The EMCOMM Box (Page 1 of 3)
Posted: 7/9/2011 1:20:04 PM EDT
[Last Edit: SCWolverine][Edited]
----I found my best Survival prep is effective communications with the wife. Screw up here and you'll certainly see the SHTF..... Eyespeck----
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OP: nice work! ps i just wanted to let you guys know that i plan on introducing a complete line of "skins" which will allow you to change your SPUD7 box color at will... for example, those of you feeling a bit "green" can join the "orange" box club at any time. i'm hoping this will ease the conflict between the rebel green-endians and the right thinking orange-endians. (ref.) TYPICAL GREEN BOX: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bAmF2UT3xE ar-jedi |
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Thank you very much for posting and accumulating all of this information. It appears that I have some reading to do.
I am really interested in building an EMCOMM Box as well and know that I want an FT8800 as UHF/VHF radio, but can not even begin to decide on the HF side. I have no HF experience, and the Antenna side of HF is a total mystery. I am learning and looking for information, but I would think you would want the 100 watts that soemthing like a Yaesu 857D would provide, but then it really sucks some power on transmit, which is why it appears to me that everyone is going with the discontinued ICOM 703. I also understand that the 703 has an incredible internal antenna tuner as well and that is a big selling point for everyone. But what about only having 10 watts??? I'm sure it is just that I am ignorant to the world of HF and that you made not need more than that. Is something like the buddipole going to be the best type of HF antenna for EMCOMM use. Throw it in the truck with the EMCOMM box and go?????? I have watched your build and tried to follow along. It looks extremely clean and I appreciate all of the time you put into this thread as well as all fo the builders of these types of boxes. |
LIFE'S JOURNEY IS NOT TO ARRIVE AT THE GRAVE SAFELY IN A WELL PRESERVED BODY,
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN SIDEWAYS, TOTALLY WORN OUT SHOUTING "HOLY $H!T...WHAT A RIDE"!!
BUT RATHER TO SKID IN SIDEWAYS, TOTALLY WORN OUT SHOUTING "HOLY $H!T...WHAT A RIDE"!!
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Originally Posted By pick713:
Thank you very much for posting and accumulating all of this information. It appears that I have some reading to do. alas, this is always the case! 
Originally Posted By pick713:
I am really interested in building an EMCOMM Box as well and know that I want an FT8800 as UHF/VHF radio, but can not even begin to decide on the HF side. your situation is not uncommon. the HF side is the typical sticking point for portable EMCOMM operation. Originally Posted By pick713:
I have no HF experience, and the Antenna side of HF is a total mystery. the antenna side of HF is probably one of the most interesting aspects of ham radio –– simply for the reason that it is extraordinarily easy and cheap to experiment with different wire antenna designs. you need some wire from home depot/lowes, and some light rope, a piece of coax, perhaps a homemade balun or unun, and you are in business. Originally Posted By pick713:
I am learning and looking for information, but I would think you would want the 100 watts that soemthing like a Yaesu 857D would provide, but then it really sucks some power on transmit, so therein lies the tradeoff –– the more power out you want, the more power in you are going to need. for a given size battery system, higher power will decrease operating time. or said another way, for the same operating time you will need a bigger/heavier battery system. at some point the portability factor is going to fall below a level acceptable to you. read that again. it's important that you consider your needs/wants, and not simply that of others who have designed similar boxes. i'll give you an example –– to some folks, "portable HF" means walking about with an FT817, a piece of wire, and a tiny LiPo battery all contained in a small "man purse". this entire setup weighs 6 or 7 pounds, and with the right operating techniques under favorable conditions you can do amazing things for a short period of time. is this a good setup for your intended needs? possibly. to other folks "portable" HF means picnic-table operation, using more power and more gear –– perhaps PSK31 with an adjunct laptop as well. as you can see there is no "right" way to do it (as long as the box is orange). Originally Posted By pick713:
