Last summer while camping with some ham radio enthusiasts I came across a problem that I had not anticipated. I usually use a different model of walkie-talkies and CB radios. Thats why, I know the expected lifeline of a ham radio battery from single charge. Where my Baofeng UV-82 gave me 10 to 12 hours of backup from single full charge with continuous use. But that day this device just started giving me only 3 to 4 hours of backup with full charge. For me, I need a good walkie when there are no phone networks or Wi-fi signals. Then what’s to blame for the battery drain? But most crucially — how, with walkie-talkie technology? Well, here are the most likely causes and solutions in an easy-going manner.
What Causes Walkie Talkie Battery Drain?
Programming Errors — The Software Bug Issue Tracker conundrum
Development bugs are one of the most delicate explanations behind battery deplete. Wondering how Firmware Updates can be a Double-Edged Sword to Your Walkie-Talkie? The firmware in your ham radio is not order of magnitude different. Firmware can be hit or miss for your walkie-talkie, resulting in performance problems and battery drain faster than you can say “CQ CQ CQ”.
Firmware bugs are like those little gremlins from the movies, completely unseen until they pop out and cause as much havoc as possible. With regular upgrades to your firmware — if you do not carefully check version compatibility, a programming error can easily slip through the cracks.
How to Troubleshoot: For troubleshooting programming issues you can reinstall the firmware of the device. The best way to do this is by connecting the radio with the computer and installing the firmware with the radio programming software like CHIRP. However, if you have a Motorola then you are required to download the software such as CPS. Ensure your device has the latest firmware for that make and model. I learned the hard way, after downloading the wrong update and turning my radio into a hi-tech paperweight. So continue with caution!
VOX Activation: The Hands-Free Power Hog
VOX, Voice Operating Transmission, is a great feature which makes you feel like you are in an actual spy movie. But do remember that if kept on all the time, the output can drain your walkie-talkie. Your microphone is always ready for you to talk because VOX (voice detection) is activated. That constant anticipation requires energy, even during your silences. Ham radio ends up consuming more battery power by the larger listening time on ham radio. So, using VOX you can just avoid button pressing in TX but it does not save battery.
Fix: If you are not using the VOX feature, disable it. Yes, your battery which is barely able to keep the device awake after raging refresh hell will thank you by suiting up nicely in time for some PTT (Push-To-Talk) action as you were doing before.
Extreme Temperatures: The Hidden Enemy
Severe temperatures are not an easy walkie-talkie tidbit. Specifically, hot weather can affect battery performance and energy efficiency. Batteries function best within a certain temperature range, and when that range is exceeded, everything falls apart. The higher the temperature goes, the more energy your transmitter needs to expand to cool things which increases wire resistance. This extra work uses more power, decreasing battery life.
As mentioned, it only gets so much better in the cold. The capacity of a battery declines with the temperature, because cold inhibits the chemical reactions inside it. Running at 4 miles per hour in the freezing rain your walkie talkie battery is experience similar torture.
Solution: Put your walkie-talkie somewhere cool, or if you’re out in the sun, wrap it up in an insulator like a towel or woolen case. Your walkie will now last longer on battery and have a much better receive performance. If it’s -10°F as opposed to 105°F it does you no good unless you’re already with your radio in your hands. Otherwise, you can wrap it in an insulated bag to keep it from getting cold.
Poor Coverage: The Power-Hungry Search for Signals
Here’s a funny thought – You are in the middle of nowhere, trying to touch base with your friend on the other side of a hill. What’s the problem? They’re simply out of range. If your walkie-talkie tries and fails to make a connection, it will boost the power and try again. Sadly, this power increase comes at the cost of battery life. Especially, if you are in a mountainous Region or dense Forest or there are many obstructions, which can interrupt signals.
The more your radio talks, the quicker it will get through its battery. It’s like your walkie-talkie is a dog that went missing and was looking for its owner all this while, consequently depleting all of the battery juice in order to not find that person.
