Basic battery charging question

I have the 720A and find it very sensitive to voltage. We run ours using a
12v battery and have no problem as long as the voltage stays above the
11.2-12v range. When the voltage does drop much below 11.2 the radio starts
sounding bad to others.

A weak, older battery will give you nothing but headaches with this radio.

Doug

"Don Byrer" wrote in message
...


I have a Terra 720 and the manual states that the radio wants 13.75 VDC.
Ironically, I don't talk on the radio much because the many
conversations going on are distracting to me so I leave it off most of
the time. On a typical flight, it sees a 25% duty cycle. But if I need
it, I want it to work well, thus the 14 VDC. Overkill? What do you
think?

"14 volt" aircraft have a 12 volt battery. The alternator makes ~14V
(nominal 13.8V); the alternator voltage must be higher than battery
voltage for the battery to charge. Methinks the radio should work
acceptably on 12V, probably even 11-ish...but I do not have
experience with the Terra 720.

--Don



Don Byrer
Commercial Pilot / CFI Student
Electronics Technician, RADAR/Data/Comm @ CLE
Amateur Radio KJ5KB

"I have slipped the surly bonds of earth; now if I can just land without
bending the gear..."
"I know what it sounds like....when doves cry" (Bird Strike 8/29/05)