A C172 EXPERIENCED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE PLT USED A HAND-HELD RADIO TO DECLARE AN EMER AND LANDED AT PAM.

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AT ABOUT 35 NM FROM PANAMA CITY; JACKSONVILLE (119.1) RADIOED THAT THEY HAD LOST MY XPONDER. I REACHED DOWN TO RECYCLE IT. SHORTLY AFTER; THE RADIOS STARTED TO BLINK ON AND OFF; AND WE HEARD A 'GRINDING' TYPE NOISE. THE ENG INSTS' NEEDLES ALL WENT TO THEIR L STOPS. THE CHT/EGT WENT BLANK. THE CARB HEAT GAUGE; OIL TEMP GAUGE; AND FUEL GAUGES SHOWED ZERO READINGS. I PULLED OUT MY HAND-HELD RADIO AND GOT IN TOUCH WITH JACKSONVILLE AND DECLARED AN EMER. I ASKED FOR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE ARPT WAS TYNDALL AFB AND APPROX 11 NM AT A 260 DEG HDG. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO HEAR JACKSONVILLE ON THAT RADIO; NOT TO MENTION AT 6000 FT IT WAS VERY TURBULENT. I CONTACTED TYNDALL AND WAS CLRED TO LAND RWY 31R. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. ON THE GND I WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THAT I STILL HAD APPROX 20 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD WHICH WAS VERIFIED WHEN I TOPPED THE TANKS OFF AFTER GETTING THE AIRPLANE FERRIED TO PANAMA CITY. IT TOOK 30.2 GALLONS OF FUEL (TOTAL CAPACITY 54 GALLONS WITH 50 USABLE). THE ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A BAD BATTERY THAT IN TURN FRIED THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR. BOTH WERE REPLACED.