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Emergency Power
- Thread starter stingray
- Start date
Great theme for a new thread there - Stingray. it seems no matter where one lives, communications and power availablity will be compromized if a major diasaster should occur. Or - even if the power is out for some minor reason for a short time.
Someone started a thread yesterday about a backpack radio setup. But what about an emergency back-up plan for communications? Sure, a cell phone is common enough. But keeping it charged up too can present problems - if the power is out for a couple of days. So who ever thinks about this eventuality - anyway?
I live in CA - aka 'shakey ground' as it is said on the DX/QSO's. Do I think about the next 'big tumbler'? Oh yes; how can it be avoided? Well - it can't. Maybe you live in an area that is frequented by hurricanes - or wind storms - or tornadoes - or ice storms - or ??? The ability to be able to communicate in these situations - whether by cell phones, Ham radio, or CB is a question of forward thinking and consideration.
Options? Even a cell phone takes a while to get charged up. You car only has so much gas in it to be able to charge it up - or use your CB/Ham radio. And if the power is out - chances are that the nearby gas stations don't have the power to pump the gas out of their tanks to get you a steady supply. See where this is going?
How long does a spare battery laying around good for - without the means to keep it charged? Solar panels are pricey; but how much do you value your ability to communicate if the power is down? How much solar panel would it take to keep a 10/11 meter radio operating that puts out 70 watts?
Furthermore - what about the antenna? Is it going to be around after a major windstorm or earthquake? Do you have a backup plan? I have a spare A99 that I can put up, and I will probably resort to using the car to power up the radio. Fortunately, my car gets great gas mileage, so a tankful should last a couple of days if I am being frugal with it. But solar panels seem to be the way to go.
Why should all of this be so important? Well, you may end up being a hub of communication for emergency relief. Oh, that's a Ham's job? Yes; but they can't possibly handle all of the traffic if the situations is big and bad enough. Besides, you just may want to help coordinate help in your neck of the woods - or just be able to help with your friends...
I suppose I would need to have a solar panel that can provide about 8-10 amps at 12-14 volts. Anyone know where that can be found at a fair pice that won't break the bank?
Just some thoughts - thanks Stingray!
Someone started a thread yesterday about a backpack radio setup. But what about an emergency back-up plan for communications? Sure, a cell phone is common enough. But keeping it charged up too can present problems - if the power is out for a couple of days. So who ever thinks about this eventuality - anyway?
I live in CA - aka 'shakey ground' as it is said on the DX/QSO's. Do I think about the next 'big tumbler'? Oh yes; how can it be avoided? Well - it can't. Maybe you live in an area that is frequented by hurricanes - or wind storms - or tornadoes - or ice storms - or ??? The ability to be able to communicate in these situations - whether by cell phones, Ham radio, or CB is a question of forward thinking and consideration.
Options? Even a cell phone takes a while to get charged up. You car only has so much gas in it to be able to charge it up - or use your CB/Ham radio. And if the power is out - chances are that the nearby gas stations don't have the power to pump the gas out of their tanks to get you a steady supply. See where this is going?
How long does a spare battery laying around good for - without the means to keep it charged? Solar panels are pricey; but how much do you value your ability to communicate if the power is down? How much solar panel would it take to keep a 10/11 meter radio operating that puts out 70 watts?
Furthermore - what about the antenna? Is it going to be around after a major windstorm or earthquake? Do you have a backup plan? I have a spare A99 that I can put up, and I will probably resort to using the car to power up the radio. Fortunately, my car gets great gas mileage, so a tankful should last a couple of days if I am being frugal with it. But solar panels seem to be the way to go.
Why should all of this be so important? Well, you may end up being a hub of communication for emergency relief. Oh, that's a Ham's job? Yes; but they can't possibly handle all of the traffic if the situations is big and bad enough. Besides, you just may want to help coordinate help in your neck of the woods - or just be able to help with your friends...
I suppose I would need to have a solar panel that can provide about 8-10 amps at 12-14 volts. Anyone know where that can be found at a fair pice that won't break the bank?
Just some thoughts - thanks Stingray!
Last edited:
Great idea!
A good 12V battery, radio, & a dipole might be a good start for a backup/emergency kit.