which is why it appears to me that everyone is going with the discontinued ICOM 703. I also understand that the 703 has an incredible internal antenna tuner as well and that is a big selling point for everyone. the 703 is the Walther PPK of radios. it's got it's selling points, it's compact, but in the end it's a 10W radio. and just like the PPK's .380 cartridge, there are limitations to 10W. how might these limitations affect you? that is the question. Originally Posted By pick713:
But what about only having 10 watts??? I'm sure it is just that I am ignorant to the world of HF and that you made not need more than that. my view –– and again it's just *my* view –– for my foreseeable needs in an EMCOMM situation, is that i would mainly be listening, gathering info and intel. i would not be running a net, thereby needing 100W to 1000W to make sure i had the reach. hence, the 10W limitation on the radio is not a huge concern for me. moreover, at my home QTH, i have 100W radios which i could press into service if i needed more power. but for listening, tuning around, gathering needed information, a QRP radio sips power and can operate at lower volatges (and deeper into a 12V battery's discharge curve) than QRO radios. this is by design. the 703, for example, works down to 9.6Vdc, which is at least 2V under where a typical radio like a FT857 is going to operate. as with any product, there are tradeoffs. a porsche is great fun, and super fast, but you can't pick up 2x4's from home depot with it. a F250 4x4 can carry all manner of gear, is awesome in the snow, but it corners like a battleship. which one meets your needs "better"? probably neither, so you buy something in the middle which does lots of things "good enough". Originally Posted By pick713:
Is something like the buddipole going to be the best type of HF antenna for EMCOMM use. Throw it in the truck with the EMCOMM box and go?????? or a Yo-Yo-tenna. or a makeshift dipole. or an end-fed half wave. or an aluminum flagpole and a tuner. or a length of gutter and a tuner. etc etc etc –– you have lots of options. hope all that doesn't confuse you more! 73, ar-jedi |
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Thanks for consolidating all the box info. The link for the Carolina Windom is broken now. Here is the correct link for it. http://www.ar15.com/archive/topic.html?b=10&f=22&t=632450 |
Tennessee Squire
One thing I like about that list of box builds... no two alike.  And everybody had good ideas, or improving on things others did.
And so much for, as some EMCOMM groups want, a "standardized" kit.  It just isn't going to happen!
Thanks to the OP for gathering all of that in one place. |
"To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." --Ted Nugent
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Originally Posted By Elijah1:
Why hasn't this thread been tacked??? Yeah, why not? |
"To my mind it is wholly irresponsible to go into the world incapable of preventing violence, injury, crime, and death. How feeble is the mindset to accept defenselessness. How unnatural. How cheap. How cowardly. How pathetic." --Ted Nugent
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Originally Posted By stanprophet09:
Originally Posted By A_Free_Man:
Originally Posted By Elijah1:
Why hasn't this thread been tacked??? Yeah, why not? Because there is a lot of orange and not enough green? corrected in OP |
Sierra Charlie Whiskey
----I found my best Survival prep is effective communications with the wife. Screw up here and you'll certainly see the SHTF..... Eyespeck----
----I found my best Survival prep is effective communications with the wife. Screw up here and you'll certainly see the SHTF..... Eyespeck----
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Welp throw my junk into the pile . http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/618052_Darn_you_AR_jedi_____updated_6_6.html Mine still isnt finished , I just got a Power gate in for it last week . Still need a PS , right now using a PC power supply just to power the power gate to charge the batteries . |
Jeeps and Guns go together like peanut butter and jelly
I have the black rifle and jeep disease , and my insurance doesnt cover it.
Southernvajeepers.com
I have the black rifle and jeep disease , and my insurance doesnt cover it.
