[CQ-Contest] Do you have A/C in your shack?

[Mike Fulcher]

Hi Mike,

I am in Arizona (abt 50 years now) and the weather is definitely warmer.
We keep the house at 84 degrees but the shack is routinely around 92 to 93
degrees during the day due to numerous computers, radios and amp running.
I have a ceiling and floor fan running as well so I can stay relatively
comfortable but sometimes will leave the shack for another room to cool
down.

I plan on adding a split unit to my shack before next summer that will
cover around 200 square feet.  It is called a ductless mini-split.  N6WIN
(ND7K) has one for his shack and it worked very well with 3 of us in the
shack.  Pretty low cost to run but $2.5k to $3k to purchase and install (by
a professional a/c person).  Humidity is only an issue in July/August
here.  I am talking around 50% or so.  It is 46% today but was over 70%
this past Friday through Sunday with a ton of rain but temps were in the
80's.  50%+ gets a little sticky for a desert dweller.

I tolerate heat pretty well but not the cold.  Opposite of you. Without the
ceiling and floor fan though I could only stand it for a bit at a time.
That is my reason for wanting to add A/C in the shack.  I could use it for
heat as well in the winter time but I find the shack stays comfortable
during those months.

Mike
KC7V

On Tue, Jul 27, 2021 at 4:04 PM ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca <ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca> wrote:

> Keep in mind when reading the following, I am from the Maritimes and have
> lived
> all my life in VO2, VO1, VE1 and VE9....so I don't do the high temps well
> ;-)
>
> During the recent IARU contest I think this was the first time I  *ever*
> really
> stopped operating due to heat/humidity.  I laid my head down "for a few
> minutes"
> and woke up 5.5hrs later. Oof !
>
> My el-cheapo thermometer on the desk next to my keyboard said it was 31.5*C
> (88.8*F)...I don't recall what the humidity was in the house,(probably a
> bit
> lower than outside)  but outside was up to 94% at 11pm according to
> Environment
> Canada.
>
> I QRT'd not long after midnight, shattered from the "heat".
>
> So....has anyone installed A/C in their shack? How did you like it? Run it
> every
> contest? Only in the summer?
>
> Y'day I bought a teeny-tiny window A/C unit ~5000btu (on sale at that) and
> will
> hopefully once installed, will try it out next contest,  assuming no
> QRM/RFI.
> Living way out in the country. I like a quiet RX.
>
> I think in my mid-late 50's, I am finally getting soft.
>
> In the winter, I just turn my shack heat off and sometimes even open a
> window.
> In the summer, I often operate LP or QRP....
> In the IARU, with HP SO2R it was pretty warm and my shack is very very
> small.
>
> What has been your experience with heat/humidity while operating? (doesn't
> have
> to have been in YOUR shack)
>
> Tnx !
>
> --
> Mike VE9AA
>
>
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-- 
73, Mike KC7V
Arizona Outlaws Contest Club