Simple Battery Back-up for Radio Equipment
Emergency Tips
72 Hour Kit
A good 12V battery, radio, & a dipole might be a good start for a backup/emergency kit.
Simple Battery Back-up for Radio Equipment
Emergency Tips
72 Hour Kit
I saw a small solar panel on an adjustable stand with a power invertor and battery charger at harbour freight on sale for $100. Add a couple deep cycle batteries and you,ve got a fairly good setup. We use a similar setup at deer camp. It will power a 100 watt setup easily enough. The ivertor (750 watt) will power a tv or other ac appliance also as long as you don,t run it constantly. You can use a bigger invertor, but naturally it will drain the batteries faster than the solar panel can charge them. You can easily enough add another solar panel though. Just thought i,d throw in what works for me.
Many things can cause us to lose power..
Not just earthquakes or floods..
But as we continually use more and more power ( even though price for using the power also continually increases )..
As such we will put harder to maintain local and national grid system.
Remember it was not long ago most of the east coast was without power for a few hours to few days (i was without power almost 3 days)..
Solar Power is a great way of providing your own back up or even to use as your primary electric ( selling surplus back to utility grid)
Almost anywhere you live you can put up either very small on up to very large solar arrays...one of the things is how quiet generating the power is as well as how easy it is to do..
Heck....Now you can avoid much of the up-front money and lease a full solar panel system..
Other alternatives...
Wind power...which has gotten far easier in past couple of yrs to get and or build ( as well using wind power to supplement solar power)..
For those lucky enough in having a pond or brook or stream running through your property then Hydro power is great..
it offers 24/7 generating of power..
Of course you can use Wind,Hydro and solar..
there are tents you can buy with solar built in/on that will generate more then enough power to keep you going..
You can build and install your own wind power generator.
I Agree....we should start a thread consisting of say alternate power...it goes hand in hand with 2 way communications
Not just earthquakes or floods..
But as we continually use more and more power ( even though price for using the power also continually increases )..
As such we will put harder to maintain local and national grid system.
Remember it was not long ago most of the east coast was without power for a few hours to few days (i was without power almost 3 days)..
Solar Power is a great way of providing your own back up or even to use as your primary electric ( selling surplus back to utility grid)
Almost anywhere you live you can put up either very small on up to very large solar arrays...one of the things is how quiet generating the power is as well as how easy it is to do..
Heck....Now you can avoid much of the up-front money and lease a full solar panel system..
Other alternatives...
Wind power...which has gotten far easier in past couple of yrs to get and or build ( as well using wind power to supplement solar power)..
For those lucky enough in having a pond or brook or stream running through your property then Hydro power is great..
it offers 24/7 generating of power..
Of course you can use Wind,Hydro and solar..
there are tents you can buy with solar built in/on that will generate more then enough power to keep you going..
You can build and install your own wind power generator.
I Agree....we should start a thread consisting of say alternate power...it goes hand in hand with 2 way communications
I have often thought about this...being I have two mobile setups, as long as I don't run out of gas (or the mobile get munched during the storm), I could simply use that.
I am considering using a Grant as a base unit. I was thinking about using a deep cycle battery, battery charger, and a timer as a power supply. The charger would be set to recharge the battery during the day (while I'm at work) and I would simply run from battery power at night. Everything, but the radio, would be outside in my shed. If power was lost, the setup would be seamless (until the battery died)...but that should take a while with only a radio on tap.
Someone could extend on this and simply have a bank of batteries and a charge instead of a power supply. Should provide days worth of power...
I am considering using a Grant as a base unit. I was thinking about using a deep cycle battery, battery charger, and a timer as a power supply. The charger would be set to recharge the battery during the day (while I'm at work) and I would simply run from battery power at night. Everything, but the radio, would be outside in my shed. If power was lost, the setup would be seamless (until the battery died)...but that should take a while with only a radio on tap.
Someone could extend on this and simply have a bank of batteries and a charge instead of a power supply. Should provide days worth of power...
Here's a slightly different way of thinking about this.
There are primary power sources, alternative power sources, and emergency power sources. Along with a change in priority of use, there is a distinct change in length of use of each of those sources of power and two kinds of cost, initial and maintenance.
