Category Archives: amateur radio

The New Warehouse

Teardrop Trail Log: Monday, June 12, 2017

We awoke the next morning to a quiet house. Being an early riser, Bob was long gone, and Danna had been up for a while. I’ve never been an early riser, a topic that Bob and I revisit every trip with his good natured teasing about “burning daylight.” On the other hand, I worked broadcast TV as a young man and my day didn’t even start until early afternoon. It’s been a topic of conversation ever since.

Adams & Kelly Co – Omaha – 1908

Bob had promised a tour of his new building and I didn’t want to waste any more time. In the forty-plus years since we started the electronic surplus business together, he’s been through countless locations as the business expanded. I can’t remember them all, but there have been at least eight. He has been in his current location, an old millwork factory, for about 13 years. It was amazing given it’s size — about 225,000 square feet. A four-story brick-veneer building that occupies about a half of a city block and dates from the early part of the 20th century. Omaha is gentrifying though, and developers are eager to convert the old structure into condos. How times have changed.

photo of Aisle after aisle of warehouse racking

Aisle after aisle of racking

When we arrived in Omaha the day before, Bob told us about his new building in Fort Calhoun. Most recently a warehouse facility, it has about the same square footage, but is all on one level with 37-foot ceilings. The entire building has rows of racks, meaning that it can efficiently store far more than the Ashton building. On top of that it was constructed in four segments beginning in the 1990’s, so the construction, roof, and fire suppression systems are all modern. A very big deal for the fortunate new building owner. I couldn’t wait to see it.

Bob was back at the house by the time we finished breakfast and we headed out. With the new building only about 2 miles from his house, we were there in no time. The sheer size of the building was breathtaking. It has a plain brown exterior with the exception of a monumental red sculpture, and the side opposite the street sports 13 loading docks. That was an obvious improvement over Ashton with it’s two or three.

Can you see the end?

As we went inside, I tried to glimpse the opposite wall. This should be possible since the racking is aligned in long rows away from the loading docks. I could just make it out. Was that the curvature of the earth getting in the way or just my aging eyesight?

The move has started with this miniscule part of the inventory

They were just starting to move inventory from the Ashton building — a process that would continue for several months — so the new building was mostly empty. As we walked around I was impressed with it’s modern appearance. It’s always fun to look around Surplus Sales and it was still fun — even with just a little of the massive inventory moved in.

Riding the new forklift

Bob saved the best for last. He bought a new forklift that was better suited to the vast distances and tall racking. Made by a German company, Jungheinrich, it is the Mercedes Benz of the forklift world. He invited me to try it out.

Wow. Fast. Quiet. Awesome. I drove it around for quite a while. Maybe he was trying to entice me back to the business?

Looks like a video game. My new office?

A Solar Upgrade for the Teardrop Trailer

Teardrop Trail: June 4, 2017

In the last few months, I’ve been working on a larger solar system to pump water at the ranch. We live out in the Texas Hill Country and occasionally experience power interruptions, and I wanted to use solar power to improve our emergency preparedness. The experience of designing and building that system led me to rethinking the teardrop solar system.

A New Battery

Cutting a hole for the data display

Two 100-watt solar panels provide enough power to meet our modest camping needs, but I felt the battery could be improved. We were using a marine battery, but it was a compromise between high starter current (which we would never use) and deep-cycle power for camping use. An Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) deep-cycle seemed a better match. I ordered an Optima D34M Blue Top that could supply up to 55 Amp/hours of power and fit into the modest available space.

And a way to measure it

The new data display

Of course, fully discharging any lead-acid battery will shorten its life and normally one leaves at least a 50% charge. How do you know when you’ve reached 50% remaining power? You can estimate from the battery voltage, but measuring power directly would be best. That led to the second upgrade; a digital energy meter. It shows voltage, current and power, as well as the total power in watt/hours consumed since the last reset. Using the Optima battery as an example, I could use up to 330 watt/hours of power ((55 amp/hours / 2) * 12 volts = 330 watt hours) before it was wise to recharge.

Electric Kettles for Camping?

Finally, we enjoy electric kettles for heating water, and they’re perfect for camping. In many campgrounds, shore power is available and we can heat water for tea, coffee and washing up with ease. Would it be possible to use an electric kettle on solar power?

With 1000 watt inverter installed

Researching electric kettles and hot pots I found one model that only used about 1000 watts. A lot of power, but within reach of a not-too-expensive 12-volt to 120-volt inverter. It looked like fun to see if I could make it work, and I ordered an inverter and the necessary wiring to hook it up. Besides; the same inverter could be used to power a Crockpot or Slow-cooker — something we’ve already shown is practical.

