[InHam] Base/Mobile/Portable HF Off RV Battery South Bend, Indiana WD8ARZ

[WD8ARZ]

Here is my thinking on a hf radio station and battery operation.

Any HF radio I own must have 160 meters and does not have two meters or 
four forty built into it for starters. Front end for hf is compromised 
when vhf / uhf is built in, with the exception of the TS-2000 as it has 
separate modules with their own front end filters for vhf / uhf.

The battery system also must have the capability to be operational 24 / 
7 - Therefore  I dont rely on just commercial power source. Even though 
my vehicle has a standard engine twelve volt battery system, last thing 
I would want to happen is drain the vehicle battery and not be able to 
start the vehicle. Also draining a standard lead acid battery reduces 
the number of recharges it can do, and also shortens its life capacity. 
It is intended  for short term high current drain as in starting the 
vehicle.

RV batteries on the other hand are designed to provide twelve volts at 
lower current drain over a longer period of time and not to be damaged 
if the RV battery is over discharged. RV batteries shouldnt be used as a 
vehicle starting battery. That is why I put in a separate battery system 
to operate my TS-480HX ham gear in my vehicle. Battery system used for 
all the ham radio gear operation in the vehicle was duplicated for the 
home hf system. The FT-1000MP used next to my easy chair in the living 
room was reconfigured so it wasnt using its internal AC to DC power 
supply. That keeps that internal supply isolated but available if some 
future circumstances would need it .... where the radio goes that 
internal power supply of course goes with it.

To protect the battery and to charge it properly, I use a PG40S Power 
Gate that uses the Anderson Power Pole connector standard. Here is a 
link to identify this unit properly, but of course shop around for your 
best deal.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/product_info.php?products_id=pg40s

When a car or RV battery is not being charged, its operating voltage 
will drop from the alternator level of around 13/14 bolts to around 12+ 
something ... and after some use to start dropping below twelve volts. 
Some HF gear might not transmit clean audio when the source voltage 
drops much below twelve volts. Check out your own gear, as this is not 
always the case ...... Alternators Are Not Heavy Current Drain Capable 
Like Batteries, they are short duty cycle for heavy current drain charging.

That covers an external source to operate / charge an hf radio operation 
battery system.

However....
.... it is also important to pay attention to power distribution from 
the battery to the gear that is going to operate from that battery. 
RIGrunner utilizes a 13.8 VDC power panel with simple-to-use Anderson 
Powerpole connectors.... and these are the standard power connectors the 
ARRL recommends all amateur radio gear use. This allows compatibility 
among amateur equipment when used in the field and to be able to 
interface with other hams gear quickly and safely. There are several 
versions of the RIGrunner depending on how many connectors you want it 
to have to feed your expected gear load. I use this version: 40 amp 12 
VDC continuous duty with 8 outlets with a sample link at: 
http://www.westmountainradio.com/rigrunner.php and the manual is at:
http://www.westmountainradio.com/pdf/RRmanual.pdf


In the mobile I use another gadget that is not needed on the base 
system, an APO3. It protects the battery from starting transients, and 
from over draining the starting battery if it is being used for the ham 
gear.That is because a vehicle system has a risk that the base station 
does not. If a vehicle has a bad starting battery and your operating 
from that battery, when starting the vehicle the battery doesnt protect 
the ham gear from the starting transients the starter system could have, 
especially if that starting system is going bad. The APO3 is a black box 
designed to prevent a vehicle battery from being discharged and damaged 
by a DC load. Typically it is used to switch a radio transceiver off 10 
minutes after the vehicle is shut off. The APO3 is designed for 12 volt 
vehicle electrical systems with negative ground. It can switch up to 20 
amps and carry up to 30 amps. The shutdown voltage can be set to one of 
four pre-programmed voltages (11.8, 12.1, 12.7, 13.05 volts) using two 
DIP switches; the shutdown delay can be set to one of four 
pre-programmed times (0, 5, 10, 20 minutes). The device is housed in a 
sturdy ABS plastic case.  The APO3 is ideal for use with mobile APRS / 
AVL stations. It allows the radio to transmit a few position reports 
after the vehicle is shut off before turning off the radio and GPS. This 
reduces clutter on the APRS / AVL channel and prevents the vehicle 
battery from discharging.


Connect the transceiver right across the battery, fusing all radio cable 
leads. Check out the information about  connecting transmitters right to 
the battery as detailed by W1ZR.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/pdf/Emergency%20Power%20at%20W1ZR1.pdf

Previous mobile battery here was a GEL 70 a/Hr battery.
http://www.westmountainradio.com/product_info.php?products_id=M24SLDA

Replaced the 70 a/hr battery I used for 24/7 over the last six years 
with a 12 Volt Group 31 Gel AGM Werker Battery WKG12-100DT 100 a/hr from 
Batteriesplus. 
http://www.batteriesplus.com/product_search/39603-12Volt-Group-31-Gel-AGM-Werker-Battery-WKG12--100DT.aspx 


Am considering a bit larger capacity battery for the base .... even 
thought about two six volt batteries hooked up in series. That way I 
could physically lift a 70 or 80 pound six volt battery and move it 
around. Limiting a 12 volt battery to that weight limits the capacity of 
the battery .... ugh

Well, that should cover how I operate full time from an RV battery be it 
the mobile or the base station.

73 from Bill - WD8ARZ


See my Geiger Counters Located in South Bend, Indiana at this
map ... my two stations are in the N.W. section of Indiana:
http://www.radiationnetwork.com/