Hello Everyone,
I am wanting to build a modular portable radio box system (if that makes sense) that can be transferred between my home office and a trailer (that will eventually be set up for this). I would like to build this modular setup with several different boxes to include a two way radio box, scanner box, power distribution box, and a battery box. I should note that this will be a monitoring post 95% of them time and will generally not transmit, but will occasionally.
The two way radio's involved with this project will be an XTL2500 VHF 50watt dash unit, XPR5550e UHF 25watt dash unit, Harris XG75M 7/800mhz 35watt dash unit, and a Uniden 980SSB CB.
The scanners involved with this project will be 3 Uniden BCT15X's , a Uniden BCD996XT, a Uniden BCD996P2, and a Uniden BCD536HP. I would also like to include an antenna multicoupler (to the interior of the box) and space to quick connect handheld scanners such as Unidens BCD396XT & BCD436HP (I think this can be done easily by just adding microphone hangers and running power outlets/antenna coax connections)
For power distribution involved with this project, in the home office the radio's will be powered by a Astron RS-35M power supply. Once I get the trailer, I plan to outfit it so that this will still be the case wether it be via shore line or generator. I will be using anderson powerpoles for all power connections. Each box will have its own fused distribution block inside and will have one heavy duty power connection on the outside of the box as well as a master power switch.
I would like to add a battery backup option for when power goes out. I have priced 12v car batteries at walmart, homedepot, ect and would be open to the idea of purchasing 2 or 3 of them for that purpose, my only issue is that i'm not sure how/if there is a SAFE way to charge/maintain those batteries via the Astron power supply.
Antenna pigtails will be made from the rear of the radio to antenna switches then to connectors on the rear of the boxes. The radio box will antenna switches mounted on the rear as well as coax cable connections. This will be done to accomidate multiple antenna setups (Home office having independent VHF, UHF, & 7/800 antenna's in the attic while the trailer will have dual/tri band antenna). The scanner box antenna coax will be we "patched" if you will. The upper patch bnc patch panel will be connected to an antenna multicoupler fed to a discone antenna. The bottom bnc patch pannel will be connected to each scanner (not all will be used). The scanners will generally be fed to an antenna multicoupler to a discone antenna but this will be done incase I want to connect a specific scanner to a dedicated antenna. there will be a pigtail connection made from the multicoupler to the rear of the scanner box to a pl259 connector.
I will be making these boxes out of wood and painting them black. Racks will be made inside each box to support each radio/scanner and all radios/scanners will have havis face plates. Each box will have carry handles on the side and will have all connections/switches on the rear. Please refer to the photos below for hopefully a better explaination.
My reason for posting is to hopefully have many of you read over this and point out any issues that may come up. Additionally I am hoping for any information on charging/maininting a battery backup setup as described above. any and all input would be greatly appreciated.
I am wanting to build a modular portable radio box system (if that makes sense) that can be transferred between my home office and a trailer (that will eventually be set up for this). I would like to build this modular setup with several different boxes to include a two way radio box, scanner box, power distribution box, and a battery box. I should note that this will be a monitoring post 95% of them time and will generally not transmit, but will occasionally.
The two way radio's involved with this project will be an XTL2500 VHF 50watt dash unit, XPR5550e UHF 25watt dash unit, Harris XG75M 7/800mhz 35watt dash unit, and a Uniden 980SSB CB.
The scanners involved with this project will be 3 Uniden BCT15X's , a Uniden BCD996XT, a Uniden BCD996P2, and a Uniden BCD536HP. I would also like to include an antenna multicoupler (to the interior of the box) and space to quick connect handheld scanners such as Unidens BCD396XT & BCD436HP (I think this can be done easily by just adding microphone hangers and running power outlets/antenna coax connections)
For power distribution involved with this project, in the home office the radio's will be powered by a Astron RS-35M power supply. Once I get the trailer, I plan to outfit it so that this will still be the case wether it be via shore line or generator. I will be using anderson powerpoles for all power connections. Each box will have its own fused distribution block inside and will have one heavy duty power connection on the outside of the box as well as a master power switch.
I would like to add a battery backup option for when power goes out. I have priced 12v car batteries at walmart, homedepot, ect and would be open to the idea of purchasing 2 or 3 of them for that purpose, my only issue is that i'm not sure how/if there is a SAFE way to charge/maintain those batteries via the Astron power supply.
Antenna pigtails will be made from the rear of the radio to antenna switches then to connectors on the rear of the boxes. The radio box will antenna switches mounted on the rear as well as coax cable connections. This will be done to accomidate multiple antenna setups (Home office having independent VHF, UHF, & 7/800 antenna's in the attic while the trailer will have dual/tri band antenna). The scanner box antenna coax will be we "patched" if you will. The upper patch bnc patch panel will be connected to an antenna multicoupler fed to a discone antenna. The bottom bnc patch pannel will be connected to each scanner (not all will be used). The scanners will generally be fed to an antenna multicoupler to a discone antenna but this will be done incase I want to connect a specific scanner to a dedicated antenna. there will be a pigtail connection made from the multicoupler to the rear of the scanner box to a pl259 connector.
I will be making these boxes out of wood and painting them black. Racks will be made inside each box to support each radio/scanner and all radios/scanners will have havis face plates. Each box will have carry handles on the side and will have all connections/switches on the rear. Please refer to the photos below for hopefully a better explaination.
My reason for posting is to hopefully have many of you read over this and point out any issues that may come up. Additionally I am hoping for any information on charging/maininting a battery backup setup as described above. any and all input would be greatly appreciated.
