Posted: 12/8/2014 2:12:51 PM EDT
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My card took a beating this morning in the name of EMCOMM.
Ordered a Kenwood TM-V71A and Samlex SEC-1223BBM. The BBM was $30 more but it will switch to a battery on AC power failure. Got some Powerpole stuff to connect it, some low-loss cable for antenna feed lines and a lightning arrestor. I have a piece of plexiglas in the basement, so I got a couple of bulkhead connectors to build a window pass-through. At the moment, I'll stock it all in one of my many, many Maxpedition bags while I decide on what sort of layout for the Box itself. Also bought a tennis bracelet as an offering to the angry lady who lives in my house. |
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My card took a beating this morning in the name of EMCOMM. Ordered a Kenwood TM-V71A and Samlex SEC-1223BBM. The BBM was $30 more but it will switch to a battery on AC power failure. Got some Powerpole stuff to connect it, some low-loss cable for antenna feed lines and a lightning arrestor. I have a piece of plexiglas in the basement, so I got a couple of bulkhead connectors to build a window pass-through. At the moment, I'll stock it all in one of my many, many Maxpedition bags while I decide on what sort of layout for the Box itself. Also bought a tennis bracelet as an offering to the angry lady who lives in my house. I know what you mean about that part for most of my purchases....................it was my wife's idea to get into ham radio, so I get a pass on all radio purchases. Share your progress on the EMCOMM, I'm gathering stuff for one as well and already have the same radio!!! 
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Me: Hello, Honey?
Her: Yes. What did you do this time. Me: Nothing. I just wanted to let you know that i'll be home a little late tonight. I'm going to stop at HRO on the way. Her: EXPLATIVES A-Hole. Me: Wait, wait! I just wanted to know if it's OK to stop at Cartier on the way. Her: Yes, but you're still not getting any tonight. |
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Nice choice in gear. What are you using for an antenna? Quoted:
Nice choice in gear. What are you using for an antenna? Quarter-wave ground plane I built myself from an issue of QST. Sheet metal base and 1/8" rod with a UHF bulkhead connector in the middle. I built one for 2M an one for 440. I got a lightning arrestor and some LMR400 for a feed line. I'll post pictures of the antenna tonight. I know what you mean about that part for most of my purchases....................it was my wife's idea to get into ham radio, so I get a pass on all radio purchases. Share your progress on the EMCOMM, I'm gathering stuff for one as well and already have the same radio!!! I will. Photographic documentation and all. Quoted:
green, it's not just what you spent.... Is that a box color reference? Why not electric blue? My daughter likes pink, so that's an option, too. Quoted:
Me: Hello, Honey? Her: Yes. What did you do this time. Me: Nothing. I just wanted to let you know that i'll be home a little late tonight. I'm going to stop at HRO on the way. Her: EXPLATIVES A-Hole. Me: Wait, wait! I just wanted to know if it's OK to stop at Cartier on the way. Her: Yes, but you're still not getting any tonight. There's an HRO near my mother's place, about an hour and a half away. Free shipping was better than $20 in gas. I get it all delivered to work, so I just toss the boxes in the recycling here. She'll never know, but I probably won't be getting any because it's report card season. |
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maybe our buddy with the my Little Pony Avatar...and/or my 9 and 3 y/o daughters? Quoted:
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Who would steal a hot-pink plastic tub with Barbie and Elmo stickers? maybe our buddy with the my Little Pony Avatar...and/or my 9 and 3 y/o daughters? Hmm, you have a point. |
| Congrats on the purchase. I have only used my emcom box twice, once when we didn't have power (and I could have used the battery bank, but there wasn't heat in the shack) and once on an exercise, because we couldn't get the county's equipment running fast enough. |
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Congrats on the purchase. I have only used my emcom box twice, once when we didn't have power (and I could have used the battery bank, but there wasn't heat in the shack) and once on an exercise, because we couldn't get the county's equipment running fast enough. I don't have space for a shack, so it will be a "shack in a box" I can take out or put away fast. |
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Here is the first step, Arfcom patch: http://i100.photobucket.com/albums/m26/bouwmanf/emcommboxwarfcom_zps63c8bd37.jpg Got one coming. |
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Here's my antenna. The specs came from the Arkansas Ares page, but I'm positive they're a page out of an ARRL book. I built a 2m and it works, but it looks like crap. The lessons I learned made for a much better antenna the next time around. I plan on putting piece of plexiglas in the window with a couple of bulkhead connectors through it so I can hang the antenna outside and still keep the window closed.
ETA: when I put some waterproofing on the coax for the radiator and the input, I'll give it a nice coat of Rustoleum. 
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I tested the SEC-1223BBM by plugging and unplugging A/C power with the radio on. The switch to
battery was instantaneous, the display on the radio did not even blink. I could not tell that power had been switched. A voltmeter on the battery also showed that when the supply was plugged back in that the battery was taking a charge. The SEC-1223BBM with backup battery gives seamless power, and works exactly as advertised. Further, the ground plane antenna you made looks great. For a permanent (base station) application I would put some sort of sealant on the top of the SO-239, sealing across that insulator. Water will wick in there. Perhaps liquid tape or something, not sure what will hold up in the long run, but it needs to be sealed. |
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I tested the SEC-1223BBM by plugging and unplugging A/C power with the radio on. The switch to battery was instantaneous, the display on the radio did not even blink. I could not tell that power had been switched. A voltmeter on the battery also showed that when the supply was plugged back in that the battery was taking a charge. The SEC-1223BBM with backup battery gives seamless power, and works exactly as advertised. Further, the ground plane antenna you made looks great. For a permanent (base station) application I would put some sort of sealant on the top of the SO-239, sealing across that insulator. Water will wick in there. Perhaps liquid tape or something, not sure what will hold up in the long run, but it needs to be sealed. I've heard nothing but good things about the Samlex power supplies. Having a that battery backup feature saves a couple of elements and a bunch of Powerpoles. Glad you like my antenna. I'll seal the UHF connector on top. I've seen some waterproofing tape in various arfham threads, so I'll probably use that in combination with some silicone. |
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Glad you like my antenna. I'll seal the UHF connector on top. I've seen some waterproofing tape in various arfham threads, so I'll probably use that in combination with some silicone. Home centers sell scotch 2228 tape for a less than $10.00 and a lot more tape than from Ham sources. 
Bill |
Choose your components carefully as you will be graded here on this forum
In order to achieve an "A", you will most definitely need to start with a GREEN PROJECT BOX and and one or more of these… 
Additional ARFCOM accoutrements can net you bonus points or extra credit. 
GREAT start to your emcomm box! Make sure to leave room for growth as once you have the VHF/UHF portion configured, you will then be sucked into the HF side (and that my require the purchase of some 1kt diamond earrings and pearls just to "balance" things out) Keep the pictures coming!... |
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