Hey all! A bit of intro. I live in the Blue Ridge Mountain’s of VA near a small town, after yrs liv’n on west coast.
I let C-19 and all that bs motivate me to live a dream. Live on my own land off grid. I packed my Fiat 500, removed seats, did a micro campervan build on it ( I’m small! 4’11 & 1/2) and traveled cross country for a yr looking for the right community for me.
Lol. I’m currently working on my yurt home that is a adventure in building. I love tools, working with wood and nature. My yurt is unlike most others on the perimeter build, for practical purposes but all the interior is my own designs. Perfection is not the goal. Its to try my best to have a reliable warm home.
This is not a Disney story… This is hard work yet the solitude that’s come with the hi & lows of building a home… that time is to hear my own voice and creativity… And Let the noise of others/media fade away till I could see it for what it truly was…“just noise..” Distraction with absolutely no inhernt “value” to me or the world. It was just socially, politically/ divisivlely toxic, time suck’n, poisoning noise.
In my 50’s I’ve lived a corporate life, worked closely with every day hard working people in many ways. I’m a keen observer looking intensely at nature. Be it Bugs, small animals, trees, or human nature in all it’s magnificence. And it is changing at such a pace, its hard to believe… Some things good. Some not so good and then there is the " wtf" categories…
I found Brax pre covid and followed the progress. I was an early Brax3 buyer. Going from Apple that to android was easy. My struggles are apps. I currently move Sim between iPhone & Brax phone to access 3 apps on apple phone, that are free thru google & applee stores. These are inde apps and do not share logins/cross platforms with Google or apple.
Is there a way to get the android version of these inde apps on my brax3? One app example, the PC app aka Peter Cohen’s community.
I recall seeing related app questions but not exact. I’m hoping there is a straight forward suggestion(s) or steps to accomplish this.
Thank you for reading all this, please feel free to comment on any part of this post! Any off gridders out there??
** NOTE do to my lifestyle and remote living I can be a day or two slow to respond. I catch up at the end of a day
Be good,
Congrats on your move; hope it works out well for you.
After a bit of exploring the EverythingALS App, I highly doubt you will be able to load it successfully on the Brax3, as it appears to tie deeply into Google’s system. Repositories like F-Droid will not have it and even Aroura, which is a Google Store App mirror (more or less) does not offer a download.
You might try contacting them directly to see if they can offer suggestions, but seeing their multitude of links to Meta, Apple and other privacy-killing corporations, I highly doubt they will offer a de-googled app that disconnects you from this network.
Perhaps a cheap, pre-paid Android phone from a big box store with a minimal monthly subscription would be a good option (provided you can afford that) to do all your privacy-impossible communications upon.
This was very helpful Igor. I won’t waist my time thinking about it anymore . Using a desk top version will have to do.
Thank you for the reply and your time looking into app question it is appreciated.
Also living off grid in WV. Using Brax3 and Starlink. Good privacy combination.
I can’t help with the apps problem, but am reponding to your call for off-gridders.
I am in year 6 of the build but I did start with 65acres of wooded hillside. Building half way up a 200ft hill is a real challege, fraught with unforeseen hurdles, like cutting many trees and constructing a passable road. Now those trees I cut down which were sawn and seasoned, are providing me with hardwood floors and trim. During C-19 I couldn’t find a septic installer, so I studied and sat the exam to become one! Solar with backup generator, provides the electrical power, a high output well provides water via a tank at the top of the hill for gravity feed and I own mineral rights, so lucky to have a gas well and “free” gas. Moved in a couple of months ago to an unfinished but wonderfull house. I can fully empathize with your joy of peace and nature!
Good luck, it will be worth every joule you spend.
Thank you for off grid response!
I have 20 acres and a humble start with 3/4 of the land cleared when I bought it last year. I let that stay mostly wild. I had hundreds of Monarchs here!
Sounds lime your build is pretty intense and beautiful on a mountain side. Clearing trees does not sound fun
Down here VA because of the rain & storms starting Nov 2024 into 2025? I only got a good road to build site that’s on a slope, finally this April!! It was hard to find good people available because of the storms creating so many problems for folks all over SW VA. A huge mess…
I was able to get my solar system installed emmediately after road. So power tools were buzzing. And charging batteries was a dream.
Lol then it got so damn hot here:roll_eyes: its a comedy of predictable challenges every month.
You might havens similar experience with micro climates. I’m at roughly 2900 elevation. The weather talking heads are pretty useless.
While I have no kitchen or bathroom up and running inside yurt, I managed living in a 12 x20 shed that was on property. Lol. Last winter was a test in problem solving and living with the seasons for sure.
I just moved myself into my 30’ yurt. Sleep on the floor and keep working away. No Sheetrock, bfully insulated with Havelock wool and wood walls. I been planing down rough cut wood for half the interior. The Wool is phenomenal. Starlink is good but expensive here & not perfect. But I have managed a life with no power or utility lines within my property boundaries and plan to keep it that way.
Off grid, it is or can be an adventure of a life time. Never boring, rarely easy, and worth all of the rewards.
PS. Typing on this Brax3 is more annoying than using a skill saw to rip batons. I need to tweek a setting…
We should move this discussion off here as I would like to chat more about off-grid living.
I don’t do any social media. I do use Signal.
Not sure if PM is available on this platform.
Any suggestions welcome. Obviously privacy-centric!
I have heard of them. I participated in a 1 month earthship build in late 2023 in TN. I have also taken the online course etc. What’s your interest in Earthships?
I’m happy doing email. I’ve not used Signa. I’m not apposed to it. I’ve just not used it. Building a home in a new climate, on wild land comes with a lot of learning curves attached. Tech has been last on my todo list. Its amazing I finally got a Brax.
wtf" categories…
A desktop is good to get back too. 
thanx for reply.
. Using a desk top version will have to do.
its a comedy of predictable challenges every month.
