Portable Power for Ham Radio On-The-Go

Buddipole is pleased to offer custom manufactured A123 Nanophosphate battery packs in a variety of configurations for amateur radio use. We also supply battery chargers designed to meet the exacting charging needs of our A123 battery packs, along with most other popular chemistries.

A123 Nanophosphate Battery Technology

Our custom manufactured A123 Nanophosphate battery packs offer a number of advantages over more traditional battery technologies, some of which are described below.

Safety/Abuse Tolerance

A123 Nanophosphate cells are designed to be safer and more abuse tolerant than the battery technologies that have been traditionally used by amateur radio operators. The proprietary Nanophosphate cathodes are inherently stable, and are not susceptible to thermal runaway while under abusive conditions. The chemistry also has the lowest intrinsic reaction heat of any lithium ion battery technology, meaning that your battery will heat up very little during heavy use. The advanced vent technology allows for the safe release of any internal gas pressure buildup in a cell. All of the A123 batteries sold by Buddipole include an integrated PolySwitch to prevent large amounts of overcurrent in the event of a short circuit. Each Buddipole battery also comes with 30 ampere Anderson Powerpole connectors preinstalled, which nearly eliminates the risk of reversing the power supply polarity to your equipment.

Discharge Curve

Most battery technologies used in amateur radio service have a voltage discharge curve which gradually ramps down, ending with a sharp drop when the battery is nearly completely discharged. By contrast, A123 Nanophosphate batteries maintain a nearly constant voltage until the charge is nearly depleted. This gives you a wider window of operation at full transmitter power.

Longevity/Shelf Life

With its long 10+ year projected lifespan, you won't have to worry about wasting your investment in A123 Nanophosphate technology. The cells have a very low impedance growth throughout lifetime of battery (essentially unchanged over 4000 discharge cycles), ensuring that the battery retains is ability to deliver the same amount of power throughout its life. When used at lower discharge rates (1C), A123 Nanophosphate cells will deliver up to 7000 full discharge cycles and still maintain over 80% of their original capacity. At very high discharge rates (10C), the cells will still provide more than 1000 full discharge cycles.

Characteristics of the A123 Chemistry

The key to the incredible performance of the A123 Nanophosphate cell is the unique nanoscale material used. In a traditional lithium ion battery, the particles measure approximately 10 microns wide. In comparison, the Nanophosphate particles used in an A123 cell measure less than 0.1 microns wide; 100 times smaller than the traditional material. The small size of the nanoparticles allow for extremely high current discharge rates (pulse up to 100C, continuous up to 35C) and very fast charge rates (a typical cell can be charged to 80% capacity in approximately 12 minutes, and to 100% capacity in approximately 20 minutes).

Operating Temperature

A123 Nanophosphate battery technology is extremely tolerant of a wide range of temperatures, making it a great choice for your outdoor adventures. Our batteries can withstand a wide range of operating temperatures; from -30° C (-22° F) to +60° C (+140° F). The battery pack can withstand storage at temperatures all the way down to -50° C (-58° F). Even when operated regularly under high temperature (+60° C/+140° F), the battery will last for more than 1000 full discharge cycles.

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