Icom Two-Way Radio

Buying two way radio batteries can be somewhat confusing for first time buyers. We have received several questions regarding this topic. Which two way radio battery should I buy? What battery composition should I buy? Does purchasing a battery with more milliampere-hour(mah) hurt anything?

A consumer has 3 choices of battery composition when looking to purchase a battery for their two way radio. Nickel cadmium, nickel metal hydride, and lithium ion. The 3 compositions are also referred to as Nicad, Nimh, and Lith-ion. Nicad is the oldest of the 3 battery compositions. Nicad batteries contain cadmium which is not very environmentally friendly. Nicad batteries suffer from memory effect, and as a result more times than not their life expectancy is cut short. Nimh batteries are proven to be environmentally friendly. They also have a higher capacity than Nicad batteries do. Shoppers can expect to pay more for the Nimh battery technology compared to the Nicad battery. Lith-Ion is the newest composition of the 3 types. Lith-Ion is also the most volatile battery chemistry as well. The Lith-Ion battery is said to be less maintenance than the Nimh or Nicad batteries. Lith-Ion batteries are becoming very popular among portable electronic devices due to their lighter weight. We would suggest purchasing a Nimh battery, they have been proven to handle thousands of cycles and are reasonably priced.

Two-Way Radio Battery

When purchasing a battery for your two way radio, battery manufacturers often offer several variations of the same battery. One of the biggest choice offerings is milliampere hour. You can use your radio longer if you purchase a battery with a higher mah. Choosing a battery with a higher mah will not harm your two way radio. Shoppers can expect to pay more however for a higher mah battery. We would have to say that if a little extra money is not an issue, we recommend upgrading to Nickel metal hydride or Lithium Ion if you are currently using Nicad. Please remember to always recycle your old Two-Way Radio batteries. We would like to remind all of our readers to take the time to recycle. Not sure where the nearest battery drop off station is? They are closer than you may think, read our article on Where To Recycle Batteries to learn more.

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