Ham Radio Batteries and Portable Power Solutions
Find information on battery types, charging circuits, and power projects for amateur radio operations and emergency communications.
Batteries are essential for portable and emergency ham radio operations, powering transceivers and accessories when mains power is unavailable. Operators often rely on various battery types for Field Day, SOTA activations, or simply operating a mobile station. Understanding battery chemistry, charging methods, and power management is key to keeping stations on the air, especially during extended QSOs or contests.
This category provides practical information on battery selection, construction projects, and charging solutions. Hams can find resources on building portable 12-volt DC power sources, like the project by N1KXR, or learn about specific battery applications for transceivers such as the FT-817. There are also guides for creating custom chargers, including a 9-volt battery charger project by AD5X, and general technical articles on battery performance and RFI considerations.
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This almost trivial circuit may be used to charge a pair of AA or AAA sized rechargeable battery cells from sunlight. -
Influence of batteries on RFI and noise generation by k0bg -
ARRL web batteries articles and web links -
What sort of batteries when operating mobile, choosing proper battery technology -
Thanks to the popularity of cell phones, laptops and other personal electronic devices, the battery industry has been market-driven to produce higher capacity batteries in lighter weights than previously possible with yesterday's chemistries.As a result, a wide variety of battery types are available to the outdoor QRP operator. -
On-line resource that provides practical battery knowledge for engineers, educators, students and battery users alike. The papers address battery chemistries, best battery choices and ways to make your battery last longer. -
A battery voltage booster project with pictures and schematic by KD7W -
An inexpensive rechargeable CMOS battery system that can be built from readily available parts. -
Project with pictures and descriptions for building a portable 12 Volt DC power source by N1KXR. -
Battery consumer information and answers to frequently asked questions (faq) about car and deep cycle batteries. -
Make your own battery clip by nj2x -
Resources for custom battery chargers and power supplies from powerstream -
A LiFePO4 battery box build project made with 25Ah 3.2V LiFePO4 prismatic cells, 40A 4s1p BMS with Bluetooth, 10A Buck/Boost converter -
A discharge circuit which you could use to cycle the batteries -
Primary, Ion, and Polymer, a lithium battery primer, learn the differences between and varied uses for these diverse types of lithium batteries. -
A project by Don Wilhelm W3FPR -
One way to keep your home station on the air during a power outage. -
An interesting article on choosing the right battery when operating in portable mode, considering charging time and modes, weight and size. -
This page offers the domain name ae5x.com for sale, providing details on purchase options, payment plans, and domain transfer procedures. -
A free educational website offering hands-on battery information. The tutorials evaluate the advantages and limitations of diverse battery chemistries, advise on best choices, and suggest ways to extend life. -
Guide to building an 8AH 12V LiFePO4 battery pack for emergency or field power, detailing advantages over lead-acid, safety, and BMS integration. -
Homebrew a custom lithium battery pack with 5s3p batteries -
How to do a capacity check on your battery pack. Videos demonstrate how to test the capacity of a 4S 10Ah LiFePO4 Headway pack -
This tutorial demonstrates how to charge laptops or tablets, like the Microsoft Surface, using off-grid 12-volt batteries typically used for ham radio gear. The guide highlights the importance of selecting a reliable USB-C PD adapter, recommending a 15V, 60W minimum with 5–20V, 3–5A capability. Featured tools include a 100W USB-C adapter and a USB multimeter for monitoring power usage. The video also explores the compact, efficient Power Queen 50Ah LiFePO4 battery for portable power solutions. -
An interesting article about a homemade LiFePO4 battery pack for ham radio operations, a 10Ah LiFePO4 based on Headway 38120 Cells -
Sanyo Eneloop rechargeable AA batteries. For QRP purposes, these batteries are great as a 10-cell pack -
Using portable battery power is always a challange when operatin amateur radio in sota oprations. This article is about implementing lithium iron phosphate cells (LiFePO4) in ham radio portable operations. -
This project outlines a simple Lead Acid/SLA battery monitor, designed to alert users when battery voltage falls below 10.6V. The monitor, based on a PIC16F1827 microcontroller, checks the voltage of up to five batteries and triggers an alarm if any drop too low. The system operates in various modes, including self-test, monitoring, and alarm. This updated version improves upon the original 1999 design, offering a more modern microcontroller and extended functionality for workshop use, with minimal impact on battery charge. -
An article (in Finnish) on LiPos in the FT-897 ad alternative to FNB-78 published in Radioamatoori 12/2011 -
About Lithium-Polymer batteries for QRP operations -
Turning an RV marine battery into a massive 12-volt emergency power source -
How to make your HT last for days and get out like crazy -
The article highlights the common absence of modern USB-C ports on handheld ham radios and the limited use of USB for power. The author, [jephthai], shares a solution involving a USB-C cable with power negotiation capabilities, allowing the radio to be powered by USB. By splicing Anderson power pole connectors onto the cable, the radio can now be conveniently powered by a USB battery bank, providing a practical alternative to traditional 12 V batteries for off-grid operations.