[K3PZN-List] Field Day - Green Station

[Philip Karras]

Curt,

I use to do a low power "green" station years ago, QRP/5W to a 40m dipole using a solar charged 7Ahr battery & solar panel to keep it going longer as long as there was sun. I would re-charge the battery using the solar panel just before field day & then plug in the solar panel to the battery while operating field day. I was only interested in getting the 10 QSO's needed for the 100 extra points.

Then there was someone else who brought a real solar array to power a full 100W station one year so my lil "green" station was no longer needed. I haven't brought it back since.

I still use my set-up at home on field day or on vacation trips. From the car I use the TenTec Century 22 ~20W output also CW only. I don't have a large enough solar panel to run even a 20W station indefinitely.

73 de ke3fl
Phil

--- On Wed, 5/4/11, Curt Milton <wb8yyy at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Curt Milton <wb8yyy at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [K3PZN-List] Field Day Captains are emerging - who else is interested???
To: "Carroll County Amateur Radio Club" <k3pzn-list at mailman.qth.net>
Date: Wednesday, May 4, 2011, 11:45 AM

As I suggested earlier - I would be willing to work with someone to put together a 'Green' station, aiming for these attributes:

a. lower power consumption?- especially on receive (needs an excellent rig without DSP, such as a K2) b. very quick set-up and tear down (perhaps a dipole and a light-weight beam, such as a moxon) c. alternative power -- does someone have a suitable solar array and batteries

I can supply the rig, but I don't have the power system for this concept.? Idea is to have some 'diversity' at FD -- I still wish to have a big-enough signal and will use PC logging.?

Band assignments should be in-line with an effective lower ERP station (operating 5-50 watts).? Maybe will concentrate on 15 and 40m, possibly both CW and SSB.? Given we will all be networked, we can dynamically configure our stations.?

To pull this off - need partners who have the solar power system, and secondarily someone who might be interested in building a light weight 15m beam (that could be used at their home station afterwards).?

If we don't have the interest, we can stick with heavy metal and burning fuel -- this is aimed at broadening our experience.? Also I don't mind operating any FD station myself.?

73 Curt