Posted: 1/14/2016 5:23:22 PM EDT
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$300 box with a radio, battery, power panel, etc... I guess it's ok if you don't wanna build one yourself for 2/3 the cost. http://www.qsradio.com/shop-now.html#!/New-Item-Hammo-Can-XL%E2%84%A2-Complete-Go-Box/p/58978487/category=13650002 |
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Quoted: Nevah been done befoe.. http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/vassili67/706/DSCN2920.jpg http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/vassili67/706/DSCN2500.jpg There's room for the rig, power cord and mic as well as the digital interface box.  I really like the sliding tray. Very creative and elegant in its simplicity. |
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But fiddling around (and hurting yourself, breaking something, and spending twice what a ready made solution would cost) is half the fun! Quoted:
Quoted:
Sometimes the luxury of a no-brainer is what a Ham needs. A nice clean ammo can could easily cost $20 to your door. If you don't bleed on it, it's not really yours. |
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I've been wondering why some outfit hasn't designed and marketed this exact concept.
As a VERY casual operator, my chief goal/design is primarily for SHTF use. This design would likely fulfill my EXACT need without breaking the bank. I've priced my own similar design and it is MUCH more spendy than this. I've vacillated on whether or not to build my design simply because I couldn't justify the significant cost if I wasn't going to use it much. Thankfully, the Lord has blessed me where I could afford this prep item without missing the money. I need to research the radio more and the solar charging capability for the battery but this design so far is a 9/10 for me. Personally, I'm leaning strongly toward pulling the trigger on this. Thanks for the link. |
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Quoted:
I really like the sliding tray. Very creative and elegant in its simplicity. Quoted:
Quoted:
Nevah been done befoe.. http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/vassili67/706/DSCN2920.jpg http://i46.photobucket.com/albums/f110/vassili67/706/DSCN2500.jpg There's room for the rig, power cord and mic as well as the digital interface box. I really like the sliding tray. Very creative and elegant in its simplicity. Thanks! MidwestJ, one thing about the rig itself in this "kit", it can't be programmed without a computer. From the ad on Amazon.. "Comes with programming cable and software (Must be used). " While I find these budget rigs fun and fine as a secondary rig, having one for your only rig during SHTF means having to drag a computer with you too. IMO, you'd be better served with a quality 2m mobile for ham service which is frequency agile and can be programmed from the faceplate or mic keypad. |
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Quoted:
But fiddling around (and hurting yourself, breaking something, and spending twice what a ready made solution would cost) is half the fun! Quoted:
Quoted:
Sometimes the luxury of a no-brainer is what a Ham needs. A nice clean ammo can could easily cost $20 to your door. You can't learn anything if you don't do something wrong! 
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MidwestJ
Honestly, if you can do without the fancy "power panel" and use standard fuse holders, you could build that setup with a quality 2m rig for less $$$ than they want. A Harbor Freight el'cheapo multi-meter could serve to monitor voltage if you feel the need. |
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Not much of an HF guy...but I know some guys who've been building low power repeaters out of things like Hamtronics receivers and exciters, Motorola RNet 450's, Tecnet/Maxon data radios and putting them in 50 cal cans (with mobile duplexers) for years. With the new portable jump start battery packs you could get one into a 30 cal can with the right (Chinese) duplexer, and radios.
That reminds me, need to gather some more info on a feature I found hiding in Simoco's Xd programming software called Simple Repeater Dual Slot...that could be a really cool product for portable repeaters....I digress now. |
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MidwestJ Honestly, if you can do without the fancy "power panel" and use standard fuse holders, you could build that setup with a quality 2m rig for less $$$ than they want. A Harbor Freight el'cheapo multi-meter could serve to monitor voltage if you feel the need. I know. I just like the "turn key" setup with this. Admittedly, I like that power panel with the multiple ports and chargers. I like how compact it is too. I don't want to dump a ton of $ in a transceiver if I won't be using it much. I just don't have time to sit around and visit on the radio nightly with my current set of obligations. Now I'm leaning on finding a good, used yaesu mobile to put in place of the included radio. |
Found I was able to pack all this:
Into this: 
Basically, Icom 7200 (with handles of course), tuner, 2 hand mikes, headset, power supply, all needed cords, and 100' of coax in a 20mm ammo can. Radio, tuner, and power supply are wrapped in bubble wrap but I'd like to get some 3/8" neoprene sleeves sewn together for them. And a little room left over for log book pad, pens, flashlights, and whatnot. One of these days I'm going to load it up on my Viking along with a painter's pole, tripod, and wire antenna and take it out to the desert to try playing radio in the field. |
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I just read that the originally included radio only emits 10 watts. Way too weak for what I'd be after. Classic example of get what you pay for I guess. Yup. That rig is basically a cheap Chinese hand held with a small amplifier in it. Contact them and see if they will sell the "box" without the rig. Your plan of finding a good used Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood rig is probably best. Another thing to consider is, do you really need a dual band rig? There's not a lot of activity on UHF (440mhz) in some areas. |
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Yup. That rig is basically a cheap Chinese hand held with a small amplifier in it. Contact them and see if they will sell the "box" without the rig. Your plan of finding a good used Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood rig is probably best. Another thing to consider is, do you really need a dual band rig? There's not a lot of activity on UHF (440mhz) in some areas. Quoted:
Quoted:
I just read that the originally included radio only emits 10 watts. Way too weak for what I'd be after. Classic example of get what you pay for I guess. Yup. That rig is basically a cheap Chinese hand held with a small amplifier in it. Contact them and see if they will sell the "box" without the rig. Your plan of finding a good used Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood rig is probably best. Another thing to consider is, do you really need a dual band rig? There's not a lot of activity on UHF (440mhz) in some areas. I've researched that site further and they do sell just the components and various iterations of that go-box. So I'd have the shell and could work from there. Thanks for your advice sir! |
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Quoted:
Yup. That rig is basically a cheap Chinese hand held with a small amplifier in it. Contact them and see if they will sell the "box" without the rig. Your plan of finding a good used Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood rig is probably best. Another thing to consider is, do you really need a dual band rig? There's not a lot of activity on UHF (440mhz) in some areas. Quoted:
Quoted:
I just read that the originally included radio only emits 10 watts. Way too weak for what I'd be after. Classic example of get what you pay for I guess. Yup. That rig is basically a cheap Chinese hand held with a small amplifier in it. Contact them and see if they will sell the "box" without the rig. Your plan of finding a good used Yaesu, Icom or Kenwood rig is probably best. Another thing to consider is, do you really need a dual band rig? There's not a lot of activity on UHF (440mhz) in some areas. In others there is next to no activity on VHF... I think it really depends on what one's needs are as to what radio suits their system. For me, I'd run some form of P25 mobile for VHF and if I needed UHF I'd run a Simoco Xd mobile (as it can be configured to be a TDMA repeater if needed) and choose portables according to the mission as well. I don't have a single buggout coms setup though...I have multiples. |