My Ham Radio Go Box Wiring And Setup
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- Опубліковано 20 лип 2024
- Today I'm putting together my ham radio go box. It featutes an ICOM IC-7300 and Alinco DR-135. The box also includes a West Mountain Radio Epic Power Gate to allow for easy switching from battery to power supply.
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#HRCC #hamradio #amateurradio - Наука та технологія
According to the West Mountain's Power Gate manual, (copy -n-paste) "Solar Panel - Connectors are intended to connect to a solar panel, NOT A CHARGE CONTROLLER. When the power supply is not present (or off) and there is over 13V on this input, the battery will be charged from this input. This is
an optional input to be used only with a solar panel." People, read the manual!
Fuses are close to the battery to protect the wiring. In the event of a fault you want the fuse to blow close to the battery so you don't keep pumping electrons into a dead short, overheat the wiring, and start a fire.
I do agree with you that it is a pain to shorten the power cables to the desired length. It would be nice if they came in three sections with a radio connector section, the supply/fused section, and an extension.
To expand on Daniel's point with an illustration: Imagine you have a power source (battery) on the left side of your desk, and the load (a radio) on the right side of the desk with the power cable running between. Imagine someone comes in and sets down a large object on the desk with rough edges that pierce the sheilding of the power-cable, causing a short circuit.
If the fuse is close to the load (radio on the right side of the desk) now you have a battery with a short-circuit and that fuse by the radio will NOT do anything to help the situation because the flow of electrons never makes it that far (remember: short-circuit!)
However, if the fuse is close to the source (battery on the left side of the desk) the short-circuit should exceed the value of of the fuse (assuming an appropriate vlaue of fuse was selected!) thus blowing the fuse.
Yes, location of a fuse MATTERS and it should be as close to the source as possible.
73
VE3KLT
100%
You've inspired me to circle-back to the Go Box I started a while back (By "started" I mean I have a box. An empty one) Great video!
Hi Josh,
Ok, in steps as I watch...
[8:30] fuses - the power cable they provide is designed for MOBILE; i.e., CAR & TRUCK use. The fuses are meant to be close to the battery (power source) to protect the wiring & prevent fires. Arcy-sparky & oil/gas don't play nice w/each other.
Wheels! Nice.
But... for POTA, ya needed BIGGER WHEELS! You may want to strap that case onto an aluminum; large pneumatic tire dolly.
That'a a beefy boi. Would have loved to see a back-of-the-napkin wiring schematic on how all of the plugs and switches were wired together. That's what's tripped me up in the past building battery boxes. EXCELLENT video - can't wait to see this chonker in the field.
Thanks for the video! I'm setting one up with my spare 7300 and a 5100. Your video is one of the better ones, for sure! I'm using the 4U and I found a luggage cart the perfect size to roll it around. On another note, if I had that many Anderson connectors, I would lose sleep over the possibility of running out. Stock up.
Associated Radio Communications has a UHF(F) 2" bulkhead adapter with rubber washers in stock part# CUS1
This is what I used for my Winlink go-kit.
I also have a Gator 6U Go Box...mine was featured on KM4ACK's UA-cam site...I've ripped mine apart 2 times since then, putting things in as well as throwing things out....the wiring can get interesting to say the least... My top 1U where all my switches/outlets and voltage meters go came as a solid piece and I used a "knockout punch" of the correct size to cut holes for those devices.....Lots of fun designing these......Thanks for the video....
A note: when you start wiring your go box....draw out a schematic, it'll help you later....
What got me interested in portable comms was a tv show I watched back in the 70s and early 80s called Emergency. It followed a LAFD crew for 7 seasons, focusing more on the 2 paramedics. They had this one box they always pulled out of the truck when they got on scene. It was a hard case. They opened the cover and plugged in the antenna and it had a common telephone style handset. They used it to talk to the ER docs.
Emergency ran for 7 seasons??? Wow... I remember that series from when I was a kid. I had been given a (good quality metal) fire truck around the same time I was into watching the series in preschool so I would play with the fire truck while watching. (though that is really about all I remember of it from the 70s... I did not know it survived into the 80s.)
