[Elecraft] Running the KX3 and KXPA100 Off Battery

[James Bennett]

I second Jim’s recommendation. I’ve been using a 12 aH AGM lead acid battery for about two years. It weighs a tad over 10 pounds. I purchased a 12 aH LiFePO battery from Bioennopower a couple weeks ago. Wow - what a difference! This one weighs about three pounds, and seems to last forever. I’ve been using it with my KX3 at 10 watts nearly every evening on the back patio and it’s still at the same voltage level as when I first charged it up. We’re planning a trip to the Philippines next year and I’m glad I got this lightweight unit to take along. Got their 117/220 charger for a couple dollars more, so I can charge it up here or there and not worry about the supply voltage. Also have a 28 watt solar panel that’s going along, in case there is one of the all-too-often “brown out” situations.

73, Jim / W6JHB


> On   Tuesday, May 26, 2015, at  Tuesday, 10:55 AM, Jim Brown <jim at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
> 
> On Tue,5/26/2015 10:13 AM, Phil Hystad wrote:
>> Thanks for any help you can provide — actual field experience preferred.
> 
> You might want to reconsider your battery choices. Of what's available, LiFePO4 batteries seem to be in the "sweet spot" for operation of our gear. Their advantages include terminal voltage that matches our gear designed to work on 12-14V, a nice flat discharge curve, a much better safety profile than Li Ion, and less demanding charging requirements.
> 
> I bought a BLF-1220W 20Ah pack from these folks, and loaned it and my KX3, KXPA100, and PX3 to a couple of guys who were activating a rare 6M grid. It's a demanding hike up a mountain to the site, so weight was a major factor. The low current drain of this rig on RX allowed them to work all day on that battery, and the terminal voltage was 13V when they went QRT. They also carried a second 20Ah pack loaned by W6GJB, but didn't need it. As luck would have it, the band never opened while they were there, so they made only 17 QSOs. They easily might have used up both batteries if the band had opened.
> 
> http://www.bioennopower.com/pages/comm-equipment-ham-radio
> 
> Note the weight of the battery I chose, and compare it to the other 20Ah batteries listed.
> 
> Here's another excellent battery vendor. W6GJB bought his from them. Both companies provide intelligent applications advice by email and land line.
> 
> http://www.batteryspace.com/
> 
> 73, Jim K9YC
> 
> 
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