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X6100 FT8 TEMPERTURE TESTING SUMMARY
I ran some X6100 radio tests to get a feel for the normal temperatures encountered in typical FT8 sessions. I used a digital thermometer taped to the back of the 6100 and another one taped to the left side of the bottom of the 6100. I attempted to keep the FT8 in the transmitting mode as much as I could. I recorded the temperature readings every 5 minutes. I tested using just the 6100 battery at 5 Watts output and using my external 13.8 volt power supply at 5 and 10 watts output. This was 20 meters using my GAP Titan antenna with a SWR of about 1.7 : 1. All tests were completed in my home .. not outdoors. The following is a high-level summary of these tests.
FT8 Using The 6100 Internal Battery Running 5 Watts.After 45 minutes, the back temp was 96 and the bottom temp was 95. Overall the 6100 case was warm to the touch but not hot. Adding a small ~2 inch fan blowing on the back of the 6100 quickly cooled off the 6100 and settled on a back temp of 78 and a bottom temp of 86.
FT8 Using The 6100 With External Power Supply at 5 Watts.?After 45 minutes, the back temp was 108 and the bottom temp was 109. Overall the 6100 case was hot to the touch. Adding a small ~2 inch fan blowing on the back of the 6100 quickly cooled off the 6100 and settled on a back temp of 78 and a bottom temp of 91. The 6100 felt just warm to the touch.
FT8 Using The 6100 With External Power Supply at 10 Watts.?After 30 minutes, the back temp was 104 and the bottom temp was 111. Overall the 6100 case was hot to the touch. Adding a small ~2 inch fan blowing on the back of the 6100 quickly cooled off the 6100 and settled on a back temp of 80 and a bottom temp of 95. The 6100 felt just warm to the touch.
My conclusions:
- You can likely run FT8 sessions using the X6100 internal battery continuously for as long as the battery lasts with the X6100 maxing out at a bottom temperature of about 95 – 100 F. The internal battery temp does not seem to be an issue. A small external fan will still lower these temps considerably.
- Running the X6100 on a 13.8 external power supply at 5 or 10 watts of FT8 output will quickly heat up the 6100 to a quite hot overall temp in the 15 to 20 minute range. Adding just a small fan blowing on the back of the radio will bring down the 6100 temperatures to a more likely continuous FT8 usage mode range of lower 90’s on the radio’s bottom. With no fan, I plan to limit my FT8 sessions to no more than 15 minutes with a cooling off time to limit the maximum temperature rise. With the small fan, I see no reason to limit the FT8 operational time. The fan keeps the overall X6100 case temperature within what I consider a reasonable sub-100 F value.
Caveat:?The above data and conclusions that I have reached is based on my unscientific testing and assumptions on the X6100’s specified ‘Working Temp Range’ of 55 C or?131 F. These are my conclusions on how I plan to use the X6100 for the FT8 digital mode. Other digital modes with a heavier duty cycle will be different.
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Gary KE8WO
X6100 FT8 TEMPERTURE TESTING SUMMARY
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