A short tip for installing the shelves. As long as everything is attached securely you can tip the rack so the rails are facing up. That way the shelves can just hang in place and you can easily set them in and get the exactly where you want them. Dave-WA4OPE
That's a BIG go box.
Almost looks too heavy to "Go"
I was thinking that too, but, I guess it also depends on what you mean by "go." If you're car camping, or maybe even DXpedition via plane, etc, heading to a HamFest, and stuff on that order, this is not a bad way to take everything you need in one, solid unit.
@@pspadotto plus there is a little room inside the box (on the back of that top shelf) for some extra cables, wire antenna, roll-up j-pole, etc.
Thanks for posting. Always nice to see new ideas, approaches (and questions!) Re fuses- first you fuse to protect the wire, then you fuse to protect the device. Don't forget the spares...
Very cool project Josh! I did a similar project with my Yaesu FT-891 when I upgraded to a new radio. I built mine into an old aluminum briefcase in the hopes that it would give it a bit of RFI protection, plus it looks cool and is fun to carry around what looks like a vintage nuclear football. My cable management was a bit messy looking but it got the job done. Looking forward to more of your project videos like this. 73!
Very cool, I just did something similar to organize my mobile install. Used a black carpeted studio style 4u rack and the black carpet blends in perfectly with the automotive carpet in my trunk. Used a cool relay from powerwerx that automatically switches off power after a certain amount of time from my car shutting off to prevent me from accidentally draining the battery.
Wire management, definitely a love hate relationship. Can be so satisfying but totally sucks having to do it lol
Kester solder 60-40 and marine shrink tube - power crimp connectors are a big no-no. Panel mount so-239 - make regular jumpers to pl-259 with reducers - no crimps - 316 coax. Please get some 5 gram packs of desiccant - these are dirt cheap on amazon and reusable and will keep things dry! I'm not giving you a hard time BUT if u want reliable field ops for w/e reason its gotta work when you need it, last thing you want to deal with is some corroded connections showing faults when you really need things to work!
Nice work. Everyone of of these is different due to different needs, operational needs, budget, and what you have laying around. I've done different types of go kits over the decades as mission and equipment changed. I currently have two different sets (all VHF/UHF, have not needed HF in my area for ARES work to date, and have the rig in my truck if needed) for different needs. In addition to POTA and ARES/RACES work, that would make a nice Field Day station as well.
Great vid! My go-box is more like and anchor box! But it does have wheels! FT89, tuner & FTM300DR
Very nice. I made a cruder attempt at a
smaller go box about 10 years ago with
an mfj battery voltage controller added
to keep the voltage up. I used an earlier
ICOM Analogue/DSTAR mobile radio
as my main transceiver, no HF at that time.
Ray, W2CH
Glad to see somebody else that uses a mini-vac as you work! Haven't built a go box yet but have done several (4) battery boxes ranging from 12 amp hours to 48 amp hours. Step bit is a necessity. Jack K5FIT
Very nice setup Josh.. I'm in the planning stages of a vhf/uhf go box, so thanks for the inspiration !
Nice, my go-box is very similar. A fuse's job above all others is preventing fire. The fuses are placed near the power source so that they protect the entire length of wire in case of a short.
Thank you for your post. It helps me understand how to better build my gator go box.
Shout Out to Sweetwater! I bought a guitar from them a few years back and they still check in every now and again by email and phone call!
I bet these videos are good for engagement because I know I have a few opinions while watching this! 😁 On your fusing debacle, I would use a RIGrunner (or similar) that has fuses directly on the distribution board, and then cut the radio power cables as short as you want.
The need for brackets has caused me to save every single extra angle bracket, washer, and grommet I've come across.
I'm building my own box once I get a mobile I can afford. Thank God I got in touch with another ham club member so I gotta save all my rubles and possibly pick up a QRP since I'm on a damn island and 20 watts is good enough for the military guys.
Thanks again for getting back to me. I looked up how much sending a zip pack will cost, and I'll just buy you a beer and give you a spot to stay the next time you're on the big island. 🤙🏽
Hahah yes! Save all the brackets.
i would add an automotive fuse block with labels for each connection.
Good idea.
