A system for actively monitoring a patient includes at least one body-worn monitoring device that has at least one sensor capable of measuring at least one physiologic parameter and detecting at least one predetermined event. Base stations adjust current transmit powers up or down using variable step sizes responsive to power control commands from the mobile station. The body portion may include two or more bends formed therein. Intermediate electrical magnitudes are calculated or chosen corresponding respectively to a plurality of configurations of the series of photovoltaic modules.