Posted: 5/26/2017 4:00:44 PM EDT
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Like the title says, I tested out my backyard Field Day setup today.
Details: KX3 PowerFilm F16-1800 30W Foldable Solar Panel QRP Ranger 125Wh LiFePO4 battery, solar charge controller, volt and amp meter LNR EndFedz antenna Asus Win10 notebook SignaLink USB WSJT-X on 20m with 3w output through the EndFedz wire antenna pretty much covered the continental US and into Canada and Alaska. 5w got me Greece @ -23dB on JT9. I kinda cheated by tapping into my cable entrance panel's spare input to be able to select any of my permanent antennas with the patch panel. For the real Field Day, I'll use my crappie pole (thanks km) and LNR EFT-10/20/40 Trail Friendly antenna. 
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1) Can't imagine trying to do FD with QRP 2) Wondering about the solar panels up on the roof of the shelter. High temperatures reduce efficiency... wondering if on the ground would be cooler, or if any difference would be enough to matter. |
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1) Can't imagine trying to do FD with QRP 2) Wondering about the solar panels up on the roof of the shelter. High temperatures reduce efficiency... wondering if on the ground would be cooler, or if any difference would be enough to matter. Quoted:
1) Can't imagine trying to do FD with QRP 2) Wondering about the solar panels up on the roof of the shelter. High temperatures reduce efficiency... wondering if on the ground would be cooler, or if any difference would be enough to matter. Our plan is to start out at 5 watts and a few hours in if we decide it's a bust, we'll jump up to 100w. Doesn't change our exchange, just how we submit our score at the end. That's how we did WFD and we decided that our QSO rate at QRP was fine. If the WFD scores ever get published, we'll be able to decide if that was a good idea or not 
I've only ever done PSK and RTTY for FD digital. Is WSJT a popular FD mode? |
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1) Can't imagine trying to do FD with QRP 2) Wondering about the solar panels up on the roof of the shelter. High temperatures reduce efficiency... wondering if on the ground would be cooler, or if any difference would be enough to matter.
The high temp variable is something I hadn't thought of. The main reason it's up top is to keep the dog from running over it! I could definitely put it on the grass if it becomes a problem. Wonder how to tell if it's too hot? |
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I think every mode is popular for FD. Quoted:
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I've only ever done PSK and RTTY for FD digital. Is WSJT a popular FD mode? |
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Nice setup.
Radio...check, computer...check, solar panel...check, sun shade....check, easy chair...check, dog...check. Missing....ice chest and cold beverages. But I want an air conditioner too, so I'm going to operate from my shack on backup battery power again (I'm such a wuss). I used the K2 last year (CW), and had pretty good results for my casual operation. Kind of fun seeing my call sign on the results page of the QST magazine. 
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Cool. I'm looking for alternatives to PSK. I hate that mode in general, but it seems that so many people think FD is the perfect time to learn how to use it... Quoted:
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I've only ever done PSK and RTTY for FD digital. Is WSJT a popular FD mode? 
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I used it quite a bit for WFD, my first time using PSK (or any digital mode) Quoted:
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I've only ever done PSK and RTTY for FD digital. Is WSJT a popular FD mode?
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As long as you didn't leave it on vox and let your AOL "You've got mail!" message play every 30 seconds, you're ahead of 90% of the other stations Quoted:
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I've only ever done PSK and RTTY for FD digital. Is WSJT a popular FD mode? |
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None of the above. Actually thought it worked really well, especially at like 3am when everyone else is asleep (and I was too tired to talk). Quoted:
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I've only ever done PSK and RTTY for FD digital. Is WSJT a popular FD mode? |
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I did that a couple times when typing manually vs using macros  Quoted:
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people getting stuck in TX mode. |
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1) Can't imagine trying to do FD with QRP 2) Wondering about the solar panels up on the roof of the shelter. High temperatures reduce efficiency... wondering if on the ground would be cooler, or if any difference would be enough to matter. 
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I guess a solar panel that wasn't efficient in the heat wouldn't be worth much, huh?
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Did you make a thread about that entrance panel? I seem to remember it but can't find it (not that I looked very hard ). Going to be doing something similar soon.
ARCHIVED THREAD - New KF7P Cable Entrance Panel Arrived ETA: If you look here, KF7P Metalwerks Entrance Panels, the second pic down is my install. I met Chris, the owner, at Hamvention this year. |
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Here it is...
ARCHIVED THREAD - New KF7P Cable Entrance Panel Arrived ETA: If you look here, KF7P Metalworks Entrance Panels, the second pic down is my install.
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There must be other fools using QRP for FD so that should give me some chance!
