Biography

My part-time QTH is the Greek island Alonnisos in the Northern Sporades island group.

IOTA EU-072

I am currently QRV primarily on 20 meters portable (SSB). My setup is as follows:

Yaesu FT-891 (running 5w - 50w)

LiFePO4 Battery 12Ah (154 watts) from www.aeroakku.com

iMax B6AC home dual power charger (240VAC/12VDC input) for LiFePO4 battery (and other kinds)

resonant EFHW monoband wire antenna for 20 meters from www.lambdahalbe.de

Spiderbeam telescope mast (12 meters) from www.spiderbeam.com

telescope aluminum painter pole (6 meters)

Antenna wire hung vertically along the Spiderbeam mast or as sloper with painter pole

optional resonant EFHW monoband wire antennas for 6, 10, and 15 meters from www.lambdahalbe.de

optional 5 band resonant EFHW wire antenna (10, 15,20, 40 and 80 meters) from www.hyendfed.nl

5m RG58 coax

50 meters throw line

optional SWR meter

optional audio interface MiniPro SC from ZLP Electronics

optional laptop for digital modes (primarily PSK31 and JS8CALL)

TRX, antenna, battery, coax, cordage and small odds and ends fit easily into a compact backpack. Depending of whether I want to hike, or how far, I take my Spiderbeam mast along. It's kind of heavy. The painter pole is an alternative. Not heavy. Or throw line and tree. Otherwise I transport everything on a 125cc motor scooter. I can then take along some creature comforts like a small cooler with a sixpack of beer. In any case I can enjoy a few hours of radio and the great outdoors on my Greek island.

In the near future I will add an 80-100w flexible, lightweight solar panel and an mppt charge controller suitable for LiFePO4 batteries. This will allow me to run my TRX continuously at 100w, at least during the daytime portable or in grid down sitution (not unusual on the island).

As much as I would like to have a foldable solar panel like the ones from Power Film, they are simply too expensive for me right now.

I like to configure my electric and electronic gear to work alternatively off of 12 VDC so I can go off grid, if necessary. Battery combined with Photovoltaic.

Please visit Julian's (OH8STN), Ham Radio and Offgrid Power, and Gil's, the Radio Prepper, channels on Youtube for information and inspiration for operating amateur radio offgrid and portable.

Vy 73's!

David SV0SGS

Equipment

see above