I used a similar panel for my home made antenna patch panel and my DC supply. I find that fender washers and a deep well socket on both sides you can tighten them up nice and tight and it will look just fine. I have the shallow version of that rack for using under my desk.
The equipment in my ham shack reside in a Gator box. Works well, as I spend winters in Arizona. Makes it easy to go between my home QTH and my winter headquarters.
Great vid. For lighting: One of those computer gooseneck work lights that plug straight into a USB outlet would be handy and adaptable.
Cool! I built a “Ham-O-Can” using a 50 cal ammo can with a Yeasu FT 8800r powered off a battery fed by solar, 110 via a battery tender, and Anderson power poles with connections available in my truck.
Great vid again Josh! I'm a "sound guy" and we are using gooseneck desk lamps on audio mixers. They usually have BNC or XLR connectors (straight and right angle) and I'm pretty sure that You can find some at sweetwater!
I did not know we do a lot of packet radio here in SoCal. Good to know!
Thanks for the video!
Excellent video. I'm planning a go kit for my setup. I'm running a Yaesu FT-891 in conjunction with a Raspberry Pi/Digital Radio Amateur Workstation (DRAWS) setup. Everything worked great this past Field Day, but the cable management was a mess, and it pretty much just involved setting everything out all over a table. I'm wanting to build something more self-contained like this where I just open it up, power up, and get on the air. Great video. 73 de KG5TMP.
Great job. Got a few new ideas for my own Gator 6u I'm putting together. Thanks for putting together the videos and supporting ham radio!! 73 K9ZF
Good news for you! The West Mountain Radio Epic Powergate does have an integrated MPPT solar charge controller so you can connect your solar panels directly. I don't have one yet but hope to add one to my kit soon. Thanks for the awesome build video! I love watching these to get ideas for future builds.
Ohhh. Ok that is good news, I forgot about that.
Great video. You gave me a lot of good ideas to uild my go box.
6U as in 6 Units. There are SO many items for them. My dad used them for audio, as did my high school. I used them at church for audio, visual and networking. You can go many different ways. Think of where you want your radios, air flow, power supply, battery or both. Connections you might need for power or antennas. I wired a switch outlet to a psu. Lighting in the case.
It’s literally a shack to go. I say work in sections and make custom cables.
That is the correct power cable.
My Anytone and TYT had three fuses. I think my Kenwood has 2. My 7300, I cut the cable and put power poles on all of them. I even made more. Including a cordless drill battery pack that died. It has power poles.
Any cord or cable that has power pole connectors on both ends can be used in either direction so it is good practice to put the fuse in each conductor at the opposite end of the fuse in the other conductor. That way, no matter which end is connected to the source and which is connected to the load you have a fuse at the supply end that will open in the event of a short circuit. In the event of an overload either or both fuses will open to deenergize the excessive load. Placing 2 fuses at each end does not provide better protection from either short circuit or excessive load and is just a waste of materials.
Tom Horne W3TDH
Josh, Sweetwater is located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. I live about 25 min north of there. Great place. Huge building, from showroom, to studio, rock camps, lessons, repair, etc. Even a concert venue. If you need pro audio gear, they are the place. Sometimes a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. Has anyone from guitar center or musicians friend ever called for follow ups? Probably not. Also, whatever you by from them, you can call anytime for the life of the product with questions. Not affiliated, but have purchased many items from them. 73. KD9NZK. Troy
I just completed a go box. As they are all different, mine used a suitcase style box from Home Depot made by Rigid. It was a poor choice. It is self contained and uses a mobile radio (Anytone AT-5888UV), Mobilinkd TNC3 for Winlink, and a 30AH battery. Three ways to charge: AC charger (built in), Solar (10A max), and a DC/DC converter (can fully charge battery to 14.6 volts from any source between 8V and 14V). Key components I learned and used are: Ideal diodes. They have almost no forward drop and provide lossless reverse battery protection. Poly switches. A positive temperature coefficient thermistor with a sharp "knee". Acts as a self resetting fuse. So I don't have to open up the box to replace a fuse if I screw up.
