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Rosco

Super Friend
Neighbor
Joined
Aug 21, 2020
Messages
37
Location
New England
I just added a 600 watt UPS to my E-Comms setup. You can see the display in the lower portion of the photo, just under the netpad.

I’ve tried using a 12 volt battery for backup, but with just the scanner turned on, the voltage drops to about 11.5 vdc at best. The UPS allows me to add a larger deep cycle source battery if I choose. There is an efficiency price paid of course. The two 30 amp 110 vac to 12 vdc power supplies draw about 9 watts on their own, but they maintain the output voltage at 13.8 vdc to the equipment.
A single radio can monitor for a little more than four continuous hours on a battery charge. Broken down into short on air sessions, I expect to get a 2-3 days use per charge. Of course, the more I key-up, the quicker the battery gets discharged. I can charge the 12 volt batteries with my solar charger and cycle them through the UPS as needed.
Under normal running, the UPS just sits there filtering the house current and waiting for a low voltage or power loss situation. I've cut house power to the room and the radios don't even flicker. The last time we lost power (about two weeks ago) and lost our E-Comms, I vowed to harden the system a bit. The 2 meter radio is accompanied by four 5-watt handheld units with extended antennas that provide approximately 10 mile coverage with the 80 watt base.
Shack.jpg
 
I built a 50 amp charger to build a UPS for my computer. The line feeds the charger and my inverter. The charger feeds 4 90 Ah 12 volt batteries that feed the inverter. When the power goes out everything keeps running. The inverter keeps the line power clean and free of surges.
It has never been used for more than a couple of hours so it is an expensive insurance plan.
 
It has never been used for more than a couple of hours so it is an expensive insurance plan.

Yup. There’s always a price to pay to maintain commercial level support for electronic/electrical equipment… no escaping it. You choose either to pony-up and make the investment or plan around the loss of the resource. When it comes to communications gear, we live in an area where situations can develop quickly. Not having an ear (and/or voice) to those monitoring and managing those situations is paramount to being blind in a decision making sense.

I value our ability to monitor and communicate with those with Emergency Response Authority as well as private folks just driving around in their pickup trucks and voicing opinions and observations. Therefore I’m willing to make the investment.
 
Rosco, you make good points. I did radio many years ago; as a kid, I got my Novice and General ham ticket, but haven't used it much in over a half-century, I don't want to do a lot of communications, but I would like the option for picking up most bands: AM, FM, SW, etc and also able to listen in on emergency responders' communications. What sort of rig would be a cost-effective way to do this? Would you suggest some sort of all-in-one solution, or would you suggest that individual components, which I can buy and integrate myself?

I'm hoping my colleagues and neighbors here who have knowledge of such a rig would post; this is something I need to know! And thanks again for your posting!
 
@Duncan how important is it to you, to be able to transmit? If receiving is what you're looking for, a scanner and a good AM/FM/SW unit would handle your needs. I believe now there are apps that allow you to monitor EMS channels by internet as well. I know there is one that allows reception of railroad communications, which I find a bit unnerving, considering how vulnerable the transportation of hazmat via rail can be...
 
Thanks much, Spikedriver! Of course I'd like to get a really nice SSB transceiver, but I don't see it as being all that cost-effective, since it'd have to compete with my and Dawn's other projects: four new raised beds, a greenhouse and a 16' X 24' three-sided barn. I'm more concerned in finding out what's happening in a post-infrastructure failure situation, if it ever comes to pass. AM/FM/SW and Emergency Services (including police) scanners would be a good thing, but I don't want to have to rely on the Internet; if things go south, the Internet might not be be available.

Given that, is there a single rig that does all of those things, or would I have to buy a separate scanner in addition to the AM/FM/SW? Also in your opinion -- what's a reliable rig that costs less than, say, $250?

Thanks again for the advice and help!
 

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