Message-Id: <20050805132709.LBGM3503.ibm70aec.bellsouth.net@[68.212.116.131]>

Fred wrote,
   >Well, if you're going to use battery power, you'd better think of
   >qrp, 50 to 100 watts will drain them in a hurry, or you'd better
   >take the world's longest extension chord for the charger.
Even then, better be two stout dudes if you're gonna pack enough
battery power to do this.  gel cell packs that would handle that kind
of power and give you a few hours of operation are quite heavy.
Definitely be thinking qrp in this application.
I had a bunch of those 7 amp/hour gel clels that came from burglary
and fire alarm systems and they can be heavy even.  Up at Charity
Hospital here in NEw oRleans we've got a couple of 100 amp/hour
batteries and they're heavy dudes.  I brought them up there on a two
wheeled handtruck.  NOt something I'd want to be packing up a mountain
along with food tents etc.
THough everything else in our hobby has miniaturized except antennas
batteries haven't downsized that much. AS one fellow said, when they
get there we'll actually see efficient electric vehicles.
wEre I going on such an expedition I'd consider qrp cw.  YEs Virginia,
leave the laptop at home too.
Speaking of such activities I'd probably use the National RAdio
emergency net as a point of contact with the outside world.  These
folks use the guard frequencies 7068 10122 and 14050 khz.  tHey're
there for just this purpose.




Richard Webb

Electric Spider Productions
                                            "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
--- Benjamin Franklin, NOvember 1755 from the
Historical review of Pennsylvania