The Ship Has Sailed.

      1 Comment on The Ship Has Sailed.
survival and preparedness

Where have you been? Preparedness and survival  As I write this the outcome of the Presidential election is not known. Depending on who you choose to believe, which candidate is ahead and which is lagging is a wildly open concept. One thing for certain is that there is a sense… Read more »

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 »

Discussing Vertical And Wire Antennas.

      4 Comments on Discussing Vertical And Wire Antennas.
vertical and wire antennas

A topic so deep and wide. I messing around with you. There is no such thing as an antenna specifically for off grid radio. But since off grid amateurs tend to be practical, do-it-yourself types, some vertical and wire antennas are more more appealing than others. What are the options,… Read more »

Any Day Can Be Field Day.

      16 Comments on Any Day Can Be Field Day.
off grid radio training

My one-man Field Day. off grid radio training For amateurs who are into off grid radio for preparedness/emergency purposes, I have a blunt reality check for you: You’re probably not as prepared as you think you are. And you’re most likely not off grid radio training enough. Participating in Field… Read more »

Here We Go Again!

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It looks like WordPress let me down again and did not send out a notification to Off Grid Ham email subscribers when an article was published late last night. Until I can chase down the gremlin for the ??? time, please click here to see what you missed!   

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 »

Off Grid Ham on Is Now On Parler!

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Expanding the base. I’m excited to announce that Off Grid Ham is now on the social media platform Parler  Please take a moment to sign up for a free account and follow @offgridham. I’ll post new articles and other relevant items not included in the main blog. It’s a great venue… Read more »

When All You Have Is A Few Square Feet.

confined space amateur radio

Hams are on their own. confined space ham radio For better or worse, amateur radio is a hobby that typically requires a lot of outdoor space. Golfers can tee up on a golf course, and soccer junkies can use public athletic fields, but hams have so such dedicated public facilities…. 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 »

Everything But The Ham.

      6 Comments on Everything But The Ham.
unlicensed radio communications

It’s about ham-less options. I’m going to assume that everyone who reads this blog is either a currently licensed ham, or at least vaguely interested in becoming one. With that kind of a demographic, why should I even entertain the idea of covering non-ham radio communications? Well, it’s all about… Read more »