Last updated: 2026-11-09

HAM Radio Emergency Power Calculator

Calculate backup power requirements for HAM radio equipment, considering transmit duty cycles, temperature impacts, and equipment power needs.

Calculate power for a HAM radio emergency setup. The inputs account for transmit duty cycles, temperature effects on batteries, and different equipment combinations.

Key Features

Calculate power needs for transceivers, amplifiers, and accessories
Account for transmit vs receive duty cycles
Temperature impact on battery capacity
Detailed equipment-specific recommendations
Battery type and capacity suggestions

Station Setup

Select a preset or customize below

Basic HF Station

Popular entry-level HF setup for new operators

HF/All-Mode - Icom IC-7300 (100W)

HF Tube - Ameritron AL-811H (800W)

LDG AT-200Pro II, SignaLink USB

Digital Mode Station

Complete FT8/FT4/RTTY digital modes setup

HF/All-Mode - Yaesu FT-991A (100W)

HF Solid State - Acom 1000 (1000W)

MFJ-939i, SignaLink USB, RigExpert AA-55 ZOOM

Portable/POTA

Lightweight setup for field operations

HF/All-Mode - Icom IC-705 (10W)

Auto Antenna Tuner, Digital Interface

VHF/UHF Local

Local emergency and club communications

VHF/UHF - Yaesu FTM-400XDR (50W)

VHF/UHF - RM Italy KL-503 (300W)

SignaLink USB

Equipment Details

Transceiver*

Amplifier(Optional)

Accessories

1 selected

Auto Antenna Tuner

Automatic antenna tuner, 200W

Basic Antenna Tuner

Manual antenna tuner, 200W

Digital Interface

Basic digital modes interface

LDG AT-200Pro II

Auto tuner for 1.8-54 MHz, 250W

MFJ-939i

Auto tuner with radio interface, 200W

RigExpert AA-55 ZOOM

Antenna analyzer with graphical display

SignaLink USB

Popular digital modes interface

Timewave TZ-900

Advanced multi-mode TNC

Operating Parameters

Backup Duration*

Temperature (°C)

Transmit Time (%)

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