Author: Mark Vogt

1. Repair van window
2. Update bills on Estate Website
3. Charge WetCell Batteries
4. Wells Fargo Advisors
5. 1/4 drill bit LONG
6. Garbage Can for Cave
7. Recycling
8. Good Will
9. Charge New Batteries
10. Hand truck
11. Buy 6 AWG bare wire for grounds
12. fertilize the lawn
13. Buy a hose
14. D Repair radiator on Blue.
15. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
16. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
17. D Repair the brakes on Blue.
18. My appt for CatScan.
    Follow-up Appt with Doctor.
19. Check temperatures for Pahrump pump house every week.
20. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
21. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
22. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
23. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
24. Nancy’s Will, i don’t have a copy but she’s working on it.
25. Check Mom’s accounts
26. Fix mom’s printer working
27. Hire an accountant for the estate taxes.
28. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
29. Run generators

Unplugging a refrigerator

We accidentally kicked out the power cord to our portable refrigerator this week.

I actually had a moisture sensor warning for the rug, but no alarm was connected.
(I have one now that checks the temp AND the moisture from the drain hole.)

Not a huge deal, we lost one package of hamburger.
We washed the insides down with soap and water and plugged it back in.

The large delta temperature when the compressor runs makes it difficult to determine the actual temperature of our food.

I put the temp sensor in wine glass with a bit of rice to add some mass.

The glass was supported away from the walls of the refrigerator to reduce the influence. I was still unhappy with the delta Temp (Blue line) still confusing the desired temperature reading. I had to add more mass inside the glass OR add insulation to lessen the delta temperature.

The next thing I tried was a Yeti mug (Good insulation) with the rice and temp sensor in the bottom with a sock on the top to keep the air from circulating.

The temperature was changing so slowly that I removed the sock. I inserted a spoon into the rice to increase the conductivity into the rice and lowered the set point temperature of the fridge.

Now that the average temperature of the rice is closer to the desired temperature, I need to raise the setpoint to something more reasonable for a refrigerator. (Not a freezer.) Milk freezes at 30-31.5 degrees, so the ideal temperature should be really close to 32 degrees. (Coldest temperature before freezing, down from 38 degrees recommended fridge temp.)

1. Wells Fargo Advisors
2. 1/4 drill bit LONG
3. Garbage Can for Cave
4. Recycling
5. Good Will
6. Charge New Batteries
7. Hand truck
8. 6 AWG wire
9. fertilize the lawn
10. Buy a hose
11. D Repair radiator on Blue.
12. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
13. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
14. D Repair the brakes on Blue.
15. My appt for CatScan.
16. Check temperatures for Pahrump pump house every week.
17. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
18. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
19. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
20. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
21. Nancy’s Will, i don’t have a copy but she’s working on it.
22. Take wet cell batteries back
23. Check Mom’s accounts
24. Fix mom’s printer working
25. Hire an accountant for the estate taxes.
26. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
27. Run generators

1. Wells Fargo Advisors
2. 1/4 drill bit LONG
3. Garbage Can
4. Recycling
5. Good Will
6. New Batteries
7. Hand truck
8. 6 AWG wire
9. fertilize the lawn
10. Buy a hose
11. D Repair radiator on Blue.
12. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
13. Drive to FL
    • Install remote access
    • Install MJ Phone
    • Repair VPN
    • Install Home Assistant
    • Bring back 55″ TV
    • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
14. D Repair the brakes on Blue.
15. My appt for CatScan.
16. Check temperatures for Pahrump pump house every week.
17. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
18. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
19. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
20. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
21. Nancy’s Will, i don’t have a copy but she’s working on it.
22. Take wet cell batteries back
23. Check Mom’s accounts
24. Fix mom’s printer working
25. Hire an accountant for the estate taxes.
26. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
27. Run generators

I have a working 2Meter HAM radio!

After almost four weeks of fiddling with every piece of this puzzle the antenna is high enough and the power to the radio is strong enough to keep it running.

1. Mow the back yard.
2. Wells Fargo Advisors
3. fertilize the lawn
4. add my name to the dog show
5. Pull RG58 out of the attic.
6. Buy a hose
7. D Repair radiator on Blue.
8. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
9. Drive to FL
   • Install remote access
   • Install MJ Phone
   • Repair VPN
   • Install Home Assistant
   • Bring back 55″ TV
   • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
10. D Repair the brakes on Blue.
11. Our appt with D Marini. Mar 22nd.
12. Check temperatures for Pahrump pump house every week.
13. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
14. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
15. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
16. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
17. Nancy’s Will, i don’t have a copy but she’s working on it.
18. Take wet cell batteries back
19. Check Mom’s accounts
20. Fix mom’s printer working
21. Hire an accountant for the estate taxes.
22. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
23. Run generators

Move the antenna day!