Tip with your wiring management, you can get cable tie saddles and mount them to the tray, get some split tube/loom to Inclose the cable, cloth tape instead of electrical except wire isolation joints. Use RG400 if you are worried about cable loss, put some Freire coils on the usb and power cables to stop RF Interference if any. Have the radio grounded along with a grounding kit, place some microphone clips in the box somewhere, might be best off getting some blue loc-tite on the RU rack bolts peace of mind on the racks always staying in place. Just helpful tips
Gobs of variety in USB gooseneck lights. Maybe add one of the dual USB panel mount connectors for one of those? Fun video. Thanks Josh. 73//KK0DJ
Very nice! Thanks for posting. Still room for more devices. From past experience. In situations where a "go box" was necessary, the ability to transmit images was vital.
SSTV?
@@Justin-bd2dg maybe drm sstv. But if one is going to be communicating with government agencies Pactor would be a better choice. Thing is, Pactor modems are very expensive. Check out disaster responses in Puerto Rico and Haiti.
@@bet2600 what benefit of images could come during a bona-fide emergency?
@@Justin-bd2dg It would give first first responders an idea of conditions before they arrive. One would also be dealing with lists of supplies, etc,etc. With Pactor it could be sent in bulk. The more information that can be gathered the better. DHS also has "the citizen corps", which is associated with the ARRL. There is also REACT. Perhaps not all "go boxes" are for assisting in disaster relief. I have been away from ham radio for 10 years or so. What do you think Justin?
@@bet2600 I think Winlink is much more useful. Have you ever looked at SSTV images? Grainy and slowwww...
Get me that little machine that goes “BING”!
I like the GMRS "go box" that is built inside a ammo can.
Great Vid. a police supply equipment store should carry a 12v light with a gooseneck that plugs into the cigar lighter socket. Another great choice would be the LED tube light that Anderson Power carries in their web site. very light weight and mounting brackets simple stick on. on/off switch on end of tube and it comes with power plugs already installed. And I'd add a mini Maglite so you have something to use when your working at night.
Assuming that it’s a 19 inch setup, there is a ton of IT as well as Audio stuff on EBay and Amazon. From lighting to shelves. Most of the electrical stuff is for hardwire, but some of the pop out lights are LED, so a little solder goes a long way. Great job on the video.
that a great project. so many ways to do that. I love powerworks stuff. all over my off grid home and in my camping gear. love the IC 7300 . what I use. Great to run on LiFePO4 battery. and has 6 meters ! I use usb C PD 45 watt. they make a 12 to 24V one as well. how I run my laptop. even the one watching this video. HP 17 in with PD cord .direct to my 24V system. watch out for solar charge controllers a bunch of them make HF noise. use ferrite . it varys brand to brand so I test them first for the hash noise. now make a ammo box battery ! now for me would be different. no power supply ,no inside battery. USB C PD port. and a GMRS radio .but each HAM will have their own. we just custom build .for them SO 239 bulkhead make some washers for both sides. I run a drill press threw tractor supply washers . they great for hardware and buy me. 73's
When it comes building a Go Boxes, there's no right way or wrong way to construct them. It's all about customizing it to fit your needs. That the approach I took with mine. Making it functional is what's important.
To attach the so239 to the panel what I have used is get a "D" series blank plastic cover and then drill the 5/8 hole you need to mount the so239 and then bolt that into the panel
Powerpole tip: Glue a pair of housings together in the right orientation for ham radio use. I tape them to the inside front of the box that holds my PP stuff with the wire end down. You can see the metal clips and then use that to put the crimp on pins the right side up so no wire twisting!
I use a fishing tackle bag with the utility trays for all my connector stuff. Pocket on the front holds all the crimping tools and the side pockets hold stripping tools. Portable for field day use! Has coax, powerpoles, spade/ring terminals, some spare fuses...
Drilling tip to save cleanup of sharp little metal bits: Lay tape down sticky side up to catch the little metal shards, especially handy if you need to drill over existing equipment or over carpet.
Thanks for sharing your go box build. Try looking for an auto map light. You will need another accessory jack for it, but it will give you adequate lighting.
Maybe use some aftermarket license plate lights used on step bumper's. One of them with a red LED bulb and the other with a clear LED bulb. Weather proof and cheap to replace if it gets broken.
Ha Ha, had to pick up the organization box. I don't feel so bad now:-) Mounted mine to the wall outside my radio shack and filled with my collection of random wire connections and power poles.
