How to Winterize Ham Radio Gear with DX Engineering

Tim Duffy K3LR shares winter preparedness tips as it relates to ham shacks and outdoor gear as well as a contesting rig recommendation. Don AE5DW presents Amateur Radio Newsline with Dr. Tamitha Skov, Space Weather Woman. Amanda K1DDN has recommendations on how to plan ARES events.

 

If you have any recommendations for show topics, please drop them here!

 

thanks for a great show, learnt a lot from it too 10/10

 

An interesting topic would be Rob Sherwood's latest on current transceiver performance and comparison. Similarly fa comparison a few of the current amplifiers both Full QSK and non-QSK, solid state (instant-on) and otherwise.
73 - Ken Miller, K6CTW

 

Thank you so much! The hosts have so much collective knowledge!

 

Thanks for the suggestion!

 

How to make batteries last in cold weather... ?

 

Do a show on the HF Pack portable folks; Bonnie Crystal is a good person to check with.

 

My gear will survive the cold in my garage but I am not sure I will !

 

When are the older guys coming back to host the show?

 

Keep them charged up and warm

 

Make a show about solar panels, solar charge controllers, and batteries!

 

Home setup:
Solar panels, Renogy 100 watt panels in a 4 set or 8 set, or 12 set.

Controllers , Renogy Rover MPPT get 12-72 input from cells and 12/24 to battery
https://www.amazon.com/Renogy-Charge-Controller-Compatible-batteries/dp/B01MSYGZGI/

Batteries : Deep cycle AGM is best cost ratio

Portable:
Solar Panels, PowerWerx 165 Watt foldable that are using the new tech that has no lines on the cells, if you can afford it Global Solar or Power Film $$$ {I have two 'blems' in desert camo I picked up at Xenia for a huge discount fold up into about 9x11 and fit in my back pack}

Controller, Their charger PowerWerx sell as an accessory, or West Mountain Epic Powergate; no RFI at all [Steely Dan FM cite]
Batteries: Bioenno LiFePO4 except no substitutes

Edit: the $20 Amazon controllers are full of RFI and stay away from them. Many counterfeits are burning batteries up as well...Min low cost controller I have tested is the $49 Bioenno controller for a small setup. Mine has a "little" RFI at times. Others have said their's has none.

 

Be sure to put antifreeze in your radios before the first frost.