Update on my portable kit

[Littlears]

Late last year I decided to start building a portable radio kit. I don’t have any experience building these kinds of things, and used this site plus a few others to get some feedback / ideas.

I figured I at least owed the group an update (for those interested). Purely an amateur trying to hang with the big dogs . I’m sure there are some things I could have done better (for one I’m not that happy with my carpentry skills or wire management), but it is what it is at this point.

Anyways all radios measure less than 1.5 swr when on their respective antenna.

here’s a link for those interested /

 

[Littlears]

Not sure if the link is working, if it’s broken for your try this?

 

[sp5it]

SWR is the least important parameter of antenna system.

 

[Littlears]

Some specs :

all fits within a 1500 round 7.62 ammo can. Interior dimensions are about 7” wide x 11” long x 14” tall.

3 radios: icom 2730a, midlan mxt115 gmrs, President bill cb

1 30 amp hour battery (largest I could find to fit within) form amped outdoors.

1 pwr gate from west mountain radio

1 multi size fuse box from Amazon

6 or so mini led strips from Amazon

2 micro pc fans from Amazon

6 avh switches from carling tech / digi key

1 power meter from power werx

1 temp sensor from Amazon

bunch o wires / heat shrink / zip ties (14-10 gauge).

antenna is (2) 2’ sections of pvc, coupled together pressure fit. Breaks down and fits in my back pack.

antenna also uses arrow antenna ground plane and mounting bracket.
Vertical element of antenna is a multi spectrum Nagoya antenna (140,220,440).

Cb works off of a 1/2 wave dipole

both antennas have 50’ of lmr 400 available for use. This allows me to run CB + ham or cb + gmrs at once.

a couple pieces of plywood, threaded rod, and spray paint.

I plan to add portable solar charging panel soon to be able to be 100% off the grid.

 

[Rwb]

how ya gonna pack that heavy sumaB around when done? i myself prefer light n portable

 

[Littlears]

how ya gonna pack that heavy sumaB around when done? i myself prefer light n portable

It’s about 20-25 lbs. so you could huff it on a hike. I have a shoulder strap which would make that possible ...

It’s really meant to be car portable and camp ground usable. If I need to huff a radio up into a hike / woods / extended journey I’ll take a HT and my solar panel for charging (I have a HT for each radio type). having a few HT allows me to have folks out doing whatever and reporting back to “base”.

 

[binrat]

My HF kit is sub 3 lbs. Radio, antenna battery, external speaker, mike everything.

 

[Slowmover]

My HF kit is sub 3 lbs. Radio, antenna battery, external speaker, mike everything.

Supporting gear, tools & supply for those “field mishaps”?

Both approaches work. Both are to be emulated, my opinion.

.

 

[binrat]

Supporting gear, tools & supply for those “field mishaps”?

Both approaches work. Both are to be emulated, my opinion.

.

Mostly use trees for antenna support, when needed a 7.2 mr fishing pole shortened to about 6 metres. Only fix need out of close to 300 activations was a cracked Anderson powerpole connector after I kneeled on it, otherwise a multi-tool always on my pack.