[TowerTalk] Battery Solution for the MFJ259

[Roger L. Elowitz]

Hi Steve and the Gang,

Steve, you wrote:
>      Other MFJ-259 upgrades:
>      1.  Better battery holder. Does anyone have one that ISN'T broken?

Answer:

Yes!  I do.  I've never, ever put batteries into the unit. Removing
eight (8) screws in order to change batteries is just plain asinine.
And to have trouble with the stupid battery holder is more than I can
bear!

My solution is as easy as pie:

I have many spare, older camcorder batteries... Panasonic AG-BP212,
rated at 12-V 2.3AH, lead-acid gel cell types.  With the proper clip
attaching to the battery and the proper plug on the other end of a
short cable, all I do is attach this battery, shaped almost identically
as the side of the MFJ-259 and about ¾" thick, with three hefty rubber
bands to the side of the 259 case.  This battery will hold it's charge
over very long periods of time and can be rapidly charged in my VCR. If
you were to buy the battery new today you could probably spend all of
$35 for it or less. You will also need the special battery snap-on
clips and the barrel plug for the receptacle on the MFJ-259. Naturally
you will need the consumate skill of wiring the battery clip to the
plug keeping the polarity correct. I trust this will not be too great a
challenge for many on this list.

The only disadvantage of this arrangement is that you can't use the MFJ
external case with this battery... unless of course you put the battery
on the outside of the case.... not really a problem. The other
disadvantage is the since this is a lead-acid type of gel cell... it
does add some additional weight... but not anything the average person
couldn't handle with one hand on a tower.

The chief advantage of this lash-up is that it's fairly cheap, it's
rapidly rechargeable, and of course it can be changed instantly... if
you have a spare. Then again... one can always keep the battery on a
trickle charger so that it'll always be ready to go when you are.
There's nothing worse than being all ready to climb a tower, but first
you have to unscrew eight screws and then go looking for replacement
batteries.... and when you find them, put all the screws back in.  By
then the winter sun has set.

What do you think Steve?  Is this a winner of an idea.... or what?

Roger, K2JAS
AKA Dr. Igore Helfenschmaltz, LIFCBS.....
the Liechtenstein Institute For Cleaver Battery Solutions
Morganville, NJ
about 30 mi. SW of NYC

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