Handheld Radio Battery Replacement

[Matt Ricciardi]

I carry a handheld NAV/COM radio (Vertex Standard VXA-710) in my flight bag to pickup the ATIS and clearance before starting up -- every 6 minutes is expensive when renting, even at idle -- and for emergency purposes.  Lately, I noticed that reception was mediocre and the tower sometimes had difficulty hearing me despite clear line of sight.  Recharging the battery had no effect.  The radio was 10+ years old, so I figured it might just be time for a new one.

Fortunately, I thought to try replacing the rechargeable battery before giving up on the radio itself.  Bingo.  Bought a $24 battery off Amazon, and the (much more expensive) radio was working like new again.  Good reminder that rechargeable batteries don't last forever.  Glad this one was easily replacable.