Radio Box

[arajca]

I've been working on a portable radio kit for CAP. I've had the equipment signed out, but assembling it was a lengthy process (30-60 mins), not including the antennas. So I decided to take a page out of the ham radio books and build a box.

Design considerations:
Three radio (2 - CAP, 1 - Liaison) EFJ 5317, Tait 2020
Power supply - 30A (25A continous)
Portable case
Weight under 50 lbs.
Simple to set up

Solutions:
Case - SPUD7 from MTM-CaseGard ($24.99 from Cheaperthandirt.com - green)
      Took looking at a couple of different cases before settling on this.

Still work in progress, but here's where I'm at...
Top radios - CAP 1 and CAP 2 mounted on a 5/8" shelf
Custom wrap around bracket to secure radios to top shelf (4" x 24" x 1/16" aluminum sign)
Power Supply - bottom left
Liaison radio - bottom right

To Do:
Mount power supply and Liaison radio to bottom shelf.
Build power center (fuses, power source switch, light switch) and mount between power supply and CAP 1 radio
Mount antenna connectors
Finish securing brackets to top shelf
Install plug for power supply
Install and wire fan
Install and wire SP50 (50A power pole connector) for DC in
Wire all radios
Make/procure labels for all radio and connectors
Make vehicle battery cable set
Complete operating manual
Make plans for set (I'm currently on Plan G)

More to follow as I get more done.

Neat little thing - A Brother label maker, using a 1/2" tape makes labels that fit where the "EF Johnson" tag is on the front of the radio. Just make it a two line label. The EF Johnson tag comes off easily and can be replaced with a asset tag label.

[smg id=47]

[admin edit: deleted attachment.]

[arajca]

Tonight's progress:
Mounted Liaison Radio - need longer screws for power supply.
Built and mounted power center - need to build wiring harnesses.
Mounted Antenna connectors - need to build/buy jumpers
Secured brackets.
Installed grounding box. All gound leads go to one bolt. Separate, connected bolt to attach to external ground.

[wuzafuzz]

Love the idea!  I've been planning to do the same with some of the radios assigned to my squadron.  Haven't settled on the box yet.  I've been thinking about Pelican cases but the expense has kept it from happening.  Also looked at used cases with rack mounts.

Now that you have experience with the MTM-Case Guard box, how do you like it? 

Will one power supply cut it for three radios or is the intent to only transmit on one at a time or set them on low power?

[arajca]

It's a good case.

The PS is rated for 25 continuous, 30 for 33% service. I don't see more than two radio transmitting at once, or if all three are transmitting, it'll be for a very short time. The radios actually draw less than 10A each, that's just the fuse rating. IIRC, they draw 7 or 8A when transmitting. They draw 12.5A at max power, so only two could transmit at max at a time, but if you figure one of the CAP radio will be for the base net, it'll be on low power. But if I need to get a more powerful power supply, I can.

With most of the stuff installed, the box weighs under 35 lbs. Wiring, case fan, and light MAY bring it up to around 36 lbs.

YOU know how long it takes to set up radios at an incident base, so I'm hoping this will greatly reduce the time factor. Plus, with the external dc power connector, it'll be able to run off a vehicle battery (leave the engine running) or external battery box (also in the planning stages)

The next box (yes, there will be a companion) will hold an airband, uhf liaison, and vhf liaision. If things work out, I want to swap the vhf liaison in the first box with a DTR. (no drooling )

[airdale]

Looks like a great project!  You haven't mentioned heat or ventilation, though.  Is there a gap between the case and the back edge of the shelves to allow cable routing?  If you leave an inch or so, then raise the bottom shelf by a couple of inches tp create a plenum, you should get some convection with cool air coming in at the bottom front and rising at the back.  (I'm assuming you don't want to cut ventilation holes in the case.)

[SarMaster]

Nice Job.  FLWG has something very simliar.  We have 2 EFJ's 1 Tait, Airband, and a Micom II in a portable rackmout case.  Ill post some pics tomorrow.  We also have ran leads for the speaker / mic connections for all the radios to the rear of the rack. this enables us to use a local remote handset to talk on the radios.  It uses CAT 5 cable, you can run 2000 feet from the radio box into mission base etc, and dont have to worry about coax etc...  Yours is compact and clean....good work!

