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Posted: 9/21/2017 7:54:28 AM EDT
Looking to utilize my UHF repeater, portable, in the upcoming GridEX exercise as a fall back if needed.

I've been thinking of utilizing my pick-up trucks bed as a mounting/guying point (via tripod and mast).  

The easy answer I've found is one of my N9TAX Roll-ups tethered to a Painter Pole connected to my PA Speaker Tripod and Guyed in my truck bed (4 corner tie-down points).

The repeater can sit in the bed or the back seat or wherever.  (it will be rack-case mounted) I also plan to park my truck on high ground.

Anyone have any ideas?

I have a Tram 1481 that isn't installed anywhere yet, past that I'm outta 'extras'

GridEx PDF Link
Link Posted: 9/21/2017 1:25:39 PM EDT
[#1]
The one thing I'm struggling with the most is power. In an extended grid-down situation, fuel may be hard to come by so using a generator may not be an option. I've been looking at various solar options over the last couple of weeks. To generate the type of power needed, especially in a portable way, is really expensive. Once you get to the point of needing more than ~100W out of solar, the folding, back-pack types don't put out enough.

For example, Goal Zero's 100W backpack solar is over $550. This one on Amazon is $300 and says it works with Yeti power packs: Grape Solar 100W backpack folder Amazon also has one that uses SunPower cells. It doesn't "roll up", it folds in half. But, unlike all the other fold-in-half ones, it only weighs 4.5lbs instead of 30. Generic folding 100W solar panel I also came across these guys: Unisolar 136W solar power "strip" that's really long, but rolls up and can be stuck down to stuff (or even a tarp).

The Bioenno folks have some reasonably priced solar panels and charge controllers, unfortunately they're all set up to recharge their LiFeO4 batteries and not SLA batteries. The LiFe batteries are much, much lighter than SLA batts but are crazy expensive. I currently have a 15Ah one, it's this one but I could see where that might not be enough for an "extended" time off-grid.

It's a puzzlement.
Link Posted: 9/21/2017 6:21:16 PM EDT
[#2]
Quoted:
Looking to utilize my UHF repeater, portable, in the upcoming GridEX exercise as a fall back if needed.

I've been thinking of utilizing my pick-up trucks bed as a mounting/guying point (via tripod and mast).  

The easy answer I've found is one of my N9TAX Roll-ups tethered to a Painter Pole connected to my PA Speaker Tripod and Guyed in my truck bed (4 corner tie-down points).

The repeater can sit in the bed or the back seat or wherever.  (it will be rack-case mounted) I also plan to park my truck on high ground.

Anyone have any ideas?

I have a Tram 1481 that isn't installed anywhere yet, past that I'm outta 'extras'

GridEx PDF Link
View Quote


Just did such a thing a few months back. Ended up selecting a simple 1/4 wave ground plane, some flexible .400 coax that did not have any dissimilar metals in the shielding, some sections of PVC pipe, and paracord for guying.

As your question mostly relates to antennas, I selected a quarter wave because it does not require special handling, was far more compact, and was going to be high and in the clear. If I had to do it all over again, I would have changed only my connectors - to Silver/Silver/Teflon BNCs, as it was insufferably cold outside and the N connectors I had made an otherwise simple task unpleasant. A luxury would have been snaprings or carabiners on the guy lines to eliminate any tying of knots with heavily gloved hands - you may not have that issue in your climate.

Performance far exceeded my planned coverage - I use one of the free online coverage generators, but turn the variables way down to get a more realistic picture when dealing with sharp terrain and heavy foliage. I'm sure a folded dipole array would have done even better, but it's hard to beat the ground plane for ease of transport and handling.
Link Posted: 9/21/2017 8:36:54 PM EDT
[#3]
We use a x50 for our portable repeater.  It gives fine results and is pretty durable.
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