<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">HI Peter,<div><br></div><div>It was definitely that blog - Anthony wiht the Makassarese scripts.... Agree totally about the potential of Android devices. Perhaps the most exciting is the Motorola Atrix 4G. It, too, has dual core processors. More phone than tablet, the most interesting part about it is its ability to dock and allow you to interact with it in a much more familiar way when you get back to your desk. (<a href="http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/Motorola-ATRIX-US-EN">http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/Motorola-ATRIX-US-EN</a>). With the ease with which people in developing countries can acquire and gain connectivity on a mobile device, it will definitely drive the market towards better mobile devices like these. To explain why they're more attractive than a PC to get on the net with, Kenya has 5.5 million mobile subscribers and less than a quarter of a million grid-connected homes. Mobile devices will definitely begin to be designed for users in the developing world with markets like this. </div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br><div><div>On 10/02/2011, at 7:56 AM, Peter Austin wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div>Xavier<br><br>I don't use an iPad myself -- perhaps you're thinking of my blog post<br>(<a href="http://bit.ly/hfdEBb">http://bit.ly/hfdEBb</a>) which described and illustrated Anthony Jukes'<br>use of an iPad during his recent fieldwork in Indonesia.<br><br>I am waiting to have a look at the new Android tablets running<br>Honeycomb that are reported to be coming on the market soon, like the<br>Motorola Xoom -- they will have dual core processors and an open<br>architecture plus card slots and a proper file system so look<br>potentially more attractive than the walled garden Apple approach. It<br>would be interesting to test one in the field under "normal" work<br>conditions, perhaps with a wireless keyboard in use as well.<br><br>Peter<br><br>On 9 February 2011 10:24, Xavier Barker <<a href="mailto:meibitobure.gaunibwe@gmail.com">meibitobure.gaunibwe@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br><blockquote type="cite">Agree with the battery-life issue. With the wireless and bluetooth turned<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">off, you might get close to six hours on a full charge with a macbook,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">slightly less (around 4) with the MBP. Battery life seems to have been<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">negatively effected by the update to 10.6.6 as well. Either way, with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">careful management of your Apple battery, you still shouldn't expect much<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">more than four hours. On the PC side, i can confirm an INspiron mini and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Aspire One 753 will both get me through most of the day without a charge.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> THat means i put it through about eight hours of 'work' (most of what i do<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">is through a browser or vnc client. Hardly fair to suggest i'm putting it<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">through its paces). The best bit about the netbook is that 19V models, as<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">i've said, will run happily in a 12V DC environment without the need for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">inversion.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">At 12 hours battery life plus, can i not convince anyone of the likely<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">benefit of an iPad over a PC/Mac? if you're considering a netbook, you give<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">away processing power for size/weight/power consumption anyway, so the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">argument for facility/greater functionality is probably not going to hold<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">up. It works for some already - did i read Peter Austin is using it? I know<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I can perform most of my duties on an iPad just as well as my MBP or a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">netbook.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On 09/02/2011, at 11:39 PM, Jeremy Hammond wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi all,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Your looking for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://www.hypershop.com/HyperMac-External-Battery-for-MacBook-iPad-iPhone-">http://www.hypershop.com/HyperMac-External-Battery-for-MacBook-iPad-iPhone-</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">USB-s/91.htm which includes external power solutions.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">If you just want to charge your MBP then this<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://www.hypershop.com/HyperMac-Pure-DC-Car-Charger-for-MacBook-p/mbp-car">http://www.hypershop.com/HyperMac-Pure-DC-Car-Charger-for-MacBook-p/mbp-car</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">.htm is what you want.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">They have just changed their line up but it seems as if a new version to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">charge the MBP from auto power is coming in March.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Having said that, MBPs are not the most energy efficient beasts in the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">world. A PC is better suited to low-power situations.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Jeremy<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">-------------------------------<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Jeremy Hammond<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Syntax, Typology and Information Structure Group<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">P: +31-24-3521171<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">E: <a href="mailto:Jeremy.Hammond@mpi.nl">Jeremy.Hammond@mpi.nl</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">W: <a href="http://www.mpi.nl/people/hammond-jeremy">http://www.mpi.nl/people/hammond-jeremy</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On 9/02/11 1:18 PM, "Post, Mark" <<a href="mailto:mark.post@jcu.edu.au">mark.post@jcu.edu.au</a>> wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi All -<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Just briefly, further to the issue of running MacBook Pros off of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">external power sources, as far as I'm aware there are two options as far<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">as cables go: one, a magsafe car lighter adaptor, which you have to buy<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">from Apple so it's expensive, and the other a direct magsafe-to-battery<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">cable (if you're using a li-ion), which I believe is made by third<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">parties and is cheaper. As far as I'm aware, *neither* option will let<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">you *charge* the MacBook battery, it will just allow you to *run* it.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Obviously, this is not very good if you're trying to accumulate a backup<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">charge and can't afford many li-ions (or just wish that the MacBook's<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">internal battery, which is otherwise very good, was more than useless<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">weight in this situation!). I was told that the second type of cable<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">would somehow bypass this Apple design quirk, but I can't see evidence<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">that this is the case. If anyone knows any different, I would very much<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">appreciate hearing about it.