How will the cold affect a Ni-MH battery?
An M/A Com OpenSky portable when first turned on will “boot up” to the radio system. This boot up is a process of the portable finding the network radio site, transmitting a data message containing the electronic serial number and IP address to the voice switch for system validation, and provisioning if this information matches the database loaded to the voice switch. If the portable and battery were left in a cold environment (20°F or less) prior to power up, the battery may not have enough electrical capacity to properly transmit the boot up information and go into shutdown. In colder conditions it is important to key the portable and battery in a warm environment before use. Most fire apparatus is equipped with DC chargers that supply a trickle charge which keeps the battery warm. This will minimize the affect associated with storing a portable and battery in a cold environment (such as a fire station bay that is not normally kept at normal room temperatures).
