Field Day is coming up this weekend and although I won’t be a serious participant, I do plan to be out in the field somewhere with my KX3. For power, I plan to rely on my favorite portable battery pack, the “Croc.”
As I noted in several previous posts, my engineer friend Jim Richards has been developing, with my suggestions and testing, a variety of portable power options for the ham radio community. In addition to the USB-c PD dongle I described here earlier, he has developed a number of small battery packs that use individual Lith-Ion cells. My favorite, and the one I use when I’m operating portable, is the one he calls the Croc.
The Croc is built into a Pelican 1010 clear waterproof case. It holds five 18500 Lith-Ion batteries, a battery management system (BMS), a shielded buck converter, and two digital meters reading total battery voltage as well as output voltage. Mine is set for about 13.8v output which allows me to use the KX3 at its full 15W when I wish to do so. It can be charged without removing batteries with the current-limited charger he supplies. Barrel connectors are used for both input and output.
I’ve been pleased with its capacity and have not detected any RFI, even when holding the pack near the Elecraft AX-1 vertical mounted on the KX3.
The Croc has several advantages over the typical gel or LifeP04 pack:
· It provides enough voltage to power QRP rigs at full power when desired.
· Cells can be replaced if necessary.
· It has a built-in power switch.
· Connections are simple and protected compared to many external batteries.
· It is sturdy and moisture-resistant.
· It is compact and more elegant than an unenclosed battery.
Jim makes these to order and, within limits, to the buyer’s voltage specifications. For more information, see his website: https://www.mediadogg.com/shopping/croc-kx3-power-pack-build-on-demand.html
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