Question for Field Day - extended ops battery pack
 

I'd like to have a 12v battery pack, using throwaway batteries, for
extended field ops with my Yaesu VX-5R HT. I want to be able to
operate without having a genny on hand, and throway cells of a
standardized type allow me to say to Logistics "Uh, go gimme a raft of
them thar D cells", simplifying my life in the process.

Anyone done this with either four pairs of D cells or a pair of 6v
lantern batteries?

IIRC, IEC-type D-cells are normally designed to deliver 200mA, whereas
the lantern batteries are designed to deliver 300 mA. Is that correct?

Many thanks for your helpful and on-topic advice.

In article ,
John Bartley I solved my XP problems w/ Service Pack Linux wrote:

I'd like to have a 12v battery pack, using throwaway batteries, for
extended field ops with my Yaesu VX-5R HT. I want to be able to
operate without having a genny on hand, and throway cells of a
standardized type allow me to say to Logistics "Uh, go gimme a raft of
them thar D cells", simplifying my life in the process.

Anyone done this with either four pairs of D cells or a pair of 6v
lantern batteries?

Going with 12 volts is probably a waste of money and weight, in this
particular application. My recollection is that the VX-5 only needs
about 8 volts to reach full transmit power (but needs around 9 - 9.5 in
order to be able to charge its internal lithium battery). If you
power it from 12 volts I believe it simply regulates the voltage down
to what it really needs, and this is probably going to result in extra
heat buildup.

You might try 3 pairs of D cells, for around 9 volts nominal - 25%
less weight and I believe you'll probably get good power out. Drop
your transmit power to 1 watt, stick on a spaghetti-noodle antenna
instead of the stock base-loaded rubber duck, and you'll probably at
least triple your battery run-time with no loss of transmit range (and
distinctly-improved receive sensitivity as well). Use a roll-up
J-pole hung up in a tree for even better power conservation.

In a real pinch, use the Yaesu 3-AA-cell battery pack, load it with
alkalines, and you'll still be able to get out 100 milliwatts or so...
enough for some short-range ops.

IIRC, IEC-type D-cells are normally designed to deliver 200mA, whereas
the lantern batteries are designed to deliver 300 mA. Is that correct?

If I recall correctly, this sort of current level is probably what
they're rated for, in terms of mAh. They can deliver a good deal more
current than this, but at the cost of decreased total energy delivery
capability.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

In article ,
John Bartley I solved my XP problems w/ Service Pack Linux wrote:

I'd like to have a 12v battery pack, using throwaway batteries, for
extended field ops with my Yaesu VX-5R HT. I want to be able to
operate without having a genny on hand, and throway cells of a
standardized type allow me to say to Logistics "Uh, go gimme a raft of
them thar D cells", simplifying my life in the process.

Anyone done this with either four pairs of D cells or a pair of 6v
lantern batteries?

Going with 12 volts is probably a waste of money and weight, in this
particular application. My recollection is that the VX-5 only needs
about 8 volts to reach full transmit power (but needs around 9 - 9.5 in
order to be able to charge its internal lithium battery). If you
power it from 12 volts I believe it simply regulates the voltage down
to what it really needs, and this is probably going to result in extra
heat buildup.

You might try 3 pairs of D cells, for around 9 volts nominal - 25%
less weight and I believe you'll probably get good power out. Drop
your transmit power to 1 watt, stick on a spaghetti-noodle antenna
instead of the stock base-loaded rubber duck, and you'll probably at
least triple your battery run-time with no loss of transmit range (and
distinctly-improved receive sensitivity as well). Use a roll-up
J-pole hung up in a tree for even better power conservation.

In a real pinch, use the Yaesu 3-AA-cell battery pack, load it with
alkalines, and you'll still be able to get out 100 milliwatts or so...
enough for some short-range ops.

IIRC, IEC-type D-cells are normally designed to deliver 200mA, whereas
the lantern batteries are designed to deliver 300 mA. Is that correct?

If I recall correctly, this sort of current level is probably what
they're rated for, in terms of mAh. They can deliver a good deal more
current than this, but at the cost of decreased total energy delivery
capability.

--
Dave Platt AE6EO
Hosting the Jade Warrior home page: http://www.radagast.org/jade-warrior
I do _not_ wish to receive unsolicited commercial email, and I will
boycott any company which has the gall to send me such ads!

