Shack

This is my current setup. Main HF Rig is Kenwood TS-480 HX running 200 watts. Also have a variety of other HF, UHF, VHF and DMR rigs.





This is my prior set up. My main rig was a Kenwood TS 940S going to a TL 922A amplifier that I occasionally use. I also use at Kenwood TS 450S mainly for digital modes as well as a Kenwood TS 480 HX. The microphone is a WO3O Condenser Microphone with foot control. You can read more about this microphone at eHam.com by clicking here. The pictures of my main shack are below (you can click on any of the pictures to enlarge them).




KK4MES Shack

KK4MES Shack Close Up

WO3O Condenser Microphone


 Main Shack Equipment:
  • Kenwood TS-450-S
  • Kenwood TS-940-S (2)
  • Kenwood TS 480HX
  • Kenwood SP-940 External Speaker
  • Kenwood SP-930 External Speaker
  • Kenwood TL 922-A Linear Amplifier
  • WO3O Condenser Microphone
  • Kenwood MC-60 Desktop Microphone
  • Kenwood AT-200 Antenna Tuner
  • Kenwood HC-10 World Clock
  • Kenwood SM-220 Station Monitor
  • Yaesu FT-2900 for 2 meters
  • Vibroplex Straight Key
  • Vibroplex Paddles
  • Vibroplex Vibrokeyer

Shack In A Box
KK4MES Shack In A Box

 I used a gator box for the container and the equipment I put in it is a Kenwood TS-50 (160 through 10 meters), Kenwood TS-60 (6 meters) and a Yaesu FT-2900 (2 meters). Also included is a LDG Autotuner, a SignaLink USB for Digital Modes and a ZLP Electronics TS50 CAT for rig control of the TS-50. Also threw in a scanner, 10 meter radio, cooling fans and led lights so I can see. I use the TS-50 for digital modes


I have a house in Jackson's Gap, Alabama on Lake Martin (Grid Square EM72bu). My shack here consists of a Kenwood TS-450 and Yaesu FT-2900 for 2 meters. I use the SignaLink USB interface made by TigerTronics between the TS-450 and the computer. I really like the SignaLink USB, it is really easy to adjust the power levels directly on the box which helps to keep the ALC in check which is very important for a clean signal. I mainly use Fldigi for PSK-31 and RTTY operation. I also use MMSSTV for slow scan tv.

Lake Shack Antennas:
  • QSO King Long Wire Antenna
  • Firestick 2 meter base antenna
  • Sirio Gainmaster vertical for 10 meters



Mobile  Operation
For mobile operation, I use a Kenwood TS-50 for HF and a Yaesu FT-2900 for 2 meters. Also, have a Cobra 29 for 11 meters that I use for monitoring traffic conditions.


2 meter and 11 meter antennas are firesticks and HF antenna is a TRX Communications 392M with loading coil.


This is a closer look at the TRX Communications 392M mobile antenna. It is basically an aluminum bilet with a loading coil and a ham stick type vertical radiator.
 
 I used an antenna analyzer (MFJ-259C) and made a chart for which holes to short out for the lowest SWR on each band. This makes it really easy when changing bands. The antenna seems to work really well, I have made contacts as far away as Europe, South America and Australia.
Antenna Tuning Chart
Several folks have emailed me asking for a copy of my tuning chart for the TRX Communications 392 Antenna. I have posted a picture of my chart below that works for me but  your installation may be different so this may not work for your particular application. I started out by using a 10 meter ham stick and tuning the whip for the lowest SWR on 10 meters. I did this with one end of the jumper in the bottom right hole of the coil and the other end of the jumper in the top hole of the coil. The antenna coil comes with two jumpers, but for 20 through 10 meters, I only used one. Once I had obtained the best SWR on 10 meters by adjusting the top whip of the antenna, I then experimented moving the top end of the jumper down a hole at a time in the coil until I obtained the best SWR for 12, 15, 17 and 20 meters. Although I experimented using both jumpers to tune for 40 and 80 meters, I never could get a consistent low SWR with various combinations that I tried using the 10 meter ham stick. It was probably just me, but I eventually gave up and resorted to using a ham stick made specifically for 40 meters and 80 meters, both of which I tuned in the same manner as the 10 meter ham stick and they seem to work well. I could probably keep working with various combinations of the two jumper wires to make the 10 meter ham stick work on 40 and 80 but for me it's no big deal to unscrew the 10 meter ham stick from the coil and replace it with either the 40 or 80 meter version when I want to operate on those bands.

 QRP rig is a MFJ -9420 20 meter rig using a Par EndzFed wire antenna. I modified the power pack to use a single gell battery instead of the d cell batteries which were always shaking loose. It works much better now.















I also have a couple of old boat anchors and various other stuff that I have picked up over the years at Hamfests and eBay.




Thanks for stopping by and I hope to talk to you soon! 73 de KK4MES