I now someone who used a letter filing box and build a rack inside it so all 
the radios are on shelves with like a drawer's casters on it so you can 
slide them in and out if you need to access the back of them. It's really a 
slick setup, I've thought of doing that myself but money and time are a 
little limited these days.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Gillen zl1chm" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 3:50 AM
Subject: Re: Radio Box, Part 3, Final Considerations, I Think.


>I was thinking about doing something like this but in a 19 inch rack rode 
>ca=
> se. Sure it will cost some money, but win you think about it, it is 
> protecti=
> ng hundreds or even thousands of dollars if you go for an HF setup. It's 
> not=
> worth being stingy.=20
>
> Scott
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
> On 25/03/2013, at 7:02 PM, Colin McDonald <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>> if it's a regular milk crate size, you could easily mount a dual band=20
>> VHF/UHF radio in there, along with something like an IC718, or 706, or 
>> 700=
> 0.=20
>> Use a single  30 amp power supply like an alinco which is small and 
>> very=20=
>
>> reliable...and you'd be cooking with gas I think.
>> The only down side I can really see with this particular set up, is that 
>> t=
> he=20
>> box is more or less completely open on all sides to the elements...that 
>> is=
> ,=20
>> there are large holes if you will, on all the closed sides.  This 
>> allows=20=
>
>> water, dust, mud, whatever else into the box.  So, if you set it down on 
>> t=
> he=20
>> ground, and the ground is muddy, and you don't happen to have a tarp 
>> or=20=
>
>> other ground cover immediately available, then the mud will get inside 
>> ver=
> y=20
>> easily.
>> Also, if it's raining, water will come in the top directly onto the=20
>> electronics without the suggested disposable rain slicker.
>> And guys, those disposable rain slickers are very flimsey indeed and if 
>> yo=
> u=20
>> bump it, or move it in anyway shape or form if it's wet, that water is 
>> goi=
> ng=20
>> to pour inside the box.
>> Now here is what I would do.  Go to a discount auto parts store, or 
>> any=20=
>
>> place that has some auto parts.  Find some plain regular rubber car 
>> floor=20=
>
>> matts.  They're always really really cheap, like a few bucks.
>> Make sure the matts are as big as, or slightly bigger or just bigger 
>> than=20=
>
>> the inside sides and bottom of the crate.
>> Yes, at this point, your going to have to nuckle down and probably use 
>> a=20=
>
>> utility knife.  But secure the rubber matts to the insides of the=20
>> crate...easy enough to do by cutting or driving some holes through the=20
>> rubber and using zip ties to keep them secure...then use some coax 
>> sealer=20=
>
>> puddy, or some kind of sealant to seal the holes where you ran the zip 
>> tie=
> s.
>> You will have to also seal any holes you put in the rubber for the zip 
>> tie=
> s=20
>> that mount the equipment inside as well.
>> So, now you have a box that can sit out in the rain, as long as it's 
>> not=20=
>
>> raining sideways lol, and be relatively safe from water getting into it.
>> Also, the box can be set on the ground without fear of mud or dirt 
>> getting=
> =20
>> inside to get into the electronics.
>> I suggest car floor matts because they're cheap and plentiful and easy 
>> to=20=
>
>> modify for this use.
>> You could use any sort of heavy duty rubber matting though.  Allot of=20
>> hardware stores, and even craft stores will have rubber sheets that could 
>> b=
> e=20
>> cut to size for this kind of project.
>> I know this adds some cost, and some additional assembly and time, but 
>> I=20=
>
>> think one would rather keep equipment in working order out in the field 
>> th=
> an=20
>> have it go dead on you because of water or mud or copious amounts of dust 
>> o=
> r=20
>> dirt building up.
>>=20
>> The whole point of having a field kit like this is to be able to deploy 
>> it=
> =20
>> in almost any situation...and as we all know, most of these major 
>> emergenc=
> y=20
>> situations involve the natural elements in one form or another.
>>=20
>> Hope these suggestions are some help.  I like the whole idea of the 
>> crate=20=
>
>> for all the reasons stated.
>>=20
>> 73
>> Colin, V A6BKX
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>>=20
>> approach is by
>>>> far the most simplistic I have encountered. While the open structure
>>>> is usually a big advantage, it does mean that you must pay a bit more
>>>> attention to the environment in which the box will be used. It can
>>>> usually be quite functional for public service events, radio
>>>> demonstrations, and Field Day.
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>> If you put one together, please share your thoughts about its
>>>> performance and practicality.
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>>=20
>>>> Mike Duke, K5XU
>>>> American Council of Blind Radio Amateurs
>>=20