QuoteGil and I have worked CW between Florida and Virginia using an indoor antenna clamped to a coffee table.

Yep, Buddistick! And for one contact on 30m, I inadvertently was using only 2W!

Gil.

Hello Mark,

The Buddipole, Super Antenna, and I suspect all such shortened antennas won't do any good for 80m. I have a Buddistick, it works great down to 30m. I haven't had any success with it yet on 40. You might want to look into a PAR end-fed dipole, if you can string it up somewhere. It doesn't have to be straight...
Another option would be a magnetic loop. You would need a fairly large one for 40m, and they require an expensive variable capacitor. They are also dangerous because of very high voltages and RF. They do work.

Gil.

Let me know when you do that Ray, I want to listen in, see if I can answer you...

Gil.

I just talked to a client in New jersey. Had to call him twice before getting through. I was getting an "all circuits are busy" message. They're supposed to be without reliable power until Monday, maybe longer... That will make a few people think about prepping, that's for sure...

Gil.

Thanks Mitch, I think I'll get one of those too as  backup!

Gil.

Being able to generate and store electricity is of paramount importance. Without power, your radios become expensive paper weights.. Solar power is probably the best way to achieve independence from the grid. It involves no moving parts, thus less chance of failure. It certainly isn't the most efficient, but unless you live in alaska, you should get enough sun daily to charge a small battery. One more reason QRP (low power operation) is a good idea.

You will need three items for your solar power set-up. A battery of course, I use a 2.9Ah AGM sealed battery. I plan on getting the following 10W flexible solar panel:
http://www.amazon.com/PowerFilm-F15-600-Folding-Solar-Charger/dp/B002LCEQPU/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_nS_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=1CAFHH32NJC08&coliid=II3HP9Z157A87
A small inverter is also a good idea to generate 115v from your 12v battery. A very important item is the solar charge controller. I chose the SCC3 kit from CirKits:
http://www.cirkits.com/scc3/ Here is it after I finished building it. I need a box for it, probably a Hammond die-cast aluminum..



The kit was easy to build and seems to work. I can't really tell yet, because I don't have a solar panel to test it with. The only issue I have with it is that the soldering pads on the circuit board are too small and make soldering difficult. You will need a small soldering iron with a small tip for this job.

The controller can handle 20Amps! Much more than I will ever need. However, since I plan on getting another sailboat in less than three years, it will come handy with larger solar panels aboard. For $50, you get something much better than the usual made-in-china controllers. Don't forget to store your controller in an EMP-proof box, or even better, have a backup!

What's your solution to generate and store electricity?

Gil.

Hello Paul,

I never pretended the Slim Jim was the panacea. Yes, it works well, and that's all there is to it. It's also cheap to make. I like using copper tubing because a larger conductor does increase bandwidth. In some antennas, conductor size also increases efficiency. Copper is also the best affordable conductive metal. Does that mean other antennas shouldn't be considered? Not at all...

Gil.

Small class, 4pm. We could work on your antenna before that, maybe get lunch, then build it, then train..

Gil.

Thanks for the info Jonas.

Gil.

When people tell me prepping is lunacy, I ask them if they wear a seat belt while driving or think health insurance is a good idea... A small percentage will start thinking... The rest are fools and can't be convinced. The key is to only spend time with the ones open to the idea. I don't waste my time with the others. Asking questions is a great way to plant a seed. People don't like to be exposed as fools, so they need to believe they decided on their own.

Gil.

Sure. Let me know...
I had planned a Systema class on Sunday afternoon..
Would Sunday work for you?

Gil.

You move the coax connection up and down to get the best SWR possible.. I would suggest using clamps and experiment, until you find the sweet spot. Then solder the connection.. I took a different approach by creating soldering points on the tune inside the box. Without the box though, better use clamps.. See the photos...

Gil.

QuoteWould you still use the plastic electrical junction box?

Not sure... It does add cost and time... Maybe solder the coax on and use heat-shrink tubing on top...
You have to find the 50 Ohms feed point for the intended frequency first...

Gil.

I transmitted only once to test it... Planning on putting it outside in the near future...

Gil.

Hi Tim,

It's sitting on the corner of my desk right now  :o

Works great.

Gil.