A 100w Radio on a 5ah Battery?

Today I'm going to find out if you can activate a park with a 100w radio and a 5ah battery. The cool part about this battery is it can put out TONS of cranking amps - That's +3db right there!
Gear Used In This Video
👉 EBL 5ah Moto Battery: geni.us/Tlw1
👉 Coffee and Ham Radios Poseidon Antenna: coffeeandhamradios.com
👉 50m Tape Measure: geni.us/B0Co9x
👉 Power Meter: geni.us/mt4hG
👉 SkyHook: geni.us/GqT9QY
👉 FT-891 Radio: geni.us/B4e8BC
👉 LDG Z100+ Tuner: geni.us/u8Rp9Bt
👉 Anderson Powerpole Alligator Clips: geni.us/ueFK
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0:00 Intro
0:29 Measuring Antenna Wire
1:17 Antenna Setup
1:39 Single Guy Wire System
3:07 Ground Radio System
3:55 EBL Motorcycle Battery
4:14 Radio Station
4:45 Tuning the Antenna
7:45 POTA Contacts
18:17 A Prospect
19:44 Mission Report
21:00 EBL Motorcycle Battery Specs
23:02 Subscribe!

[@MikeN2MAK]

Nice test and activation. I loved hearing all the WNY and CNY calls. It's a great antenna for sure.

[@temporarilyoffline]

It was a good day to be in the park playing radio!

[@larrytaylor7753]

Thanks for promoting the hobby with your visitor.

[@temporarilyoffline]

You bet! This isn't a hobby of "one" - I try to have the most public facing/most obnoxious setup to draw attention in. It usually works pretty well. Sometimes I'll setup right at the entrance to the parking lot to be seen.

[@KE2BXZ]

Nice work on that activation! Keep up the great real world content. Im super happy that You picked me up! 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Good to get you in the log! Thanks

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

I have the same radio/tuner set up. You taught me some things I hadn't learned about them. Thank you

[@temporarilyoffline]

I do not have the Tuner Control Cable installed in this video, just working off of "RF Sense"

[@thedamned6248]

Really enjoyed this activation. Can't wait to get my general and get out there for some POTA. Thanks for all you do!

[@temporarilyoffline]

When is the upgrade scheduled? You got this!

[@thedamned6248]

Hopefully, in the next two weeks. Currently passing the practice test between 28 - 30. I'd like to get that 30+ correct consistently.

[@temporarilyoffline]

30+ is a nice buffer. You got this!

[@WJ6FRadio]

Killer video! Dig that antenna! May have to look at picking one up for myself now that I am doing more POTA activations!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Sweet!

[@stahpit1971]

Thanks for the video. The last thing I need is another battery I'm going to order one now.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I have too many, and it's still not enough!

[@hamradiowithkevin]

That is how you do it on a small battery. Excellent Steve

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks Kevin!

[@phillyedhrj]

Love the tape measure. Got myself one after you recommend it a while back.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Its so much easier to make a "20m" antenna, using a metric tape measure.

[@45auto]

​@temporarilyoffline When people ask how long is a half wave for a 20m antenna and don't realize the answer is 10m. 🤷‍♂️

[@phillyedhrj]

@@temporarilyoffline exactly!

[@don_n5skt]

I have activated a park with the Poseidon and it worked well. I plan to be out tomorrow using the same antenna.

[@temporarilyoffline]

The Poseidon constantly amazes us. those 63 contacts... 62 of them came in 30min, the other 1 was 30min of hunt and pounce.

[@victorcharlie7491]

That worked really good, great video, tnx man!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Got the job done for sure!

[@DK5ONV]

Love your Shirt Steve. I am teh guy who answers calls:" ur RST 30 excellent copy, great Audio coming thru! Roger roger...?" Still over 80% of my Contacts on my Record are under an S2. Tnx for another excellent Video. Happy Weekend & 73 de YFUG 💯🙋‍♂

[@temporarilyoffline]

Wow, thanks - I thought you said "Love your shirt SLEEVE" and I was really confused... had to read it twice. I started ham at the bottom of the solar cycle with "cutting edge" tech that had excellent noise canceling and discriminators... if you're a 5-9 at the bottom of the cycle, how do I report now that we are approaching peak ham radio?

[@garyh8315]

Thanks for a great vid. I have a 12ah Lifpo4, weighs 2.64lbs. Works well with both the FT991a and G90, the latter just keeps on going.. A great investment

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'd give up before the G90 did for sure!

