KB1CMR Roger OK report

[w1vtp]

Roger had been absent from 75 meters for quite some time.  He lives completely off the grid so there really was no way of contacting him except for 75 meters or going out to visit him.

He lives off this barely better than a logging road so what to do?  Well, I finally got around to writing him a letter and after some delay (snail mail etc) he called me today. He's fine -- he lost his ANT in a snow storm and as there was mega feet of snow this year he wasn't able to fix it.  He still has 8" of snow to go before the ground even shows.

I urged him to get the ANT back up ASAP which he promised to do.  I'll stop by and visit him after the mud season goes away.  It's on the way to my sister's new home so it won't be all that out of the way.

Just tho't you guys would like to know.  Maybe I can talk him into a portrait this year.  He's a real gentle man and has an interesting place that is off the grid using solar / inverters / NiCd batteries.

Al

[W2PFY]

Glad you got to talk with him Al. He seems to be on less in recent years but then, so have I. We used to talk almost daily pre 2007.

It was always good to hear him on. If you talk to him soon, tell him I said hello

[W1UJR]

That's good news Al, haven't spoken with him in some time, a very fine OM.

[steve_qix]

He usually comes to NearFest, so maybe he'll be there this year too !

[KX5JT]

Roger had been absent from 75 meters for quite some time.  He lives completely off the grid so there really was no way of contacting him except for 75 meters or going out to visit him.
......

I do not know Roger but I am very intrigued by this.  I have pondered and fantasized about living off the grid but then I would think, could I ever produce enough EXTRA power to run a legal limit AM transmitter at anytime??  I'd love to hear more about how Roger makes power.

John

[KB1IAW]

Thanks, Al. Glad to hear that Roger is doing well. I always have an "Oh No" moment when I see a friend's call sign in a post subject line.

[steve_qix]

Roger had been absent from 75 meters for quite some time.  He lives completely off the grid so there really was no way of contacting him except for 75 meters or going out to visit him.
......

I do not know Roger but I am very intrigued by this.  I have pondered and fantasized about living off the grid but then I would think, could I ever produce enough EXTRA power to run a legal limit AM transmitter at anytime??  I'd love to hear more about how Roger makes power.

John

Roger uses a combination of wood, solar, generators and LP gas.  His refridgeration is gas.  Lighting is low voltage.  Roger uses a Viking II transmitter and an old Radio Shack solid state receiver.  Between transmissions, Roger reduces the ac voltage going to the transmitter to save power.

This is a GOOD application for a class E rig, where the standby power could be reduced to 0 VERY easily.  He's got a very small place, so not much energy is really used.

I don't know if "off grid" is a practical reality for very many people.  A more practical idea might be to think of the grid as a battery, where you put energy in sometimes, and take energy out other times.  If everyone were doing this, in theory, very little outside power would be needed (for homes).  Large commercial users are another matter entirely!!!

Regards,

Steve

[WA4JK]

Cost is so far out of balence with reality for Solar or wind home use you can never justify the cost execpt as a good feeling expense. Your not going to cause any offset of production because the utility can not rely on your production. Your production will be sold as green energy at three times to going rate of current production. Unless the cost of the material and installation is drastictly reduced, it will just be a novality. The big farms being built are subsidized up the wazzzooo on our backs, the utilitys would never get involved because of the cost versus return in megawatts and that applies to wind and solar. It just isn't there and most likely will not without subsidizing of some sort.

[w1vtp]

Thanks, Al. Glad to hear that Roger is doing well. I always have an "Oh No" moment when I see a friend's call sign in a post subject line.

Paul

That's why the wording of the subject line.  I will be dropping by to visit him soon.

PS: Steve, I agree with you.  Do you know the policy of MA / NH as far as putting power back into the grid?

Al

[W1TAV]

Good to hear that Roger is OK.. As for living off the grid, I have been keeping a friend of mine up and running for 30+.. And as Jerry once sang, "What a Long strange trip its been."

When we first started it was take the 12 volt battery out of the truck  to watch the portable B&W TV by the glow of Humphy Gas lights..   Today is a 400W wind generator, a bank of 525 amp hr cells and 6 solar panels.. satellite TV and all modern lighting. The only remaining item from when he moved there in 1979 is the 1950's Serval Gas refrigerator. We even set up a Gas fired central heating system a few years back to satisfy the insurance company.

We have been though at least 5 generations of inverters and charger controllers and 3 different configurations for batteries.

This was all done on a shoe sting budget and had to be simple for a non-technical person to run and maintain. It was for a family of 4 .. His kids never lived in a home with  power from the grid until they left home. Now that they are in their 60's we started an upgrade, that will hopefully carry them (and myself) though to retirement. (New cells, New charger controller, new generator shed last fall and we are adding 4 more panels this spring)

Bottom line, you can live off the grid and still live "modern" and only have to give up a few things like Air Conditioning.   For what it is worth, the home is a 2 1/2 story 1890's farm house, that has good cross flow for cooling..

Wash day they do use the propane generator...

Steve