Where the battery goes
Transmitting
- Uses the most power by far
- High power drains it fastest
- Short messages save a lot
Listening
- Uses far less
- But it adds up when left on all day
- The screen light uses some too
Stretch every charge
Listen on a schedule
First 10 minutes of each hour instead of all day
Use Low power up close
Save High for long distance
Talk less
Plan what to say before pressing the button
Dim the screen
Shorten the backlight time in the menu
Ways to recharge
| Source | How | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Wall outlet | USB-C cable | Top off whenever there's power |
| Power station | USB port | One 1,000 Wh unit can charge a radio dozens of times |
| Vehicle | USB car adapter | Charge while driving to the ranch |
| Solar | Small USB panel | Slow but endless |
| Spare battery | Swap in | Keep one charged in the go bag |
Remember
Two charged batteries and a schedule beat one battery left on all day.
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Answer key
- What uses the most battery on a radio?TransmittingTransmitting, especially on High power, drains it fastest.
- What's the best way to make batteries last in a long outage?Listen on a schedule, like 10 minutes each hourA listening schedule can stretch a charge to a week.
- When the other person is close, you should:Switch to Low powerLow power saves battery when distance is short.
- Which can recharge the radio with no grid power?A small solar panel or power stationSolar, a power station or the vehicle all work.
- What should every go bag have for the radio?A charged spare battery or charging cableTwo charged batteries beat one left on all day.