[@KG6NLWMotoRadio]

Nice video TO! At least someone is in a park!😎

[@temporarilyoffline]

1/2 the team!

[@nickl3872]

Thank you

[@temporarilyoffline]

You're welcome

[@digitaldreamer5481]

Aloha Steve, I had to start and stop watching this video for the last three day due to phone calls and honeydews but I finally made to the end! I must say that I really liked this battery a lot. I think it would be perfect for my two Xiegu G90’s that just don’t use as much power. Assuming that you were operating at 100 watts, it seems to me that you got a least 2 good hours of operations from that battery. I bought a solar charge controller for LIPO4 batteries to use with 1 or 2 of my folding 60w solar panels, I think you could pretty much ran your radio all day in this manner. I’m planning another 15 day vacation to DC next month and plan to play some more radio while I’m there also. Thanks for the great video, Steve, you got the thumbs up! Todd WH6DWF🇺🇸

[@temporarilyoffline]

Aloha Todd! Yeah, I can't imagine I'd run this dry on a G90

[@scottdunbar4898]

Steve, I'm still far from awesome but thanks for the encouragement.

[@temporarilyoffline]

You can do it!

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

Love gear acquisition syndrome!

[@temporarilyoffline]

Smells like fun!

[@andyM7XTT]

Hi steve,when you next do a pota could you add the distances on screen please as us non usa people have no idea if those places are north of you or how far etc.great work n love your channel.73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Hey Andy! I can try to do that for sure. Sometimes the mapping doesn't work out well. Today's longest contact was from middle-US to South France - not too shabby.

[@andyM7XTT]

@temporarilyoffline nice one thank-you.looks lovely at that park 👌

[@WECB640]

Steve, this is a very interesting battery. The fact that it is designed to start an engine tells me that the BMS is tweaked to ignore shorts, if there even is a MBS in there. That is why it will operate the 100w rig. It may also be a great replacement for a UPS for the same reason. I tried using a pair of 10AH lithium batteries in my UPS, and their internal BMS shut them down immediately from the large current draw. PS. Glad to see some inquisitive stranger asking about amateur radio. I think it would have sealed the deal to have him hear the exchange with a foreign station. Because it's still magic, many find it difficult to believe that such a simple setup can carry a voice over the seas. Keep up the great work. 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks Hollywood! I've been able to pull 30amps out of a 3amp hour Bioenno battery - we all believe those are made of quality parts and I wouldn't recommend that setup - I was actually trying to prove how it shouldn't work for a video and was flabbergasted that it actually did work. I 100% agree that this little battery shouldn't be able to provide 300CCA, but I'm not a motorcycle review channel, so it doesn't matter if that's "puffing" to me - I wanted to activate a park at 100w, I got 1ah out of a 5ah battery, I'm marking it as a win for my (compromise of a) purpose.

[@WECB640]

@@temporarilyoffline Something I do (a suggestion) is to paint the + terminal area RED, and the - terminal area black on the battery top. I can't tell you how many times I've accidentally put the alligator clips on backwards. Good thing I had a fuse inline. LOL 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@WECB640 good tip. I bought a used radio that was wired backwards and I do solar work where the MC4 connectors are non-polarized... I check 100% of the time - belts and braces here.

[@BobBob-il2ku]

I have a bionenno 12ah says it’s rated to discharge 20amps. I want it to be able to discharge 23amps (100 watts out of my radio =23amps) think I will have any problems?

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@BobBob-il2ku I believe it will put out 23+amps just fine. It will last less than 12ah doing that and ultimately it might not take as many charge cycles. You'd have to balance the cost of (potentially) shortening the lifespan of the 12ah battery vs buying a bigger battery and just having this one sit on the shelf. Personally, I'd do it... but I'm crazy.

[@robertmeyer4744]

that was real nice. even got a visitor . love that antenna. great ATU . I use the one in my 7300 and in E tune it will do 10:1 . but at 50 watt. works great with 9:1 on the red core. wounder how that green core would do 9:1 . I just may buy and try it. waiting on the QRO one. was super windy in NY today. 70 Mph . could not set up. was going to try 10 meters . my internet was down all day until 3pm EDT. grid down all over. got 2 calls for outside light came down and a wire from house to garage to fix. I do not work in high wind. they understanding. that battery will fit my scooter . i need a battery. i get 2 years out of AGM and 1 year out of flooded lead. finally getting LiFePO4 to do starting. but still have trouble in cold charging. I wont be out on scooter in that cold. just take battery in for winter. 73's

[@temporarilyoffline]

Gotta keep those batteries warm! Stay safe, that's some nasty wind.