The picture tells the story. The new battery, inverter and hot pot were connected and did indeed heat 12 ounces of water to boiling. It used 164 watt/hours of energy as measured by the new digital meter — about half of the available battery storage. Not too practical, but a fun experiment!

: Boiling water with solar energy

: Boiled water energy consumption

An Expert’s Take on Essential First Aid

A few weeks ago we attended the Mother Earth News Fair in Belton, Texas. This was our second year, and we always enjoy seeing the seminars and venders that support the varied community that this unique event attracts. We had just about “covered the waterfront” and were getting ready to leave when I spotted the AMP-3 booth. The amateur radio solar batteries, compact portable antennas and go-bags caught my attention and we began chatting with David Pruett, the proprietor.

As we talked, I noticed another line of products relating to first aid, and quickly learned that David is a practicing ER physician and began putting first aid kits together several years ago. His medical experience, as well as direct experience with two natural disasters in Northern California convinced him of the need for preparedness. I began thinking about our teardrop camping trips (not to mention our Roy Creek Ranch home) and how well prepared we were for emergencies when we’re away from an ER or other urgent care provider.

We have an American Red Cross First Aid Kit in the trailer, but David’s company, AMP-3 was offering the next step. While the Red Cross kit was a good start, it is focused on cuts, scrapes and minor pain. It wasn’t very expensive, and there is no reason not to have one or two for minor wound care.

photo of an individual first aid kit contents

iFAK contents

AMP-3 offers an “Individual First Aid Kit (iFAK)” that starts with more extensive wound care and adds tools, irrigation, adhesives and medications for managing wounds, bleeding, pain, digestive and some allergic distress. Best of all, David has a series of YouTube videos that describe building an individual first aid kit, what to include and how each item is used.

I bought one iFAK at the fair, and appreciate the guidance and peace of mind it provides. With both the Red Cross and AMP-3 kits in our teardrop trailer, we feel more prepared for many situations we might encounter on our travels — especially when we’re away from civilization.

Are you prepared?

Antenna (or Fishing Pole) Storage on a Teardrop

Ten Tec Triton II with digital frequency readout

I knew from the beginning there would be amateur radio aboard our teardrop trailer. I’ve been interested in radio since junior high, and it’s great to be out in the woods with a battery (or solar) powered radio, talking to hams around the world. I will never forget making my first overseas contact while driving through Wyoming in a thunderstorm. Or skiing down a mountain with a handheld radio while talking with another ham stuck in the city. Magic!

Radios have gotten smaller and more capable, and can be powered with modest solar-power systems, so ham radio from a teardrop trailer is a natural. Antennas, on the other hand, are about the same size. You can’t change physics or the laws of nature. Mobile antennas, while smaller than their fixed base comrades are still several feet long, and storing them is a challenge in our tiny teardrop. What about storing them in a long tube mounted to the rear frame of the trailer?

3-inch PVC with plastic strap hangers

I’ve worked with PVC pipe alot through the years, and the solution was obvious. A 5-foot length of 3-inch inside diameter pipe would easily store several antennas and their resonators (after disassembling them into sections) without taking up space inside the trailer. Each end was sealed with a screw-on “clean out” and voilà! Secure storage for my skyhook treasures. Several plumber’s straps would attach the pipe to the trailer frame. It’s cheap, strong and easy to work with. The job was done in no time and we set off.

Repairing the antenna tube

It wasn’t long before there was a problem. The trailer transmits substantial vibration and shaking to the tube, and the constant motion tends to break the plumber’s straps. Fortunately they don’t all break at once, but I was replacing straps often. I needed a better solution.

Improved steel strap hanger

Cruising around the home store one day, I found it. Zinc Plated, punched-steel bar. 1 3/8-inches wide and made of 1/16-Inch steel, it’s plumber’s strap on steroids.

Mounting Bracket

A 48-inch piece is only about $7, and with some 1/4-20 bolts, washers and nuts, I was in business. I took a scrap of 3-inch PVC, and wrapped it using a vice and hammer to form the steel. It is stiff enough to be challenging, but has a comforting level of strength. Drilling the frame for the 1/2-20 hardware isn’t hard, and two brackets are perfectly adequate. No more strap repairs for this teardrop!

By the way, for those of you who like to dangle a worm or two while camping — the tube could store fishing poles as well. I’m just sayin’ . . .

Antenna storage tube secured

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A New Battery

And a way to measure it

Electric Kettles for Camping?

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