Comments on: Satphone Blogging — Resurrection http://www.wildsnow.com/9661/satphone-blogging-equipment-solar/ Backcountry Skiing Weblog Blog, FAQs, more, links and info about randonnee, telemark and backcountry ski mountaineering. Sat, 25 May 2013 01:54:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jack http://www.wildsnow.com/9661/satphone-blogging-equipment-solar/#comment-52009 Jack Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:58:44 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=9661#comment-52009 Lou, Looks like an amazing rig. The 12-V cigarette-lighter plugs look heavy and clunky, but then again those cables are all good for plugging into a vehicle, or somebody else's battery source. Still very cool. Lou, Looks like an amazing rig. The 12-V cigarette-lighter plugs look heavy and clunky, but then again those cables are all good for plugging into a vehicle, or somebody else’s battery source. Still very cool.

]]> By: Jesse http://www.wildsnow.com/9661/satphone-blogging-equipment-solar/#comment-52008 Jesse Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:41:22 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=9661#comment-52008 That makes sense. Now that I think about it, I'm sure you explained all this at the time. Thanks! That makes sense. Now that I think about it, I’m sure you explained all this at the time. Thanks!

]]> By: Lou Dawson http://www.wildsnow.com/9661/satphone-blogging-equipment-solar/#comment-52002 Lou Dawson Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:06:36 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=9661#comment-52002 I should have mentioned that on Denali we did haul the system up the mountain and back down, but Louie's trip is base camping. They'd perhaps move camp a short distance by ferrying loads, but it's not a mobile expedition. Nonetheless, due to shipping cost and weight charges from the air service, one still has to be weight efficient and the system in that way is pretty similar to what we hauled on Denali, in fact, nearly the same. Lou I should have mentioned that on Denali we did haul the system up the mountain and back down, but Louie’s trip is base camping. They’d perhaps move camp a short distance by ferrying loads, but it’s not a mobile expedition. Nonetheless, due to shipping cost and weight charges from the air service, one still has to be weight efficient and the system in that way is pretty similar to what we hauled on Denali, in fact, nearly the same. Lou

]]> By: Lou Dawson http://www.wildsnow.com/9661/satphone-blogging-equipment-solar/#comment-52001 Lou Dawson Wed, 13 Mar 2013 20:04:24 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=9661#comment-52001 Jesse, the idea is total capability with Photoshop to really process/compress the photos before they get sent on the expensive/slow satphone connection. Also, a real keyboard for real writing, card reader built-in instead of yet another accessory, and so on. We even pack a mouse along in case that might be useful instead of the touchpad. More, the SSD drive in the netbook has plenty of storage space, and so on. Believe me, for real publishing content work it's much better than trying to use an iPad and actually not that much heavier. More, we pack two batteries for each netbook, so if a battery bricks or just runs out of power, more power is available without needing the solar. I'd agree there might be tablet options, but cost is a concern as well. The customized netbooks still only end up costing about $350 to $400, that's with SSD drive, RAM upgrade, and a monster 10 hour battery. I've also priced out small hardened computers that can even be used underwater. They're way too expensive, though if we did this all the time I'd probably spring for one. Lou Jesse, the idea is total capability with Photoshop to really process/compress the photos before they get sent on the expensive/slow satphone connection. Also, a real keyboard for real writing, card reader built-in instead of yet another accessory, and so on. We even pack a mouse along in case that might be useful instead of the touchpad. More, the SSD drive in the netbook has plenty of storage space, and so on. Believe me, for real publishing content work it’s much better than trying to use an iPad and actually not that much heavier. More, we pack two batteries for each netbook, so if a battery bricks or just runs out of power, more power is available without needing the solar.

I’d agree there might be tablet options, but cost is a concern as well. The customized netbooks still only end up costing about $350 to $400, that’s with SSD drive, RAM upgrade, and a monster 10 hour battery. I’ve also priced out small hardened computers that can even be used underwater. They’re way too expensive, though if we did this all the time I’d probably spring for one.

Lou

]]> By: Jesse http://www.wildsnow.com/9661/satphone-blogging-equipment-solar/#comment-51998 Jesse Wed, 13 Mar 2013 19:22:43 +0000 http://www.wildsnow.com/?p=9661#comment-51998 16 pounds according to the previous post... Yikes. Well, your readers appreciate it! I know that your gear choices are always incredibly well thought out, but I'm sort of surprised you still use a full laptop for this. I would have thought an ipad mini or even a touch would be enough, and you wouldn't just cut down on the computer weight but also power requirements. Especially if you still have someone back at "HQ" actually publishing the posts. (It occurred to me that it might be hard to get photos directly from a camera onto a tablet, but I just checked and apparently there are SD card readers for ipad) 16 pounds according to the previous post… Yikes. Well, your readers appreciate it!

I know that your gear choices are always incredibly well thought out, but I’m sort of surprised you still use a full laptop for this. I would have thought an ipad mini or even a touch would be enough, and you wouldn’t just cut down on the computer weight but also power requirements. Especially if you still have someone back at “HQ” actually publishing the posts.

(It occurred to me that it might be hard to get photos directly from a camera onto a tablet, but I just checked and apparently there are SD card readers for ipad)

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