alkaline batteries in my A22. They have worked for over a year or
so. But I only use to get clearances and check ATIS without powering up the
plane.

jerry

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 don't own Energizer (ENR) or Duracell (G) stock and I don't think Jay does
either. We just stopped by the closest battery booth and that's what was
readily available for alkalines.

"mike regish" wrote in message
news:UOcYa.54566$cF.19421@rwcrnsc53...
Bet he owns stock in Energizer...

I use Duracell in everything. (And no, I don't own any stock)

mike regish


"Greg Burkhart" wrote in message
news:YocYa.81797$o%2.37792@sccrnsc02...
"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.

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

See? Already I'm thinking like a politician. Normally, I would have said,
"Bull$#it", but instead I'm saying, "Isn't that an interesting untruth."

{;-)


Jim


Chris W
shared these priceless pearls of wisdom:


-
-For an emergency only radio, NiMH are about the worst battery to use. They
have a
-self discharge rate of 10% per day.
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:

See? Already I'm thinking like a politician. Normally, I would have said,
"Bull$#it", but instead I'm saying, "Isn't that an interesting untruth."

Looks like I was wrong NiMH batteries have an even worse self discharge rate than
I had remembered and NiCd are next and then the Lithium Ion

http://www.allegromicro.com/techpub2/cadex/index32.htm


--
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