I agree with the others. This is not straying at all from your themes. It's 100% on track. I would love more fat bike/ebike/pota type videos. All of that stuff is just way fun.
Julian, I've been a long time subscriber and patreon. I love your content, absolutely including your fat (phat?) bike discussions and your RV as well! While I live in suburbia with no place to bug out to, and thus have my own strategies for a variety of disasters, your experiments and thought experiments both are incredibly inspirational and useful to me. Please keep it up!
Great stuff is always, Julian. Thanks for sharing. I just got an e-bike upgrade a couple weeks ago, but haven't geared up to do this sort of thing with it yet. As for your feedback request about more deployments with the fat bike, I'm a bit indifferent - I like following your adventures however you get there. 🙂👍
I have been waiting for this video. Your theme has always been man portable emergency(fill in the blank). I you have an emergency, what better way to to move than with a renewable fuel source for your transportation, that also charges your communication. Right on topic!
Yes! Please do more videos on your E-bike! I am using a Trek Farley 7 with a CYC mid drive motor. But I have not upgraded yet to a coho cart, which will be in my next phase for bike packing with my ham rig. Captain Mike KE8TYC
Nice video, many years ago in the UK i had a President Veep on my bike , power was a old car battery in a old wooded box on the back carrier antenna was a DV27 & Firestick, 56CT004 OULU
Justin: I think your video focused on your fat-bike battery charging strategy is only a v-e-r-y short distance off-topic from field-expedient RF comms and power strategies. IMHO, anything re exploiting solar power in the field is ON topic for RF comms. Always enjoy your videos even if you are just a former Jarhead. ;-)
Excellent setup Sir. I have been using my Fatbike and trailer to drag my radio gear, batteries etc around South West Scotland but getting older and slower so Human Powered travel range is becoming very limited. Looking at options available for either a bolt on Ebike conversion kit for a while but not that impressed with kits that will fit a fatbike. I have almost given up and started collection components to build my own custom system to fit my existing fatbike. Currently only have a small 65W portable solar panel and a selection of Li-Ion and LiPo battery packs and a 250W motor and modified controller recycled from an old scrapped Ebike Now saving up to get better solar panel and battery with goal to get the system up and running for next summer and I can get back on HF and try to bag a few more summits and grid squares that I simply cannot reach in sensible time span under my own leg power. Looking forward to seeing more of Your HAM adventures on the Fat-E-Bike. All the best de MM7WAB IO75sj
Ditto, please share more about your eBike + Ham Radio adventures including power systems to keep all the batteries charged. I ran into a neighbor yesterday who just bought a fat eBike to extend his own 2-wheel adventures in an urban-suburban area at 26 degrees north. I'm intrigued at what an eBike might do to enhance my QRP adventures using my IC-705. Living near the Gulf of Mexico in SW Florida I can operate portable near saltwater. Getting to the water is half the fun. Getting there on an eBike would be even more fun! If I can get there AND BACK after charging my eBike in the field while operating portable radio, so much the better. I'll be watching for more of your eBike adventures. 73, Paul - N4FTD
Thank you for opening my mind. Funny how our mindset can narrow on it's own from habit without us noticing... I've been interested in electric bikes, but the self-made hurdle has been their voltage. My logic has been all my radio and other gear is 12v and 12v isn't a reasonable option for e bikes. I just needed this gentle reminder that all I needed was a simple relatively inexpensive charge controller and the rest of my solar kit would work just fine with a bike in the field. *slaps myself on the forehead.... BTW, also thank you for introducing me to Genasun! I have them in my camper and a battery box or two. Fantastic products.
lol the timing on this one! I just picked up Wired fat bike a few days ago. Was having a hard time sourcing an appropriate charge controller as it’s a 60v battery. 16 cells in series, for a fully charged voltage of 67.2v. Unfortunately Genasun doesn’t provide anything able to output the voltage I needed. I ended up purchasing an Eco-Worthy adjustable voltage MPPT charge controller. Haven’t had a chance to test it yet, but we’ll see how it goes. Great video! Oh, and what top box is that?
Hi Julian, excellent as always. Question: What Winlink Express propagation parameters do you use for these field station set ups? I'm currently using 4 watt phaser transceivers on 20 and 80 meters and would like to improve the predictions. 73 de Jim.
Hi Julian. What is the capacity of the E Bike battery? And how long does it take to get a full charge with your current set up? Let's say at 20% remaining in the battery. Thanks!
@ does do this automatically or require you to set it? Thanks for the awesome info. Got me into a fat bike and now looking at the solar options for it.