I live about 45min from Sweetwater. I do play with some music and love Sweetwater. When you call/email/chat with questions you actually talk to someone who knows the equipment. If the person you get doesn't know the particular gear your asking about(because they have a lot, no one knows it all) they will get you someone who does know it. If you ever have need of audio gear or musical gear, calling Sweetwater will very much remind you of calling Gigaparts.
Regarding fuses on the factory wire, who knows. Personally I want fuses at both ends so that if something happens in between that is causing power to be injected to the cable both ends blow. I'm mainly thinking about in a car where you may have a long power run where that is possible. Now just imagine if all radios used a standardized power connector! You know like USB-C. I said like, because I know USB C doesn't have enough power or amps for some radios.
Those "all thread SO-239" are called feed throughs btw.. To keep them from slipping or becoming loose use washers under the nuts to better grab the case...
Love the video great idea there.
W5SWL sells bulkhead connectors that have a flange with 4 holes
Love the use of the Power Gate. Now, I use mine for my Flexradio and have since I got the Powergate. I use mine more as a UPS for the radio so when I loose power, I have time to safely shutdown the Flex or if not, it will run the radio for about 4 hours (That storm we had last winter was a good test). I also have a go box and I use the West Mountain Rig Runner 4007U which includes 2 USB power connectors which I use for the PI 400 and external monitor. My Solar power controller/battery was the BuddiPole Powermini into the West Mountain. The radio I chose was the FTDX-10. I am very glad you showed how to mount the radio. I need to do this but I have a full shelf in mine that attaches to the front and rear. As such, it is adjustable and it makes marking out the holes a little more difficult and Yaesu does not have the mobile mount so I fashioned something up that I hope to improve on. It weighs 35 pounds and most of that weight is the damn steel shelf. What was your weight in the end? I was hoping you would say. For lighting, look at W1FYG Smoke Signals RF's design. There is a company that TO showed that Don uses in his Go Box.
I’ve got a few more things to do and I’ll do a follow on video. I’m guessing we’re above 40 lbs at this point, give or take.
I’m going to look up that lighting now.
I weighed it. 50 lbs. it’s a chungus. Lol
While I definitely see the advantage of using a Power Gate to switch from AC to battery, for me who's on a limited budget, $189.00 for the Power Gate is a bit much. So, in lieu of using a Power Gate, I'm using bus bars and a manual DPDT switch instead. Also, no extra spending on Anderson Power Poles.
@@kennethherring2918 I only use mine for the Flexradio which is an investment that I want to protect. For my go box, I don't use a Power Gate and in fact, I don't really have an AC requirement. That my personal choice not to use AC.
Awesome project Josh, I am going to have to make one now too. But to answer your question about the fuse, if you put the fuse closer to the radio, and if there is an issue and the wire gets too hot, it will melt the wire all the up to the fuse. you want the fuse closer to the power load so it protects the wires going into your car. now if you are going to cut the wires you can cut to fit but you want to have that fuse close to the power source.
I did a similar thing, but with graphene batteries, solar inverter.. all inside the faraday cage with magnetic protection and electromagnets
One suggestion when drilling metal, safety glasses.
Ah hell! You got me!
Safety squints!
@@HamRadioCrashCourse I just heard the toenail story now this.
I enjoyed your video on the Radio Go box Unfortunaly when it comes to the wiring of the volt meter and others in series, I couldn't see to well how you did the in series portion.
Great video Josh, go boxes are very popular here in the Emergency Wireless Institute Civil Emergency Network (WICEN) and such. Also great for FD ops! 73 Hayden
Your intro reminded me of Montana Cal’s ole “that’s some really good audio right thar” routine. He moved from Idaho to the Phillipines and did a travel log under a different name but disappeared soon afterwards.
Cable management guy here. Tyvm. :D
Great build 👍
The single button to turn everything on is convenient, but I suggest adding a cover for it so that it doesn't get used to inconveniently turn everything off by mistake.
Great vid, i'm getting some ideas from it. Planning on a smaller one with my 705!
Just a couple things comes in mind.
