Fwd: [Elecraft] KX1 on AAAs or Lithium Polymer?

[Michael Babineau VE3WMB]

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Michael

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Michael Babineau <michael.babineau at sympatico.ca>
> Date: November 26, 2005 10:26:19 AM EST
> To: wayne burdick <n6kr at elecraft.com>
> Cc: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: re:  [Elecraft] KX1 on AAAs or Lithium Polymer?
>
> Wayne :
>
> I attempted to do exactly what you have with AAA cells but I ran into 
> difficultly sourcing
> AAA holders that would fit on the additional KX1 bottom cover that I 
> purchased for
> this project.  I may however. have been trying to squeeze 10 cells in, 
> I can't quite
> remember.
>
> Once thing I have discovered is that AAA Lithium cells seem to be more 
> expensive
> than the AA ones !  At 5 to 8 hours of operation that doesn't make AAA 
> Lithiums
> very cost effective.
>
> The problem with NiMH cells is the lower voltage, plus the rather 
> rapid self-discharge
> rate. I'm not very familiar with LiPo technology so I don't know how 
> it fares in this respect.
>
> My vote goes for the LiPo pack. I think in the long run it would prove 
> to be a more
> cost effective solution. Users could always fall back to the standard 
> back cover with AA
> cells in the event of longer duration outings.  Being able to charge 
> on-the-fly with
> a small Solar Panel would be a great idea.  BTW, I have a small 5 W 
> Coleman panel
> that folds into about the same space as a small hardcover book, it 
> would be perfect
> for this application.
>
> I think that Paul W0RW has being using  his own homebrewed LiPo pack 
> quite
> successfully for a while with his KX1.
>
> I for one would certainly welcome an alternate internal power source 
> for the KX1 that
> would allow higher power out for a shorter time period than the 
> standard 6 X AAs.
> Most of my portable and /PM outings are less than a day in duration. 
> This would be
> great, especially for KX1 /PM operation as it would mean one less wire 
> (no external
> battery pack) to get tangled.
>
> Michael VE3WMB
>
> P.S. How does LiPO technology do in cold weather ? I am assuming it 
> holds up fine like
> non-rechargable Lithium cells, otherwise Paul W0RW wouldn't be using 
> it in CO
> during the winter ;-) .
>