1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Going off grid in Africa.

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by jerrymildred, Jan 26, 2018.

  1. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I'll be gone for a while. Don't worry. I'm not mad or dead. (At least not yet.:LOL:) But where I'll be in Africa has almost no internet or cell service. And I'll be too busy putting up a radio tower and getting all the equipment working to hang out with you fine folks anyway. I should be back in a little over three weeks if I don't get bit by a fer-de-lance or black mamba.

    Headed for the airport in a couple hours. You folks carry on. I know you can do that !! LOL! ;)
     
    VFerdman, farmecologist, RCO and 4 others like this.
  2. fotomoto

    fotomoto Senior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2009
    5,596
    3,770
    0
    Location:
    So. Texas
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Take care. Get lots of pictures!
     
    jerrymildred and Prodigyplace like this.
  3. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    have a great trip jerry, i admire your service! if you're still online, where in africa? our church has done a few solar water wells there, i forget the countries.
     
    jerrymildred and Prodigyplace like this.
  4. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    You a tower climber? Definitely keep safe!
    And do not go crazy without your Prius or PriusChat fix. :D
    Photos are definitely welcomed provided it does not distract from the important work.
     
    jerrymildred likes this.
  5. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks! I did take plenty of pictures.

    I was in Mango, Togo. Mango is about 300 miles north of Lomé, which is where we flew into. Very remote, rustic, hot, and dry.

    Not a climber. After about 20 feet, I start thinking about all the things that can go wrong up there.

    It was tough without my Prius and you all, but I survived. The engineer who was installing the solar power system is a Prius owner, so we got to talk about our cars a little. It's remarkable how the system he installed treats the batteries so much like the Prius treats its battery.

    Pictures later, after I catch up on some more urgent backlogs here at home. The internet was so slow there that I was only able to upload a few to facebook, and most of those too anywhere from an hour to 36 hours to upload. I was never able to successfully open a web page in a browser.
     
    #5 jerrymildred, Feb 18, 2018
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2018
  6. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    @jerrymildred take care of your more important priorities first. We will still be here.
     
    RCO, pilotgrrl and jerrymildred like this.
  7. RobH

    RobH Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 18, 2006
    2,369
    978
    70
    Location:
    Sunnyvale, California
    Vehicle:
    2006 Prius
    Quote from the past: "What can you do with 1200 baud? You can't read that fast."
     
  8. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    welcome back jerry, you were missed, but we appreciate the work you were doing.:) i think we did some work in ghana a few years ago.:unsure:
     
    jerrymildred and Prodigyplace like this.
  9. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
    Staff Member

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2004
    44,767
    16,014
    41
    Location:
    Canada
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Welcome home!
     
    jerrymildred and Raytheeagle like this.
  10. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2016
    1,932
    766
    0
    Location:
    Lagos
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Wao! I just wonder, if you could ha e something doing in Lagos, Nigeria too! Love to see you over here, jerry.
     
    jerrymildred and Prodigyplace like this.
  11. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks everyone. It's great to be back.

    I was very close to Ghana. Mango is about 6 miles from the border and last Sunday I was even closer than that as we visited a brand new church (3 weeks old) with about 100 people that meets under a tree. Amazing!!!

    Sorry, we don't have any activities in Nigeria. But, as I'm sure you know, I was very close to Lagos when I landed in Lomé.
     
    Dxta likes this.
  12. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Great quote. But I would have LOVED 1200 baud. I think I had well under one baud. When I could connect at all. LOL!
     
