Working on upgrading my emergency communications kit and I'm torn between sticking with my trusty 35Ah AGM battery or making the jump to LiFePO4. My concern is runtime - I need at least 8 hours continuous operation with my IC-7300 at 75% duty cycle (mix of voice and digital modes). The weight savings of LiFePO4 is attractive for portability, but I'm worried about actual usable capacity under load. Has anyone done side-by-side runtime comparisons with similar Ah ratings? Specifically interested in real-world Field Day or EMCOMM deployment experiences.

Made the switch to Bioenno 40Ah LiFePO4 last year after decades with AGM. You'll get about 90% usable capacity vs 50% with AGM, so a 30Ah LiFePO4 actually gives you more runtime than your 35Ah AGM. Plus voltage stays rock solid until nearly empty - no more power drops during transmit peaks.

Just used my new BattleBorn 100Ah during Hurricane Milton response - ran my 7300 plus laptop for 12 straight hours without breaking a sweat. The voltage regulation is incredible compared to my old Optima YellowTop. Initial cost hurts but the cycle life makes it worth it long-term.

Weight difference is huge for portable ops. My 20Ah LiFePO4 weighs what my old 7Ah SLA did. For POTA activations, I can now carry backup batteries easily. Just remember - don't charge LiFePO4 below freezing or you'll damage the cells permanently.