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Having just received my zBitx, I'm looking for advice on the proper batteries to use in the battery holder. Since the zBitx does not include a battery charging circuit (a good thing, in my opinion), I'm looking for a recommendation for a pair of cells for the attached battery holder (18650? Flat top?) and ideally an included battery charger to charge the two cells. The ability to order them off Amazon is a plus, but not a requirement by any means.
?
Also, Bioenno offers 9v LiFePO4 battery packs in 3 and 6 amp capacities, I assume such a battery would work FB with the zBitx, correct? Here's a link to the 3 amp 9 volt pack and charger I'm looking at:
?
?
It is not the cheapest option, but it is an option - with a suitable Powerpole to coaxial plug adapter it should be fine, right? (My concern comes from watching Farhan video earlier today and his comment about "always" running the zBitx at 8.2 volts...
?
Thanks,
Ken, N2VIP
?
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Ken,
I have been using flat top 18615 with a small charger pcb I bought for about a dollar. It is a 2S charger with a usc c connector at the other end. I can use my phone charger to charge the batteries with it.
Having just received my zBitx, I'm looking for advice on the proper batteries to use in the battery holder. Since the zBitx does not include a battery charging circuit (a good thing, in my opinion), I'm looking for a recommendation for a pair of cells for the attached battery holder (18650? Flat top?) and ideally an included battery charger to charge the two cells. The ability to order them off Amazon is a plus, but not a requirement by any means.
?
Also, Bioenno offers 9v LiFePO4 battery packs in 3 and 6 amp capacities, I assume such a battery would work FB with the zBitx, correct? Here's a link to the 3 amp 9 volt pack and charger I'm looking at:
?
?
It is not the cheapest option, but it is an option - with a suitable Powerpole to coaxial plug adapter it should be fine, right? (My concern comes from watching Farhan video earlier today and his comment about "always" running the zBitx at 8.2 volts...
?
Thanks,
Ken, N2VIP
?
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I ordered a 12v buck converter with adjustable power output. Thought is I can use my current collection of 12v ?lipo batteries and still power the Z
Having just received my zBitx, I'm looking for advice on the proper batteries to use in the battery holder. Since the zBitx does not include a battery charging circuit (a good thing, in my opinion), I'm looking for a recommendation for a pair of cells for the attached battery holder (18650? Flat top?) and ideally an included battery charger to charge the two cells. The ability to order them off Amazon is a plus, but not a requirement by any means.
?
Also, Bioenno offers 9v LiFePO4 battery packs in 3 and 6 amp capacities, I assume such a battery would work FB with the zBitx, correct? Here's a link to the 3 amp 9 volt pack and charger I'm looking at:
?
?
It is not the cheapest option, but it is an option - with a suitable Powerpole to coaxial plug adapter it should be fine, right? (My concern comes from watching Farhan video earlier today and his comment about "always" running the zBitx at 8.2 volts...
?
Thanks,
Ken, N2VIP
?
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So, Help. Please.... I'm confused, re: the input the DC power
supply.
- I thought I understood the input dc power requirement was 9.0
volts (using a barrel connector).? SO I bought one.
- Now I read that the max input power is to be no more than 8.2V
DC.
- Further, the two 18650 batteries (even fully charged) can only
supply 7.2VDC. SO I bought two.
What are the actual input power requirements for the ZbitX, so
I get it right before I power it up?
Thank you,? Don Lewis, Austin, TX.
==============================================
On
3/26/2025 5:45 PM, Ed T. via groups.io wrote:
toggle quoted message
Show quoted text
I
ordered a 12v buck converter with adjustable power
output. Thought is I can use my current collection of
12v ?lipo batteries and still power the Z
Having just
received my zBitx, I'm looking for advice on the
proper batteries to use in the battery holder.
Since the zBitx does not include a battery
charging circuit (a good thing, in my opinion),
I'm looking for a recommendation for a pair of
cells for the attached battery holder (18650? Flat
top?) and ideally an included battery charger to
charge the two cells. The ability to order them
off Amazon is a plus, but not a requirement by any
means.
?
Also,
Bioenno offers 9v LiFePO4 battery packs in 3 and 6
amp capacities, I assume such a battery would work
FB with the zBitx, correct? Here's a link to the 3
amp 9 volt pack and charger I'm looking at:
?
?
It is not
the cheapest option, but it is an option - with a
suitable Powerpole to coaxial plug adapter it
should be fine, right? (My concern comes from
watching Farhan video earlier today and his
comment about "always" running the zBitx at 8.2
volts...
?
Thanks,
Ken, N2VIP
?
|
On the side of the case it says 6-9 volts.? My test sheet that came with the radio says they tested with 8.6v and fully charged 18650 is 4.20 each. 8.4.?