Southernvajeepers.com
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Originally Posted By Hawk_308:
Welp throw my junk into the pile . not sure how I missed yours now listed and linked-Thanks! |
Sierra Charlie Whiskey
----I found my best Survival prep is effective communications with the wife. Screw up here and you'll certainly see the SHTF..... Eyespeck----
----I found my best Survival prep is effective communications with the wife. Screw up here and you'll certainly see the SHTF..... Eyespeck----
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Originally Posted By Hawk_308:
Welp throw my junk into the pile . http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_10_22/618052_Darn_you_AR_jedi_____updated_6_6.html Mine still isnt finished , I just got a Power gate in for it last week . Still need a PS , right now using a PC power supply just to power the power gate to charge the batteries . As I read the PG40S manual it requires Vin greater than or equal to 13.8 V to achieve battery charging. Have you "tweaked" your PC power supply? Unlike the "12VDC" of the automotive world, in the PC world the +12V rail should = 12.0 VDC. thx for the info & pix. |
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First one I tweeked it and set it at 14 but that one met a untimly end do to carlessness . I have another one I have open and started on , I have 2 more I figured Id try this one and if it works out Ill document the next one. There are plenty of info on it on the web making a PC power supply into a DC power lab. |
Jeeps and Guns go together like peanut butter and jelly
I have the black rifle and jeep disease , and my insurance doesnt cover it.
Southernvajeepers.com
I have the black rifle and jeep disease , and my insurance doesnt cover it.
Southernvajeepers.com
I Am The Redneck Agenda! NRA Endowment Member
Joined:
May 2002
Posts:
10613
EE: 100% (61)
FL, USA
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I unknowingly ended up with one of these in an equipment purchase. Took me a little while to figure out what I had & where it came from. It's pretty spiffy for what it is. A bit pricy but hey it's "Tactical". |
"...in any society, Law is an illusory concept that works only when everyone voluntarily agrees to live by it." -Massad Ayoob
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[newb] do the radios typically have a clock on them? [/newb]
I bought this watch specifically to leave it on UTC permanently, even to the point of probably taking off the strap and foam taping the watch to a faceplate. 
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Psalm 91:7 A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you. [img]icon_smile.gif[/img]
<font color=blue>http://danpass.blogspot.com</font id=blue</font>
<font color=blue>http://danpass.blogspot.com</font id=blue</font>
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I gotta say, I thought that that SPUD7 box was way too big for the application. I was looking at doing my own system using a 4U rack case, or making an EMACS kit out of two "Fat 50" cans. However, when I was at Cabelas today and got to inspect the SPUD7 first hand. That is definitely the route I am going to go. Why carry two big metal boxes when you can carry one slightly bigger plastic one with a shoulder strap? I am planning to build my kit this August and it will be operational at the Chicago Marathon Forward Command Center. Bank on it! Mike F
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George Washington didn't use his 1st Amendment right of free speech to talk the British into leaving....he shot them.
How to embed videos: http://goo.gl/F56eR
How to embed videos: http://goo.gl/F56eR
Wow, the guys at MTM-Gard are worthless. I asked for a dimensioned drawing showing the dimensions at the top and bottom of the case. They sent me this: Then I sent a response thanking them for the quick response, then explained what I was trying to do and that I was looking for the full dimensions of the case. They then responded with "18.5" x 13" x 10"" Wow.
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George Washington didn't use his 1st Amendment right of free speech to talk the British into leaving....he shot them.
How to embed videos: http://goo.gl/F56eR
How to embed videos: http://goo.gl/F56eR
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The MTM Boxes (Spud7) are Graduated from Top to Bottom. There are some past discussions (prolly in archives) that post the numbers if you are interested.
ETA: CLICK HERE for that thread.......... |
In Memory of my buddy Captain Josh Byers-Fox 6, 2/3 ACR, KIA 7-23-03.
"When I was drafted, I was married and had two kids, and I went." Dr. Ron Paul
"When I was drafted, I was married and had two kids, and I went." Dr. Ron Paul
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Originally Posted By SCWolverine: The MTM Boxes (Spud7) are Graduated from Top to Bottom. There are some past discussions (prolly in archives) that post the numbers if you are interested. I saw those. I just wanted to get it straight from the horse's mouth. |
George Washington didn't use his 1st Amendment right of free speech to talk the British into leaving....he shot them.
