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Solar chargers

I have a mophie. I get 3 charges out of it and where I hunt if I leave it on for emergencies it just drains my phone all day without using it so it's nice to have

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I am old school. I have a battery pack charger for my iPhone 6. Yup, have to teather to it. I know, I know that puts me 3 years behind in technology.

But then again I remember when I went out for several days or a week and we had no cell phones.

***You don’t need a cell phone to hunt. ***

When I graduated college you were lucky to have a pager and a fistful of Quarter’s to use a pay phone. We never thought we needed a portable phone.

Car phones were well over a grand, most were about 2k . Each call was a minimum $0.25 per minute; if you were lucky enough to have a good plan.

People would literally buy antennas and put them on their cars just for prestige, because most people could not afford a car phone.

Now think about how much time you spend on your phone and computer for work. The average worker is much more efficient making themselves (if your self employed) or their companies much more $$. The downsizing of corporations because of technology. Yet on average it has not translated into People making more $$.

Sometimes it is good to put the technology away and just enjoy what God has given us to enjoy while we are in the field.
 
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bigjoe said:
I am old school. I have a battery pack charger for my iPhone 6. Yup, have to teather to it. I know, I know that puts me 3 years behind in technology.

But then again I remember when I went out for several days or a week and we had no cell phones.

***You don’t need a cell phone to hunt. ***

When I graduated college you were lucky to have a pager and a fistful of Quarter’s to use a pay phone. We never thought we needed a portable phone.

Car phones were well over a grand, most were about 2k . Each call was a minimum $0.25 per minute; if you were lucky enough to have a good plan.

People would literally buy antennas and put them on their cars just for prestige, because most people could not afford a car phone.

Now think about how much time you spend on your phone and computer for work. The average worker is much more efficient making themselves (if your self employed) or their companies much more $$. The downsizing of corporations because of technology. Yet on average it has not translated into People making more $$.

Sometimes it is good to put the technology away and just enjoy what God has given us to enjoy while we are in the field.
Click to expand...

Most of the time I don’t have enough service to play on my phone. My phone is my gps. I never had a pager and my 1st cell phone wasn’t until after college. I’ll admit, I’m spoiled now. To have a gps,camera, music and a possible phone service all in one is a great weight saving device. I keep a battery pack with me if I need to charge my phone which I rarely need but it’s nice to know it’s there.
I’m just thinking if I ever make this DIY elk hunt, I will be away from my vehicle for over a week. I’ll need to recharge the battery pack.
I’ve seen the battery packs the size of your phone with a solar panel connected. Great idea but I read many reviews that it may take a week of sun to recharge itself completely. So maybe a bigger fold up panel is what I need. Just wanted some 1st hand reviews.
 
Now, with everything I just posted. I would tell you if you do not keep your phone on your possession while hunting you are foolish. When I fell I was in pretty good physical shape. That was my saving grace. I had my phone with me but no cell service in the area I was in. There is no excuse from a safety stand point not to be in possession of your phone.
 
swampsnyper said:
Most of the time I don’t have enough service to play on my phone. My phone is my gps. I never had a pager and my 1st cell phone wasn’t until after college. I’ll admit, I’m spoiled now. To have a gps,camera, music and a possible phone service all in one is a great weight saving device. I keep a battery pack with me if I need to charge my phone which I rarely need but it’s nice to know it’s there.
I’m just thinking if I ever make this DIY elk hunt, I will be away from my vehicle for over a week. I’ll need to recharge the battery pack.
I’ve seen the battery packs the size of your phone with a solar panel connected. Great idea but I read many reviews that it may take a week of sun to recharge itself completely. So maybe a bigger fold up panel is what I need. Just wanted some 1st hand reviews.
Click to expand...

I like the idea of a cellular charger.

Shoot I am spoiled now as well. I use my phone for everything as well. I think most people do now
 
I have a goal zero charger but have never used it. I usually pack two large battery packs from anker. I can get 2-3 charges from each one. That let's me go several days without issues. I charge them at night while I sleep and put my phone on airplane mode whenever I'm not using it

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Erniepower said:
I have a goal zero charger but have never used it. I usually pack two large battery packs from anker. I can get 2-3 charges from each one. That let's me go several days without issues. I charge them at night while I sleep and put my phone on airplane mode whenever I'm not using it

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Click to expand...

Was thinking of that route too.
 
I just carry extra batteries for my phone. If I'm gone for a week I'll pack 10.

If I didn't have a phone with battery changeout I would consider carrying enough power banks

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Goal Zero is great but pricey. I sent a bunch of these solar panels to Puerto Rico after the hurricane and haven’t heard anything back about them not functioning.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B074..._SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=7+watt+solar+panel

A few things I’ve noticed. If you’re using a solar panel to directly charge your phone and you are going in and out of trees or there are lots of patchy clouds your phone screen will come on every time there is a break in the current and this will cause your phone to use more energy then it’s taking in. Some phones won’t stay powered off when charging and even if you dim the screen they’ll just drain the battery. Charging a back up battery would be better in these situations. If you’re just laying the panel out in the sun, I’ve been able to keep three phones, two headlamps and an inreach charged off a 7 watt panel with blue bird skies. The phones were in airplane mode and used for photos and gps.

I’ve had back up battery packs die while on trail or had them suddenly decide to no longer be compatible with charging cables. If you absolutely need power bring two batteries and the panel can always top them off or be the final backup. Rav and Anker make great batteries. I’ve never had and issue with either.


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I was thinking leaving the solar panel at spike camp charging one or two battery packs and charging my phone at night and bring a charged pack with me for back up on the hunt. Didn’t know how good the solar panels were. If they could charge 2 battery bank packs a day. Guess it depends on lots of variables. And if they actually put out the amps they advertise.
 
That sounds like a good plan. If I’m not being super weight conscious I’ll bring a solar panel because it’s always great to have the option of making more power. Depending on the batteries you buy, they may be able to charge everything up without the panel. Just check the battery specs for your phone and buy a battery that can charge it up a few times. They are making backup batteries that are lighter and more powerful everyday.

Make sure to try it out in your yard before hand. If a cloud or shadow passes over you want to make sure your setup will automatically start making and storing power again.


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