Determining how long your battery will last. This calculation uses radio duty cycle and assumes the battery is fully-charged and in good condition.
To Calculate:
- Battery Capacity in mAh (assuming a battery in good condition)
- Radio Current Draw for TX, RX, and Idle (the standard is 5%, 5%, 90% per hour of operation)
These values are listed on the individual radio specifications.
Example: Using 10%, 10%, 80% and a 2200mAh battery
This example uses the following values: TX = 125mA per hour, RX = 300mA per hour, and Idle = 150mA per hour to calculate battery capacity.
- TX current use per hour- 10% X 1.25 = 125mA draw per hour
- RX current use per hour- 10% X 300mA = 30mA draw per hour
- Idle Current draw per hour- 80% X 150mA = 120mA draw per hour
Total Current used per hour = 275mA
Calculating the charge life = Battery Capacity divided by mA used per hour
For a battery with a capacity of 2200mA (2200 / 275), the radio will operate 8 hours before completely depleting the battery.