Comments on: Spending A hour at Weston Park

By: VA3QV

VA3QV — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 12:53:06 +0000

Hi Mike… Hows the new KX3 working out for you. Been reading your blog and waiting to hear the expected great results… I have test driven 2 different KX3s so far and love them… If my 817 ever self destructs the KX3 would certainly find its way into the Red Backpack…

The Park is a local City Park…. Way too many kids to use it over the summer but great in the fall and in the spring…. 5 min walk to a starbucks and lots of mature trees to hand dipoles off along with picnic table to operate from…. I have even operated the FYBO and Winter Field Day from there…

Now back to the Solar Panel…. I can’t honestly answer your question as I won it as a door prize at a local radio club meeting a couple of years ago….

Its markings say its a “SUNFORCE” and its the “Power Sports Charger” ( for what its worth)

I carry it in the backpack as its the smallest one I have (lightest) and it fits nicely in one of the pockets on the backpack… I use it mostly in the wintertime like a mini trickle charger to keep the SLA battery warm when I am operating for the FYBO or the Winter Field Day….

On Longer trips in the summertime (Field Day) i just put it on the battery to extend the life/operating charge…

It must work as the radio has never shut down over low voltage yet….

And as always thanks for the visit and the comments

73bob

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 10:58:58 +0000

Good morning Bob, very nice shots of the setup and the area you were in for operating. Its great when you have these places not to far away to go to. If I might ask were did you get the solar panel from?? Seems you had a great day out and thats what counts is good weather, some good contacts and having fun and relaxation.

By: VA3QV

VA3QV — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:31:23 +0000

Hi Bob and thanks for the visit and the comments….
If you are looking at a 12v SLA (Sealed Lead Acid) Battery 7.ah will last for a day of Search and Pouncing DX. If your calling CQ DX nonstop then you might run out of battery after about 5 hours or so…

Here in Canada we seem to find good deals on gently used SLA’s from Alarm companies (battery backups) and hospital equipment (battery backups). They have to be changed on a regular basis and im most cases the SLA’s are only 6-12 months old and still have lots of life left in them…

In winter I use a 10.5 ah SLA along with the solar panel to keep the battery warm and that lasts me longer than I can stand being out in the cold…

The end feds work great for me and go up in a tree very quickly….

All the best and let me know how things work out for you with your FT 817…

73bob

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:08:12 +0000

I like your set up Bob. it looks good and seems to work well. I must get a better battery than the one supplied with the rig. I will then take it out and try it with my end fed wire antenna (and a roach/squid pole).

73,

Bob M0BOB.