[arajca]

Looks like a great project!  You haven't mentioned heat or ventilation, though.  Is there a gap between the case and the back edge of the shelves to allow cable routing?  If you leave an inch or so, then raise the bottom shelf by a couple of inches tp create a plenum, you should get some convection with cool air coming in at the bottom front and rising at the back.  (I'm assuming you don't want to cut ventilation holes in the case.)

Ventilation is on my to-do list. Initially, I had planned to run an 80mm case fan I have, but there isn't sufficent space. I do plan to put ventilation holes in the sides at the top for 60mm fans. Water tightness wasn't really a goal, although I can add some features to compensate somewhat for the holes.

I've finished the physical installations and I'm making my wiring plans now. I plan to start cutting wire tomorrow evening. I spent some time talking with a electrician I work with who is also a ham and former CAP member (yes, I'm working to get him back in). Got several ideas from him and found a couple I had wouldn't work.

[arajca]

Nice Job.  FLWG has something very simliar.  We have 2 EFJ's 1 Tait, Airband, and a Micom II in a portable rackmout case.  Ill post some pics tomorrow.  We also have ran leads for the speaker / mic connections for all the radios to the rear of the rack. this enables us to use a local remote handset to talk on the radios.  It uses CAT 5 cable, you can run 2000 feet from the radio box into mission base etc, and dont have to worry about coax etc...  Yours is compact and clean....good work!

I'd love to see the wiring schematic for a remote headset/speaker and mike setup for the EF Johnson.

[SarMaster]

We ordered a few extra speaker mics, Cut off the ends (Its actally cheaper then buying the Anphonol mic connector by itself)  Via the mic connector we grabbed PTT, TX Audio.    We tapped into the speaker output for RX Audio.  All is terminated with a terminal strip ion the back of the rack.  then to a CAT5 connector.   The 'remote' is a  CPI Comm local remote


http://www.cpicomm.com/leseries.pdf

The cool thing about the remotes is you can parralel them. so i can run 2 or 3 remotes to perhaps the Comm Trailer, Ops, and staging....they can all transmit on the radio and use intercom between them.     CPI is comming out with 4 'line' remote...so esentially you can wire 4 seperate radios to it...i lil pricy though.

[arajca]

More progress:
1. Completed wirng design and fabrication
2. Completed power panel, including labels.
3. Wired AC power plug for power supply
4. Added ground plate to antenna connectors (inside box) and wired to ground lug.
5. Painted case red (because I wanted to)
6. Added magnetic dry-erase board to lid.
7. Added supports for lid when open (no longer removed for operations)
8. Added mike clips to lid

[smg id=53]  [smg id=54]  [smg id=56] 

Still to come:
1. Install fans
2. Install DC plug
3. Make DC power cable
4. Replace upper right radio (current one needs repair - used for fit testing, have replacement already)
5. Install light (I haven't found one I like yet so may take a while but wiring is already in place)
6. Clean up wiring.
7. Finish Operations Manual

[vento]

^^^ :clap: :clap: :clap:^^^

[Smithsonia]

Andrew:
When you finish with this beautiful piece of handy craft, how about a demo for the troops. PM me or email me. You've got my number.

[arajca]

It's done. The only things left are the light and the operations manual.

The apearance hasn't changed, so no new pictures.

[arajca]

As I started to design this case, I made graphic images of the fronts of varous radios I have access to. These are done in Paint Shop Pro.

The attached .zip contains images of the following, in case someone else wants to try their hand at this:
EFJ 5317
Icom A110 (airband)
Icom F121/221
Micom 2 (hf)
Tait T373 (airband)
Motorola Spectra or Astro Spectra
Motolola external speaker
Astron RS-12A power supply
Astron RS-35A power supply
Astron SS-30 power supply
10 unit rack case
10 unit rack rail

Feel free to use or ignore.

[Smithsonia]

This comm rack that Andrew built makes any van that we've got a command post. I saw this little beauty last week.

Maj. Rajca took what we have, built it for the real world comm needs and packed it to rock and roll. Great job by a great member! I can't wait to see it in action! Great job Andrew.

[SKYKING607]

Another radio "box" source:

http://www.iportableus.com

[IceNine]

^ and about 10 times too expensive.

Great looking case but well outside my appropriation.

[arajca]

Another radio "box" source:

http://www.iportableus.com

Nice looking box, but expensive and limited - two mobiles OR one mobile and one power supply. Need three to match my one.

[arajca]

Had first operational test tonight. Worked like a charm. Used a new broadband mobile antenna on an Antennex mobile-base adapter, 100' RG-58 cable, homebrew tripod supporting a 12' telescoping mast.