We have no home of our own. The ham radio world has plenty of contests and events. Unfortunately, almost none of them are directly relevant to off grid and QRP operators. Field Day comes to mind first, yet it is hard for anyone but the biggest high-watt boomer stations to… Read more »
They are everywhere. If you haven’t already incorporated a gas powered generator into your off grid ham radio plans, you’re excluding a valuable resource. In the last decade or so, the variety and availability of generators has increased exponentially. Along with greater market penetration comes conflicting information and misunderstandings. Knowing… Read more »
Filling in the gap. Most ham radio enthusiasts who focus on off grid operations spend a lot of time working with solar panels, batteries, generators, and similar equipment with the end goal of having a fixed-or semi-fixed base station. Whether that station is a permanent installation, such as in a… Read more »
Been there, done that. Back in February 2020 we first discussed perovskite solar here on Off Grid Ham, and then again in July 2023. What has happened since then? At first glance the latest news seems frustrating and stagnant. The chatter continues but several years on we still have no… 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 »
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 »
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 »
It’s better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it. It’s been quite a summer! Flooding, extreme heat, wild fires, and (at this writing) a hurricane just tore up the Western USA and another storm is churning in the Gulf of Mexico. Every time… Read more »
The “holy grail” of solar energy? It’s been over six years since Off Grid Ham first covered perovskite solar. For the unfamiliar, perovskite solar is a new type of photovoltaic technology that is based on perovskite-structure crystals. There are several advantages. First, is efficiency. Perovskite solar is far more efficient… Read more »
Wish list. Most off grid hams are off grid only for portable operations. Many of them would like a larger, permanent home system but don’t know where to start or what such a project involves. If having an off grid home solar power system has been a longtime wish, this… Read more »
Graduation time. A lot of if not most off grid hams have only one battery in their system. Connecting a single battery is more or less self-explanatory. What should you do when you expand your system to include multiple batteries? Should they be in series? In parallel? Is one way… Read more »