# Grid Down…..Power Up!



## acfink4 (Jun 1, 2015)

I copied this from a blog, It is a good read!
https://dialtoneblog.wordpress.com/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1420098574958783/

When the power goes out, are you ready? A lot of people are counting on nice and shiny generators to "get them through". That's fine and good if you have a supply of fuel, extra parts and a mechanic on your team but&#8230;&#8230;What if you were away from home or your generator breaks? Do you know how to "find" power? It's all around you everyday you just have to know where to look.

Let me start by saying there is nothing wrong with "nice and shiny generators". I have one and it is great! We are talking about if it's not available or if it is out of service. Also this is not an article on solar power, that's a different post. Lets say you are at the office and things get REAL&#8230;&#8230;.. You have your HT but the battery pack is getting low and there is no way to charge it. Look around, you need 12 volts DC fast. Where are you going to find it? In this post, I am not teaching an action but a way to look at things around you; a skill not a specific motion. If you are in an office, the first thing to look for might be a computer UPS (uninterrupted power supply). If things are that, bad use it. Next thing to look for are exit signs. Most of these signs have either a 12 volt or 6 volt sealed battery in them to maintain operation when power goes off. You can harvest the battery and with the right skills, interface it with your radio. If it is a 6 volt battery, find two and wire them in series. One of these batteries will run your HT, CB or Yaesu FT-817 a long time. Of course if you need a bigger power source and it is available, abandoned cars, trucks and motor homes all have 12 volt batteries. What about that old lawn tractor?? Yep, 12 volts there too. The trick is to use low current draw gear. Think QRP&#8230;&#8230;.. All of those 1500 watt HF stations are gonna go quiet, real fast. In an event like this your ingenuity and operating skills will shine. There are a lot of fancy power packs out there but they will do you no good unless they are with you, learn to "run what you brung". Use your resources and adapt. You need a QRP HF dipole? You have your radio but no wire? Think old extension cord, think miles of CAT 5 cable up in the drop ceiling. This stuff is everywhere.

Here are some tools of the trade you can keep close at hand to "borrow" power:

1. Good multi tool (Leatherman or Swisstool)

2. Good flashlight (Stream Light or Maglite etc.)

3. A 12 volt "cigarette lighter to clamps" cable (see pictures)

4. 12 volt connections for your radio gear

5. 88 tape (electrical tape)

6. Small length of wire (this can be field expedient)

7. Knowledge of what to do&#8230;&#8230;&#8230;

Practice now. Tomorrow may be too late. Think outside the box. Fancy gear is great but skills beat gear any day.


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## Tirediron (Jul 12, 2010)

hoping that you stick around, the last line of your post is true on any day:2thumb:


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## frankd4 (Oct 22, 2010)

*Solar*

If you check out my page in QRZ there are pictures of my solar rig that is the small one for the radio shack, our whole cabin runs on solar and wind we have been off the grid for four years.
AK4FU


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## bkt (Oct 10, 2008)

Looks like a nice setup, Frank. More pictures - particularly of the solar cells and how you hooked them up - would be great to see. Also, have you had any RF interference issues due to the solar panels?

Commenting on acfink4's post, it's all good advice. Thinking outside the box is always a good idea. But being aware of what's available is also necessary, and a lot of folks would have no clue about wiring above their heads or batteries in exit signs. More useful tips like this would be great.

For the record, I carry an HT with me pretty much always and my get-home bag is in the car. There are spools of wire, tape, tools, an extra battery and an AC charger along with everything else. I also have an inverter in the car to power AC devices. Most people don't think about it, but their car can substitute pretty well for a generator.


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## AmmoSgt (Apr 13, 2014)

what is a HT?


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## frankd4 (Oct 22, 2010)

*Handy talky*

An HT is a hand held radio, I always carry mine along with three days food and water and a M&P 15 with five hundred rounds under the back seat of the truck
and my carry gun. I want to make sure that I have what I need to get home.


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## TheLazyL (Jun 5, 2012)

AmmoSgt said:


> what is a HT?


An Internet search gave me this:

""Handie-Talkie" (or variations on the spelling thereof).

This was originally a brand-name term for the Galvin (think
"Motorola") SCR536 portable radio, introduced in 1940. The
abbreviation "HT" has since been co-opted by hams (and perhaps others)
to refer to almost any hand-held portable UHF/VHF radio."


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## AmmoSgt (Apr 13, 2014)

as in my gmrs or are we talking hand held ham aircraft sea bands ?

I've been carrying Pronto-12's https://www.amazon.com/Pronto-Fast-Charge-Battery-Pack/dp/B00WO214FW just saw the current price.. mine were like half that

in the car with an assortment of 12 volt cables male male it comes with the female clips and an inverter it's light enough to body carry if you need it it's too heavy for just in case so it's in the car

got a multiband with short wave in the car small everything runs off double A's or is rechargeable

HT can't be gmrs? I don't get much range with mine and I'm probably the last person on earth without a cell phone.. but I got this thing I stop watches and touch screen don't respond to me seriously there is about a 50/50 chance if you hand me a cell phone so I can look at something on it, it goes nuts scrolls or changes pages and that with it in those protective cases


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## bkt (Oct 10, 2008)

AmmoSgt, I was talking in the context of amateur (ham) radio. For example, the Kenwood TH-F6A, Baofeng UV-5R and Yaesu VX-6R are all *h*andheld *t*ranceivers working on amateur bands and are referred to as HTs. There are several more manufacturers and models out there.


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## AmmoSgt (Apr 13, 2014)

okay thanks... was a little lost in the jargon..


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

Solar lawn lights each have a AA battery in them and can be used to recharge if necessary. Also if you take apart one of those big square 6volt flashlight batteries you will find a crapload of AA batteries inside all wired together.


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