In article , John
Bartley I solved my XP problems w/ Service Pack Linux
wrote:

I'd like to have a 12v battery pack, using throwaway batteries, for
extended field ops with my Yaesu VX-5R HT. I want to be able to
operate without having a genny on hand, and throway cells of a
standardized type allow me to say to Logistics "Uh, go gimme a raft of
them thar D cells", simplifying my life in the process.

Anyone done this with either four pairs of D cells or a pair of 6v
lantern batteries?

IIRC, IEC-type D-cells are normally designed to deliver 200mA, whereas
the lantern batteries are designed to deliver 300 mA. Is that correct?

Many thanks for your helpful and on-topic advice.

Check out the manufacturer's websites, such as www.duracell.com -- go
to the professional pages for the data sheets, such as this one:

http://www.duracell.com/oem/primary/alkaline/mn1300.asp

That shows an alkaline D cell under a 750mA load lasting almost 12
hours, with a terminal voltage of just under 1 volt.

You have to do a LOT of talking at high power to use up that kind of
power!

I have a 6-D cell pack I (can) use, but most of the time I stick with
the AA pack for the radio. In a pinch, I keep a set of AA Lithium
cells around -- much longer shelf life, and longer life under high
drain.

Spend some time perusing the data sheets; you'll learn a lot.

73--

In article , John
Bartley I solved my XP problems w/ Service Pack Linux
wrote:

I'd like to have a 12v battery pack, using throwaway batteries, for
extended field ops with my Yaesu VX-5R HT. I want to be able to
operate without having a genny on hand, and throway cells of a
standardized type allow me to say to Logistics "Uh, go gimme a raft of
them thar D cells", simplifying my life in the process.

Anyone done this with either four pairs of D cells or a pair of 6v
lantern batteries?

IIRC, IEC-type D-cells are normally designed to deliver 200mA, whereas
the lantern batteries are designed to deliver 300 mA. Is that correct?

Many thanks for your helpful and on-topic advice.

Check out the manufacturer's websites, such as www.duracell.com -- go
to the professional pages for the data sheets, such as this one:

http://www.duracell.com/oem/primary/alkaline/mn1300.asp

That shows an alkaline D cell under a 750mA load lasting almost 12
hours, with a terminal voltage of just under 1 volt.

You have to do a LOT of talking at high power to use up that kind of
power!

I have a 6-D cell pack I (can) use, but most of the time I stick with
the AA pack for the radio. In a pinch, I keep a set of AA Lithium
cells around -- much longer shelf life, and longer life under high
drain.

Spend some time perusing the data sheets; you'll learn a lot.

73--

artie wrote in message l.com...

Check out the manufacturer's websites, such as www.duracell.com -- go
to the professional pages for the data sheets, such as this one:

http://www.duracell.com/oem/primary/alkaline/mn1300.asp

That shows an alkaline D cell under a 750mA load lasting almost 12
hours, with a terminal voltage of just under 1 volt.

You have to do a LOT of talking at high power to use up that kind of
power!

I have a 6-D cell pack I (can) use, but most of the time I stick with
the AA pack for the radio. In a pinch, I keep a set of AA Lithium
cells around -- much longer shelf life, and longer life under high
drain.

Spend some time perusing the data sheets; you'll learn a lot.

73--

Good advice - except I didn't have access to anything which could
download and read a PDF, as I only has my Palm Tungsten W with me to
search, read and post.

I found it interesting that with loads somewhat similar to what I
expect for Field Day, the e2 Titanium batteries had about 20% longer
run tinmes, all other things being equal.

artie wrote in message l.com...

Check out the manufacturer's websites, such as www.duracell.com -- go
to the professional pages for the data sheets, such as this one:

http://www.duracell.com/oem/primary/alkaline/mn1300.asp

That shows an alkaline D cell under a 750mA load lasting almost 12
hours, with a terminal voltage of just under 1 volt.

You have to do a LOT of talking at high power to use up that kind of
power!

I have a 6-D cell pack I (can) use, but most of the time I stick with
the AA pack for the radio. In a pinch, I keep a set of AA Lithium
cells around -- much longer shelf life, and longer life under high
drain.

Spend some time perusing the data sheets; you'll learn a lot.

73--

Good advice - except I didn't have access to anything which could
download and read a PDF, as I only has my Palm Tungsten W with me to
search, read and post.

I found it interesting that with loads somewhat similar to what I
expect for Field Day, the e2 Titanium batteries had about 20% longer
run tinmes, all other things being equal.