How to embed videos: http://goo.gl/F56eR
How to embed videos: http://goo.gl/F56eR
| Added new link to WTS-Mike Emcomm Box v2.0 |
In Memory of my buddy Captain Josh Byers-Fox 6, 2/3 ACR, KIA 7-23-03.
"When I was drafted, I was married and had two kids, and I went." Dr. Ron Paul
"When I was drafted, I was married and had two kids, and I went." Dr. Ron Paul
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My EMCOM build to date
NOt finished but getting close. |
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nice work –– and we can be really great friends if you have access to a water jet cutting machine...
ps: i have the EXACT same water softener. 
ar-jedi |
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
| added link to bronk01's new build |
In Memory of my buddy Captain Josh Byers-Fox 6, 2/3 ACR, KIA 7-23-03.
"I'm an appliance operator...not a freaking theorist" pcsutton
"I'm an appliance operator...not a freaking theorist" pcsutton
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New Linked Added 12-13-12
aa777888-2 stacks it up in Tac-Comm Carriers" target="_blank">aa777888-2 stacks it up in Tac-Comm Carriers |
In Memory of my buddy Captain Josh Byers-Fox 6, 2/3 ACR, KIA 7-23-03.
"I'm an appliance operator...not a freaking theorist" pcsutton
"I'm an appliance operator...not a freaking theorist" pcsutton
| Added link to JC_Conn's Man Pack Build: link |
In Memory of my buddy Captain Josh Byers-Fox 6, 2/3 ACR, KIA 7-23-03.
"We're gonna find out what happened, and I don't give a damn who's career is ruined." T Gowdy
"We're gonna find out what happened, and I don't give a damn who's career is ruined." T Gowdy
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Great compilation SCWolverine, and I love chinoUSMC's EMACS system!
I have some extra ammo cans which I may use for a similar build. Not too sure if they are big enough. I also have one very large can, which would weigh a TON when filled up. This may be the way for to go for me... Bill |
"911 will be called after the security of my family has been established."
Bill Stevens Newtown, CT
01/28/2013
Bill Stevens Newtown, CT
01/28/2013
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Added Link:
HogSniper Brings Home the Bacon |
In Memory of my buddy Captain Josh Byers-Fox 6, 2/3 ACR, KIA 7-23-03.
"We're gonna find out what happened, and I don't give a damn who's career is ruined." T Gowdy
"We're gonna find out what happened, and I don't give a damn who's career is ruined." T Gowdy
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Originally Posted By ar-jedi:
nice work –– and we can be really great friends if you have access to a water jet cutting machine...
ps: i have the EXACT same water softener.
ar-jedi Originally Posted By ar-jedi:
nice work –– and we can be really great friends if you have access to a water jet cutting machine...
ps: i have the EXACT same water softener.
ar-jedi Sounds like someone has a new man-crush. |
"Dupe - FBHO & FPM" -SYSTEM
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Originally Posted By Elijah1:
Sounds like someone has a new man-crush. you have been thinking of this witty reply for 11 months?!?!?! ar-jedi
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Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
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Well SCW, since this is your thread.....
Did you ever post the details of your battery box? I see it's the MTM ammo case, is there more to it than some DC power and a cable running out of it? (Incidently, MTM is a customer of mine in Dayton, OH. I have to do some thing with them over the next week or two. If anyone has any questions they REALLY want answered, let me know and I'll bug them.) |
Patriotism: being disappointed you can't shoot your political rivals. -- bikedamon
| Added Link for new SCW VHF Go-Box |
In Memory of my buddy Captain Josh Byers-Fox 6, 2/3 ACR, KIA 7-23-03.
"We're gonna find out what happened, and I don't give a damn who's career is ruined." T Gowdy
"We're gonna find out what happened, and I don't give a damn who's career is ruined." T Gowdy
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who approved this?
that design of yours is the AK47 of EMCOMM boxes; functional and practical, will work after being dropped in mud, and cheap enough that everyone should have one. ar-jedi |
Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
-- Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The EMCOMM Box (Page 1 of 3)
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