Communications · Power and protect the comms kit · comms-17

Set up charging, spare batteries and rotation

Radios are useless with flat batteries. Build a charging station and a rotation habit so every device is always ready.

How

Set up one charging station run from the comms battery, with 12 V and USB chargers for every radio type.
Keep spare battery packs for handhelds and a stock of rechargeable AA and AAA cells, plus a crank or solar charger, as Ready.gov suggests.
Store batteries cool and dry; Hytera notes heat and cold reduce battery life, and expects radio packs to last about 18 to 24 months.
Label batteries with purchase dates and rotate them: use the oldest first, recharge after use, and replace packs that no longer hold a charge.
Save phone battery by dimming the screen, using airplane mode and closing apps, as the US DOE advises.
If you charge in a vehicle, do it outdoors with good ventilation, never in a closed garage.

Safety: Never run a vehicle or generator in a closed space to charge devices: carbon monoxide can kill.