Two Way Radios

Batteries are an essential part of every mobile electronic device. When chosen correctly, they can provide ample operating time even when there is no access to any other form of electrical power. Some two way radios take standard AA batteries, which makes finding a battery in time of need a lot easier. However, most radios use custom size reachargeable batteries which have larger capacities. Having a second, fully charged, battery at hand can prove to be very useful.

Battery buying essentials

With batteries, the “you get what you pay for” saying is unfortunately true. Good two way radio batteries are expensive, and cheap batteries will almost always provide less running time and lower life expectancies. If you’re living in the EU, the battery you buy has to be RoHS compliant (compliance is usually indicated by a leaf image as seen in the image above). Certain RoHS restrictions apply in the US as well. Look for batteries that come with at least 1 year of warranty and, ideally, some sort of x-day money back guarantee. What you need to write down before going out to buy a battery is mainly the radio brand and model number. Online shops, like Amazon, also offer a wide variety of two way radio batteries.

Battery types

Rechargeable two way radio batteries come in three flavors: Nickel Cadmium (NiCd), Nickel metal hydride (NiMH) and Lithium ion (Li-ion). These battery types are not compatible, i.e. if your device accepts one type you can not switch over to another type, so it is vital to choose the right one for your needs. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of each type:

• NiCd:They are good for operation at low temperatures, they are resistant to overcharging, they have a long life expectancy and are relatively cheap. On the downside, they are larger and heavier than the other two types and the NiCd memory effect reduces effectiveness if they are not fully discharged before recharging.
• NiMH:They are lighter than NiCd batteries and do not suffer the memory effect but they have a shorter life expectancy and require special chargers to protect them from overcharging.
• Li-ion:They are even lighter than the other two types, they can be charged quickly, they do not suffer from the memory effect and they lose their charge very slowly when not in use. On the other hand, they are more expensive and have a limited number of charge cycles (typically around 500 to 1000).

More expensive two way radios usually come with Li-ion batteries, but you can also find NiCd and NiMH batteries in many products. Be sure to check which battery type your device accepts before buying a new (or second) battery. Additionally, since most two way radio chargers can only replenish the battery when it is inside the device, you might need to get an extra charger for your spare battery.