How-To-Radio: Batteries

At Mobicomm we have a team of experienced installers and technicians, which means finding the right battery is only a phone call away. If you want to quickly buy your battery using our online shop however, it's best to know what you're buying before you buy it.

While some lower end CB (Citizen Band) or PRS (Personal Radio Service) handheld radios may use standard AA or AAA batteries, most professional level radios work with one of three types of battery: NiCad, NiMH or Li-ion. 

NiCad (nickel-cadmium) batteries have a long life expectancy and are less prone to some of the problems that come from overcharging. Although they are cheapest of the the three types, they are also the heaviest and are susceptible to ‘memory burn.’ This occurs when a battery is recharged before it’s empty. The battery will ‘remember’ to only charge it enough to fill the partial charge, meaning next time you won’t get a full battery charge, shortening the life of the battery. If they are cared for correctly, NiCad batteries can last up to 3 years.

NiMH (nickel metal hydride) batteries on the other hand aren’t susceptible to memory burn issues and are smaller and lighter than the NiCad batteries, however they do have a higher price tag and are more susceptible to issues that come from overcharging.

The third common type of battery found in two way radios are Li-Ion (lithium ion). While they are the most expensive of the three, they don’t get memory burn and are smaller and lighter than the others. They are, however, limited to a particular number of charging cycles, anywhere from 500 - 1000, with the Motorola IMPRES variety having around 150 charges more than your standard Li-Ion battery. Though they also require a particular type of charger, this allows them to be up and running in as little as an hour.