[RVRC] QSO Today: Amateur Radio Brain-Featuring guest WB2UDC Bob Hopkins

Sat Jan 30 17:19:52 EST 2016

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                                                 2016-01-30 12:13:25

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                                 Dear Drew, 

Most of us in Israel heat our water with solar panels connected to tanks 
on the roof.  These systems are very simple and siphon the water through 
the panel and tank as the Sun warms the panel.  A very simple system, 
that works great.  We have hot water without fuel expense during most of 
the year.  However, in the winter, these systems suffer from “radiative 
cooling” where the panels emit energy into the clear black night sky and 
super freeze at temperatures well above freezing.  The next morning all 
of us in town have burst panels or burst protective caps on the bottom 
of the solar panels.  This is a real bonanza for the entrepreneur with a 
30 foot ladder and a bag of one inch copper caps. 

My amateur radio brain has devised a number of solutions to this problem 
that must of course involve some kind of electronic gizmo.  While there 
must be much simpler solutions to panel freezing, I have already laid 
out in my brain an Arduino based controller using a few thermostats and 
a recirculating pump.  My system would sample air temperature and water 
temperature in the panel and move water through the panel to maintain 
temperature above freezing.  Of course, while I am at it, why not 
monitor water tank temperature to maintain some electric heat every once 
in a while to provide more hot water after dark?  Why not add a network 
connection to allow control and monitoring over the Internet? Why not 
create a smart phone app to be able to play with this new toy from the 
airport? 

You get the idea. 

I received an email from Frank Fahrlander, N7FF.  Frank was my guest on 
Episode 36 of the QSO Today Podcast 
<http://app.getresponse.com/click.html?x=a62b&lc=ZjTsy&mc=CW&s=Fx0rpj&u=Fa22&y=L&> 
.  Frank had written to tell me about his Christmas tree project 
<http://app.getresponse.com/click.html?x=a62b&lc=ZjT1c&mc=CW&s=Fx0rpj&u=Fa22&y=y&> 
, where he spent months and ended up using an Arduino micro-controller 
to modulate thousands of LEDs on his tree.  I am sure that his XYL, like 
mine, said, “Oh, honey, that is so interesting”, as she rolls her eyes 
to Heaven wondering about the time and expense of this, another project. 
I admire Frank for his commitment to his project and how it evolved. 

 As hams, we just can’t help it! This is our nature. Our knack may be 
genetic and perhaps inherited, but our ability to troubleshoot, design, 
and build comes from the  Elmers in our lives who nurtured our interests 
and taught us the skills that we needed to be successful in our hobby 
and our lives.  My guest this week,  is Bob Hopkins, WB2UDC, whose 
tribute to his Elmer in CQ Magazine last September caught my attention. 
I was moved by Bob’s tribute to Don Lawshe, W2DL (SK) and the 
appreciation that he paid him.  I often remember the people who took an 
interest in me as a much younger ham and the many that still help and 
inspire me today.  I hope that you enjoy my conversation with Bob as 
much as I did. 

73, 

Eric
4Z1UG

WB2UDC 
<http://app.getresponse.com/click.html?x=a62b&lc=ZjT3O&mc=CW&s=Fx0rpj&u=Fa22&y=c&>

WB2UDC 
<http://app.getresponse.com/click.html?x=a62b&lc=ZjT3O&mc=CW&s=Fx0rpj&u=Fa22&y=c&>

Episode 078 - Bob Hopkins - WB2UDC Bob Hopkins, WB2UDC, joins Eric, 
4Z1UG, in this QSO Today about the importance of ham radio Elmers, 
especially in the lives of kids, and how to pay it forward to future 
generations of hams. Bob is an active Elmer with kids through the New 
Jersey Boy Scouts of America as well as creating opportunities for kids 
to speak to astronauts first aboard the Space Shuttle and now to the 
International…

Read more ›

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