Solution: To avoid this, try to stay within areas that you already know are in good coverage. Consider also adding a Repeater to your communications system for increasing range. A walkie-talkie repeater will strengthen your radio’s signal, improving coverage and extending its reach. It’s a battery friendly walkie talkie extended., it expands the distance of your walkie-talkie without using up its charge. Secondly, if you know you are heading to an area with poor coverage, reduce your TX power to save battery.
Learn more about how far walkie talkies can go. Click here for details.
Repeater Functionality: The Double-Edged Sword
One more thing before I forget, some walkie-talkies are repeatable too so they work as repeaters themselves. It may be handy, but it does push consumption into Pass Mark territory twice over. The more your device repeats signals for others, the faster it drains your battery.
It comes in handy for keeping large swaths of people together over great distances, but it’s a sleeper power sink. If you’re in a big group of campers, your walkie-talkie will probably become the network’s workhorse — at the expense of those batteries.
Troubleshooting: Turn off the repeater function, if everyone with a communicator in the team is close to where you are. If you need better coverage, an external repeater is the way to go so your radio does not have to multitask on both ends of the line. You can even designate one walkie-talkie to perform as a repeater while the rest of your group stay on regular mode to save battery life.
Read More: Types of Amateur Radio Repeaters, How to set up an amateur radio repeater, Coverage and Brands
Extra Features: The Silent Battery Killers
Some walkie-talkies have additional channels, like for the provision of weather forecasts such as NOAA or even FM radio. All those channels are being polled, getting signals sent across them all the time (potentially a gentle but continuous battery drain). Turn off those channels that you no longer use. Just save them for when you need to know the weather or listen to some tunes.
That camping trip taught me one more point on the topic. Even though the weather never changed as we were in a solid patch of blue, I kept getting reports on my walkie from the weather channel. When I turned off the additional channels, that’s when I saw the bump in battery life.
Several radios also have the ability to scan, which constantly searches for channels that are in-use. This can slowly sap your power when on, even while you aren’t talking to anyone.
Solution: Make sure that there is no extra stuff which is enabled by default. Make checks in your settings periodically to remove anything unnecessary. This will help prevent the battery from draining out unannounced.
Keep in Mind About Walkie Talkie Battery
Charging Habits: The Lifespan Factor
In addition, your charging style can affect the life of your walkie-talkie battery. It feels more convenient but doing so is to deplete the battery overall capacity over time. Lithium ion batteries found in walkie-talkies today typically work best when charged between 20–80 percent full cycles.
Keep in mind that over time, the battery will inevitably hold less charge and take less use, so topping your battery up 20 percent a hundred times instead of letting it go to zero even once can get you accustomed to flying with far less flight time. On the other hand, discharging your battery all the way down and then charging back up can be quite traumatic on batteries as well.
Solution: Charge the batteries at least 80% before using your walkie talkie to get its best performance. This helps keep the signal stable and in prolonging operation time. Also, never keep your walkie-talkie with a charged battery for long. When you are not going to use batteries for a period of time store them at around 50% charge.
The best advice is to have a spare battery with you. You can simply charge one whilst the other is in use. You will always be prepared, and your batteries will have the longest life span possible. This way individual batteries also have less stress on the battery and hence prolongs its life.
You can read about the best field batteries for your ham radio here.
Battery Conditioning: The Forgotten Step
Do you know that frequent battery conditioning may lead to the longer life of your walkie talkie battery? Some will even reset the battery memory after a predefined time, through a conditional charging scheme. It is even more the case for types of batteries like the NiCad (Nickel-Cadmium) which are sensitive to the memory effect.
The memory effect occurs when the battery packs are recharged before they become completely dead. Thus, the battery begins to “remember” why it is not that powerful anymore. We have improved a lot in the field and modern Li-ion batteries are not as much affected by this, but conditioning your battery on a regular basis is still an excellent decision for prolonging its life.
