: would bother me to no end to pay a whack of cash for something that I am
: sure I can make with a small fan, and a lightbulb or other small heart
: scource.

Check with friends and associates first -- almost a for sure that at least one of them has one gathering dust that they bought cause it was a good idea and then didn't use it for a variety of reasons. I got mine that way and I know there are many out there that don't have any hours on them.
I have built a solar one and it worked but inconvenient. The simplest I've seen is a box on top of a fridge built to catch the heat from the back of the fridge -- worked fine for fruit. About all I do is fruit and veggies anyway -- don't like the bear problems meat brings despite being a confirmed carnivore.
Fruit leathers, sauces, onions, tomatoes and garlic seems to work the best although that is probably just my taste preference.
A good companion tool for preparing for trips is a vaccuum sealer. I still use zip locks and drool every time friends pull out pre-packaged meals and treats. I doubt I could ever be that organized so I've avoided buying.
good luck
don