Running Flex 6xxx on SOTA or POTA -- laptop power options?

VE7ATJ_Don

I've read a number of entries where people talk about taking their Flex 6xxx to field day, SOTA or POTA activations.  I'm wondering how people power their laptops in the latter situations?  Do you just rely on the laptop's battery, or have you found some way of providing outboard power to the laptop? (other than converting outboard battery to 120VAC then plugging in the laptop's power adapter).  I know it's not directly Flex related, but I'm really hoping to try out my 6500 on my next camping trip and need some ideas for the laptop.  Thanks for your help.

K1DLM

When we used the Flex Radios at Field Day, we were running off Honda EU2000 Generators.  If you want to run your laptop off a battery, there are a wide range of 12v DC to DC power converters available for laptops.  Lind Electronics makes some that I've used in the past that are nice quality but expensive.

KENT HUFFORD

Field Day, we just plug the laptop ac adapter into 120vac. POTA, I had a power cord that plugged into the car 12vdc socket and to the laptop. Found it on AMAZON.

Mark WS7M

Depending upon the laptop you use, you can use this device:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B071RD2S6B/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

To step up from 12V to whatever your laptop desires.  In some cases the easiest answer but not most efficient is to simply use a 12V to ???V inverter that will support the wattage of your laptop charger.

Last field day I oped my laptop, inverter, FT991A at full 100w off of two 12V sealed batteries from Harbor Freight and a folding solar charge panel for more than 5 hours without any issues.

Night time ops will strain things more without a doubt.  Our goal last year was to stay completely battery and solar.  To make it through the night which we did not do last June we probably will need a small generator.

K5CG

I purchased a 12V to 19V inverter made for laptop to do this exact thing in the field but it was very RF noisy. I think most laptops would run on 12V from a car battery anyway. Don't forget the fuse!

Ted VE3TRQ

Not really laptop related, but the Intel NUC I use as a shack computer came with a 19V DC supply (same as my laptop), and looking at the specs for it, found it would run from 12 to 24V DC. I put it on my shack supply, and all is good. Now I need the monitors to also run from the shack 13.8V :-) is

Mark WS7M

Well you could look into one of those small USB powered displays.  It would be pretty small but it would work!

Ted VE3TRQ

I have a 28" and a 24" monitor :-( not about to downgrade. But I have heard there are monitors powered by wall warts - that'd be good enough for me. And absolutely, for field use, a couple of those small USB-powered monitors might just do the trick.

DH2ID

We use the GETAC S400. Very reliable and water resistant.

K5CG

Yes the NUC runs fine on 13VDC and so do some LCD monitors.

Like the LG 29UM67-P which even has built in speakers for the audio over HDMI or DisplayPort.

John WA7UAR

I like the GETAC line too. I choose the V110 because it also included hot swappable batteries with options for GPS and network cell service in the field. https://us.getac.com/notebooks/v110/features.html