Posted: 1/18/2010 10:46:44 AM EDT
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Its all ar-jedi fault!
So, as I wait to take my test, I have been working on an emergency comm box for the radio. 1) to make it easy to take from the house to the road, 2) because I have to use my reloading bench as my ham shack. I have the ft-2800 mounted in the Spud-7 box, a alum. plate for a control panel, power inputs from outside the box, a 12v computer fan mounted in the box to move some air around if working outside when hot. I also mounted a small 12v red LED light that I had floating around. I am looking for a white LED on a goose-neck for mor direct light. I also did a headphone/ speaker jack. Its a little rough but this works for now, as I use it I am sure things will change. This is also a homemade J-pole that I made from copper pipe. Inside the house I am picking up repeaters that are 40+ miles away. Think it will do better when outside. 
p.s. I forgot to have a gun or my shoes in any of those shots 
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| a little constructive criticism. first, the reason for the box is so everything remains some what weather proof. cutting the hole for the fan kind of defeated that. remember, when operating your to use the least amount of power to make contact and listening doesnt use much power so that fan isnt really needed. if you are worried about the heat then build the box so you can remove the rack for cooling and you can just stow a fan for emergencies. that red LED isnt really doing you much good. remove it and install it on the lid and make a prop for the lid so the light shines down on your work surface. light inside the box isnt really needed and putting it on the lid means you dont need another light. you WILL need a better antenna. that copper pipe isnt really packable/portable. a role up J-pole or even some wire and coax for making an antenna on the fly would work. im sure there is more i could add but you will figure out what works and what doesnt in time. good luck on your test. |
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Quoted:
a little constructive criticism. first, the reason for the box is so everything remains some what weather proof. cutting the hole for the fan kind of defeated that. remember, when operating your to use the least amount of power to make contact and listening doesnt use much power so that fan isnt really needed. if you are worried about the heat then build the box so you can remove the rack for cooling and you can just stow a fan for emergencies. that red LED isnt really doing you much good. remove it and install it on the lid and make a prop for the lid so the light shines down on your work surface. light inside the box isnt really needed and putting it on the lid means you dont need another light. you WILL need a better antenna. that copper pipe isnt really packable/portable. a role up J-pole or even some wire and coax for making an antenna on the fly would work. im sure there is more i could add but you will figure out what works and what doesnt in time. good luck on your test. Less worried about weather proof, more worried about keeping in a box so its easy to set up and take down- could have used a cardbord box but this will last longer. Listening is just until I get tech in Feb. Then I will be pushing my yagi antenna with 25/65 watts for simplex to a friend about 45+ miles away. And if I am outside camping and its 95, the radio will like the fan. The J-pole is for my base mast that I am putting up next to the house. For field work I have a roll up j-pole ladder antenna- I got it pre-made. Also have the take down yagi. Next antenna I will make is a solid yagi for my home mast. The red light works good for low light work- I can see to write but do not lose nightvision. Any white light will be for detail work- like if I have to work on a board or connection. I have diffrent power plugs for what ever is at hand- power supply, dry cell, car battery. They and 15ft of coax go in the top. |