Review of the Citizen Skyhawk A-T

CITIZEN ECO DRIVE SKYHAWK movement with atomic timekeeping technology (as denoted by the A-T moniker in the name), and a new design, this watch not only makes a great companion while in flight, but looks great and gives you something to brag about back on the ground.

Features

The Citizen Skyhawk A-T is the third generation in the Skyhawk line, and represents a major step forward in features. While you do lose one alarm (from three alarms to two), you gain functionality such as atomic timekeeping, perpetual calendar, LCD backlight, and world time pre-programming for 43 cities and time-zones. Additionally, the watch is now rated to be water resistant up to 200 meters (about 650 feet), versus the 100 meters of the previous generation.

Features of the Citizen Skyhawk A-T include:


Citizen Eco-Drive movement. The combination of solar technology, a lithium-ion battery, and smart power saving functionality means no battery changes. Citizen claims that with no light and a full battery, the watch will maintain accuracy for six months, or up to two and a half years in power save mode.
Atomic timekeeping. The Citizen Skyhawk A-T is a multi-band atomic watch which means it will receive time radio waves in the United States, Europe (England and Germany), and Japan.
Two alarms.
The atomic timekeeping functionality of the watch (which sets it apart from previous models) is easy to use and gives you a sense of security knowing that you are almost never looking at an inaccurate watch. Every morning at 2, 3, and 4AM, provided it is within range, the watch will automatically synchronize with the atomic time radio signal. Only once, when returning from a trip in New Zealand, was I required to manually trigger the synchronization, mostly because I was too impatient to wait until the preset time. The process was very simple and required very few steps.

Suaoki Solar 100W Panel Review

This is a very short and to-the-point guide, with information included in a Suaoki Flexible Solar Panel review.

SUAOKI SOLAR is one the newer brands to introduce solar panels to the flexible solar panel range.

We discuss the 100 watt solar panel in particular, including uses, benefits, and drawbacks.

Let’s have a look at it now…

What’s Good About This 100 Watt Panel?

• Film material is bendable up to a stated 30 degrees > better for curved and uneven surfaces than solid panels
• One of the cheaper flexible solar panels on the market
• Water resistant
• Suaoki claim a maximum 23-25% efficiency of this panel
• Has pre fabricated metal ring mounts that you can put temporary, or permanent fixings through
• Easier than solid 100 watt panels to transport, hang, and remove – can even hang on a camping tent > VERY portable
• Can be used in a number of applications – boats, cabins, tents, cars/SUV’s, vans, motorbikes and Rv’s
• 100 Watt panel – good size for most singular 12 volt batteries which need 12.6 volts max charge
• Made of thin PET, EVA and TPT material – very lightweight at 4.85lbs
• 18 volt panel – will need a solar controller/regulator to charge a 12 volt battery
• Make sure you have enough space on the surface you want to hang or fix it – dimensions are 43.3 x 22.4 x 0.1 inches
• Has 31.5 inch long cables with MC4 connectors
• CE and ROHS certifications
• Can be used with a cheaper PWM solar controller

What Isn’t So Great, And Could Be Improved?

• Thin film material is more susceptible to sharp objects and rough surfaces than the solid panels – but, it’s still fairly durable to general surfaces
• Can’t mount this panel on an adjustable tilt rack, or a pole mount > this is more a surface mounting panel
• Pay attention to the key specifications of this panel – particularly the limitations on the maximum system voltage at 600volts
• Suaoki are not a company that specialise in only solar – they aren’t as established as a company like Renogy for example. This isn’t an issue in itself – but it will be interesting to see how long they offer their solar product for, and whether they develop them any further

What Other Accessories/Devices Might You Need With This Panel?

• Solar Charge Controller – Mohoo 20A Charge Controller with Intelligent USB Port Display 12V-24V
• Cable Connectors – Sun YOBA 5 Pairs of MC4 Male/ Female Solar Panel Cable Connectors

What Could Be Improved With Their Solar Panel Products?


This is not necessarily a problem with Suaoki, it’s an issue with all all flexible solar panel manufacturers.

Flexible solar panels are much newer technology that the rigid/solid solar panels. With this in mind, the companies manufacturing them have not had as much time to develop them and establish a high quality product.