1. You can probably leave out the fuses in the wiring (and save space) by using a fused power distribution strip.
2. I hate those 12V to USB things because they produce a lot of HF noise. I have one in my truck and it's making 2m almost unusable. Noise level changes with the load on the USB all over the place. At least make this switchable to shut the interference off as needed. If you found one without this problem, please share details!
3. Recently i watched some vid's about the (LiFePO4) batteries, some of the cheaper ones seems to have a tendency to heat up pretty good.
4. Lighting: a RGBW LED strip seems to be a good idea - dimmable and color set (like bright white for setup a place or glowing red or green while operating at night looks kinda cool)...and a set of PUG lights for flood light while setup antennas!
Solder & Heat shrink nicer that spices. Use pieces of headshrink to keep wires together/cable management is easier.
@8:45 Because the fuses don't protect the radio, they protect the wire. If the fuses were close to the radio, and the wires shorted upstream (on the power source side of the fuses, e.g. the battery) then the wires themselves may act as fuses by melting and possibly setting other things on fire.
The fuses protect the wires, not the radio.
Excellent!
Now I have the battletoads pause stuck in my head for the rest of the week
Instead of using the XLR panel that came with the case you can actually order a blank server rack metal plates. That way there when you use your step bit to drill out holes whether it be for the antennas or your switches they will always be the perfect size. They're fairly cheap as well and definitely as a step up from having everything wiggling and driving you crazy.
Thank you!!!
By the way, I do electrical work and I have the same knipex pliers. I absolutely love them.
The Chinese PSU are pretty good. Get the one with the “L” feet.
They make reducing wash for eletrical connections you might find the right size for the bulk head antenna connections
The real key to minimal yet flexible wiring is Anderson connectors!!!
love anderson connectors
If that's the WestMountain Radio Epic PWRGate, it has a built-in MPPT solar charge controller. That's good, MPPT is more effecient that the PWM-style charge conrollers.
Also, I belive you can configure charging settings (max bat. voltage, LiFePo4 vs SLA battery, etc.) from that USB port AND get current charge / battery status.
USB gooseneck lamp.
Loved the video, Josh. An idea for installing a heavy shelf, put the box on it's back and it will be easer to align the shelf with the holes. I will have a strip in the back for power and antenna connections.
Great Job, Bizz
KD4CXI
Used those speakers in my car. Wish they were a little louder as I can't hear over open windows. Although it may be the radios I'm receiving because my town's FD guys are louder but my PD is low.
the manual for the Epic Power Gate (Epic PWR Gate) indicates it does indeed have a MPPT charge controller built in. so no you do not need a seperate charge controller if using a 12v or 24v solar array. it is not rated beyond 30v of solar power, so a 48v array (commonly used for solar power of homes would not work, and if you had a 48v home array you would need to either use a seperate array, or wire some series parallel sections to tap a 24v output. I do not recall of hand, nor did I go through the entire manual for verification, but I believe it can handle 480w of solar panels on 12v, though depending on what your solar situation, you may need more panels to reach those numbers
"Support for direct connection to a solar panel for battery charging of all chemistry types using Maximum Power Point Transfer (“MPPT”)"
For home use, I think available equipment, I am more likely to use a renology MPPT charge controller to convert AC or solar to DC for the battery bank, then use the lithium batteries to power the radio station. the epic pwrgate however does seem to me to be a lightweight package for a go-box as it can easily be wired to take a small internal battery on the go box, or a large external battery pack and use both an ac power supply and solar panels to keep the system charged
Deepwell Socket to tighten those Bulkhead connectors. nice looking start to the box! de NJ4Z
Here is a list that I have made of some of the things that I have observed about transportable stations I have seen or even used. Some come from military equipment. NONE are original with me.
• An LED light bar on the front of a filler plate that is fitted to fold open when needed will provide a broader lighted area with fewer shadows on the work.
◦ You may want to mount the led light bar below internally lighted gauges to leave those gauges easy to see.
◦ This does not preclude the inclusion of a flexible necked lamp if initial trials show it to be needed as well.
• Connectors for external items should all go out the back including any for on connector antennas.
• Connectors that must be at the front should all mount at the bottom of the front panel without exception.
◦ If that is not done cords will be in front of other devices or controls.
