KC1UA Shack For 2020

[KC1UA]

Hi Folks,

I've been working on this room for months literally as time has allowed and I "think" I have it to where I want it to be (for now anyways...).

Equipment is as follows: Airspy R2, SDRPlay RSPdx, 2 Airspy Mini's, Uniden BCD536HP (main scanner). In the rack I have an Icom IC-R8500, 2 Uniden BCT15's, 1 Uniden BCD996XT, 1 Uniden BCT15X, and 1 Uniden BCD996P2 that is connected to ProScan running constantly for unattended logging. There is also my old trusty antenna patch panel that involves a 4 port and 8 port Stridsberg multicoupler as well as one of the good ol' Electroline multicouplers. The amateur radio is a Yaesu FT-991A that utilizes a MFJ-993B tuner for two multi-band doublet wire antennas that I purchased from trueladderline.com. Equipment is powered by 3 different Samlex SEC1223 power supplies. There are 3 PC's, all mini's, 2 Dells and 1 HP, all running Windows 10. There is also a Raspberry Pi that runs PiAware for ADS-B aircraft tracking. My data is shared with FlightAware and I am using the FlightAware ProStick Plus dongle. I also have a tower that is mounted to the right side of my house. The tower supports a Comet GP-15N at the top, a side mounted Scantenna, side mounted Comet GP-6NC, ADS-B antenna, weather station, and is the center support for both HF wire antennas. The Yagi is a 900 MHz and is not currently in use. There is also a second desk in the shack and a 32" HDTV mounted on the wall behind the radio desk (no pic of this). There are also several portable scanners and ham tranceivers (not shown).

 

[W9WSS]

Scott, is your setup designed with N9JIG's fantastic base in mind? The only thing Rich doesn't have is outside antennas due to currently living in an HOA.

 

[KC1UA]

Scott, is your setup designed with N9JIG's fantastic base in mind? The only thing Rich doesn't have is outside antennas due to currently living in an HOA.

Not sure I could ever live up to his, Will, but I'd stick my neck out and say we have "periodically inspired" one another over the years! He surely got me going on the rack part of it, and as I recall he may still have a radio or two kicking around that I sold him, mounted in his!

 

[blantonl]

You need to get some Broadcastify Calls feeds going!

 

[KC1UA]

You need to get some Broadcastify Calls feeds going!

This is something I do want to have a look at in the near future, Lindsay. I am running UT with Scanner Recorder 3 and it's working well, but I have a lot to check into as to how it all works. I will definitely have a look before long.

 

[W9WSS]

Excellent when mutual projects in the hobby come together like this, Scott. I've known Rich for over 40 years and there aren't too many people like him in the "industry." We're both retired LEO's, and he's helped me with guidance, referrals, and information for years. Just because he lives thousands of miles away as of five years ago, I still keep in touch with him just about daily.

 

[JDrisc3480]

That is a really nice setup. One question. What is on the tv that is mounted to the right of the rack?

 

[KC1UA]

That is a really nice setup. One question. What is on the tv that is mounted to the right of the rack?

That's an old LG monitor for the HP mini-PC that is sitting on top of the Samlex supply in the rack. It's not normally on but there if I need it.

 

[N9JIG]

Great Scott! (or should that be "Great, Scott"?)

I have certainly been inspired many times by your shack photos and videos. I directly copied the antenna patch panel idea as well as the rack mounting. I am jealous of the tower for sure!

I also have a Samlex 1223 but stopped using it in the shack as the fan would kick on all the time and bug me. I do like them otherwise and I use it now in the shop.

 

[Dann]

Very nice..

 

[KC1UA]

Great Scott! (or should that be "Great, Scott"?)

I have certainly been inspired many times by your shack photos and videos. I directly copied the antenna patch panel idea as well as the rack mounting. I am jealous of the tower for sure!

I also have a Samlex 1223 but stopped using it in the shack as the fan would kick on all the time and bug me. I do like them otherwise and I use it now in the shop.

I thought I copied the rack mounting from you? Ha! Interestingly enough I never notice the fan noise from the Samlex supplies. Maybe mine crapped out? As switching supplies go I find them to be good ones although I'm sure they are injecting some "extra stuff" into my monitoring. Speaking of which, one item I did not show in my pics is one of the Wellbrook Loop antennas for MW and HF. It has made a HUGE difference in my ability to monitor those bands. Being packed into 1/4 acre lot-ville in the 21st century is an interference nightmare. I use the Wellbrook on an A/B switch with either my RSPdx or as a receive antenna when hamming. What a difference! It is mounted on a shed in the quietest corner of my property that I could find, about 10 feet up. It's on a rotor...but the damned rotor doesn't work anymore! One of these days I'll replace it.

In any event, many thanks to all for the likes and nice comments. It's just a pile of stuff I've accumulated over the years semi-organized into a usable pile.

 

[03msc]

Very nice!

 

[commscanaus]

Another awesome shack in a rack!

Your antenna setup is excellent.
Great to see a patch panel in use for your antennas.
Use one here myself and it makes for quick selection of any radio to any antenna.
Recently color coded the jumper cables to see at a glance what is going where.

Interesting selection "Kitchen"!
Listening while cooking dinner?

And yeah, I love HF listening but to heck with the constant S9 suburban noise!

Commscanaus.

 

[KC1UA]

Great to see a patch panel in use for your antennas.
Use one here myself and it makes for quick selection of any radio to any antenna.
Recently color coded the jumper cables to see at a glance what is going where.

Interesting selection "Kitchen"!
Listening while cooking dinner?

I've always been a patch panel fan for that very reason. I like the color coding idea! Maybe someday I'll utilize that. Very cool.

As to kitchen, I have a cable drop out there so I can plug in a portable and listen. I was at one point using Siren with an Android tablet to display my 536HP but it was extremely flaky, so I went the hard wire route. There will also be a porch drop (re)added soon. It's summertime here and I'm fortunate to have a screened-in porch.

 

[izzyj4]

Very nice set up! If I make it up to Dennisport this year, I'll keep a ear out on the repeaters for you.

 

[K1MLG]

Very nice set up. What make/model are the five speakers mounted to the rack?

 

[michael_m_rubino]

Outstanding as usual! Thank you for sharing.

 

[tede911]

Nice set up!

 

[kjfswkr]

Well done, happy listening.

 

[N3LUD]

Wow! This is beautiful.