This thread has been inspired by a conversation I was having elsewhere about how people set up their shacks...
In the Foundation course, a bit is covered with regards to electrical safety when setting up a shack, but not much on shack design per-se.
Obviously everyone is going to have a different idea about how stuff is laid out in a way that works for them, with the equipment they've got.
The purpose of this thread is to discuss how you've set up YOUR shack and what you've found that works, doesn't work, could be improved on, etc.
Photos are welcome of course
Your shack ...
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Your shack ...
Doug Bell (Zebedee) VK6DB
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Diamond Welz WS1000 wideband handheld
Radioshack Pro 28 handheld
Uniden UBC72XLT handheld
Uniden UBC73XLT handheld
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Two-way
Yaesu VX-3R 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wideband RX handheld
Yaesu FT-1802M 2m Ham TRX mobile x 2
Yaesu FT-7800R 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wide band RX mobile
Icom IC-208H 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wide band RX mobile
Icom IC-706MKIIG all-band all-mode Ham TRX mobile
Icom IC-V85 2m VHF Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-UVD1P VHF/UHF wideband Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-679P VHF wideband Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-713 UHF wideband Ham TRX handheld - Location: Just on the border of your waking mind
Nice idea Doug.
I only have the dual bander in the house at the moment, and there are three PCs in the same room. Because of this, I detached the head and fitted the ext kit so I could locate the body across the other side of the room to keep interference from PC to radio and radio to PC at a minimum. The head is right next to my PC monitor, mounted on the desk using an old mobile phone dash swivel mount. I also used a short network cable to extend the mike (which uses RJ-45).
I made a break-out box which plugs into the TNC socket which gives me access to some handy signals. The main one I wanted is the '9600' output which is virtually access to discriminator. I plugged this into my soundcard so I can use ACARSD and packet monitoring. It works well on both.
It's running on a 12v 90 watt switchmode tweaked to 13.5v. Doesn't appear to create any noise. The coax runs up inside an outer wall, no where near power.
Oh.. somebody just said VK6RLM is now licenced for the Walliston location so that should be online any day now. Hopefully without all the QRM.
I only have the dual bander in the house at the moment, and there are three PCs in the same room. Because of this, I detached the head and fitted the ext kit so I could locate the body across the other side of the room to keep interference from PC to radio and radio to PC at a minimum. The head is right next to my PC monitor, mounted on the desk using an old mobile phone dash swivel mount. I also used a short network cable to extend the mike (which uses RJ-45).
I made a break-out box which plugs into the TNC socket which gives me access to some handy signals. The main one I wanted is the '9600' output which is virtually access to discriminator. I plugged this into my soundcard so I can use ACARSD and packet monitoring. It works well on both.
It's running on a 12v 90 watt switchmode tweaked to 13.5v. Doesn't appear to create any noise. The coax runs up inside an outer wall, no where near power.
Oh.. somebody just said VK6RLM is now licenced for the Walliston location so that should be online any day now. Hopefully without all the QRM.
Rob
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- Location: arrived south - code 44
OK, mine's not exactly up and running as yet, but I do have a picture!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonic_echidna/2820718781/
The Yaesu on the left, and old Realistic scanner on the right with the handheld (and a conga) in the middle. Just to the right of this desk is my computer desk with 2 computers on it (plus sometimes the laptop as well). From Robbage's post it sounds like I should try and put some distance between the two desks?
You can't really see, but outside is a few acres of bush (ours, not a reserve) where the dipole will go for the Yaesu. It's a separate room from the house and has a separate power circuit with a circuit breaker/switch at the house - ok, not ideal but will have to do for now... Also there's a fire extinguisher by the door.
The three dogs do guard juty and hopefully won't try to pull the antenna down
http://www.flickr.com/photos/sonic_echidna/2820718781/
The Yaesu on the left, and old Realistic scanner on the right with the handheld (and a conga) in the middle. Just to the right of this desk is my computer desk with 2 computers on it (plus sometimes the laptop as well). From Robbage's post it sounds like I should try and put some distance between the two desks?
You can't really see, but outside is a few acres of bush (ours, not a reserve) where the dipole will go for the Yaesu. It's a separate room from the house and has a separate power circuit with a circuit breaker/switch at the house - ok, not ideal but will have to do for now... Also there's a fire extinguisher by the door.
The three dogs do guard juty and hopefully won't try to pull the antenna down
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Mine is really simple
Yaesu FT7800R mounted under a shelf, with a short RG213 patch lead to the antenna socket on the wall.
The remote head is conveniently blu-tak'd to the top of my computer monitor
Hardly worth making a post about!
Yaesu FT7800R mounted under a shelf, with a short RG213 patch lead to the antenna socket on the wall.
The remote head is conveniently blu-tak'd to the top of my computer monitor
Hardly worth making a post about!
Doug Bell (Zebedee) VK6DB
WARSUG Forum Administrator.
It is very dark.
You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
WARSUG Forum Administrator.
It is very dark.
You are likely to be eaten by a grue.
