Curious about what you can hear on shortwave ham radio? This video is a brief survey of the diverse world of communications on the shortwave spectrum. Expand your radio horizons and enhance your emergency communication preparedness by tuning in to the world of shortwave ham radio. If you’ve started delving into radio communications beyond local […]

The off-grid ham shack is fully energy self-sufficient, utilizing solar, wind, and other power sources, with a focus on low current devices for sustainable communication.

Summary: Retevis clarified AES128/AES256 encryption for the HD2 and confirmed, IT'S COMING!

March 2024 Power Queen promotions offer discounts for large LiFePO4 batteries in the US and Europe, plus a 5% discount with code...

The Retevis Ailunce HD2 is finally here! Here’s a short preview of the highlights. A few weeks before this post was published, Retevis reached out [...]

To protect lithium batteries from cold while charging, a video/blog showcases using a Chinese diesel heater in an off-grid ham shack. It's vital to keep batteries above freezing, a lesson learned from electric cars in winter. The video details the installation and operation of a 3kw Vevor diesel heater, which also powers up using the ham shack's LiFePO4 batteries, maintaining ideal temperatures for both batteries and equipment.

This video shows charging Power Queen LiFePO4 batteries with a vertical wind generator and discusses off-grid ham shack power storage solutions, including during non-solar conditions.

The Off-Grid Ham Shack series discusses creating a self-sufficient ham radio station or 'Ham Shack' capable of operating on solar power during any grid down scenario, emphasizing the importance of an energy strategy for off-grid communications. This system includes solar panels, a charge controller, battery, and power distribution system. Key elements are the use of photovoltaic (PV) panels to harness solar energy, a solar charge controller to regulate energy flow and prevent battery overcharging or damage, and a battery to store energy for later. As well, power distribution ensures the allocation of power to multiple devices simultaneously. A grid-down energy strategy is crucial to any communication-related emergency, be it CB, FRS, GMRS, MURS or PMR radio, UHF CB, DMR, DStar, Meshtastic or LoRa communications.

Power Queen, a supplier of LiFePO4 battery packs, is having a Black Friday sale from November 14th to 24th, offering discounts on their North American and European websites. The author, who has had a positive personal experience with the product, endorses the batteries for off-grid use cases such as ham radio stations. The promotions also include giveaways on social media (Instagram and Facebook).

Hello Operators.The high cost of lightweight, amorphous silicon solar panels can be tough on budgets. After some research, I’ve found an American made solar briefcase [...]

Hello Operators.We have finally arrived at something special. It is a pleasure to announce the arrival of HF APRS & HF Winlink to Android devices. [...]

Hello Operators. As I sit here enjoying the last week of my summer holiday, the disaster in Maui is an important reminder of maintaining our network [...]

A demonstration showcased the durability of PowerFilm Solar's portable panels, enduring multiple hits from a .25 caliber rifle yet continuing to perform. Despite numerous punctures, the panels' peak current decreased from 0.73 to 0.47 amps but remained stable. PowerFilm Solar, an American company, offers these robust panels excellent for mission-critical tasks, illustrating quality differences between brands.

Stop making excuses and try! What we learn from the experience will be worth it! Hello Operators.Far too often on the channel, people say there [...]

There are very few words! Many of you already know what I would say, if I were going to say something. There’s no need for [...]