Orby Saves the Day (or more) in the California Power Blackout

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Titanium

Titanium

AI6US
Original poster
Lifetime Supporter
May 23, 2013
7,667
9,108
Meadow Vista, Northern California
PG&E has shut down power due to a high wind event in Northern California and potential of wild fire. Looks like our community may be down for 3 to 5 days. Our Internet, phone and TV are all out as it is provided via cable. When power is shut down, Suddenlink doesn't have back-up power for their line amps and distro. :(

AT&T cellular is still operating, though a few towers have shut down. Forget about Verizon and T-mobile. Most of the region lost them last evening at midnight. Have voice and slow internet for email, SMS is best communication option. Streaming is not possible right now.

Brought the Orby system from the office and installed the RV portable antenna on the back patio. Running the Orby receiver off of a 12v drop from the RV and was using the 12Vdc RV TV. After monitoring our power usage, decided that we can splurge and fire up the 55" TV on an inverter. :) Have 325AH of batteries with solar, so no noisy generator until we have to chill the refrigerator tomorrow.

Thanks Orby for a great 12Vdc receiver and for providing excellent entertainment options during the power outage! While many of our neighbors are soon to be in the dark, we are enjoying the Orby TV system.
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Titanium said:
PG&E has shut down power due to a high wind event in Northern California and potential of wild fire. Looks like our community may be down for 3 to 5 days. Our Internet, phone and TV are all out as it is provided via cable. When power is shut down, Suddenlink doesn't have back-up power for their line amps and distro. :(

AT&T cellular is still operating, though a few towers have shut down. Forget about Verizon and T-mobile. Most of the region lost them last evening at midnight. Have voice and slow internet for email, SMS is best communication option. Streaming is not possible right now.

Brought the Orby system from the office and installed the RV portable antenna on the back patio. Running the Orby receiver off of a 12v drop from the RV and was using the 12Vdc RV TV. After monitoring our power usage, decided that we can splurge and fire up the 55" TV on an inverter. :) Have 325AH of batteries with solar, so no noisy generator until we have to chill the refrigerator tomorrow.

Thanks Orby for a great 12Vdc receiver and for providing excellent entertainment options during the power outage! While many of our neighbors are soon to be in the dark, we are enjoying the Orby TV system. View attachment 141059
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Right on. I always preach that internet is too fragile and unpredictable. Satellite is the best.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using the SatelliteGuys app!
 
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Very nice setup you have to get TV during a blackout. Good reason to invite the neighbors over and have a blackout party. Or take the RV for a short getaway. :)

Life in Northern California is very much disrupted. Frozen food and perishables spoiling. Many gas stations are shut down because they can't power the pumps. I don't think there has ever been a power outage affecting so many people for so long. But I don't blame P.G.&E. for turning off the power since they were sued to the point of bankruptcy over the Camp Fire.

This is the new normal in California....
 
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Hopefully you are not watching "Backdraft" Brian while you have Orby. Trying to go for the joke there. Did they shut down the ham radio repeaters? Hope everything is going alright out there.
 
N6BY said:
This is the new normal in California....
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Sounds like a dystopian nightmare.

I must admit I myself rely too heavily on technology and am likely not prepared for a doomsday scenario.

There's something to be said for the "preppers" who have their ducks in a row prior to catastrophes like these.
 
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Approx. 60 hours later, our power was restored. Just when I was remembering not to uselessly flip a light switch... LOL

Yesterday, I deconstructed the outage infrastructure and life returned to normal.

Lessons learned? The Orby system worked great and was a welcome source of entertainment and news. Will be gettng rid of cable based internet as it was down for the duration and will be returning to AT&T dsl next week. Will have reduced up speed, but reliability is more important. AT&T cell service had back up power and provided cell and data service through the entire event.

Great to have a big battery bank on the RV to power the radio room, a few DC lights, charge electronics, power the Orby and small inverter for the TV. Used the generator for a few hours in the morning and evening to keep the freezer and fridge cold.

Comfortable with hot food and hot showers (propane appliances). We could have done well for several weeks, but glad it is over. :)
 
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navychop said:
Yep.

A slow, lingering death instead of a quick one.
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Titanium made it out alive ;)

Interesting point on the DSL. I have UPS backups on all my electronics, and I've noticed the internet has not gone down during any outage we've had. Your experience makes me appreciate DSL more than I had previously.

We've had 8 measurable power outages this year due to weather, and according to some sources, those will only increase in the future due to an aging power grid that hasn't been updated as it should.
 
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Glad to hear things are back to normal, Brian.

P.G. & E. had a press conference and showed pictures of downed power lines from falling trees, and broken branches that flew into power lines. It's likely that this whole ordeal really did prevent some fires.

But about two weeks ago our forest service had a "controlled burn" in El Dorado County. Now it's out of control. :facepalm
 
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Brian sounds like you went RV camping without going anywhere. I would like to get a solar generator kind of hard to have a gas generator in an apartment. What kind of solar panels did you have?
 
Claude Greiner said:
Thank god I don’t live there. Aint nobody shutting my power down
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Power grids in many parts of the country are aging; the experts say power outages will become more commonplace all across the nation in the coming years. UPS are great for short-term outages; I'm considering a generator for longer-term outages.
 
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I have multiple backups. Several generators, large batteries and several inverters for emergency use. I have propane, wood pellets for heat and always gasoline and diesel fuel on hand.

During storms I've been without power many times for several days. I don't have broadband internet anyway so I won't miss what I've never had. I just need to run the well pump and keep the freezers cold and the house warm.

For news and TV here there is no problem with choices and of course all my ham radio gear to pass the time.
 
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Titanium said:
The club's ham radio repeater is on back-up batteries and should last at least 5 more days at 100% duty before needing charged! I've been running an outage information net for over 32 hours.

Orby keeps on running and keeping us informed and entertained!!!
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That's what I try to tell "cord cutters". Internet is not reliable during disasters.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using the SatelliteGuys app!
 
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Titanium said:
Approx. 60 hours later, our power was restored. Just when I was remembering not to uselessly flip a light switch... LOL

Yesterday, I deconstructed the outage infrastructure and life returned to normal.

Lessons learned? The Orby system worked great and was a welcome source of entertainment and news. Will be gettng rid of cable based internet as it was down for the duration and will be returning to AT&T dsl next week. Will have reduced up speed, but reliability is more important. AT&T cell service had back up power and provided cell and data service through the entire event.

Great to have a big battery bank on the RV to power the radio room, a few DC lights, charge electronics, power the Orby and small inverter for the TV. Used the generator for a few hours in the morning and evening to keep the freezer and fridge cold.

Comfortable with hot food and hot showers (propane appliances). We could have done well for several weeks, but glad it is over. :)
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I would think satellite broadband would be the best for disasters. It's just a little expensive.

Sent from my SM-G960U1 using the SatelliteGuys app!
 
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