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cheers from Pasighat,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Mark<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Mark W. Post, PhD<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Anthropological Linguistics<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">James Cook University<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cairns QLD 4878 Australia<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">TEL (AU): +61-7-4042-1881<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">TEL (IN): +91-89746-64180<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://jamescook.academia.edu/markwpost">http://jamescook.academia.edu/markwpost</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">***I am on fieldwork in Arunachal Pradesh until late April 2011 and can<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(hopefully) be reached on +91-897664180. Keep trying.***<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">________________________________________<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">From: <a href="mailto:r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au">r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au</a> [r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au] On Behalf Of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Frances Kofod [fkofod@bigpond.net.au]<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Sent: Wednesday, February 09, 2011 7:43 AM<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">To: Margaret Carew<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cc: r-n-l-d<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Subject: Re: Solar panels<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi Margaret,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I don't have solar due to the the cost but do have a Toyota Hilux and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">a Belkin AC/DC inverter that runs from the cigarette lighter. It is<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">good for charging small things like the camera battery and my mobile<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">phone but not good enough to charge the computer. The computer will go<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">if the engine is running. This is good for a short time eg downloading<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Flash cards if all are full but is a pain for any longer.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I hope to hear if you are successful and which solar panel you get.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cheers<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Frances<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On 09/02/2011, at 9:39 AM, Margaret Carew wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I'm currently preparing for a trip where I plan to be self-<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">sufficient with power, running a WAECO fridge, macbook pro (or<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">perhaps an alternative, depending on power usage) and lights. The<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">one thing I'll have that isn't in the previous lists of requirements<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">is a diesel engine (in my Toyota). I plan to have two batteries, one<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">set up to trickle charge from a solar panel. I'll be driving pretty<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">often, which will charge the batteries also. Will run the appliances<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">from the back up battery and keep the other battery to start the car<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">with.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">WOuld be interested in hearing from anyone who's successfully run a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">set up like this (solar boosted Toyota Hilux) - any traps or pitfalls?<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cheers, Marg Carew<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">-----Original Message-----<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">From: <a href="mailto:r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au">r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au</a> on behalf of Frances Kofod<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Sent: Fri 28/01/2011 09:26<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">To: Post, Mark<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cc: Xavier Barker; Aidan Wilson; r-n-l-d<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Subject: Re: Solar panels<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi All,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I investigated what I would need to use my MacBook Pro if I went<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">camping in the bush. Someone directed me to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://www.multipoweredproducts.com.au">www.multipoweredproducts.com.au</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">They have lots of good things on the site including the Solar Gorilla<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">and were very helpful when I spoke with them Unfortunately I cannot<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">afford the recommended setup at present. I would still like to do it<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">some time.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I have pasted below the recommendations for the MacBook Pro.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Good luck all<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Frances<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">From: "Multi-Powered Products" <<a href="mailto:sharon@multipoweredproducts.com.au">sharon@multipoweredproducts.com.au</a>><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Date: 12 July 2010 10:39:19 AM<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">To: <<a href="mailto:fkofod@bigpond.net.au">fkofod@bigpond.net.au</a>>, "'John Devitt'"<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><<a href="mailto:info@multipoweredproducts.com.au">info@multipoweredproducts.com.au</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Subject: RE: Someone submitted the form from your 'Contact us' page<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi Frances<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Further to our conversation this morning, just trying to sum up.....<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Regarding the Gorilla Combo, the Power Gorilla would be great<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">however if you are relying on solar, it should be noted that the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Solar Gorilla only draws about 10w of power, so it would take quite<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">a long time to charge the Power Gorilla up. We would be happy to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">provide a Magsafe connector for your Mac Book Pro free of charge<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">should you choose this option.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">The other option we spoke about was a combination of the Tekkeon<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Battery and one of the large Global Solar panels. Typically laptops<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">use around 50 - 60w of power so it makes sense to use a more<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">powerful panel, we recommend a minimum of 30w.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">You would need the following:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Tekkeon Battery $265<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Global Solar P3 30w Panel $799 OR a Global Solar P3 62W Panel<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">$1450.00<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Charge Controller $99<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Mac Book adapter $14.95<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Please let us know if you still have questions after reading the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">information above.