[amsat-bb] Re: Let Your Garage Charge Your Radio
Hi Clint. Sounds like a unique solution. Probably OK for NiCd or Lead acid. However, if it's any sort of Lithium technology in those batteries, then deep cycling and a top up charge is definately the wrong way. For maximum shelf life Lithium batteries need to be kept at 40 - 60% charge, then topped up when needed. Also, for the maximum number of cycles, the battery needs a small depth of discharge not deep cycling. Your friend is probably using NiCd bats, but I thought I would mention it just in case anyone thought this would be a good idea for Lithium batteries. Thanks es HNY David In a message dated 30/12/2010 19:20:52 GMT Standard Time, clintbradf...@mac.com writes: He also performs a cycling of his battery pack every 60 days (running the radio until it won't power on, then charging). After a year-and-a-half of this, his voltage indication is still quite high. When he performs his cycling, the pack seems to not have lost a bit of capacity. ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] UO-11 Active
Hi all, Pleased to report that UO-11 was active and quite strong on the North/South pass from my QTH in Wales here in the UK. Approx. 0958 hrs GMT. 31st December 2010. I have not monitored A0 -7 as yet today ( it was active yesterday) but is nice to see these old birds seeing out yet another year along with those much younger in this new world of technology advances.. Just a point to the many enquiries about working satellites -You do not need high power or high gain antennas to enjoy the hobby - I have used both my Arrow and Elk antennas for many contacts and still get good reports. Wishing you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR and GOOD LUCK for 2011. A big thanks to all that support their time and effort as well as donations to make the hobby worhwhile. Ken Eaton GW1FKY Amsat - UK Amsat NA ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] LVB Tracker reset problem
Got my LVB Tracker from AMSAT last week. Installed it on a G5500. Calibrated it and it seemed to work fine until yesterday. It seem to now just randomly reset itself as if it were being power cycled. The LCD screen posts the startup firmware version message then goes back to normal. This happens randomly. I have opened up the unit ad everything seems to be seated well. Any suggestions on where to look? Could this be a voltage issue from the G5500 or out of the voltage regulator on the LVB. When this happens it locks the virtual comm port on the computer causing me to have to reset the rotor tracking programs. Thanks, Bill - W4RVN ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Let Your Garage Charge Your Radio
... robably OK for NiCd or Lead acid. The Yaesu FT-60R is a very popular radio, and ships with a NiMH pack. And this 16 minutes a day charging system is working out just fine for THOSE circumstances. Clint, K6LCS ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Re: Let Your Garage Charge Your Radio
Pretty good guess, David. These days newer HT come with Nickel-Metal-Hydride which do not need the kind of maintenance that NiCD do. Typically they hold charge much longer and do not develop a memory condition. At my former employment (now retired) we maintained over 200 HT batteries for immediate emergency response. It was sufficient to put the chargers on a timer to charge them for a couple hours/day (typ. at night). Batteries that had not been regularly charged held good for up to 30-days after a full charge cycle. Important to use chargers designed for the chemistry of the battery. Back in the day of NiCD we charged once/week and reconditioned monthly to extend life on batteries that had to perform but sat on the shelf for long periods of non-use. The absolutely worse thing one could do was set a HT into a charger full-time. In a response van we had a large deep-cycle 4D lead-acid battery and it was charged with the proper float charger. But not being a sealed battery, one had to check the electrolyte level periodically. I the comm center an eight-battery bank wired for 48vdc was run on float and they typ. were good for 4-years of standby use (fed industrial size UPS). The 12vdc equipment ran on another large 12v battery bank with float. That equipment was powered 24/7 with similar life-cycle of several years. Note that commercial deep-cycle batteries were used and cost 3x what the typ. car battery costs. Now I have a 6500w standby generator so battery back-up is less necessary for the home station (I do have a bank of 8AH gell-cell batteries). No HT, at present. 73, Ed - KL7UW At 01:25 AM 12/31/2010, g0...@aol.com wrote: Hi Clint. Sounds like a unique solution. Probably OK for NiCd or Lead acid. However, if it's any sort of Lithium technology in those batteries, then deep cycling and a top up charge is definately the wrong way. For maximum shelf life Lithium batteries need to be kept at 40 - 60% charge, then topped up when needed. Also, for the maximum number of cycles, the battery needs a small depth of discharge not deep cycling. Your friend is probably using NiCd bats, but I thought I would mention it just in case anyone thought this would be a good idea for Lithium batteries. Thanks es HNY David In a message dated 30/12/2010 19:20:52 GMT Standard Time, clintbradf...@mac.com writes: He also performs a cycling of his battery pack every 60 days (running the radio until it won't power on, then charging). After a year-and-a-half of this, his voltage indication is still quite high. When he performs his cycling, the pack seems to not have lost a bit of capacity. ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb 73, Ed - KL7UW, WD2XSH/45 == BP40IQ 500 KHz - 10-GHz www.kl7uw.com EME: 144-1.4kw*, 432-100w*, 1296-testing*, 3400-winter? DUBUS Magazine USA Rep dubus...@hotmail.com == *temp not in service ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] Thank you !
Dear all, Here in the Netherlands we have only a few hours left of 2010. Thank you for all the positive energy this year on the amsat-bb ! It is truly a pleasure to be part of this group. Have a fantastic 2011 !! Henk, PA3GUO ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] HO68
Need help withthe Identification Number and International Designator for HO68 for SatPC 32 to work Please reply to wa4...@comcast.net and not on the BBS Thanks Damon ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
[amsat-bb] HO-68
HO-68 problem solved Thanks to AA5PK WA4HFN Damon ___ Sent via amsat...@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author. Not an AMSAT-NA member? Join now to support the amateur satellite program! Subscription settings: http://amsat.org/mailman/listinfo/amsat-bb
