‰  NOW 30 WPM  ‰   TEXT IS FROM MARCH 2014 QST  PAGE 44‰

LI ION BATTERIES HAVE MANY ATTRACTIVE FEATURES, SUCH AS HIGH CAPACITY, BUT
THEY ALSO EXHIBIT SOME SELF DISCHARGE AND MUST BE CHARGED IN A SPECIFIC
WAY.  SWAPPING BATTERY PACKS ISNT AS CONVENIENT AS FOR MANY OTHER RADIOS
BECAUSE THE CHARGING CIRCUIT IS IN THE RADIO, NOT THE CHARGER.  USING THE
RADIO THROUGH A LOCAL REPEATER AND FOR A FEW SIMPLEX CONTACTS ON THE
FLEXIBLE ANTENNA, THE MID LEVEL POWER SETTING ABOUT 2 W RF OUTPUT SEEMED
SUFFICIENT AND BATTERY LIFE WAS IN THE 3 TO 4 HOUR RANGE, WHICH IS QUITE
ACCEPTABLE.  OTHER USERS REPORTED UP TO 7 HOURS OF BATTERY LIFE WHILE
SCANNING.  THERE IS NO AA OR AAA PACK, BUT ONE SUPPLYING UP TO 10 V COULD
BE MADE UP TO ATTACH TO THE EXT DC PORT AND RECHARGE THE LI ION BATTERY.
AN AUTOMOTIVE ADAPTER IS AVAILABLE TO DROP THE VEHICLES 11 15 V SUPPLY INTO
THE RANGE ACCEPTED BY THE FT 252/257 5 TO 10 V.  NOTE THAT THE SUPPLIED AC
WALL CHARGER IS NOT INTENDED TO POWER THE RADIO WHEN THE BATTERY IS
DISCHARGED.  A SCARC MEMBER COMMENTED THAT THIS RADIO CANT BE ATTACHED TO
AN EXTERNAL 12 V 13R8 V SOURCE WITHOUT A SPECIAL ADAPTER, AND EXPLAINED, I
PREFER TO HOOK THE HANDHELD TO MY CAR DC SYSTEM AND CHARGE IT UP OR RUN IT
‰  END OF 30 WPM TEXT  ‰  QST DE W1AW  ƒ