• Do not use through the shell devices to avoid connector damage, foreign matter, and water entry.
• Use shelves which fasten to both the front and back rails to bear weight more effectively and resist bending.
◦ Needed for larger radios and batteries.
• Use cover pouches for loose items such as cords, manuals, and microphones and remote antenna tuner.
• Provide a weather protective back operating cover to protect the equipment from weather even when it is in use.
• Make a front weather protection hood to allow the use of the station in direct sunshine or inclement weather.
• If the station will have 2 different operator controlled radios consider having one of them mounted on a removable shelf so that it can used as a separate operating position.
◦ That will require that everything needed for one of the radios will be on a single shelf. I think that the smaller of your radios is usually the best choice for that.
• A drawer unit to hold a laptop computer can be at any height and even be mounted in the rear because it is not going to be practical to have the laptop screen in front of the equipment.
◦ The drawer should also house the mouse and audio connecting cables or devices for the radio as 2well as any CAT control cables, adapters, and converters.
• Your usage may not require the use of computer control of the radio so permanent connection of the computer to the radio will limit operational flexibility rather than improve it.
• Consider having a portable stand and folding stool for the station.
• If the station container does not have wheels consider adding a fold flat hand truck with large wheels to the overall station equipment.
Tom Horne
They make UHF bulkhead connectors that mount with 4 screws, they cannot come loose, and will not turn if you had a whip mounted with a 90.
there are new factory power connectors available on the web. and or just replace with the anderson plugs on the radio cases.
when you buy a couple screws, nuts, (buy nylock nuts also) flat washers, etc buy a whole box of them. never buy/use crack washers aka "split". as they do fail and fall out.
When working on your GoBox, use a Muffin Tin to put your bolts into so you dont lose them. You can also put a small piece of paper in with the bolts(screws) to tell where they came from. Also when using wire ties, make sure they all go the same direction when they go on, they look better that way. Also, if you install some led lighting at the ceiling of the box you can turn on so you can see what your wiring, a short strip is low cost and helpful.
19:38 you could just “raw dog” directly panel to power gate. 🤣😂🤣😂🤣🤪👍
Watching this video makes me hungry for italian food! I'm thinking lasagna, no wait, linguine, spaghetti, a good marinara sauce with lots of black pepper, that's it! lol Seriously though, nice work, looks very useful. I'm very interested to see what you do with the battery. Wondering about about heating/cooling issues, adding fans? My one recommendation for the video is that it would have been nice to see more close ups with perhaps your touching wires and naming their purpose. But otherwise, was good stuff. Thanks!
My go box is for camping. Well technically GLamping. But its way funner to just set up antennas and get on the air.
Use washers with the SO-239 connectors. washers will tighten up the connectors bro. Nice job brother. Use safety glasses when drilling metal ,learned the hard way and got a piece of metal in my eye so please use glasses.
Very nice project. I watched your video and gave me ideas to build a "go box" on my own. Thank you for laying out the wiring well. I do have a question in regard to the first button (with the blue light in upper left corner). Can you please explain what ends of the wires go where on the wiring? I couldn't really follow how they get hooked up. Like, where does the other end plug into, the distribution block between the "out" on the Pwrgate? I guess I am asking where you are cutting the power. To the distribution block, power supply, or battery? If anyone reading this can give me some insight. Any information will be appreciated. Thank you.
so glad everything is done "literally"...
A possible answer to your question (gripe). The long cable is because they're meant to be in a car (well, not so much the 7300, but you get the point). The fuse near the end is to protect the battery. The fuse near the radio is for the radio. And the little things near the fuse were probably DC filters.
The wire question you pose, Because these are designed for a car. The fuses need to be as close to the battery as possible.
Can you use PTT to switch an RGB strip from green to red when “on air”? Ham radio needs more RGB!
hey you got my rca rotor there josh lol gud rotor for the price
I actually have a project going right now that has to do with your lighting. there is a guy on youtube with something similar but basically involves a led strip, a 1" acrylic tube with the switch on the end with a 3d print part so it slides back into your accessory bar you have at the top. let me know if it's something you're interested in I bought all the stuff to make it but don't have the box for it to go in at the moment.