Solar energy

[flightmedic80]

afternoon all    new to solar    looking for info on panels  chargers etc to run uhf/vhf and hf in the field     thanks

[vy2js]

Have you checked Julian's site?

http://oh8stn.org/

A really good resource to start with

[rickermiler]

Being on net metering, if the grid goes down, do you still have power through your solar system? Found only this blog about solar pv https://websolarguide.com/bifacial-solar-panels/

[Davys]

Hi.
Thanks for the links. They help me a lot.

[Lian]

OH8STN's site is definitely the gold standard when it comes to field solar setups for ham radio! His video breakdowns on man-portable power kits saved me a lot of trial and error.

One practical tip I would add for operating HF/VHF with solar in the field: be very careful with cheap PWM solar charge controllers or lower-end MPPTs. Many budget controllers emit massive amounts of RF noise (QRM) across HF bands as soon as they start charging.

[Lian]

Investing in a well-shielded MPPT controller (like a Genasun or Victron) and putting ferrite chokes on the DC lines makes a world of difference if you want to listen or transmit on low power while charging your battery at the same time.

[Lian]

What battery chemistry are you planning to pair with your panels ? lifepo4 has pretty much become the standard for field work nowadays due to weight and steady voltage.