When you use a radio, most of the time you’re probably not actively using it. The 5-5-90% cycle in the radio communications industry refers to this phenomenon. It means that 5% of the time you’re transmitting, 5% you’re receiving, and 90% you’re on standby.
Therefore, when you measure the battery capacity of a radio, you need to consider battery standby — your radio needs to last a long time even when it’s not transmitting or receiving.
Below, we’ll go over everything you need to know about battery standby time on push-to-talk (PTT) two-way radios.
Two-Way Radio Battery Capacity
The battery capacity for radios varies widely. For example, weaker, lower-quality walkie-talkies may have a battery capacity of only 1300 mAh, whereas two-way radio batteries often hover around 2000 mAh or 2500 mAh.
However, stronger two-way radios like the Peak PTT 4G Push To Talk Over Cellular Radio have a 5000 aMh capacity.
Standby Current
\Standby current refers to the energy the radio uses when it’s on but not receiving or transmitting. It’s generally an average of two numbers, commonly around 20-60 aMh, so 40 aMh average.
Receiving Current
The receiving current of the radio depends on the volume of the radio. For example, if 0.5W is being used, then the total receiving current would be the machine current plus the power consumption, generally around 140 mAh.
Battery Standby Time
To calculate the battery standby time, you have to divide the battery capacity by the standby current. For example, if the radio has a 2000 mAh battery capacity and 40 aMh standby current…
2000 mAh / 40 aMh = 50 hours
… then the battery standby time would be 50 hours.
Granted, the battery life of the radio will almost certainly be lower when you factor in total working time which includes receiving and transmitting time, both of which use up more battery than standby.
Peak PTT 4G Push To Talk Over Cellular Radio
If you want a powerful and reliable push-to-talk two-way radio, you can’t go wrong with the Peak PTT 4G Push To Talk Over Cellular Radio.
The PTT-84G allows for secure and private calls to individuals or channels over long distances thanks to its 4G LTE network.
This radio also features PC Dispatch Control software for easy voice dispatching, GPS tracking with route playback, real-time user location, and call message history. Plus, it includes an SOS button that sends out an instant emergency notification if any users get into trouble or need immediate medical assistance.
Of course, the PTT-84 G is also designed with a powerful 5000 mAh battery that has 42 hours of battery standby and an estimated battery life between 8-12 hours, depending on usage. This allows the radio to be used actively for a full workday before requiring recharging.