General Category > How to
How to -- SHTF emergency power
AD:
Ad today for HF, $149.99 for the sloar panel system.
piccolo:
I am in the process of putting together a solar charger for my PRC-320.
The hand cranked generator can keep the rig going indefinitely on the small battery pictured. The bigger batteries need a seperate charger. I''d go solar on the bigger batteries.
One of these days I am going to do a piece on SHTF communications as I see it. I posted one on another website and had all sorts of people INSISTING they would be using digital/PSK31/etc.
I tried to explain the KISS approach and some of them argued yada yada yada about how their digital was going to save the world. All well and good if you have the energy source to run it AND the guy on the other end has the energy to run HIS.
Truth is that in a SHTF situation of any magnatude the biggest thing that will be faced is simply where we are going to get the ENERGY to run things. At 11 gallons a day a portable generator will drink up an entire 55 gallon drum.
Then what?
idial1911:
--- Quote from: piccolo on March 11, 2012, 09:06:44 PM ---One of these days I am going to do a piece on SHTF communications as I see it. I posted one on another website and had all sorts of people INSISTING they would be using digital/PSK31/etc.
--- End quote ---
During time of a complete SHTF end of the world.. All I need is enough power in my cell phone for a 30 second call with my boss.. Just to let him know how utterly useless he is...
I agree and disagree.. I agree with you mostly, although I wouldn't want to be without digital modes just in case either. I would only switch to using them as a secondary mode though, if voice failed. But SSB would be my go to...
You should check out the digital section and watch the videos of the guy in Iraq.. If nothing else, it will get you thinking.
spacecase0:
I have calculated out how much power it takes to make a contact,
and with the additional need of a computer for digital modes,
and SSB voice takes way less power to run.
maybe if I got a tiny laptop it would not be the case.
Quietus:
I was wondering: How might charging work when you hook up the radio battery (deep cycle marine 720 aH) in parallel with a truck's battery, hooked up so that the radio's battery can be easily connected and disconnected at 10' away from the truck's engine.
If the truck is not running, what sort of "leveling" between the two batteries might be expected? Would the truck battery try to feed the other battery?
The radio and its battery would be.. real... auxiliary in this mode, and would be looking for a place, absent solar, to get an easy charge in a slow way from a parked truck. Would sooner not run the truck too much just in order to charge a large radio battery.
A solar panel is probably the best answer, no? Could anybody discuss and justify their solar wattage preferences for running an HF radio in the usual monitor/transmit ratio that's been posted here? I've seen some links to vendors on another thread on this forum. Due to this forum being not like another one, I hope I can ask this question and not get hammered for my lack of situational awareness... which, I confess, is lacking. I did not utilize the search function prior to posting.
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