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Kind regards<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Sharon<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Multi-Powered Products<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(A Division of John Devitt & Associates Pty Ltd)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">P.O. Box 550<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Balgowlah<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Sydney, NSW 2093<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Australia.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Tel: 1300 883335 (within Australia)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Tel: 61 (0)2 6495 9927<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Fax: 61 (0)2 6495 9922<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">email: <a href="mailto:info@multipoweredproducts.com.au">info@multipoweredproducts.com.au</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">website: <a href="http://www.multipoweredproducts.com.au">www.multipoweredproducts.com.au</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On 28/01/2011, at 12:01 AM, Post, Mark wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi All -<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I'll add two cents from the mountains, where I'm trying hard to be<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">minimalist: Solar Traveller (UK) has come out with some reasonably<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">good Li-ion batteries called "Power Gorillas" with lots of included<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">adaptors (but make sure you get the right one for your laptop) and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">variable output 8v/9v/12v/19v/24v (would be nice to have a 5v, but<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">oh well). I power a Lenovo x61 8cell to about 80% with one full<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">charge, which gives me 5-8 hrs using Toolbox and MSWord on low-power<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">mode (about 4-5 if transcribing), and if I had the money to buy one<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">of the new solid-state Lenovos, I'd presumably have more. With two<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Power Gorillas, I have enough additional power for 12v AA/AAA and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">camcorder battery chargers via car lighter adaptors (included with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">the Gorillas), and don't need AC at all (so no inverter). And the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Power Gorillas can take a 20v input, so I don't need a charge<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">regulator (unlike with a lead acid battery). Power Gorillas are<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">designed to work with 20w "Solar Gorilla" solar panels, which,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">however, in the mountains (no more than 5 hrs peak sun) don't give<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">me enough charge even when daisy-chained. Also, I've found that they<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">don't work well by directly-inputting into some laptops, despite<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">that this is what they're designed for, especially when 19v laptops<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">are powered-on. However, I've found that a 60w flexible panel well-<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">placed charges one Solar Gorilla in about 3 hrs of peak sun, and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">another 1-2 hrs gives the other a good run. So far, I haven't run<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">out of power yet, and I'm using everything pretty heavily.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">So the setup I'd recommend for people interested in avoiding lead<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">acid batteries and firm solar panels is:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">1) 60w flexible panel<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">2) 1 or 2 Power Gorillas, depending on peak sun hours at field site,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">plus any add'l adaptors needed<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">3) 12v chargers with car lighter adaptor cables for AA/AAA and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">camcorder batteries, of which cheap copies (buy some backups!) are<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">available on Ebay etc.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">The whole setup weighs about 2-3kg not including whatever laptop you<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">have, but is a bit pricey at about AUD $1000-1400 depending on where<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">you buy everything. So it is really a reasonably well-funded<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">fieldworker's set up rather than a practical community-oriented<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">solution.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">One additional point is that this setup doesn't work very well for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Mac users, as Macs can only run off the Power Gorillas (via a car<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">lighter adaptor), and can't charge the internal battery. This seems<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">to be an Apple design quirk which probably won't go away.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cheers from Arunachal,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Mark<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Mark W. Post, PhD<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in Anthropological Linguistics<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">James Cook University<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cairns QLD 4878 Australia<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">TEL (AU): +61-7-4042-1881<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">TEL (IN): +91-89746-64180<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><a href="http://jamescook.academia.edu/markwpost">http://jamescook.academia.edu/markwpost</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">***I am on fieldwork in Arunachal Pradesh until late April 2011 and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">can (hopefully) be reached on +91-897664180. Keep trying.