The high temp variable is something I hadn't thought of. The main reason it's up top is to keep the dog from running over it! I could definitely put it on the grass if it becomes a problem. Wonder how to tell if it's too hot? 
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Saturated backyard complete with crawfish...check 
http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m17/BigDaddy0004/20170528_112337_zpsyubfpb2e.jpg |
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There must be other fools using QRP for FD so that should give me some chance!
The high temp variable is something I hadn't thought of. The main reason it's up top is to keep the dog from running over it! I could definitely put it on the grass if it becomes a problem. Wonder how to tell if it's too hot?
I had high temp problems at FD 2 years ago as the Nomad battery pack has a temp safety circuit. |
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Hi BD,
Does the solar panel have enough juice to run a small cooling fan as well as charging the battery? The next idea would be to make a wooden mount for the panel based on the sun's angle at your latitude and perhaps make it possible to be rotated as well. Combining the mount with a small fan to cool it from the back side brings the two ideas together. Whether the dag will ignore it is out of the scope of my expertise. hth 73, Rob |
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BD, have you experienced any moisture related issues since the connectors are not sealed?
Electrical rubber splicing tape works very well. It's not UV resistant and should be covered with some vinyl electrical tape. It's easier to remove than the sticky "coax seal". I can send you a roll of each if you want to try it. |
@ km, Elcope, and Harlikwin... Well, it seems I'm in good company with all the QRP operators!  The QRP Ranger has a thermal overload also, but I haven't got it that hot yet.
@ Rob... I don't know if my 30w PowerFilm solar panel will run a fan as well as charge the radio battery. I'll have to try that out. Thanks. @ Gyprat... The solar panel is just up temporarily for Field Day and experimenting, so it won't see any water, I hope! If you're talking about the coax connections in the entrance panel, yes, I suppose I should seal them. Even though they're in the stainless box, there could be moisture ingress. No problems so far that I can see or detect in about 18 months of operation. TU for the tape offer, but I think I have some MOX-Tape Self Fusing Silicone Tape from another project. |
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@ km, Elcope, and Harlikwin... Well, it seems I'm in good company with all the QRP operators! The QRP Ranger has a thermal overload also, but I haven't got it that hot yet.
@ Rob... I don't know if my 30w PowerFilm solar panel will run a fan as well as charge the radio battery. I'll have to try that out. Thanks. @ Gyprat... The solar panel is just up temporarily for Field Day and experimenting, so it won't see any water, I hope! If you're talking about the coax connections in the entrance panel, yes, I suppose I should seal them. Even though they're in the stainless box, there could be moisture ingress. No problems so far that I can see or detect in about 18 months of operation. TU for the tape offer, but I think I have some MOX-Tape Self Fusing Silicone Tape from another project. |
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@ km, Elcope, and Harlikwin... Well, it seems I'm in good company with all the QRP operators! The QRP Ranger has a thermal overload also, but I haven't got it that hot yet.
@ Rob... I don't know if my 30w PowerFilm solar panel will run a fan as well as charge the radio battery. I'll have to try that out. Thanks. @ Gyprat... The solar panel is just up temporarily for Field Day and experimenting, so it won't see any water, I hope! If you're talking about the coax connections in the entrance panel, yes, I suppose I should seal them. Even though they're in the stainless box, there could be moisture ingress. No problems so far that I can see or detect in about 18 months of operation. TU for the tape offer, but I think I have some MOX-Tape Self Fusing Silicone Tape from another project. So the rule of thumb is to test your solar panels if you can, the seller rating is under lab conditions and you will never see full power out of them. a 30W panel might produce 20W in an ideal case, and probably more like 15W on average. So at a guess you will see a 1-1.5A charge rate at 12V. |
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So the rule of thumb is to test your solar panels if you can, the seller rating is under lab conditions and you will never see full power out of them. a 30W panel might produce 20W in an ideal case, and probably more like 15W on average. So at a guess you will see a 1-1.5A charge rate at 12V.  Here's an output test of my PowerFilm 30w panel, in full sun.
Specs for F16-1800 30w foldable solar panel from PowerFilm site Operating Voltage: 15.4V Power: 30W Current: 1.8A Folded: 12.75" x 7" (324mm x 178mm) Unfolded: 47" x 25.25" (1194mm x 641mm) Weight: 1.8 lb (0.80 kg) |
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I use a military SPACES setup, 120W worth of "solar" I figure its enough to actually charge stuff at a decent rate. I'm looking for more CIGS panels but people want outrageous amounts for them...
I also use a fair amount of small Goal Zero panels backpacking to keep things charged, and they generally work less well than advertised. |