[Elecraft] K3 Off Grid

[Fred Jensen]

I didn't read his question that way, it seemed he wanted to operate in 
places where there are no power lines.  I sold my KPA100 and KAT100 
because I was always using my K2 at low power in the field, in the last 
several years activating SOTA summits.  I've settled on LiFePO4 as the 
best choice.  It's not "off the grid," all I'm doing is buying energy 
from Pacific Gas and Electric, stuffing it into a little package, and 
taking it with me in my pack.

Incidentally, if you charge your big battery with a gasoline generator, 
you're still "on the grid."  From an economic perspective, "energy is 
energy," if it's not electrons coming from the power company in wires, 
it's gasoline coming from a refinery in a pipe.  Solar, wind, or if 
you're fortunate enough to own a dam, can take you "off the grid."  Be 
sure and include the capital cost of the solar panels, turbines, or the 
dam when you compute the cost of your energy. :-))

We all use propane here and my neighbor once commented that the price of 
propane tracked the price of gasoline.  He was sure it was a government 
conspiracy [he has lots of those] and I don't think he believed me when 
I told him it's just economics.

73,

Fred K6DGW
- Northern California Contest Club
- CU in the 2014 Cal QSO Party 4-5 Oct 2014
- www.cqp.org

On 3/3/2014 8:53 PM, WILLIS COOKE wrote:

> I suppose that David wishes to operate free from the grid to prove a
> point, but the grid is very efficient and you cannot save money by
> generating your own electricity unless the cost of transmission lines
> is excessive, such as a mountain cabin or pipeline equipment in a
> remote location.