***<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">________________________________________<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">From: <a href="mailto:r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au">r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au</a> [r-n-l-d@unimelb.edu.au] On Behalf Of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Xavier Barker [meibitobure.gaunibwe@gmail.com]<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Sent: Thursday, January 27, 2011 5:44 AM<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">To: Aidan Wilson<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Cc: r-n-l-d<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Subject: Re: Solar panels<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Spot on! Check him out on <a href="http://www.servalproject.org/">http://www.servalproject.org/</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><<a href="http://www.servalproject.org/">http://www.servalproject.org/</a>><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On 27/01/2011, at 10:56 AM, Aidan Wilson wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">This (the stuff on the finemespot.com<<a href="http://finemespot.com">http://finemespot.com</a>><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">website, not the lab-in-the-case stuff) seems reminiscent of an<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">invention I saw on the New Inventors (ABC Australia) about this<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">system, in which a portable mobile coverage tower is rolled out to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">areas after disasters (Haiti was the most recent disaster at the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">time and was the cited example) which would allow people to connect<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">to one another and call emergency numbers while the normal towers<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">are non-functional. The benefit of the system was that users<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">retained their regular numbers and could therefore call one another<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">in the effectively closed system. And calls inside the cell network<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">are free since it never goes to a telco.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I'm going entirely off memory here, so I might be getting a couple<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">of details wrong, and can't remember what it's called. And I'm also<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">getting significantly off-topic...<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">--<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Aidan Wilson<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">PhD Candidate<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Dept of Linguistics and Applied Linguistics<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">The University of Melbourne<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">+61428 458 969<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">aidan.wilson@unimelb.edu.au<<a href="mailto:aidan.wilson@unimelb.edu.au">mailto:aidan.wilson@unimelb.edu.au</a>><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On Thu, 27 Jan 2011, Xavier Barker wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Hi all,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">As always, i can offer no practical fieldwork advice, but...<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Our company provides small mobile internet connected computer labs<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">in a suitcase (or, rather, pelican case) to a number of schools<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">in off-grid parts of Uganda. We fit 11 netbooks with 9 cell<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">batteries and a single loom charger. Most netbooks are designed to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">draw 19V, but we have no problem at all fitting the loom directly to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">a 12V battery and providing DC power. With this<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">lab-in-a-case, we are able to provide fully internet-connected(3G/<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">gprs/edge/sat (with a SPOT<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(<a href="http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=116">http://www.findmespot.com/en/index.php?cid=116</a>)) to places that<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">have no power. The system is able to be used for about 5 hours<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">without a charge, but a whole day oif trickle charging from solar.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Whilst this solution works for getting everything charged at a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">base station where solar panels can be permanently fixed, there are<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">also a number of really good portable options. Keeping in mind that<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">the netbooks will run fine on 12V DC (as will small desktop PCs like<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">the Eee Box which can be fitted with a DC<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">LCD monitor), it is possible to rig a 12V folding solar panel<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">directly to the charger of the netbook. Suntech make small folding<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">60W 12V panels but they still weigh about 15kg - not great for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">lugging around. ALternatively, and much better if weight is a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">concern, is the 20W solar-charging laptop bag<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(<a href="http://www.multipoweredproducts.com.au/products/Voltaic-Generator-%252d">http://www.multipoweredproducts.com.au/products/Voltaic-Generator-%252d</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">-Solar-Laptop-Charger-Bag.html<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">). This bag has batteries<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">which will bring your netbook up to a full charge in a day, provided<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">you get about 5 hours of sunlight. It's probably not going to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">be enough to charge a full-sized laptop though. It also has outputs<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">for you to connect 5V USB devices and car-plug options. This<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">means you can plug in a caravan/car/camping style lamp into the case<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">at night and give yourself plenty of power. Cheers,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Xavier<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">On 27/01/2011, at 4:06 AM, Jeremy Hammond wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Hi All,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> I am pretty much in agreement with Tom and have being<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">successfully doing a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> similar setup for the past 3 years in Vanuatu. I also buy lead<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">acid<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> battery in-situ but am considering getting a solar-specific one<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">this year<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> if I can find it in Port Vila. I'll just add 3 points.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 1. Buy a universal battery charger. They are great and means you<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">can<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> really cut down on the amount of chargers you have to take (I.e.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> phone/Camera/AA/video/AAA/USB are all doable with mine). Here is<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">one<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> <a href="http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/shop/camcaddy-cc1005.htm">http://www.solartechnology.co.uk/shop/camcaddy-cc1005.htm</a> but<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">there are<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> different brands/models. You can buy them at most camera stores.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">I just<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> have two of these for all my charging needs (plus my laptop<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">charger of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> course).