Portable hf

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M0VMT
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Portable hf

Unread post by M0VMT »

Is anyone going portable once we are all back to normal and what are your radios of choice and antennas and more importantly what are you using for power.
I looked at lipo batteries but you need a second mortgage.
I would like to get Into sota, anyone here ever gone down that road?
I'm not a power man when I've recently gone out portable and enjoy low power for the challenge.
My kit will be a xiegu G90 0-30 a sota beams 7m tactical hd mast and batteries are slabs.
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Sangoma
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Re: Portable hf

Unread post by Sangoma »

Have a look here for lipo batteries https://hobbyking.com/en_us/batteries-c ... ipo&is_v=1

They also have life4 which are a bit more expensive, but safer (though I have never had problems with lipos, but I do carry them in a safety bag)
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M0VMT
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Re: Portable hf

Unread post by M0VMT »

Thanks for the link Steve i will check them out, I was into remote control cars some years ago and they appeared then but they had been known to set on fire when charging.
I noted not to charge unattended and in a place where if they do go pop they can't burn the house down.
What size do you use Steve and what do you use for charging if you don't mind me asking, I've already read they are very good at powering right up to the last few minutes of Life.
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Re: Portable hf

Unread post by Sangoma »

M0VMT wrote: Wed Jun 03, 2020 8:30 am Thanks for the link Steve i will check them out, I was into remote control cars some years ago and they appeared then but they had been known to set on fire when charging.
I noted not to charge unattended and in a place where if they do go pop they can't burn the house down.
What size do you use Steve and what do you use for charging if you don't mind me asking, I've already read they are very good at powering right up to the last few minutes of Life.

I use 3S 2200mAh and 3S 4000mAh, simply because that is what I used in the planes.

I keep them in a steel tool box, with a lock through the lid so that it can't e pushed open. (I think Boeing must have spied on me)
In the car I carry them in battery safe bags, which also go in the backpack. The bags have a wire attached to them, so that if anything happened I could grab the wire and sling them away from the car or myself.

I charge then in a large biscuit tin with a secured lid.

I use B6 balanced chargers.

I only crashed one plane, a Webbit on its maiden, I took the battery from that and put it in a bucket of salty water for a day, then in the bin :)

Never had any problems with them, but have always tried to be careful.

Many years ago I posted discharge graphs of them and the NiMh I used in RC cars, the LiPos were much better, ideal for portable use.

A hard case made out of PCB would prevent most problems, by preventing physical damage to them.

LiFePO4 are much safer I believe, I used them in the transmitters, but they were/are more expensive for the same capacity, and can't supply as much current, but that would not be an issue for radio use.
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Re: Portable hf

Unread post by M0VMT »

Great Steve thanks for that detailed reply I didn't even know about the battery safe bags and I don't think it's too much drama if you follow similar procedures like yourself.
Cheers.
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