Arctic Circle Off Grid 2023
Near the end of May 2023, Julian OH8STN will be joined above the Arctic Circle by Ed WQ2U, and Oliver DL4KA for an off-grid data […]
Articles
Radio Friendly MPPT charge controller for Off-Grid Radio Comms
The author discusses choosing a solar charge controller suitable for radio communication. He focuses on three criteria: portability, radio frequency quietness, and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) functionality. Recommending Genasun due to its compatibility with these requirements, he mentions his dissatisfaction with another brand, Victron, that caused excessive radio frequency noise. For optimal results, he suggests keeping devices DC powered and using no inverters. He provides specific instructions about matching controllers to battery and solar panel specs, and suggests parallel configuration for Genasun controllers.
Off-Grid Grid-Down Comms & Current consumption
The post warns against the use of QRO radio systems for off-grid or grid-down situations due to their high energy consumption. Instead, it advocates QRP radios, suggesting they offer greater efficiency and ease of use with renewable energy sources such as solar. The post also dismisses the idea of lowering the transmission power of QRO radios as a solution, arguing that it does not address issues with energy inefficiency and that such advice is misguided.
Black Friday & Thoughts on Retevis RA79 & RA89
Retevis, a renowned radio brand, has introduced budget-friendly and feature-rich dual-band HTs, the Retevis RA89 and the RA79. The RA89 is IP68 waterproof and dustproof, boasts a USB-C charging port with an optional dock, and provides clean clear audio. The RA79 offers wide reception from 50Mhz to 600Mhz and a unique functionality to swap batteries without powering down the radio due to its USB port placement on the radio case. These radios are on sale during the Retevis’s Black Friday event ending on 24 November.
iPower Queen LiFePO4 Black Friday sale
Power Queen, a supplier of LiFePO4 battery packs, is having a Black Friday sale from November 14th to 24th, offering discounts on their North American and European websites. The author, who has had a positive personal experience with the product, endorses the batteries for off-grid use cases such as ham radio stations. The promotions also include giveaways on social media (Instagram and Facebook).
Retevis RA79 RA89 Radio Chest Pack Go Kit
A chest pack go kit with the Retevis RA89 and Microsoft Surface.
Microsoft Surface Go LTE GPS for Ham Radio
Want to access and share the internal GPS on the Surface Go LTE with other apps. Well, here you go. Hello Operators.Microsoft has done an […]
72 Hours of Emergency Power on a Budget
Hello Operators.The high cost of lightweight, amorphous silicon solar panels can be tough on budgets. After some research, I’ve found an American made solar briefcase […]
HF APRS & HF Winlink on ANDROID Deviceas
Hello Operators.We have finally arrived at something special. It is a pleasure to announce the arrival of HF APRS & HF Winlink to Android devices. […]
Air Compressors need off-grid power too
Ham Radio LiFePO4 battery powers 4500psi air compressor off-grid!
Networking
Hello Operators. As I sit here enjoying the last week of my summer holiday, the disaster in Maui is an important reminder of maintaining our network […]