[@nigelgunn322]

If you can do without an internal battery in an 817, an Elecraft T1 auto ATU (without case) will fit into the battery compartment, permanently wired into the rear ant connector.

[@temporarilyoffline]

That's a sweet idea! I might try that!

[@2m0rot]

The pocket 3 really takes good clear footage.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I'm pretty happy with it. But I'm still learning it. Thanks!

[@stoveboltsix]

Excellent and very informative video. Do you think this battery would power my Wouxun KG1000G GMRS radio? Thanks in advance..

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yeah. It definitely would. The question is how long do you want to run between charges and how much transmitting are you doing?

[@dwatson4]

Our favorite frequency 7200.00 slayed me.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I drop a few here and there. Thanks for watching!

[@bill-2018]

An interesting trial of that battery. I've been wondering about getting one. I got an FT817ND in 2017 for portable as my h/b radio is too large. I used the h/b radio at home with a 12 Ah SLAB battery and solar panel right from the beginning. If I took this battery out portable it is heavy (3.6 kg, 8 lbs) for a rucksack. One of these would give me a good operating time with 5 Watts or less power. G4GHB.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Hello Bill - I did a couple of videos on the 81x battery options, due to its QRP power levels, a tiny battery will last a LONG time - I use a 3ah battery and get about 6 hours of usage!

[@bill-2018]

@@temporarilyoffline Right, thanks for the extra info. G4GHB.

[@KeepEvery1Guessing]

1. Residual product question:: Where do I find those sweet orange side rails for the 891? 2. What do the battery docs say about charging? Max and suggested current? Voltage limit? Since you're supposed to be able t stick it in a bike, I would hope that there's lots of protection built in. Amazon says Li ion, not LiFePO4, which makes sense for the small size, but are you keeping it somewhere that will save the dwelling if the battery decided to catch fire?

[@temporarilyoffline]

1. They are a 3d print from a model on Thingiverse. 2. 25a/5c - I personally wouldn't charge this battery with more than a 1a charger though. The manual says its a LiFePO4, but I'd have to open it up (and damage it) to prove that right.

[@brianveitenheimer4492]

I work in a motorcycle shop. I couldn’t believe how light these batteries are. The first time I picked one up I thought is was an empty plastic box and the forgot to put cells in it. And it can crank over a high perf motocross 4 cycle engine that’s difficult to kickstart like nothing. A modern wonder.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Excellent news! The other question people had was can it be charged by the bike's charging system - bikes don't really have much need to put out enough power to matter for charging LiFEPo4s

[@JoeMartinBikes]

@@temporarilyoffline Even my small dirt bike, a 2023 KTM 125XC's stator (sorta like an alternator) which is only 20W keeps the battery fully charged. On my larger motorcycles the stator may be 400+ watts in output and can easily charge the battery and run things like lights, horn, digital display, GPS, USB ports for charging things, heated grips and heated jacket liner.

[@anaspatel3625]

Hi, great video just a quick question can you hook up a Powerpole cable fitted with 6mm ring terminals?

[@temporarilyoffline]

looks like 4.5mm ring terminals to me.

[@anaspatel3625]

Thank you I may order a similar battery to test my gear the amps the battery can put out is impressive.

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@anaspatel3625 Right! If it wasn't a "motorcycle battery", I'd be skeptical. It comes down to size, delivery and runtime.

[@ShooterReadyStandBy]

Thanks for the single rope guying instructions. That battery is $$$ compared to others. Instructions say needs a lithium battery charger, not a worry for our use, but a motorcycle/atv will never fully charge it off the built in system.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Yeah, If I was a motorcycle review channel, I'd have other interesting things to say!

[@JoeMartinBikes]

My BMW F800GSA did not come with a lithium battery but I added one after the AGM died. My stator puts out 14.3 to 14.6 volts when cruising down the street at normal RPMs. This is in the range of what lithium batteries want for charging. Also the reason you need a lithium charger when using it for this purpose is regular chargers have a sulfating stage which will ruin a lithium along with no need to "trickle" charge a lithium as they hold their storage charge for a much longer time than lead acid. Love your handle @ShooterReadyStandBy..."The shooter may unload and show clear"

[@phillyedhrj]

4:25 Got a Z Pro II... Go big or go home. 😉

[@temporarilyoffline]

I have bigger tuners... they take up too much space.