1. 14 FEB not much
2. 1.  Improve my receive signal, there is sufficient noise that I cannot distinquish call letters. (My antenna is currently about 25′ below the surrounding terrain to the East.)
3. The receive is a little scratchy which is making it quite difficult to capture call signs that are routinely said quite rapidly. It also makes it impossible to read an undermodulated carrier, I had a young HAM on a mobile that I just could not read on Saturday 25 Feb.
4. 27 Feb Improve my receive signal, there is sufficient noise that I cannot distinguish call letters.  I added 10 feet to my antenna.
5. 28 Feb Improve my receive signal.  There is sufficient noise that I cannot copy any conversation from GARS repeater at 20′. (To my amazement it got worse raising it 10′.) To raise my antenna another 10′ it will have to be guyed. I have all the components to raise it in 5′ increments. I just need a good day to get on the roof.  I will also have to take many more precautions against lightning.  I will be above the 30 degree protection cone of my 25′ lightning rod at the center of the home.  (We get struck by static more than 2x a year)
6. 4 Mar Improve my receive signal.  There is sufficient noise that I cannot copy a undermodulated conversation from GARS repeater.  I walked around my yard and the receive signal fades in and out dramatically indicating multipath reception.  It did’t matter if the antenna was at 3′ or 12′ above the ground.  If I use a directional antenna to reach over the hill to the east I will loose the repeaters in downtown Atlanta.
7.  8 Mar Improve my antenna situation
8. Pull RG-58 from attic
9. Mount antenna on a 5′ pole
10. Pull down ADSB antenna
11. Mount 5′ pole on top of ADSB mast
12. Secure and ground mast
13. Test radio receive and transmit
14. 9 Mar  Check the VSWR to my antenna and adjust its length. 
15. I found out AFTER I mounted the antenna that the antenna comes longer than needed and the user needs to hacksaw off the end of the antenna to tune it.  I’ll wait until I get my four lengths of COAX before I pull down the antenna again.  I’ll build them from the radio back to the antenna. (Meaning the antenna mast will be last cable I replace.)
16. 3.  Lightning protect my Transciever RF connection since the 2M antenna is now the tallest pole on my home.
17. The antenna bracket has a 6AWG copper wire running the length of the mast which is connected to the roof ground plane.  I still need to deal with the 1-3 uS pulse riding on the coax attached to the radio.  The current plan is to put a coil on the coax in my shack and then terminate the coax into a lightning protector before it runs to the radio.  (The coil slows down the dV/dT to allow the lightning protector to flash AND greatly lowers the impulse current since it’s so brief.)  I have a LOT of experience with lightning hitting my home!
18. Lightning protect my Transciever RF connection since the 2M antenna is now the tallest pole on my home.
    The antenna bracket has a 6AWG copper wire running the length of the mast which is connected to the roof ground plane.  I still need to deal with the 1-3 uS pulse riding on the coax attached to the radio.  The current plan is to put a coil on the coax at the base of the antenna. Then terminate the coax into a lightning protector before it runs to the radio.  (The coil slows down the dV/dT to allow the lightning protector to flash AND greatly lowers the impulse current since it’s so brief.)  I have a LOT of experience with lightning hitting my home!  If you want some entertainment, search Coil+Lightning+Protection. Need to Make a Coax Coil? Here’s a Tip: (eham.net)
19. Primary Focus, lightning protect my Transciever RF connection since the 2M antenna is now the tallest pole on my home.  The antenna bracket has a 6AWG copper wire running the length of the mast which is connected to the roof ground plane.   I am realizing that I should have a name tag that says “Mark, KQ4GEL and I don’t know squat”.
20. I bought the wrong cable, bought the wrong antenna and did a terrible job of mounting it.  Sheesh.
21.  10 Mar I have an issue with my transmit, the transmitter is good at 5 and 15W.  But it appears that my transmitter is collapsing after about 20 seconds at 25W or high power 55W.

