Solar Powered Ham Radio QRP ME to MA 20m SSB (2.5 watts)

Second completely solar powered QSO with Yaesu FT817ND and Fold-able 20w solar panel! (First QSO Maine to Venezuela) Marc, in Cape Cod Massachusetts while I, in an RV park in Bar Harbor, Maine. Short hop on 20 meters!

Solar panel provides nominal 15v at 1.2A in filtered sunlight. Up to 18v in full sunlight. This is enough to run the rig at 2.5watts output direct off of the panel.

In the future, I will connect a small battery pack in parallel to provide full 5w output while also providing a more stable voltage regulation.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• solar power
• solar ham radio
• solar QRP
• QRP portable
• QRP HF
• solar powered ham radio
• short hop
• 20 meters
• yaesu
• ft817
• ft 817
• 817 nd
• ham radio
• emergency communications
• low power communications
• HF pack
• HF portable
• solar power ham radio

[salat]

17 Volts are insane: The FT-817 reaches its max. output power at about 10 Volts? Any voltage higher is useless and generates just more heat - just from 9,6V to 13,8V losses are approx 8 Watts! It gets really dangerous at about 15V. You can find plans of voltage conditioner circuits that regulate to about 10,5V. Also notice that the finals are ALWAYS connected to the supplied power, even if the device is turned off. Don't put your equipment at such a risk!.

[KA1YBS]

@salat

Did you read the description? Yes, I admit over-voltage and the need for a voltage regulator circuit. It was just a test, and I explain the need for regulation in the description. 73

[wj2l]

Great. Where did u get the solar equipment & cost? We need just that sort of set up for todays world. ur video is much appriciated.

[KA1YBS]

@wj2l

Hello, the panel is a PowerFilm 20 Watt. You can buy on Amazon for about $250, which is very pricey per watt, but remember, this panel is fold-able, and weighs next to nothing! Look for a new wilderness QRP video with solar/battery this time from me!

[KA1YBS]

@wj2l

Solar Panel is PowerFilm Flexible panel 20W, got it at Dayton Hamvention, forget what I paid for it, just around $200 I believe. Well worth it. You can only TX about 2.5W with this panel. The 30W version under full sun should allow the full 5W output from the rig. Be sure to regulate voltage, I did not do it for this video however.

[ec1cw]

Great video and great way to know that the panel was running on solar power alone. Once you have verified that, I think that it would help a lot if you used some battery as a buffer, that would help you get the full TX power and keep the voltage on the safe side for the rig.

[KA1YBS]

@ec1cw

Yes, next solar video will have a batery in circuit, I'll do a how-to! GO SOLAR!

[kc2zxl]

Voltage regulator is just an IC with input range leg, an output leg, and ground. Probably would need to screen it down onto a small heat sink with thermal paste where the IC's metal tab meets the heat sink

[ov9k5wj0]

will this work? Powerfilm WeatherPro 15V 50mA Flexible Solar Panel does it have enough power to power it?

[salat]

@KA1YBS I did - and even for a test: If my FT-817ND would show that voltage I would immediately pull the plug no matter what - ok, maybe not if I got a qso with antarctica running :)

Glad you do have a ND-version, too - the older ones might have lost their magic smoke in that test setup.

I wish you a long time with much fun with that rig - but please treat it a little more gentle :)

73s from Germany, DO9SAS

[pixar5]

this is great i got a yaesu ft 817 as well and i have an 18 watt solar panel i got a feeling this will run the radio , so is it safe to run it direct form the solar panel to the radio ? as the solar panel peaks at 15 volts 1.2 amps

[7wt]

Super cool! Your videos are about as cool as they come.

[Tommyr]

Nice setup! I LOVE solar power!

[solobackpacking]

I am eager to see the finished solar kit and your report on how well your system works. You have a really nice radio, as others have said the high voltage and unstable amps may damage your 817.