[@danielcialdella]

Thanks for The video. Great. About power. 100w? And how many minutes at 100w? Or you reduced It to 20w or so? The battery seems very small for 100w. Could you give me more info about these points? Thanks anda 73

[@temporarilyoffline]

The radio was at 100w, I got 63 contacts in 1 hour of runtime before I gave up at about 4+ah of usage.

[@danielcialdella]

@@temporarilyoffline Ok, thanks. I think 100W power out, need 12-18 Ah.

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@danielcialdella ok, Cool. Watch the video when you get a chance.

[@LuisPozzi]

Hello! Which power did you transmit on the 891 using thia battery? 73's LU1CBQ

[@temporarilyoffline]

100w all day.

[@MikieLAX]

Where did you get your colorful rails for your FT-891?

[@temporarilyoffline]

I found them on thingiverse and called in a 3d Printer Friend.

[@Tokyo1991.JL1AJE]

Hey Steve do you happen to know what the real measured standby current on the FT-891 is? I tried to read it off your meter but couldn’t. My original ‘Watts Up’ meter is upside down also 🤪 73 John

[@temporarilyoffline]

Hello John - the short answer is "very high", its a known "problem" with the 891. (I don't have the number off the top of my head and that radio is packed for sale right now - new radios to play with). The radio is EXCELLENT, but it was meant to go in a car where power consumption isn't really an issue compared to field portable use like what I've shown here. The main takeaway was that even a 5ah battery can be fun for an hours long activation. Towards the end, I was ready to take the dog for a walk and enjoy the park so I feel like (for me) its a great balance between all factors involved in POTA ops.

[@ek12746]

Am I the only one getting no audio after .... oh wait... It's only on the left. I usually only wear the right earbud so I lost audio when you hit the park.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Too late to fix this one. Next time!

[@ek12746]

@@temporarilyoffline No problemo, thanks for all the great stuff!

[@EmJayArr]

Maybe it's just me, but this only played with left channel audio for some reason. I thought I broke my headphones 😆

[@temporarilyoffline]

naw, its my new camera setup

[@nickl3872]

Who is the adorable one in the back?

[@temporarilyoffline]

That's Colby Jack. She's an old girl and starting to show it.

[@TheMadCycle]

What was your output power? 73 TA2BRJ

[@temporarilyoffline]

100w

[@JimmyCall]

A lot of these motorcycle lithium batteries don't have proper BMS, only a balance circuit, so watch out on overcharging.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Good call!

[@Superacerc]

It's got... Enhanced added smallness.... That's what HE Said.

[@temporarilyoffline]

Womp-Womp

[@Superacerc]

@@temporarilyoffline couldn't resist

[@Superacerc]

I attempted to activate US-7889 Presido this morning before my flight back to the East Coast. At O dark 30 (6:15-6:30) ish starting time the 40m band is filled to the brim with Asian short wave broadcast stations, 20m wasn't yet bouncing east, 30m was dead in the water, and only 6 old guys talking about drs trips and Costco savings on 80m. What a bummer. But cool views of the Golden Gate were had along an exercise in throwing up an EFHW in a tree pollinating as I touched the branches with tufts of yellow dust emerging. Good stuff. Thanks for the great videos.

[@temporarilyoffline]

@@Superacerc sounds like a fun time to me!

[@DonzLockz]

It's Metric and Imperial, not Inch.😅 I have GAS too.😆📻📻📻📻📻📻📻📻📻📻📻📻📻

[@temporarilyoffline]

I do not recognize the empire.

[@DonzLockz]

@@temporarilyoffline 😄😄😄

[@DK5ONV]

FIRST....💯💥👌

[@temporarilyoffline]

You got that right!

[@Matteo_68]

He looks so young for someone who has owned a rope for 900 years.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I am preserved just as well as that rope is!

[@stahpit1971]

He was doing the time warping so makes sense

[@dwatson4]

If you want to know the easiest, fastest way to do something that requires the least amount of effort get a lazy person to do it.

[@temporarilyoffline]

I feel seen. 😎

[@davenewmyer3735]

N0SWE is well known in Colorado. Maybe get him on the CaHR group sometime. 73 de n0km

[@temporarilyoffline]

Thanks for the tip!