So, Help. Please.... I'm confused, re: the input the DC power
supply.
- I thought I understood the input dc power requirement was 9.0
volts (using a barrel connector).? SO I bought one.
- Now I read that the max input power is to be no more than 8.2V
DC.
- Further, the two 18650 batteries (even fully charged) can only
supply 7.2VDC. SO I bought two.
What are the actual input power requirements for the ZbitX, so
I get it right before I power it up?
Thank you,? Don Lewis, Austin, TX.
==============================================
On
3/26/2025 5:45 PM, Ed T. via wrote:
I
ordered a 12v buck converter with adjustable power
output. Thought is I can use my current collection of
12v ?lipo batteries and still power the Z
Having just
received my zBitx, I'm looking for advice on the
proper batteries to use in the battery holder.
Since the zBitx does not include a battery
charging circuit (a good thing, in my opinion),
I'm looking for a recommendation for a pair of
cells for the attached battery holder (18650? Flat
top?) and ideally an included battery charger to
charge the two cells. The ability to order them
off Amazon is a plus, but not a requirement by any
means.
?
Also,
Bioenno offers 9v LiFePO4 battery packs in 3 and 6
amp capacities, I assume such a battery would work
FB with the zBitx, correct? Here's a link to the 3
amp 9 volt pack and charger I'm looking at:
?
?
It is not
the cheapest option, but it is an option - with a
suitable Powerpole to coaxial plug adapter it
should be fine, right? (My concern comes from
watching Farhan video earlier today and his
comment about "always" running the zBitx at 8.2
volts...
?
Thanks,
Ken, N2VIP
?
|
Don,
No one said 8.2 volts was a "requirement", Farhan said that's what he has always used to power his zBitx.
I'm sorry if my previous post confused anyone, my intention was quite the opposite.
?
Ken, N2VIP
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You can, at a pinch even go up to 12v but I wouldnt transmit with 12v. The advise is anywhere from 6v to 9v. The specs are upto 12v. The back panel?that doubles up as a heatsink can't take more heat. Apart from the PA, the rest of the circuitry is regulated down to 9v anyway (if it exceeds 9v, that is).? We thought of adding a heatsink to the backpanel, but it was just too bulky. One day, maybe Hans wil design a class E amplifier for the zBitx and we will be able to run 50 watts output on a future zBitx. - f
Don,
No one said 8.2 volts was a "requirement", Farhan said that's what he has always used to power his zBitx.
I'm sorry if my previous post confused anyone, my intention was quite the opposite.
?
Ken, N2VIP
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has a good selection of 18650 rechargeable flat-top unprotected batteries and chargers at good prices.? My zBitx works great using 2-2500 mAH 18650 rechargeable batteries.? Bill AG5ZN
You can, at a pinch even go up to 12v but I wouldnt transmit with 12v. The advise is anywhere from 6v to 9v. The specs are upto 12v. The back panel?that doubles up as a heatsink can't take more heat. Apart from the PA, the rest of the circuitry is regulated down to 9v anyway (if it exceeds 9v, that is).? We thought of adding a heatsink to the backpanel, but it was just too bulky. One day, maybe Hans wil design a class E amplifier for the zBitx and we will be able to run 50 watts output on a future zBitx. - f
Don,
No one said 8.2 volts was a "requirement", Farhan said that's what he has always used to power his zBitx.
I'm sorry if my previous post confused anyone, my intention was quite the opposite.
?
Ken, N2VIP
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I ordered a PD USB-C -> 9V tonight. But I ordered it with the fairly standard 5.5x2.5 barrel plug. Not realizing the zBitX used a WAY smaller barrel. What IS that size, anyway? I'll see if I have an adapter, as I don't think I can get a PD cable with it. Maybe. But I'll need the size and polarity of the barrel to even try. (Heck, I need the polarity of the barrel anyway, in case the cable I ordered is wrong!)
?
I'm also having problems transmitting. Set to IAMBIC, which I assume is A, but I find out after I've been a ham for over 25 years that it's only relevant to SQUEEZE keying. But IAMBIC is working very badly (and IAMBICB is WORSE). I'm usually better at keying a paddle, but it's throwing in random dits and dahs in elements...I have to run really slow to get it to come out correct. It's very similar to trying to key a rig listening to the sidetone in a Bluetooth headset, with all that latency. Is there latency that needs to be adjusted in the paddle on the zBitX? Is that the key delay setting in the SET menu for CW? I couldn't fathom what those settings were FOR. Please Ashhar, explain me!
