Yaesu FT-817 Solar Powered Go-Pack - Part 3

In this video I take the Yaesu FT-817 Solar Powered Go-Pack into the sun! You can see the power that is supplied to the battery and radio from the 12 watt mono crystalline solar panel.
The parts can be found here:
http://astore.amazon.com/m0711-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=3

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Solar
• Power
• Go
• Pack
• HAM
• radio
• QRP
• FT-817
• FT-817ND
• Field
• Day
• WattsUp
• Watts
• Up

[bikeybikebike]

Do the value go negative if you're using more power than is being generated?

[mjlorton]

@bikeybikebike No, the WattsUp meters do not show negative values unfortunately.

[pixar5]

hi what size is your solar panel ? not explained .and what size battery do you have in your setup. i have a yeasu ft817 and i have a 18 watt solar panel i would like to try and see if it would work i wont run it directly off the solar panel as it would produce close to 15 volts . great video solar is a great way to get free power anywhere.

[mjlorton]

@pixar5 Thanks for your comments. It's a 12 watt panel and a 4 amp hour SLA battery.

[ztechire]

Very nice project,,I would have liked to see it in action with a QSO,, But great job all the same ,well done

[mjlorton]

@ztechire Thanks for your comment, yes, a QSO would be great, I'm back in South Africa so I need to see if I can use or convert my license to ZS...and get out into the sticks with it. Will post if I do.

Cheers, Martin.

[mjlorton]

@W6CSAhamradio Many thanks for your comments.

Parts mostly from Amazon: *Plano Protector Four Pistol Case * HQRP 12W Mono-crystalline Solar Panel * 7.2 AH 12V SLA Battery * Battery Arming Switch, use as socket for connecting PV and front 12 volt output with Anderson Power Pole * 15A Anderson Power Pole Connectors * "Watt's Up" RC Watt Meter & Power Analyzer * HQRP Solar Power Controller * CPU Fan * The two power switches on the front are from Radio Shack. Hope that helps.

[W6CSAhamradio]

Very good video series. Do you have a parts list that you can e-mail me so that I may build my own? I would think that this setup would be perfect for ARES.

Thank you and 73

W6CSA/5