The UCSC Amateur Radio Club is beginning an initiative to create a portable, self-powered emergency communications station that can facilitate long-distance radio communications during a disaster situation without relying on an existing fuel supply.  We propose an alternative method for reliable emergency power generation for communications equipment.

Instead of using gas powered generators, we have designed a solar-powered generator with rechargeable battery backups that is both portable and able to power essential radio communications equipment (such as a transceiver and antenna). By replacing the traditional gas generator we can ensure that emergency communications can run for an indefinite period of time without a physical supply of fuel.  Our Solar-Powered Emergency Communications Station (SPECS) provides a fully independent and mobile solution for the deployment of emergency communications.

Team Members:

Natalie King

Chief Executive Officer

Sarah Mitchell

Student Outreach Coordinator

Chris Villalpando

Chief Technology Officer

Alec Reid  

Chief Operations Officer

Kevin Han

Communications Lead