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Re: [VHFcontesting] Inverters and roving

To: vhfcontesting@contesting.com (VHF contesting list)
Subject: Re: [VHFcontesting] Inverters and roving
From: k4gun@comcast.net
Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 14:00:14 +0000
List-post: <vhfcontesting@contesting.com">mailto:vhfcontesting@contesting.com>
As usual, I have received a number of excellent comments and suggestions and 
that has lead to a few more questions on my part.  As is also usual, a lot of 
those comments came to me directly and not through the list.  I'm going to try 
to respond to a few of those in a single posting.

First, one person asked if I had added ferrites to the DC input.  The answer is 
no.  The battery and inverter are sitting side by side inside the tool box.  I 
can certainly add them, but I'm not sure if that would do any good.  The 
battery is charged by the alternator and there are no ferrites on that either.  
That again would be easy enough if anybody thinks it would do any good.  

I have ruled out getting a DC operated rotor.  Its a great idea, although 
expensive.  It doesn't power my laptop and therefore, I'm still in need of an 
inverter.

One person suggested a generator.  I had ruled that out because it just adds 
complication.  Each time I park, it means getting out and starting it.  Not a 
huge deal, I know, but my goal has been efficiency and maximizing operating 
time.  That suggestion is back on the table, but I'm still not sure I want to 
go that way.

One other person suggested good results with the Exceltech brand of inverter.  
Its not cheap which brings up the question of how much power I really need.  
The have a 250 watt model (300 surge) for $484 and a 600 watt for $775.  
Obviously, 600 will work, but would I be able to get away with the 250 watt 
model?  

Again, thanks to all for the great responses.  Y'all have been an invaluable 
resource.

Steve K4GUN

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: k4gun@comcast.net 

> Well, my new rover system is just about complete. I posted some pics on QRZ 
> if 
> you're interested: http://forums.qrz.com/showthread.php?t=163565 
> 
> I've run into a problem though. I decided to spend the money and get a pure 
> sine wave inverter. Based on opinions here and elsewhere, I figured this 
> caused 
> the least amount of noise. I also mounted it in the steel toolbox and 
> attached 
> a couple of ferrite beads on the electric cord. The battery is also in the 
> tool 
> box. 
> 
> Sounds like a good plan, right? Well... not so much. It turns out that all 
> pure sine wave inverters are not always as quite as you would think. On 50 
> MHz, 
> I have an S4 noise floor and a buzz on the calling frequency. When turning 
> the 
> antenna, its an S8 noise. Its seem fine on 144 and 432, but on 50, its just a 
> nightmare. When I turned the inverter off, the noise dropped to S1 or less. 
> This is an AIMS inverter that I bought off e-bay from a company called Energy 
> Igloo. 
> 
> I'm about tapped out for this contest. I think I'm going to get a DC adapter 
> for the laptop and just use the truck as a rotator. Maybe I'll use my 
> "stimulus" check for another inverter. Any suggestions on which one to get 
> would be greatly appreciated. Any other thoughts or suggestions would be 
> great 
> as well. 
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> VHFcontesting mailing list 
> VHFcontesting@contesting.com 
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