Tag Archives: alternative energy

When Things Go Wrong, What Type of Ham Are You?

troubleshooting solar power

It’s all fun & games until the electrons stop flowing. Operating amateur radio is a load of fun. Operating amateur radio off grid is extra fun, but adds a layer of technical complexity to your station. Have you ever thought of what you would do if your off grid system… Read more »

When Your Batteries Are Boiling.

      8 Comments on When Your Batteries Are Boiling.
battery temperature

It’s not only about the cold. Most of the USA is going through a blazing hot summer! Here in the upper Midwest it’s been over 90F/32C every day for almost two weeks. As I write this it’s 87F/31C in Buffalo, New York. That doesn’t sound too bad until you consider… Read more »

Avoid These Five Common Off Grid Mistakes!

OFF GRID MISTAKES

It seemed like a good idea at the time. I don’t know how I compare to others, but my three-plus decade amateur radio career is littered with failed projects and off grid mistakes. Much of it can be explained away as valuable learning experiences, but as I look back, there… Read more »

Small Solar Can Give Big Results…If You Play It Right.

small solar power

Call now! Operators are waiting! small solar power You’ve probably seen the campy ads hawking small solar power systems and “solar generators”. These ads make some remarkable claims and the manufacturers are deliberately vague on the technical specifications of these products. They further fuzz up the facts with unrealistic depictions… Read more »

NEWS ALERT: Perovskite Solar Breakthrough.

      2 Comments on NEWS ALERT: Perovskite Solar Breakthrough.
perovskite

A promising technology. Off Grid Ham first discussed perovskite solar cells in February 2017. This still-emerging technology uses perovskite-structured crystals to pull energy from different colors of light. Silicon panels by comparison make electricity from a narrow band of light. The process for making perovskite solar is also cheaper and… Read more »

The Off Grid Ham 100 Watts for $300 Solar Energy Plant, 2020 Update.

off grid ham radio on a budget

A good value for the money never goes out of style. Back in February of 2016 the Off Grid Ham 100 Watts for $300 solar project made its debut. Over four years later it is still one of the most-viewed articles on this website with several hundred hits every month…. Read more »

Jumping Off The Grid.

      3 Comments on Jumping Off The Grid.
off grid radio guide

A lot of amateurs want to go off grid. The demand and desire to take amateur radio off grid is absolutely there. The problem is that information about off grid radio is sprinkled around. It’s hard to find straight answers. Many radio and survival blogs occasionally address the issue, but… Read more »

Exploring Edison Batteries.

      20 Comments on Exploring Edison Batteries.
Edison batteries

Revisiting the old school. Most radio amateurs have never even heard of Edison batteries. Edisons been around for over 100 years, and while they enjoyed some early popularity, they more or less left the scene by 1910. Lately though they’ve been getting more attention from the off grid community. So… Read more »

The Off Grid Ham 2019 Year In Review.

      12 Comments on The Off Grid Ham 2019 Year In Review.
2019

Thanks for making OGH a great website. 2019 has been a great year for Off Grid Ham! We racked up twenty-two articles (including this one), tens of thousands of page views, and a growing reader base from all over the world. It’s not lost on me that you readers are… Read more »

Cold Weather And Your Batteries.

      4 Comments on Cold Weather And Your Batteries.
agm batteries

Cold weather changes everything. It’s December, and for most of the USA we are heading into seriously cold weather. Cold has a lot of negative effects on off grid power and amateur radio gear. If you have not properly accounted for cold weather, then your equipment will let you down… Read more »

Grounding Your Off Grid System.

      4 Comments on Grounding Your Off Grid System.
grounding

It’s hard to follow. One issue that seems to come up a lot in the off grid radio realm is proper system grounding. The rules and expectations are hard to follow. There are a lot of opinions out there. Many of them are accurate, others are not. Today we’ll go… Read more »

Antenna Tuner Basics.

      5 Comments on Antenna Tuner Basics.
antenna tuners

In search of the “perfect” antenna. A lot of off grid amateur radio involves compromises. We don’t have the same resources as grid-connected hams. Many off grid hams operate portable stations, which presents even more givebacks. One of the most common compromises is the antenna. When trying to go portable,… Read more »