Pull RG-58 from attic
Mount antenna on a 5′ pole
Pull down ADSB antenna
Mount 5′ pole on top of ADSB mast
Raise Mast with 2M antenna on top.  (I am getting too old for this LOL)
Secure antenna with guy wires
Tie 6AWG antenna ground wire to roof grounds.
Test radio receive and transmit

1. Mow the back yard.
2. fertilize the lawn
3. add my name to the dog show
4. Pull RG58 out of the attic.
5. Buy a hose
6. D Repair radiator on Blue.
7. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
8. Drive to FL
   • Install remote access
   • Install MJ Phone
   • Repair VPN
   • Install Home Assistant
   • Bring back 55″ TV
   • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
9. D Repair the brakes on Blue.
10. Our appt with D Marini. Mar 22nd.
11. Check temperatures for Pahrump pump house every week.
12. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
13. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
14. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
15. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
16. Nancy’s Will, i don’t have a copy but she’s working on it.
17. Take wet cell batteries back
18. Check Mom’s accounts
19. Fix mom’s printer working
20. Hire an accountant for the estate taxes.
21. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
22. Run generators

1. Take equipment to storage.
2. fertilize the lawn
3. put out lawn moss inhibitor
4. add my name to the dog show
5. Buy a hose
6. D Repair radiator on Blue.
7. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
8. Drive to FL
   • Install remote access
   • Install MJ Phone
   • Repair VPN
   • Install Home Assistant
   • Bring back 55″ TV
   • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
9. D Repair the brakes on Blue.
10. Our appt with D Marini. Mar 22nd.
11. Check temperatures for Pahrump pump house every week.
12. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
13. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
14. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
15. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
16. Nancy’s Will, i don’t have a copy but she’s working on it.
17. Take wet cell batteries back
18. Check Mom’s accounts
19. Fix mom’s printer working
20. Hire an accountant for the estate taxes.
21. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
22. Run generators

My HAM radio has waay too much noise and I am stumped why raising the antenna did not help.

1. Take equipment to storage.
2. add my name to the dog show
3. raise my 2M antenna about 25′
   • How much wire is in the garage?
4. D Repair radiator on Blue.
5. Program remote access backup routers for mom.
6. Drive to FL
   • Install remote access
   • Install MJ Phone
   • Repair VPN
   • Install Home Assistant
   • Bring framed picture from Thanksgiving.
7. D Repair the brakes on Blue.
8. Our appt with D Marini. Mar 22nd.
9. Check temperatures for Pahrump pump house every week.
10. Two 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from Newark Electronics.
11. Two more 8GB Raspberry Pi’s are ordered from DigiKey
12. Floss, banana, Meds and toes.
13. Register with IRS as an administrator of an estate.
14. Nancy’s Will, i don’t have a copy but she’s working on it.
15. Arizona Land
16. Take wet cell batteries back
17. Check Mom’s accounts
18. Fix mom’s printer working
19. Hire an accountant for the estate taxes.
20. Hire a lawyer for Arizona.
21. Run generators

I am still working/improving my solar powered sensor in the back yard. This has been a learning experience; solar panels produce significantly less power than I expected. Streaks of cloudy days have also been longer than I had anticipated. (Like six cloudy days that could not provide 10WH/Day of power from 20W of solar panel.)

The temp sensor is in the PVC pipe and the batteries+charger circuits are in the tub.

I now have a working timer that turns on/off the sensor SBC so that it runs for 1/10th the time. (And 1/10th the power consumption.) Now we’re at 20W of solar, 192WH of battery to support 1.3WH/Day. (20W@5Hr=100WH with full sun)

The first timer was so short that the SBC A/D never arrived at the battery voltage.

To lengthen the “ON” time, I changed to a 220 uF capacitor which also increased the overall time to 19 Minutes.

The next challenge was the weather is not sunny and the batteries are depleted so I charged them manually today.

The 2x 10W solar panels are providing more power than the sensor is consuming even on a cloudy day. I know that because the voltage is rising, albeit slowly.

Next thing I want to know is current, charted current. The input of these 8266 boards is a 1/3 divider (Since the internal voltages are 3 V)

Days and Days of little or no sun have taken their toll on the batteries.

The left (Darker) side is where the timer was 9 minutes, the right side the timer is 30 minutes. The ratio/power consumption is the same since it stays on longer with the 30-minute timer. The only difference is that the longer period allows the measured voltage to achieve quiescence. (Not changing/more accurate.)

Tuesday Feb 14th, Valentines Day.

Wife cooked us up some eggs for breakfast. It was a very pretty day today.

The FCC sent me my license to operate and my callsign this morning. I got to work on getting my 2M radio setup. It took about 2 hours to run the coax through the attic, into the garage and through the garage wall into my cave. I thought I had to remove several cables from that opening to allow the connector though the wall. (Those wires powered the most critical items in my network so they could be run on solar. As it turns it out, the connector still didn’t fit and pulling the power wires out was a waste of time.)

I am terribly forgetful, so I printed a couple labels with my call sign and the “Phonic Equivalent” so that it is readily available.

I need to come up with a way of recording the audio from the radio for instant playback. It would also be handy to capture the frequency on the display if I am scanning.

Thursday 16 Feb 2023