Portable

摘要

Sealed Lead Acid Batteries (SLABs) or 'gel cells' are rather old fashioned in terms of battery technology and yet they remain a popular choice for portable radio operators. Here we explore why that is, together with some ideas for using them and getting the best results. Each type of SLAB has a stated capacity (eg 7 Ampere hours or Ah) but beware: you can only achieve this capacity under specific conditions. The faster you discharge your battery, the less capacity it will have. A 7AH battery will give 0.35A for 20 hours but increase the current draw to 3.5A and you'll find it's flat in about an hour.