On a recent trip to Montana, I decided to take my portable POTA activation backpack. This kit has everything I need to do an activation.
One of the biggest equipment challenges was the battery. When at home, I use a 20 or 30Ah lithium iron (LiFePO4) battery in my battery boxes. I also have a non-boxed 10Ah LiFePO4 battery I use when I go super lightweight.
I have avoided using the popular Bioenno batteries because of their high cost (a 12Ah battery costs $157).
Instead, I use the Eco-Worthy LiFePO4 line of batteries. They are rugged, reliable, small, amazingly lightweight, and affordable. I have been using them for years without a single problem.
When planning my trip, I discovered the TSA has changed the rules on the lithium batteries you can carry onboard an aircraft. Passengers are now limited to a maximum of 100Wh per battery.
A quick calculation tells you that we mortal Hams are limited to an 8Ah LiFePO4 battery (100Wh / 12V = 8.3Ah). Ouch. If you run low-power POTA gear, this might work for you. For me 8Ah is not enough.
If you read the fine print of this restriction, you can carry on a bigger battery with airline approval. When I searched my airline for how to get this approval, they quoted the exact TSA restrictions. This was an avenue I was not going to take on.
Instead, I ordered an Eco-Worthy 10Ah LiFePO4 battery from amazon ($39 USD) and had it shipped to my in-law in Montana ahead of the trip.
This worked out great! (I activated 7 parks in Montana and Wyoming).
I did not have to deal with the TSA restrictions, or have to carry a battery in my onboard baggage. At the end of the trip, I left the battery in Montana. The cost of the battery was not worth the expensive postage to ship it home.
In the future – this may be a problem. Many times I travel to locations where I do know any locals. I can order a battery from Amazon when I get there, but remember, lithium batteries are shipped ground only. This means I may have to wait several days for it to arrive.
Other alternatives:
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- Buy a motorcycle/trolling motor/ATV battery at Walmart
- Contact a local Ham club in advance and borrow one
- Use the battery in the rental car
- Take an 8Ah battery with me and hope it is enough juice
None of these alternatives are appealing for numerous reasons.
If you have faced this dilemma before, leave a comment below and tell me what your strategy is.
73,
N1SPW