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Power of Radio

Cost of Radio

Forms of Radio
Broadcasting

Power Sources

Conclusion

Power Sources

Typically most portable radio sets are powered by batteries, solar cells or wind-up systems – or combinations of these power sources. There are advantages and disadvantages of each power source when their practicality and the effect on the total ownership cost of a potable radio is considered.

Battery Power

Batteries are a convenient and reliable source of energy that are widely available throughout the world. They are a very popular way of powering a radio set.

However, battery power comes at a cost – a cost which is dependent upon the retail price of batteries and the rate at which they are used.

The price of batteries varies considerably with location. In highly industrialised countries the distribution, marketing and retail costs are high which are passed on the consumer.

In less economically developed countries the handing costs are much lower and the same batteries are sold for less. But the average income in these countries is much lower meaning that the price of batteries are a greater proportion of wages.

Reducing the power consumption of a radio decreases battery usage.

Solar Power

Harvesting energy from sunlight using a solar cell can be an effective way of powering a radio.

In order to provide power in low-light and darkness solar power systems require storage batteries. These batteries have a limited number of storage cycles and gradually lose their strorage capacity over their lifetime. They are less widely available than standard batteries they can be harder to replace.

Reducing the power consumption of a radio means that when powered by a solar power system;

• The radio could operate under lower lighting levels

• Less solar cells are needed to meet the power demand, reducing additional build cost and purchase price

• The rate at which storage batteries need to be replaced decreases

Wind-up Power

Using a wind-up dynamo is a novel way of powering a radio.

However wind-up systems are dependent on charging a storage battery which have a limited number of storage cycles, lose their storage capacity over time and can be hard to replace.

The time over which the radio can operate between windings is limited by the amount of energy the battery can store. The process of winding can also become an inconvenience to the user preventing them from operating a radio continuously for a period of time without having to wind the generator up again.

Reducing the power consumption of a radio means that when powered by a wind-up power system;

• The radio operates for longer between windings

• The rate at which storage batteries need to be replaced decreases

Super-Capacitors

An alternative to the storage batteries used in wind-up and solar powered radios are super-capacitors. Although they operate on a different principle than storage batteries, super capacitors perform the same function of storing and then discharging energy over a period of time.

The great advantage of super-capacitors is that they effectively have an infinite lifetime – there is no limit to the number of times they can be charged and discharged. This overcomes the limited lifetime, reliability and availability issues of storage batteries.

However, super-capacitors are relatively new and specialist electronic components which are currently too expensive to be used in a radio set without increasing the purchase price considerably.

As the use of super-capacitors in electronic devices becomes more widespread it is thought that a low-power radio featuring a small (and therefore less expensive) super-capacitor could be eventually be produced at an affordable price.

Key Point

Reducing power consumption maximises the potential of all power source combinations to reduce the total-ownership cost of a portable radio.
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