Wishing the best to everyone. Fortunately, the worst of hurricanes Helene and Milton are in the past. The effected communities have had time to evaluate the damage and hopefully found reasons to be grateful. For the rest of us, we can assist as needed, pray for their recovery, and do… Read more »
Everyone orders off the same menu. Anyone who has not been living under a rock since the pandemic knows full well that pretty much everything is getting crazy expensive. That would be bad enough except very few of us have increased our income accordingly. This is not a political statement…. Read more »
The best of times. Battery technology has made huge advances in a relatively short amount of time. When batteries started being commercially produced in the early 1900s, lead acid or “wet cell” batteries were the only option. “Dry cell” batteries were made too, but they were for small applications such… Read more »
It’s everything to everyone. Field Day 2024 is about a month away. It’s a contest, readiness drill, science fair, publicity stunt, geek festival, and party all rolled into one. It’s the Grand Poobah of amateur radio events. And this year my challenge to Off Grid Ham readers is not to… Read more »
Didn’t see it coming. I’m sure I’m not the only one who felt completely blindsided to hear that MFJ Enterprises, a name that is surely known by every ham radio operator, is going out of business. The end of MFJ will also result in the sunset of its subsidiary brands,… Read more »
Time + technology= options. Ham radio has a lot more options than it did years ago. Back in the day your choices were phone or CW and that was about it. In the 1970s/1980s slow scan TV and early data such as RTTY came about, but they were niche modes… Read more »
It’s about ham-less radio. I’m going to assume that everyone who reads this blog is either a ham or at least vaguely interested in becoming one. With that kind of a demographic, why should I even entertain the idea of covering unlicensed radio options? Well, it’s all about having choices… Read more »
You didn’t know you needed one. Off grid amateurs often forego having an inverter as part of their power capability, most likely because DC powered radio gear doesn’t need one. An inverter also adds expense, and in the case of portable operations, adds weight and space. But inverters bring a… Read more »
When one is none. Have you ever encountered a huge radio-related hassle over one small equipment failure? Your entire radio station can be kicked off the air because of one flakey connector or a blown fuse. If you don’t have a solution, you’re done. Equipment failures may be a mere… Read more »
Nothing is sacred, including batteries. Do you have concerns about technology intruding on your life and privacy? We have reached a point where even batteries —yes, batteries— are documented and recorded. What am I talking about? You may have never heard of a digital battery passport (DBP), but pay attention… Read more »
A classic never goes out of style. Way back in 2016 I posted the Off Grid Ham 100 Watts for $300 Solar Plant. Even today, that article is still hugely popular and one of the most viewed posts on this website. In a 2020 update, the $300 threshold not only… Read more »
The unloved child. Lots of hams are very successful with solar. It seems to be the “go to” off grid power source. I don’t have firm numbers, but anecdotally it appears solar is more popular than even gas generators. Of course, solar is not the only game in town. Wind… Read more »