<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 2. Consider getting solid panels. If you have easy enough access<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">to your<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> fieldsite and have a long term relationship with them then it is<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">an easy<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> process to take it there and set it up on a roof etc. I usually<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">take a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> solid 50W panel with me each time I go so that now I have around<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">150W<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> which should be above 200W this coming year. They are super<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">strong, and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> great long term value. Plus now I leave them there setup with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">LEDs on the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> battery so that people there can use the light at night, even<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">when I'm not<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> there.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 3. While tom suggested the "workman's" light and they are good,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">if you are<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> electrically handy then making your own LED setup is really<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">inexpensive<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> and easy. There are some great yellow ones that are good for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> reading/working by as well. On that note as Tom said, test your<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">setup but<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> also understand how it works. Get a friend who knows something<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">about<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> electronics to explain it to you and when things go wrong, you<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">will be in<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> a much better position to fix it.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Jeremy<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> -------------------------------<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Jeremy Hammond<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Syntax, Typology and Information Structure Group<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> P: +31-24-3521171<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> E: <a href="mailto:Jeremy.Hammond@mpi.nl">Jeremy.Hammond@mpi.nl</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> W: <a href="http://www.mpi.nl/people/hammond-jeremy">http://www.mpi.nl/people/hammond-jeremy</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> On 26/01/11 7:27 AM, "Tom Honeyman" <<a href="mailto:t.honeyman@gmail.com">t.honeyman@gmail.com</a>> wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Hi Jeff,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Despite the negative "reality check" at the end of the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">paper Pat<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> mentions (thanks Pat!, also the paper supersedes the blog<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">posts, but<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> thanks Peter!), I am now quite happily using solar power<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">for fieldwork<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> in Papua New Guinea.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> My current setup (well actually I've dropped/genericised/<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">forgotten a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> few items to simplify!):<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 1 low power netbook (they're all almost exactly the same)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 2x DC adapter for netbook, but also adapters to charge USB<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">devices,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> mobile phones etc also very good<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 2x Li-Ion battery pack chargers (for camera, video camera<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">etc... can<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> be very handy)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 1x DC-DC adapter with multiple plugs (very handy for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">powering all<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> sorts of things if you know what you're doing)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> DC plug adaptors (so I can plug in many things at once)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 50W foldable solar panel<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> charge regulator with load cut-off<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 10x AA NiMH AA batteries<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 8x AA NiMH AAA batteries<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 1x AA/AAA battery charger (charges 10 batteries at once,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">each<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> individually)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 1x AA/AAA battery charger (charges 4 batteries in pairs -<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">this can be<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> a pain if you have a device that uses 3 batteries!)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Head torch and mag-lite - make sure they work with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">rechargeables!<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Often they don't work well with them.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 12v/DC workman's light, fluro or LED based, low power<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">consumption<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> (these are really good for a lot of light!)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> All the regular equipment otherwise (recorders, speakers,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">mike,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> cameras, etc), but make sure they work well with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">rechargeables).<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> And then I also pack the following for fixing stuff (but<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">only if you<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> know what you're doing):<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> fuses, glass and blade with several spares for each device<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">that has one<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> pack of alligator clip wires<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Gaffer tape (often available in country)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> digital multi-meter<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> pocket knife<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> jeweller's screw driver set<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> super glue (often available in country)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> I tend to buy a (preferably deep cycle) lead acid battery<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">in country.