On Wednesday, January 11, 2012 1:24:33 PM UTC-5, kd6veb wrote:
... I almost
purchased an Antares a couple of years ago but discovered a gotcha
that for me was a show stopper. And that gotcha? Lithium batteries
cannot exceed fairly modest temperatures before they have to be
shutdown meaning if I left an Antares in the hot midday sun in Nevada
for a couple of hours I might not even be able to reach 1,000 feet
before the electric system would automatically shut down. This might
be OK in cooler climates but not at Minden.

Huh ?

I regularly self-launch at Uvalde, Hobbs, etc.
Not exactly locations I need the Sorel boots.

Battery heating is the third power of current.
Thus, reducing from max power shortly after
take-off reduces heating enough that this has
never been an issue for me in actual operation
over many seasons (including multiple contests
at Hobbs and Uvalde, launching on HOT days with
full water ballast).

Hope that's clear !
Best Regards, Dave "YO electric"