The panels will certainly charge your 12 volt battery, or batteries, if that is your main purpose.

But, there’s definitely room for improvement in overall quality of this product and others on the market.

Potential issues can include bubbles appearing in the plastic, loose cables in the junction box, inconsistent packing/delivery – but these aren’t regular issues.

Also, be mindful of who you purchase the product from. Suaoki offer a 1 year warranty – so make sure that is guaranteed for you.

Solar Panels: The Complete Review

SUNJACK 14W PORTABLE SOLAR CHARGER are one of the most frequently requested solar panel brands on the Solar Marketplace, and for good reason. Their panels are some of the most efficient products on the market today, and they offer an industry-leading warranty. SUNJACK 14W PORTABLE SOLAR CHARGER reviews take a look at the technical specifications of Sun Power solar panels as compared to other manufacturers to answer the question, once and for all, of whether SunPower is actually the best solar panel brand on the market.


How SunPower X-Series and E-Series solar panels compare to other panel manufacturers

As you evaluate overall solar panel quality, there are four key metrics that you should consider: efficiency, performance, warranties, and price. To help you with your decision, EnergySage has developed SunPower reviews for each metric, along with a comparison of SunPower solar panels (including the esteemed SunPower X-Series) against the other leading panel manufacturers offered on the SUNJACK 14W PORTABLE SOLAR CHARGER.




Efficiency

The term “solar panel efficiency” refers to how well a solar panel can convert sunshine into useful electricity. Given the same conditions, a high-efficiency solar panel can produce more electricity than a lower-efficiency panel of the same size. For this reason, a higher efficiency rating is generally preferable.

SunPower solar panels are the most efficient panels currently available on the market in the United States. While the majority of solar panels fall in the 14% to 18% efficiency range, SunPower’s products are much more efficient – between 19.1% and 22.2%. If efficiency is your top priority, the technical specifications of SunPower solar panels are unparalleled.

5 Ways to Create Content That Breaks Down Trust Barriers

Since the Brexit decision (and the gradual withdrawal process that began in late March), many U.K. consumers have been faced with a harsh reality: having to pay more for the products they want.

Still, I recently read a ShopSafe article that said Brits plan to continue buying as they always have. Why? Because they’ve learned to trust the brands they buy from -- they’re loyal to them. That’s pretty impressive. It got me thinking about what brand loyalty and trust mean and how content comes into play.

If I visit a company’s website and find no evidence of actual human existence -- no photos of team members, no phone number, no blog content and no links to social media accounts that have actually been maintained -- I usually assume the worst. This company might be a fraud or it has terrible customer service (or maybe it’s hiding something else entirely). Whatever it is, I assume I can’t trust it.

Why Every Smart Decision Comes Only After an Evaluation of Customer Needs

Contrary to what many believe about the most famous leaders and entrepreneurs in the world, they aren’t fortune tellers. They don't have to be, and you don’t either.

Companies are likely doomed if they commit to creating products they think their customers need, without actually stopping to verify if that's true. However, if, when they listen to those customers, empathy, creativity and innovation intersect, those companies can establish trusted relationships with customers.
And that trust can be based on a mutual transmission of value: The customers get their problems solved and the companies find out exactly what they need.

6 Tips for Helping Employees Work Through Conflicts

Throughout my decades working in a leadership role, I've learned a lot about helping people through conflicts in the workplace. For example, Robert is a great guy. But when he started working with me, he was always getting into conflicts with coworkers. Part of the problem was that Robert tended to be aggressive with the other employees. He could come across as pushy, loud and overbearing. He is a good worker who cares about other people, but just didn't know how to show it. Helping him to work with his behavior took some time, but bore great fruit.
Understand that everyone is well-intended.

When I sat down with Robert, I first had to create a heart-to-heart connection. Like everyone, deep within his heart, he wanted to get along with people. I would get to that place with him by talking about almost anything other than his recent conflict, when he had yelled at another employee in a very intimidating way. We could talk about the weather or a sporting event or weekend plans. It didn't matter. What mattered was the connection. From that foundation, we could then go into the issue at hand. This is an effective way to put the person at ease so they are open to listening.