[aprssig] Commercial integrated APRS/GPS handhelds?

[jason at creager.com]

>The BeeLine GPS integrates

That's very cool. I actually got into ham radio because of peteK's 
70cm Rocket RDF project. Of course, I found out a few months later that 
RDF isn't nearly as necessary on a drylake bed as it is in a Kansas 
hayfield. I don't know if I would trust my modeling abilities with a 
$300 gadget, though.

>Everything operates off  an integrated 3.2V li-poly battery.

Is there any worry about the LiPo exploding? Of course, at this small 
discharge and charge rate, it might not be an issue.

In the R/C helicopter world, you have LiPo safety drilled into at 
every turn because it's such an evolving technology and they're so 
sensitive to charge rates. Heck, the guy at the hobby shop made sure I 
knew how and where to charge the batteries in my BladeCX before he'd 
let me leave with it, even with the relatively (in the heli world) 
small 700mAH packs that I bought. However, there was no such "death and 
danger" warning with the PiccoZ $30 toy helicopter that I bought. 
(Coolest indoor flying toy EVER, btw.)

I've been curious about using LiPos in smaller applications like ham 
radio.

73,
Jason
KC0ERG