In this country in typical circumstances, the cheapest of these three power sources is the primary power source. Most power companies have an installation fee, but it isn't, as costly as the other two types of classification (alternative or emergency). (Availability and cost determines the primary source for everyone, doesn't it?)
The alternative power source is anothing one of those 'availability' thingys, as in, is there another commercial source of alternative power to start with? If not, then the cost just at -least- quadrupled. I would think that the initial cost and maintenance, both, are subject to that cost escalation, and the 'multiplication' factor goes up as the time of use increases. (Otherwise, it wouldn't be an 'alternative', but a 'primary' power source.) Typically, that means a longer, but not too long, service time.
An emergency power source is a very short time supply of barely adequate power for only extremely important usage. It's only purpose it to sort of 'tide you over' until you can find an alternative source, or get the @#$ thing running. This type of service has a very high priority for restoration. Unless other uses are of an extremely 'life or limb' type, restocking/refueling that emergency source of power comes first.
That's a very rough, broad, description of this, "Hey, the power's off!" thing. All the solar cell, wind generating, hydraulic, type suppliers of power are of a fairly long term type, and fall under 'alternative' power sources, generally. Priority of use is a 'have to' thingy, never a 'I'd like to' thingy. Communications very, very seldom ever falls at the top of that priority list (as in never, unless you, as the one responsible for communications happen to be included in another larger power system).
Think about it. As someone once said, "Is not, is not, what is.". Or, get your 'chit' straight!
- 'Doc
Bummer, huh?
There are primary power sources, alternative power sources, and emergency power sources. Along with a change in priority of use, there is a distinct change in length of use of each of those sources of power and two kinds of cost, initial and maintenance.
In this country in typical circumstances, the cheapest of these three power sources is the primary power source. Most power companies have an installation fee, but it isn't, as costly as the other two types of classification (alternative or emergency). (Availability and cost determines the primary source for everyone, doesn't it?)
The alternative power source is anothing one of those 'availability' thingys, as in, is there another commercial source of alternative power to start with? If not, then the cost just at -least- quadrupled. I would think that the initial cost and maintenance, both, are subject to that cost escalation, and the 'multiplication' factor goes up as the time of use increases. (Otherwise, it wouldn't be an 'alternative', but a 'primary' power source.) Typically, that means a longer, but not too long, service time.
An emergency power source is a very short time supply of barely adequate power for only extremely important usage. It's only purpose it to sort of 'tide you over' until you can find an alternative source, or get the @#$ thing running. This type of service has a very high priority for restoration. Unless other uses are of an extremely 'life or limb' type, restocking/refueling that emergency source of power comes first.
That's a very rough, broad, description of this, "Hey, the power's off!" thing. All the solar cell, wind generating, hydraulic, type suppliers of power are of a fairly long term type, and fall under 'alternative' power sources, generally. Priority of use is a 'have to' thingy, never a 'I'd like to' thingy. Communications very, very seldom ever falls at the top of that priority list (as in never, unless you, as the one responsible for communications happen to be included in another larger power system).
Think about it. As someone once said, "Is not, is not, what is.". Or, get your 'chit' straight!
- 'Doc
Bummer, huh?
Here in eastern NC , the hunters, dump truck drivers and radio geeks ( ME! ) run all the time.
About ten years ago, one hurricane flooded everything. All power was out for weeks in a lot of areas.
You could not find an open channel. Everyone broke out the old cb and it was really great.
The usual blabbing was interrupted by calls for help and it created a lot of new regulars.
About ten years ago, one hurricane flooded everything. All power was out for weeks in a lot of areas.
You could not find an open channel. Everyone broke out the old cb and it was really great.
The usual blabbing was interrupted by calls for help and it created a lot of new regulars.
I have a 12 volt power pack in the shack( 2) 12volt 850 cranking amp 55amp hour each.... marine batteries in a aluminum battery box. I can run my Magnum 257 and my Fat Boy 3pill modulator or my Icom V8000 75watt 2meter rig. If the power goes out. I use a my shack power supply to keep the batteries charged. 
I am seriously thinking about buying this solar panel so I can run totally off the grid. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90599
I am seriously thinking about buying this solar panel so I can run totally off the grid. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90599
I have a 7000 watt Honda generator that I am in the process of wiring up to the whole house. I will run it using selective load so that I can power whatever I want to when required.
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