[Paddlewise] VHF battery drain when monitoring.

From: Richard Mitchell <mitchelr_at_ucs.orst.edu>
Date: Thu, 03 Dec 1998 03:40:45 -0800
How long can you listen?  With a little help from ICOM and some
battery manufactrurers, here is the estimate.  We have little
excuse for not monitoring because of battery drain unless one is
limited to nicad (an unfortunate choice for backcountry
paddling).
 
ICOM B3, M7, M9, and M10 and M10a handheld VHF radios all
discharge 19 milliamp per hour on standby, i.e. with power on and
squelch turned up just slightly to inhibit static.  Standard AA
batteries operate in series (additively) so that the 6 batteries
in an ICOM BP 90 pack produce 9 volts.  Each battery produces 1.5
volts.  If we presume a "cut off" threshold of 1.2 volts as
minimum to activate equipment then at 20 degrees centigrade (68
degrees F), with a constant drain, the batteries will last 70
hours before the threshold is reached.  At higher temperatures
(113 degrees F.) drain is more rapid and batteries will reach
threshold in 30 hours.

For further technical information you may wish to contact Norvac
Electric, (503) 644-1025 or Micro Power, (503) 626-7086. Also
Rogers Marine at (503) 287-1101 and ICOM customer service at
(206) 454-7619 then option #5.

RGM
 
Richard G. Mitchell, Jr.
Department of Sociology
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
U.S.A.
(541) 752-1323 phone/fax
mitchelr_at_ucs.orst.edu

attached mail follows:


-- 
Richard G. Mitchell, Jr.
Department of Sociology
Oregon State University
Corvallis, OR 97331
U.S.A.
(541) 752-1323 phone/fax
mitchelr_at_ucs.orst.edu
BATTERY

ICOM M7, M9, M10 all discharge 19 milliamp per hour on standby, i.e. with power on and squelch turned up just ®MDUL¯slightly®MDNM¯ to inhibit reception.  Standard AA batteries operate in series (additively) so that the 6 batteries in a the BP 90 pack produce 9 volts.  Each battery produces 1.5 volts.  If we presume a "cut off" threshold of 1.2 volts as minimum to activate equipment then at 20 degrees centigrade (68 degrees F), with a constant drain, the batteries will last 70 hours before the threshold is reached.  At higher temperatures (113 degrees F.) drain is more rapid and batteries will reach threshold in 30 hours.  

Contact Norvac Electric, 644-1025 for fresh batteries and Micro Power, 626-7086 for excellent technical wholesale information.  Also Rogers Marine at (503) 287-1101 and ICOM customer service at (206) 454-7619 then option #5.        


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Received on Thu Dec 03 1998 - 03:40:14 PST

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