If the charger does not feature self-conditioning, you can perform a handy wrap by fully discharging your battery and then charge it in order. That way, the battery repeats at its full charging capacity.
The solution: Taking good care of the battery is crucial in making your walkie-talkie battery time-last. Battery maintenance is very important – keep it clean and do not deep discharge it, and always use the recommended charger for optimal results. If you have a ton of batteries, make sure they’re all the same size, age and level of being used before connecting them otherwise their capacities will be imbalanced.
Final Tips for Battery Longevity
A walkie-talkie battery can be affected by the following: You need to use your gadget correctly, it is not just about the battery. So here are some last few recommendations available ham radio review that you could follow to charge your battery.
Check Your Battery Often: With a multimeter or you might use free battery testers at several places and these tools will tell the state of your battery. If this does not work properly then a replacement may be needed. Regardless of how well taken care of your batteries might be, they all degrade over time, and regular testing is a simple means of not being left out in the cold.
Storage: When the walkie-talkie battery is placed for several months, the temperature is cold and dry. However, you should only go so low as or slightly higher than 12.4 volts to protect the battery from self-discharge damage, and be sure to recharge them at least every six months. Keeping your ham batteries in a weather controlled storage area can give your battery extra lifetime.
If you are planning to travel for an extended period of time or there is a shortage of recharging options, you should carry one or two spare batteries. For me, I always take an extra battery when going outside for more than 6 hours. One way or another, it is a small practical step without worrying of the walkie dying in some remote place.
Utilize OEM Batteries: Whenever possible use OEM (original equipment manufacturer) batteries. They can be a great deal — no doubt, but you never know how good they are, and just like opening up your car and using milk to wash its engine down every 1K miles or so (they have a joke name for such things in my country) leads long term ultimately to more fixing bits than what it saves. The battery itself, if of poor quality, may not only have a shorter life-cycle but could be a serious safety risk.
Solar Power, Power Banks and other Battery Alternatives
This solution may not be able to cut it for those of us who like long outdoor trips as we have all been through completely using up their walkie-talkie batteries. But fortunately we have some other options to recharge our ham radio battery when there is no electricity supply available.
Using Solar Chargers: Sun’s Power by Panel
Solar charging panels are the best and green option if you are out of juice. They absorb sunlight in the day and charge your battery or walkie talkie on the spot.
In recent years, solar chargers have come a long way in time with faster charging speeds and efficiency. Please note they are also lightweight and so ideal for camping vacations, treks, and journeys where power outlets are not handy to have.
Do place your solar charger in full sunlight for optimum results. Battery packs built into certain chargers store energy for later use, effectively allowing you to charge your walkie-talkie after the sun goes down.
Power Banks: Portable Power on the Go
Another great option for walkie-talkie users are power banks. All of these handy gadgets are things that can give you your walkie-talkie battery a little boost in the right direction, and some can even power it directly from USB. You have various sizes of power banks from which you can choose. Choose the best size based on how long you will be on vacation.
Just as you would your two way radio batteries, it is important to choose a quality power bank. Units with as many as 8 to 10 ports available are those to keep an eye out for, and you will want one rocking a high mAh (milliamp-hour) rating if you seek improved battery life. Do remember to charge the power bank before you leave!
Crank Chargers: When All Else Fails
And, the worst case scenario is a crank charger. Since these chargers are manual, then the electrical power is created by your own muscles and you can employ one whenever, anyplace. Crank chargers are definitely not the fastest option, but they can give you some extra juice in an emergency just so you can stay connected.
Final Thought
Finally and most importantly, the pack of batteries in your walkie talkies is mission critical to communication. Realistic maintenance and care can benefit greatly. All these little tweaks like changing settings, disabling unused features, or just maintaining the battery level have a long-term effect. If nothing else, run a quick ham radio check to know if a new battery or improved maintenance can save the day. Of course one would have no desire for a trusty walkie-talkie to let them down at such an unfortunate moment. Stay charged and connected!
