Charging a LiFePO4 battery with wind power
This video shows charging Power Queen LiFePO4 batteries with a vertical wind generator and discusses off-grid ham shack power storage solutions, including during non-solar conditions.
Education
Retevis Ailunce HD1 GPS First impression
The Retevis Ailunce HD1 GPS, rated IP67 for dust and water resistance, surpassed expectations in extreme weather testing at -30°C, showing no signs of battery, LCD, or condensation issues after being left outside for three days. The robust HD1 performed admirably, suggesting it’s a serious contender in rugged radio options.
Benefits of adding parallel batteries in an off-grid system
This tutorial demonstrates how to connect two 12-volt batteries in parallel using Power Queen 12.8V, 100Ah, 1280Wh lithium iron phosphate batteries. The provided YouTube link offers a detailed guide. For related content, explore building a solar-powered Off-Grid Ham Radio Station and information on radio-friendly MPPT charge controllers and off-grid communications.
Building a Solar Powered Ham Radio Station
The Off-Grid Ham Shack series discusses creating a self-sufficient ham radio station or ‘Ham Shack’ capable of operating on solar power during any grid down scenario, emphasizing the importance of an energy strategy for off-grid communications. This system includes solar panels, a charge controller, battery, and power distribution system. Key elements are the use of photovoltaic (PV) panels to harness solar energy, a solar charge controller to regulate energy flow and prevent battery overcharging or damage, and a battery to store energy for later. As well, power distribution ensures the allocation of power to multiple devices simultaneously. A grid-down energy strategy is crucial to any communication-related emergency, be it CB, FRS, GMRS, MURS or PMR radio, UHF CB, DMR, DStar, Meshtastic or LoRa communications.
Power Queen LiFePO4 for Christmas
The blog post highlights the benefits of Power Queen LiFePO4 batteries for off-grid projects over traditional lead-acid batteries, focusing on the better performance and cost-effectiveness in the long run. Additionally, it provides subscribers with information and discounts on Power Queen’s Christmas offers, and illustrates how LiFePO4 batteries function in an off-grid system. It also includes descriptions and respective links of the batteries suited for specific needs in the US, Europe, and Canada.
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.
Microsoft Surface Go LTE GPS for Ham Radio
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72 Hours of Emergency Power on a Budget
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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. […]