    RCO and Prodigyplace like this.
  13. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I commented in another thread that you left Florida before @bisco arrived.
    Careful. He has not yet left. :D
     
    bisco and jerrymildred like this.
  14. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Thanks for the heads up! :LOL:

    BTW, it was a little weird driving my car yesterday for the first time in over three weeks. First, I can't get over how smooth the roads are here. Second, it's so much quieter than the diesel pickup I usually rode in. (y)
     
    RCO and Raytheeagle like this.
  15. Prodigyplace

    Prodigyplace Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2016
    11,696
    11,317
    0
    Location:
    Central Virginia
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    BTW. since you were not home, they sent your Tesla looking for you. Additional delivery charges may apply. :eek: ;)

    [​IMG]
     
  16. jerrymildred

    jerrymildred Senior Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2016
    11,490
    14,095
    0
    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Here are a few pix, as requested. Hope you enjoy them. It was quite a time. I left home on a Friday morning, got to Lomé Saturday night, spent the night in Lomé, and then got to Mango Sunday night. Started Monday morning at 7 AM and worked 12 days straight before taking off a couple days on my 2nd weekend. Left Mango to return home at 6 AM Friday (local time) after almost three weeks there, and got home about 6 PM on Sunday (eastern time, which is 11 PM in Mango). This is Sunday morning, loading up in Lomé at our hotel. The haze is from a weather phenomenon called Harmattan (basically, dust from the Sahara) plus a little smoke from burning fields. It helped to keep the temperature down a little.
    IMG_7137_edited.JPG

    This early morning shot on the radio station grounds really says "Africa" to me.
    IMG_7295_edited.JPG

    Near the end of the 2nd day of tower construction.
    IMG_7383.JPG

    Installing grips on the guy wires. Heavy leather gloves are a must.
    IMG_7355_edited.JPG

    We went shopping up in Dapaong on my second Saturday. The market was very colorful, very crowded, and very loud.
    IMG_7589_edited.JPG

    Bringing up the last tower section to top it out at 190'.
    DSC_8806 copy.jpg

    Fulani huts across from the radio station. They are cattle herders, somewhat nomadic, and could be considered the African version of the European gypsies. During rainy season, the huts are hidden behind very tall grass.
    DSC_8809 copy (1).jpg

    Almost done!!
    DSC_8835 copy_edited.JPG

    The Harmattan went away during my 3rd week. Better sunrises, but hotter temperatures. I think there was only one day that didn't go over 100F the whole time I was there. Most days were over 105. But, during the last week, they had finished the solar power installation, so we finally had electricity and air conditioning. I took this picture on Valentine's Day and sent it to my wife. Best I could do given the circumstances. Oh, I also managed to call her. :love:
    DSC_8885%20copy (1).jpg

    Finished tower seen from the main "road."
    IMG_7651_edited.JPG

    When the workers first heard the radio broadcasting, they acted like they'd won the World Series. After a little celebration dance in the transmitter room, they went flying out the door to tell everyone else. Lump-in-the-throat moment for me!!
    IMG_7779_edited.JPG

    View from the top of the tower looking toward Mango. I did not take this picture!! :eek:
    IMG_8343.JPG

    I spent the last few days in the studios coaching the staff on the automation software. Hopefully, I'll get to go back in July for the grand opening.
    IMG_7754.jpg
     
  17. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2016
    1,932
    766
    0
    Location:
    Lagos
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Wao! Nice pictures. Emmmm, the market stuff you've got there, is a typical setting in African markets. If you're Lagos, it would be very crowded, and you've got to watch your bag, when moving in the crowds too!:D. In Lagos, you gotta be smarter than you're in the USA, or so?????
     
    Raytheeagle, jerrymildred and bisco like this.
  18. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    7,668
    6,481
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Great Work...

    Welcome Back!
     
    jerrymildred and Prodigyplace like this.
  19. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

    Joined:
    May 11, 2005
    107,571
    48,861
    0
    Location:
    boston
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    thanks jerry, great pics and a job well done. i can't even imagine trying to sleep in a hundred degrees without a/c, i guess it helps to be from florida?
     
  20. Dxta

    Dxta Senior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2016
    1,932
    766
    0
    Location:
    Lagos
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    What! Without AC? What happens if you're in the middle east, or Africa, where sometimes, even the cooled air is sometimes hot-cold? You've got to superimpose hundreds of AC systems in the hotel then.:eek:
     
    bisco and jerrymildred like this.