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> This let me work for a few hours a day on the laptop, use<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">torches/<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> flashlights at night, and put on a "movie night" once a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">week. Every<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> now and then an activity might come along (like a big<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">recording<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> session, or very rainy weather, or on one occasion my roof<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">blowing<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> off!), which would drain the battery too much. Then I'd<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">have a day or<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> two not using the laptop (far and away the most power<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">hungry).<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> 4 things I'd recommend:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> (a) check _everything_ beforehand. There are many "single<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">points of<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> failure" in a solar setup. That's why its good to have<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">backups, or<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> multiple ways of achieving the same thing.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> (b) get a charge regulator with a load cut off. This<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">magical box will:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> - ensure that the battery is charged properly, dropping<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">the power as<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> it approaches a full charge and cutting the power entirely<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">when the<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> battery is full<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> - stop power flowing back into the panel at night (this is<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">often<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> redundant depending on the panel)<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> - cut the power to your devices when the battery is too low<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Basically this will let you safely run your equipment, but<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">it'll<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> ensure that the battery doesn't fail because you've<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">drained it too<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> much... this is something that is _very_ easy to do. If<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">you know what<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> you're doing then you can drop this, but you'll spend more<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">time<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> managing your power setup and less doing work.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> (c) try to eliminate using AC power. This is costly. I<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">guarantee that<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> you will not have enough power to do all the things that<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">you'd like to<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> do. So this means do not use "wall adapter" plug<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">equipment, use "car<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> adapters" for all of your equipment. The DC adapters for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">charging a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> laptop can often power other equipment. The DC-DC adapter<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">is extremely<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> useful for powering low power equipment. Having these<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">flexible, multi-<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> plug adaptors can be very useful for unexpected scenarios<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">like<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> powering a cassette recorder you've borrowed because your<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">audio<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> equipment fell in the river. Or powering your recorder<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">directly<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> because your batteries or battery chargers have failed for<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">some reason.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> (d) check that the AA/AAA powered equipment works, and<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">works well with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> rechargeable batteries. Rechargeables operate at a lower<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">voltage than<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Alkaline batteries. A lot of equipment is designed for use<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Alkaline batteries, and even though initially they may<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">work fine,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> later in the field you may discover that they have a<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">(seemingly) short<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> life. Digital cameras often are designed to work with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">rechargeables<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> these days (sometimes they last longer with<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">rechargeables), but<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> torches/flashlights for instance are often not.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Hope this helps,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Tom<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> On 26/01/2011, at 3:48 PM, Patrick Hall wrote:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Hi,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Honeyman also coauthored a paper with Laura Robinson<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">on this topic in<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> LD&C which might be of use:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Honeyman, Tom & Laura C. Robinson. 2007. Solar power<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">for the digital<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> fieldworker. Language Documentation & Conservation<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">1(1): 17-27.<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> It's available online:<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> <a href="http://hdl.handle.net/10125/1722">http://hdl.handle.net/10125/1722</a><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> cheers,<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"> Pat<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Frances Kofod<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">PO Box 1918<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Kununurra<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">WA 6743<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">08 91692 852 ~ 0438 894957<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Frances Kofod<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">PO Box 1918<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">Kununurra<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">WA 6743<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite">08 91692 852 ~ 0438 894957<br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><blockquote type="cite"><br></blockquote><br><br><br>-- <br>Prof Peter K. Austin<br>Marit Rausing Chair in Field Linguistics<br>Department of Linguistics, SOAS<br>Thornhaugh Street, Russell Square<br>London WC1H 0XG<br>United Kingdom<br><br>web: <a href="http://www.hrelp.org/aboutus/staff/index.php?cd=pa">http://www.hrelp.org/aboutus/staff/index.php?cd=pa</a><br></div></blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>