Also, I only found the GZR on a Finnish website? Is there a link to the bike? I have found the AMYET bikes available that are similar but not mid drive for the easy rear wheel replacement. Edit: Also, I just saw the end of the video where you say you're in Finland. Much clearer now why you ride the GZR. Ha!
Yes the solar panels are expensive but there is the Genasun kit featured on the channel earlier this gear. That solar panel is easier on the pocketbook, but not quite as portable. Take a look. th-cam.com/video/PR893unyMog/w-d-xo.htmlsi=6d7OKkCk_bJ3Ly_M
Excellent question. Fat bike is a type of bike. It has 26 x 4-5 inch "Fat Tires". The tires are much wider than a traditional mountain bike, allowing them to float over sand snow or other types of terrain. The rolling resistance is pretty high but the darn things will go almost anywhere. The actual brand of the bike is GZR.
Remember, these bikes are a LOT heavier than your typical mountain bike so lifting & pedaling is a lot of effort. Also, you won't typically get a 15 or 18 speed shifter. (Usually 7). My USA made Lectric brand 2 wheeler is 65 lbs (30 KG).
I agree with the others. This is not straying at all from your themes. It's 100% on track. I would love more fat bike/ebike/pota type videos. All of that stuff is just way fun.
Outstanding! Perhaps I was just overthinking it.
You guys are awesome 👍
@@OH8STNDefinitely more on this type of content.
Yut!
Absolutely brilliant. That is exactly the type of operational flexibility that I want in my set-up. Kudos Julian.
Thanks Jeff. I believe an e-bike makes no sense, unless it can be charged off grid. 👍
Thanks for watching.
73
Julian oh8stn
Julian, I've been a long time subscriber and patreon. I love your content, absolutely including your fat (phat?) bike discussions and your RV as well! While I live in suburbia with no place to bug out to, and thus have my own strategies for a variety of disasters, your experiments and thought experiments both are incredibly inspirational and useful to me. Please keep it up!
Great stuff is always, Julian. Thanks for sharing. I just got an e-bike upgrade a couple weeks ago, but haven't geared up to do this sort of thing with it yet.
As for your feedback request about more deployments with the fat bike, I'm a bit indifferent - I like following your adventures however you get there. 🙂👍
Thank you Max 🙏
73
Julian oh8stn
I have been waiting for this video. Your theme has always been man portable emergency(fill in the blank). I you have an emergency, what better way to to move than with a renewable fuel source for your transportation, that also charges your communication. Right on topic!
100% more E-bike expeditions! Great stuff once again.. always enjoy watching your videos.
Yes! Please do more videos on your E-bike!
I am using a Trek Farley 7 with a CYC mid drive motor. But I have not upgraded yet to a coho cart, which will be in my next phase for bike packing with my ham rig.
Captain Mike
KE8TYC
Such good info as always!😊
Great content Julian! Love everything your into. Don't change a thing.
Nice video, many years ago in the UK i had a President Veep on my bike , power was a old car battery in a old wooded box on the back carrier antenna was a DV27 & Firestick,
56CT004
OULU
Nice job on the video Julian, From KJ7JYJ and an avid Ebike Owner, battery Chemistry and Ham.
My dude thank you
Justin: I think your video focused on your fat-bike battery charging strategy is only a v-e-r-y short distance off-topic from field-expedient RF comms and power strategies. IMHO, anything re exploiting solar power in the field is ON topic for RF comms. Always enjoy your videos even if you are just a former Jarhead. ;-)
Thank you for that and thanks for the kindness. I was a bit afraid that this would turn people off.
73
Julian oh8stn
@@OH8STNno such thing as a former Marine.
The Navy has a fine fight force.
Gotta admire the Marines.
@@jimpiper5297 who is Justin? I think you meant Julian.
Excellent setup Sir. I have been using my Fatbike and trailer to drag my radio gear, batteries etc around South West Scotland but getting older and slower so Human Powered travel range is becoming very limited. Looking at options available for either a bolt on Ebike conversion kit for a while but not that impressed with kits that will fit a fatbike. I have almost given up and started collection components to build my own custom system to fit my existing fatbike. Currently only have a small 65W portable solar panel and a selection of Li-Ion and LiPo battery packs and a 250W motor and modified controller recycled from an old scrapped Ebike Now saving up to get better solar panel and battery with goal to get the system up and running for next summer and I can get back on HF and try to bag a few more summits and grid squares that I simply cannot reach in sensible time span under my own leg power. Looking forward to seeing more of Your HAM adventures on the Fat-E-Bike. All the best de MM7WAB IO75sj
Been hoping for this too come up on a video 👀👍
Excellent info. 73 from Richard, G6EQJ.
