Parked for the winter

 For medical reasons we will spend the winter and summer in NE Wyoming with family.

Winter battery test

 Winter battery test 16 Nov 23.  I cut shore power at 0700 MST.  My three LAS batteries read 13.4 before shore power was cut, after power was cut dropped to 12.3.  At 0800 read batteries they settled in at 12.4 so I turned on my solar at this time.  Note sun is about 30 degrees above horizon.   My 3 marine batteries are going on 5 years old each with 109 amps each.  Battery compartment is 52 degrees. I have 500 watts flexible solar panels glued to my roof.  Also the front AC will have shade over at least two panels throughout the day.  Since they are in parallel should only impact panels a bit.  Last summer my best drawl with clear skies in northern Texas produced just over 50 %.  This is not the best solar setup but is acceptable to me with fixed panels and a PWM solar controller.

Above is a screen shot of my phone just after system is turned on. At 0930 amps going in up to 4.7 amps below.

Above photo of rig at start and below is the sun at start.

Note today’s temperature range is 32 to 54 degrees.

Six hours in unplugged.  At 1 pm 4.7 amps coming in and batteries at 13.7.  Heater, ref still on plugged in portable freezer to Jackery.

Wyoming Winter has started

 This past week highs have been in the low thirties and teens.  Since we did not plan to be here over a winter we have no skirting so we burn through a 30 lb tank every three days keeping temperature at 55 degrees.  We also winterized our water system so no freezing issues.  We can ware a sweater to stay warm.  We will be moving to a stick and brick for a few weeks to months.

Plants are gone now.  In the mid thirties to the 60s the tank lasted 6 days.

First attempt at salt making

 My first attempt at salt making.  One gallon of salt water into a square 9x9 pan on a hot plate.  Let’s see what one gallon of salt water makes.  The idea is once I evaporate the liquid what remains is salt.  I do a finish dry in a dehydrator or the oven then bottle.  Please note I strained the salt water through a towel.

The pan on the hot plate is cooking down the water to sea salt.

Above is a half a gallon of salt left to cook down in the pan.

Thermos test

 Stanley started at 200 degrees at 6:33 am and at 6:33 pm temperature was at 150 degrees.  After12 hours and still food safe.

Ozark started at 6:25 am at 12:25 pm temperature was at 150 degrees.  After 8 hours and still food safe.  

So Stanley is good through dinner or lunch and Ozark is good through lunch.

I have and use both and love them🤠👍

Bonaire Island

 Made a radio contact to the island of Bonaire off the coast of Venezuela on 15 meters 21.232.1.  This was made on my home made 10 meter dipole setup in an inverted V up 12 feet at the peak.

I am working to make contact on all the countries shown on the map. I have about one third now.

My antennas

 My antennas and the moon.  I’m on 10, 20 and 40 meters HF and occasionally on our GMRS UHF.

Jackery 290 and coffee

 Making a cup of instant coffee with my Jackery.  Should be a nice morning to enjoy, took less than 6 minutes and 7% of the batteries.  Can not do regular electric pot they all take more then 200 ac watts which is the limit on this units ac😎

New 40 meter dipole

 Added a new mini dipole 40 meter hamstick off the back of the RV.  It’s currently on some pvc pipes about 14 feet up. Also on the back is my 20 meter mini hamstick dipole up about 25 feet.  Between these is my GMRS antenna sticking up on my ladder at about 13 feet.  In front of the rig off the orange canopy is an inverted v 10 meter up about 12 feet.  I’ve talked to Europe a few Times on 10 and 40 and a max distance of 2900 on 20 meters from Canada down to Brazil an Port-a Rico.

Orlando Ham Fest

 Bought a set of 40 meter mini hamsticks and a dipole mount.  Set it up with what I had off the back of the pickup and tuned it up😎

Got nearly all of the 40 meter band for general below 2 SWR😎

Orlando Fl

 

Disney and dining go hand in hand along with family. 

Talked with Naples Italy

 Had a nice talk/contact with Naples Italy the other day on my 10 meter inverted V dipole.  From the road you can see my three antennas.  Tent 10 meters is closes then the tall dipole antenna is 20 meters and last is my short UHF GMRS antenna just above my rear ladder.

Cabbage is doing fine

 Our cabbage is doing fine.  Should be ready in 30 to 60 days for all five heads. Put in at different times.

Watt Draw CPAP & O2

                       Watt draw for both is 327n

After 6 hours of use the two units consumed 1950 watts or 1.95 KWH.

Happy New Year

 As we open 2023 I am adding another 100 watts of solar for a total of 500 on our  twelve volt system on our Fifth Wheel.  We also have  portable 120 and 50 watt panels I use for other charging, but could us to boost our RV system if needed.

 I’m looking to change to a MPPT controller this summer.    In 2024 we’ll put in four new house.