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Showing posts from November, 2022

The Nearly Universal Radio Carrier Final Chapter - A Kydex Quickie for KX-style Radios

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Executive Summary (don't you feel important?) The Radio Carrier dead horse gets its final beating with this Quickie KX Carrier.   This post shows how quickly an effective system can be built from scrap Kydex and an off-the-shelf PALS-equivalent panel. The Nearly Universal Radio Carrier Final Chapter - A Kydex Quickie for KX-style Radios The blog last discussed the possibility of some "cheats" to make a radio carrier project cheaper or quicker. This is a proof-of-concept zero to done "Kydex Quickie" project.  It took about two hours.  Might be a way for you to decide if a "shack-in-the-pack" is silly or super. Some people don't keep their garage full of scrap metal or metal-working tools.  I shouldn't.   My scrap metal shelf was made using a jig saw, a drill and a file.  But some people don't have even those, or don't want to fiddle with metal. Can we use scrap Kydex instead?  Short answer is a qualified YES! Look below. The left picture

Radio Carrier Part 2 - Build Tips and Shortcuts for the Nearly Universal Radio Carrier

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  Executive Summary (you know why we do this by now....) 1) There will be separate sections with build details for the carrier board, the load-bearing shelf, and the adjustable bracket; and 2) "Cheats" - easier ways to make a carrier if you have fewer radios, less time, or more (but not much more) money - are imbedded in each build section. 3) You'll be relieved to know that this entry is pretty dry and mostly devoid of failed attempts at humor.....  😂 Radio Carrier Part 2 - Build Tips and Shortcuts for the Nearly Universal Radio Carrier Unlikely you would want to build the carrier I did .  E ven I didn't want to. The point was to show possibilities, so that if you wanted to try one, you didn't have to start from scratch.   The build is simpler if you don't need to accommodate multiple radios or orientations. The Carrier Board My carrier board is made from Kydex.  Kydex is readily available, easily cut, weather resistant, available in a variety of sizes, colo

WTF? (What's That For?) A Nearly Universal Radio Carrier for Almost Any Pack AKA "Shack In a Pack"

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Executive Summary If you're still reading this blog, clearly you have no regard for productive use of your time, so, really, do we need an Executive Summary to help you manage it? Still, old habits are hard to break, and you may have just jumped in, so here we go.  In this post, I will: 1) Explain why a Shack in a Pack; and 2) Provide an overview of its functionality   WTF? (What's That For?)  A Nearly Universal Radio Carrier for Almost Any Pack AKA "Shack In a Pack" Why a Shack in a Pack? Thanks for asking. There's no right or wrong way to operate a portable radio station.  You should do what works for you.  Fit for purpose.  Your use case.  Or cases. Some people pride themselves on having a modular system with everything in neatly identified cases that can be mixed or matched as needed.  They may enjoy the process of packing, setting up and tearing down. I don't.  For me, it's heading out for the day, radio and lunch tucked in a ruck, with maybe a burner