Many thanks to Don (W7SSB) who notes that Xiegu has now added a portable power station to their product line:
The new Xiegu BK300 has a form factor much like power stations in the popular Jackery product line.
The BK300 features:
- a 296Wh Lithium [I assume Li-Ion] battery
- one 12 volt, 10 amp, DC output
- a pure sine wave inverter with 110V output rated at 300W continuous and 350W surge/peak
- three USB-A and one USB-C charging ports
- recharging via USB-C, AC, DC input, and solar panel
- a large LED light with diffuser
I’ve never purchased a power station to power my QRP rigs as I’ve always preferred simply using small LiFePo4 battery packs with my own DC accessories. I feel like this is a more cost-effective and simple approach for radio operation (plus, LiFePo4 batteries have insane longevity and shelf-life).
With that said, Li-Ion power stations like the BK300 are absolutely brilliant for camping and for all of those times you might need to power consumer electronics off-grid (including when the grid might be down at the QTH).
In the past, I have tested similar power stations, but their inverters were modified sine wave and injected unacceptable amounts of noise in my radio gear. Hypothetically, a pure sine wave inverter should not generate broadband RFI. Of course, this would need to be tested in real-world conditions.
If the inverter is indeed quiet, this might make for a great power station for camping–I had been considering a similar Jackery, but the price point on this one is actually lower for similar features and capacity. Radioddity has listed a discounted pre-sale price of $200.
Since they’re a sponsor of the SWLing Post, I’m mighty tempted to ask Radioddity for a loaner, else buy one outright.
Curious if any readers would like me to check it out? If there’s interest, I’ll get the ball rolling. Please comment!