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Gutted and re-installed shack

Highlander_821

Highlander_821

Amour d'Ecosse
Apr 2, 2005
1,089
29
58
Central IL
I finally got around to re-doing my office/shack/computer room.

What an ordeal! I had put things together in a real hodge-podge way when we moved out here. I had only one outlet to work with, so I had this daisy-chain of outlet strips and surge suppressors. Also, odd, mis-matched desks and a very haphazard arrangement of equipment.

So my friend came over and ran 3 new circuits for me, with a total of 16 110v plug-ins and a 220 outlet if I ever need one in here for an amp, maybe. I got two matching office desks with the cable feedthru thingys on them and I just got done moving everything back in and getting it all hooked up and working.

God I hope I don't ever have to do this again. It has been a real pain.

But it came out really nice!
 

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Some of the equipment here starting from the left is my Kenwood stereo receiver, a Galaxy DX2517 with Galaxy 250 amp and Astatic 600 meter with Astatic TUP10DA-L mic. The Galaxy is connected to the computer to it's right via sound card interface. That same computer also controls and displays for a BC-245xlt scanner that is out of sight. That radio primarily monitors aero freqs in my area.

The mics on the shelving above everything are a Silver Eage base with Fentone 500c head, a Cobra CA-78, and an Astatic 1104c. There are a couple of handheld scanners there as well, a Pro-95 and a Pro-83. I use those sometimes when severe weather is around.

The scanner on top of the speaker is a RadioShack Pro-2096. It monitors the two digital trunked systems in my area. It is connected to the computer to it's right via programming cable. The antenna for the Pro-2096 is up there on the wall above it--a Winradio AX31b planar log periodic with built in low noise preamp. The elements and the preamp circuitry are mounted on a fiberglass substrate.

The computer that the 2096 is connected to also has connections to a Winradio 1550e which is out of sight, and a Yaesu FT-847. (This computer has 5 serial ports). The Winradio primarily monitors analog VHF/UHF comms in my area. The 847 is connected to a LDG AT100proII tuner and an MFJ-873 VHF/UHF power/swr meter. The radio is powered by a Samlex 1223 PS. Mic is a Yaesu Md100.

To the right of the 847 is a RadioShack 19-1210 2 watt/2 channel MURS radio. It is powered by a Cobra brand power supply under it. To the right of that is the little stack consisting of a Cobra 150GTL, a Uniden Grant LT, and a President Lincoln.

The antennas outside are a Sirio Gainmaster, a Diamond Discone, a Workman UVS-300 dual band collinear, a W5GI doublet for HF, and an Antennacraft ST-2 scanner antenna.
 
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Isn't a shack rebuild fun? :headbang I did that two years ago when I cleaned the shack out starting at ripping up the carpet to lay walnut laminate flooring and stopped with a painted ceiling. Pretty much did everything in between too including building my own operating desk.

http://www.worldwidedx.com/station-mobile-pics/73127-just-finished-building-my-new-radio-desk.html

Now it has gotten cluttered up again because of being pretty much QRT due to lack of antennas but that is changing as I am now working on the other end of the rebuild and replacing the tower and all my HF antennas.By summer's end I should be settled back into my two year old new shack and back on the air. It's a good feeling isn't it? Congrats on the rebuild.
 
Captain Kilowatt said:
Isn't a shack rebuild fun? :headbang I did that two years ago when I cleaned the shack out starting at ripping up the carpet to lay walnut laminate flooring and stopped with a painted ceiling. Pretty much did everything in between too including building my own operating desk.

http://www.worldwidedx.com/station-mobile-pics/73127-just-finished-building-my-new-radio-desk.html

Now it has gotten cluttered up again because of being pretty much QRT due to lack of antennas but that is changing as I am now working on the other end of the rebuild and replacing the tower and all my HF antennas.By summer's end I should be settled back into my two year old new shack and back on the air. It's a good feeling isn't it? Congrats on the rebuild.
Click to expand...

Yes, it is a good feeling having taken the time to do it right. I am especially pleased that I decided to expend the money and time to get the new circuits run for the room. My friend (fellow Ham) charged me only a fraction of his normal rate (which is pretty reasonable to begin with) and I helped out with all the stuff that wasn't over my head, like measuring the wire and conduit, tacking up the romex, drilling holes and all that stuff.

My wife was very cool about having a disorganized heap of shite in the living room and lounge for several days.

This wasn't just about the radios, either. I went through and got rid of all kinds of crap that I've been moving and re-moving and never really unpacking and dealing with for years. I finally got all my books out of boxes and into a bookcase. I might actually read a couple of them now. :sneaky2:
We washed my Black Watch curtains, dusted and washed the walls with oil soap, moved out an old futon, got a couple of nice comfy chairs instead. All with prodding by Christie, as I know I wouldn't have bothered with any of that on my own, but it is SO nice in here now, I've been getting up early every morning to have coffee down here and "power up".
:D
 
Highlander_821 said:
Yes, it is a good feeling having taken the time to do it right. I am especially pleased that I decided to expend the money and time to get the new circuits run for the room. My friend (fellow Ham) charged me only a fraction of his normal rate (which is pretty reasonable to begin with) and I helped out with all the stuff that wasn't over my head, like measuring the wire and conduit, tacking up the romex, drilling holes and all that stuff.

My wife was very cool about having a disorganized heap of shite in the living room and lounge for several days.

This wasn't just about the radios, either. I went through and got rid of all kinds of crap that I've been moving and re-moving and never really unpacking and dealing with for years. I finally got all my books out of boxes and into a bookcase. I might actually read a couple of them now. :sneaky2:
We washed my Black Watch curtains, dusted and washed the walls with oil soap, moved out an old futon, got a couple of nice comfy chairs instead. All with prodding by Christie, as I know I wouldn't have bothered with any of that on my own, but it is SO nice in here now, I've been getting up early every morning to have coffee down here and "power up".
:D
Click to expand...


This sounds like the "suck up" part. :LOL: Good move actually, get what you want done while making it appear that some of it is done to make the wife happy. Been there and promised that for years. Now it's time to make good on it. My wife has been good about the shack reno as well as she actually wanted me to do something about it. As for my accumulated junque (it's not junk as it is of a much higher quality than plain ordinary junk) I have been promising her that a lot would disappear or be put to use with the tower project. Lots of large rolls of heliax to be used up,copper strap, various switches, cables etc and the rest is to be gone over this winter and carted off to the hamfest next spring to make one wife happy and several others not so happy. :D
 

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