I'm looking forward to this one.
Like the electric bike video!
Great video. Thanks!
You're very welcome 🙏
Ditto, please share more about your eBike + Ham Radio adventures including power systems to keep all the batteries charged. I ran into a neighbor yesterday who just bought a fat eBike to extend his own 2-wheel adventures in an urban-suburban area at 26 degrees north. I'm intrigued at what an eBike might do to enhance my QRP adventures using my IC-705. Living near the Gulf of Mexico in SW Florida I can operate portable near saltwater. Getting to the water is half the fun. Getting there on an eBike would be even more fun! If I can get there AND BACK after charging my eBike in the field while operating portable radio, so much the better. I'll be watching for more of your eBike adventures. 73, Paul - N4FTD
Thank you for opening my mind. Funny how our mindset can narrow on it's own from habit without us noticing...
I've been interested in electric bikes, but the self-made hurdle has been their voltage. My logic has been all my radio and other gear is 12v and 12v isn't a reasonable option for e bikes. I just needed this gentle reminder that all I needed was a simple relatively inexpensive charge controller and the rest of my solar kit would work just fine with a bike in the field. *slaps myself on the forehead....
BTW, also thank you for introducing me to Genasun! I have them in my camper and a battery box or two. Fantastic products.
This video is a great topic. I've been looking for some off grid ways to charge my Juiced Rip Current S.
Yes, more fat bike stuff
lol the timing on this one! I just picked up Wired fat bike a few days ago. Was having a hard time sourcing an appropriate charge controller as it’s a 60v battery. 16 cells in series, for a fully charged voltage of 67.2v. Unfortunately Genasun doesn’t provide anything able to output the voltage I needed. I ended up purchasing an Eco-Worthy adjustable voltage MPPT charge controller. Haven’t had a chance to test it yet, but we’ll see how it goes. Great video!
Oh, and what top box is that?
Hi Julian, excellent as always. Question: What Winlink Express propagation parameters do you use for these field station set ups? I'm currently using 4 watt phaser transceivers on 20 and 80 meters and would like to improve the predictions. 73 de Jim.
Hi Julian. What is the capacity of the E Bike battery? And how long does it take to get a full charge with your current set up? Let's say at 20% remaining in the battery. Thanks!
How do you avoid overcharging the battery?
That is the job of the charge controller.
@ does do this automatically or require you to set it? Thanks for the awesome info. Got me into a fat bike and now looking at the solar options for it.
@robertalonzo5725 it's totally automatic 👍
Also, I only found the GZR on a Finnish website? Is there a link to the bike? I have found the AMYET bikes available that are similar but not mid drive for the easy rear wheel replacement.
Edit: Also, I just saw the end of the video where you say you're in Finland. Much clearer now why you ride the GZR. Ha!
Do your self a favor an get a big seat .or problem's you won't like come .👍✅
Yes after the first ride I threw the default seat in the trash, then bought a wider gel seat. Jingle Bells were happy after that 🤣👍.
Great video as always! However, for over $1500 for the solar panel alone, this project is WAY too much for my budget.
Yes the solar panels are expensive but there is the Genasun kit featured on the channel earlier this gear. That solar panel is easier on the pocketbook, but not quite as portable. Take a look.
th-cam.com/video/PR893unyMog/w-d-xo.htmlsi=6d7OKkCk_bJ3Ly_M
@@OH8STN Thanks for that Julian. Does anyone know of a way to build a foldable panel, instead of buying one? Or, does it not make sense economically.
👍👍
Is "fat bike" a brand name, or just what you call it?
Excellent question. Fat bike is a type of bike. It has 26 x 4-5 inch "Fat Tires". The tires are much wider than a traditional mountain bike, allowing them to float over sand snow or other types of terrain. The rolling resistance is pretty high but the darn things will go almost anywhere. The actual brand of the bike is GZR.
As long as my old knackered Joints are still able to haul my 100lbs heavy Radio Trailer....NO motorized Bike for Uncle Günter
Off-grid and off-gas station!
Off-topic? I think transportation to get to a location to be portable is highly on-topic.
Thanks for saying so. I won't be so nervous to post these kind of videos in the future. Thank you 🙏
Remember, these bikes are a LOT heavier than your typical mountain bike so lifting & pedaling is a lot of effort. Also, you won't typically get a 15 or 18 speed shifter. (Usually 7). My USA made Lectric brand 2 wheeler is 65 lbs (30 KG).