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Gwen, NG3P
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?D'oh. Looks like I was imagining things when I thought the barrel was smaller. Turns out it's 5.5x2.5, or 5.5x2.1, whichever is usual. Because that's what I got a bunch of pigtails for, and put PowerPoles on them for a bunch of other 12v radios. So that's ok. I've got one with an XT30 on it for connecting to the DC out jack on my Omnicharge Ultimate power bank. You can specify the voltage and amperage on that connector without resorting to PD. It HAS PD on it, but those are USB-C connectors. XT30 and XT60 are popular in drone battery power, the connector used on the SBitX. I have two battery boxes with LiFePO4 12v batteries in them. I got one from HRO, and I think the battery is 7Ah, and the one I bought is a 12Ah battery. I used PowerPoles for that output as well. I have a PowerPole to XT60 for the sBitX, to connect it to one of my more usual 12v battery boxes. The Omnicharge doesn't have PowerPoles, so I'll use the smaller XT30 for that. I'll have to put a flag on the cable to only use it for the zBitX at 9V.?
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I had a couple of flat-top 18650s all charged up and waiting. They work very nicely.
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Gwen, NG3P
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PS: Sorry, I'm a little foggy in the brain tonight.
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Gwen, I'm not sure if you have updated your zBitx to the latest software and firmware. To do a firmware update, you will need to follow the procedure mentioned by Farhan in this post. To update the software, you will need to connect the zBitx to an external display, keyboard and mouse, and use the terminal program to run "cd sbitx" (if you're not on the sBitx directory) followed by "./update" to update the software.? ?
You can refer to the Farhan has shared on YouTube for reference.
?
Hope this helps.
73,
Ragav
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Raghav,? Is there any chance that you can upload the SD card image , zipped, on some site.
You have one uploaded for sBITX.
de Charudatt VU2UPX?
Gwen, I'm not sure if you have updated your zBitx to the latest software and firmware. To do a firmware update, you will need to follow the procedure mentioned by Farhan in this post. To update the software, you will need to connect the zBitx to an external display, keyboard and mouse, and use the terminal program to run "cd sbitx" (if you're not on the sBitx directory) followed by "./update" to update the software.? ?
You can refer to the Farhan has shared on YouTube for reference.
?
Hope this helps.
73,
Ragav
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Charu,
You can use the standard sbitx image and replace the sbitx sources with those from the zbitx repo. The git gurus can do this in a single line, I am told
On Thu, Mar 27, 2025, 4:37 PM Charudatt Uplap via <charudattu= [email protected]> wrote: Raghav,? Is there any chance that you can upload the SD card image , zipped, on some site.
You have one uploaded for sBITX.
de Charudatt VU2UPX?
Gwen, I'm not sure if you have updated your zBitx to the latest software and firmware. To do a firmware update, you will need to follow the procedure mentioned by Farhan in this post. To update the software, you will need to connect the zBitx to an external display, keyboard and mouse, and use the terminal program to run "cd sbitx" (if you're not on the sBitx directory) followed by "./update" to update the software.? ?
You can refer to the Farhan has shared on YouTube for reference.
?
Hope this helps.
73,
Ragav
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What's the downside of running the zBitx from a slightly lower voltage? ?
I have a few LiFePO4 18650 flat tops I got from batteryspace.com. ?I prefer that chemistry for its lesser fire hazard. LiFePO4 cells only charge up to 3.65V, and run down to around 3.2V. ?So a pair would only provide somewhere between 6.4 to 7.3V.
73, Ron, n6ywu
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It will run all the way down to 5.5v, the output will be much lower, though
On Thu, Mar 27, 2025, 9:14 PM Ron, N6YWU via <ron.nicholson= [email protected]> wrote: What's the downside of running the zBitx from a slightly lower voltage? ?
I have a few LiFePO4 18650 flat tops I got from .? I prefer that chemistry for its lesser fire hazard. LiFePO4 cells only charge up to 3.65V, and run down to around 3.2V.? So a pair would only provide somewhere between 6.4 to 7.3V.
73, Ron, n6ywu
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On Mar 27, 2025, at 16:43, Ron, N6YWU via groups.io <ron.nicholson@...> wrote:
What's the downside of running the zBitx from a slightly lower voltage?
I have a few LiFePO4 18650 flat tops I got from batteryspace.com. I prefer that chemistry for its lesser fire hazard. LiFePO4 cells only charge up to 3.65V, and run down to around 3.2V. So a pair would only provide somewhere between 6.4 to 7.3V. Me too. So now I have to decide whether it’s better to use them in the simple battery holder, or use the alternative battery holder that I also got, that steps it up to 9V and has a USB-C charger. I guess with 9V I’d get a little more output power, and maybe have to worry about cooling a bit more? But it won’t cause any damage?
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Bill AG5ZN
Gwen Patton