I prefer self-contained stations that allow quick moving around, hence my Radio Cabinet and vehicular installs of recent months. I have specific uses for the Radio Cabinet but still like to keep a few radios on the desk for quick access and testing. Recently they have just been arranged on the desk so that they fit under a monitor but I decided to try something a little different.
What I have on the desk includes an SDS200, 2 BCD996XT's, an HP-1 and an HP-2. Doing the math and this adds up to 5 radios so a 4-port Multicoupler will not work hence the 8-port. This also allows me to add other radios down the road as needed.
I saw another guy (whom I can't recall right now...) having used a Scanner Master 4-radio Desk Mount and liked that. Since I kind of have an in there I requested one be sent out to me and it arrived yesterday. I had originally intended to use a 996P2 instead of one of the HomePatrols and I still might down the road.
I was concerned the SDS200 might be too tall for the mount but as it turns out there is enough room to support it. I mounted that at the bottom, below the 2 996XT's. I velcroed the HP1 to a cut piece of 2x4 and shimmed that into place leaving enough room at the top to get to the buttons. I used a right-angle adapter on the SMA connector so route the cable to the back.
I placed the multicoupler on the top 996 with a bit of velcro and a 12v 6a power supply velcroed to the top of the inside of the rack. This little power supply has worked great for me, very quiet RF wise and it runs with no noticeable warmth running 3 radios and the multicoupler. The HP1 has its own wall-wart and the HP2 is plugged into the nearby monitor's charge port.
When first imagined I intended on using a 2-outlet tap with a pair of USB power ports I had. I used it on the bench for testing but when placing the rack I found that it wasn't needed.
I might replace the HP1 with either my PSR410 or another 996 down the road, or perhaps a 536 or another SDS200. If I end up with a couple I could fill the current HP1 slot with another SDS/996 type radio and place a 5th one on top of the rack but I would have to relocate the multicoupler and power supply.
Here is the back of the rack.
Here is the front. powered up and running on the desk.
What I have on the desk includes an SDS200, 2 BCD996XT's, an HP-1 and an HP-2. Doing the math and this adds up to 5 radios so a 4-port Multicoupler will not work hence the 8-port. This also allows me to add other radios down the road as needed.
I saw another guy (whom I can't recall right now...) having used a Scanner Master 4-radio Desk Mount and liked that. Since I kind of have an in there I requested one be sent out to me and it arrived yesterday. I had originally intended to use a 996P2 instead of one of the HomePatrols and I still might down the road.
I was concerned the SDS200 might be too tall for the mount but as it turns out there is enough room to support it. I mounted that at the bottom, below the 2 996XT's. I velcroed the HP1 to a cut piece of 2x4 and shimmed that into place leaving enough room at the top to get to the buttons. I used a right-angle adapter on the SMA connector so route the cable to the back.
I placed the multicoupler on the top 996 with a bit of velcro and a 12v 6a power supply velcroed to the top of the inside of the rack. This little power supply has worked great for me, very quiet RF wise and it runs with no noticeable warmth running 3 radios and the multicoupler. The HP1 has its own wall-wart and the HP2 is plugged into the nearby monitor's charge port.
When first imagined I intended on using a 2-outlet tap with a pair of USB power ports I had. I used it on the bench for testing but when placing the rack I found that it wasn't needed.
I might replace the HP1 with either my PSR410 or another 996 down the road, or perhaps a 536 or another SDS200. If I end up with a couple I could fill the current HP1 slot with another SDS/996 type radio and place a 5th one on top of the rack but I would have to relocate the multicoupler and power supply.
Here is the back of the rack.
Here is the front. powered up and running on the desk.