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- Amateur callsign: VK6LUX
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- Location: arrived south - code 44
I'm yet to start getting into apps for radio... What ones do you use?VK6ZMS wrote:I need windoze for some radio applications, it was spare after I upgraded to my 20 inch iMac.
My two computers near the radio are an old G4 tower (about to be replaced by an iMac) and a pretty nice Ubuntu linux box. We don't actually have any Windoze machines at home.
On the PC I have VK contest log for competitionsmeg wrote: I'm yet to start getting into apps for radio... What ones do you use?
http://web.aanet.com.au/mnds/
VOA Prop to see what HF conditions are like
http://www.g4ilo.com/voaprop.html
Orbitron to keep an eye on satellites
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Others/Mis ... tron.shtml
WinPSK for PSK
http://www.moetronix.com/ae4jy/winpsk.htm
A good Mac starting point is here
http://www.machamradio.com/
I use DX toolbox on my iMac and Mac Book Pro.
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- Location: arrived south - code 44
Re: Your shack ...
A bit of an update to my shack thanks to Robbage - an old Yaesu FT221 which he has whipped into working shape for me. Here it is sitting next to the FT990. Both radios belonged to a silent key who was the father of one of my friends - she's pretty stoked they're sitting next to each other again!
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Diamond Welz WS1000 wideband handheld
Radioshack Pro 28 handheld
Uniden UBC72XLT handheld
Uniden UBC73XLT handheld
Uniden UBC330CRS desktop
Two-way
Yaesu VX-3R 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wideband RX handheld
Yaesu FT-1802M 2m Ham TRX mobile x 2
Yaesu FT-7800R 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wide band RX mobile
Icom IC-208H 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wide band RX mobile
Icom IC-706MKIIG all-band all-mode Ham TRX mobile
Icom IC-V85 2m VHF Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-UVD1P VHF/UHF wideband Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-679P VHF wideband Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-713 UHF wideband Ham TRX handheld - Location: Just on the border of your waking mind
Re: Your shack ...
Upper rig is the FT-221 all-mode 2 metre , the other is FT-990 HF rig. Excellent stuff. Gotta get those antennae sorted.
Rob
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Re: Your shack ...
I like that rig you have on the right there meg,
My shack needs an update too.
Basicly, all my equipment is connected with just a computer power supply for the moment until I can afford a normal one.
I although 3 of the radios can do 2 meters and 2 can do 70cms, i only have one antenna for all of this. I switch the antenna around to what ever suites the situation at the time.
The CB radio i have there is a dual bander as well, the uhf final in it has burnt out but the AM final still works so thats primarily what i use that radio for.
left to right is a FT-60 handheld dual band, Uniden Uh095SX, Yaesu FT-857 HF , FT-7800 dual bander, Icom IC-2200H D-Star Radio, I had that installed so its all set to go if i pass my standard course although i have disabled tx on the walliston repeater on it incase I were to press the PTT while it was on the walliston repeater...... and my Diamond SX-600 SWR/ Power meter, it has two sensors on it so you can switch between the 2 meter radio and the HF.
My shack needs an update too.
Basicly, all my equipment is connected with just a computer power supply for the moment until I can afford a normal one.
I although 3 of the radios can do 2 meters and 2 can do 70cms, i only have one antenna for all of this. I switch the antenna around to what ever suites the situation at the time.
The CB radio i have there is a dual bander as well, the uhf final in it has burnt out but the AM final still works so thats primarily what i use that radio for.
left to right is a FT-60 handheld dual band, Uniden Uh095SX, Yaesu FT-857 HF , FT-7800 dual bander, Icom IC-2200H D-Star Radio, I had that installed so its all set to go if i pass my standard course although i have disabled tx on the walliston repeater on it incase I were to press the PTT while it was on the walliston repeater...... and my Diamond SX-600 SWR/ Power meter, it has two sensors on it so you can switch between the 2 meter radio and the HF.
Last edited by slipknot on Sun May 03, 2009 9:31 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- Scanners and Receivers:
Scanners/receivers
Diamond Welz WS1000 wideband handheld
Radioshack Pro 28 handheld
Uniden UBC72XLT handheld
Uniden UBC73XLT handheld
Uniden UBC330CRS desktop
Two-way
Yaesu VX-3R 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wideband RX handheld
Yaesu FT-1802M 2m Ham TRX mobile x 2
Yaesu FT-7800R 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wide band RX mobile
Icom IC-208H 2m/70cm Ham TRX and wide band RX mobile
Icom IC-706MKIIG all-band all-mode Ham TRX mobile
Icom IC-V85 2m VHF Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-UVD1P VHF/UHF wideband Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-679P VHF wideband Ham TRX handheld
Wouxun KG-713 UHF wideband Ham TRX handheld - Location: Just on the border of your waking mind
Re: Your shack ...
Heh and how long have you talked into the mouse before you realised it?
Rob
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Re: Your shack ...
Well seeings the mouse got mentioned...HOLY MOLY, that is an old mouse, it doesn't even have the most important feature...a scroll wheel!robbage wrote:Heh and how long have you talked into the mouse before you realised it?
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