My mess...

[mancow]

Figured since everyone else was doing it I would post a couple pics since I finally got around to cleaning the place a bit.

The plate is the antenna coax plate I made to finally hide all the cables. They were running down the corner of the wall but I decided to finally run them inside the wall. What a nightmare that was. I found out there is a 2x4 running diagonally in the wall. :evil: That's why the plate is above the desk line and not hidden below it. But, it's kind of easier to use that way. In the wall is six runs of Andrew LDF1-50, a run of LMR400, a run of 58 for HF and a piece of RG59 for the scantenna. The jack is for antenna mounted preamps and the phono plug is the rotator control cable. There's still a lot of work to do as far as wire hiding and power supply and speaker management.

 

[andrewccm]

Very nice. Of course, my head would explode with anywhere near that many radios.

Super nice clean setup.

 

[af5rn]

Very nice, dude! Very organised! Almost too organised. In fact, I sense a little OCD going on there. :lol:

No seriously, I love it! I am wanting to do a coax plate like that when I redo my shack. I'd like to see behind the plate, if it's not much problem for you. I'm interested in how it's all connected.

And you list nine connexions, but only mention one antenna. Are the six LDF1-50s all from the same antenna, or what? Of course, you know we're going to ask for antenna pics too, lol.

 

[steele_lpd]

<img src="http://image.orientaltrading.com/otcimg/12_6676.jpg">

 

[mancow]

Thanks, but atually, I deceive. It's usually a wreck around here. That's why I took this opportunity to clean up. The only OCD may be a hoarding habit. :lol:

I will try to get a pic behind the plate when I work on it again soon. I got some N bulkheads with small pigtails that go to SMA on ebay. The pigtails go to the SMAs that were installed on the LDF. There are more connections there than there are antennas right now but I tried to plan ahead for once. The antennas right now are just a DPD Log and 800 beam on a rotator, a RadioShack ground plane, 40 meter dipole and an RFS high gain 800 Mhz omni. I plan on putting up the scantenna, the Dorne and Margolin satcom and some other stuff later on.

 

[N1SQB]

nice!

I love the corner counter top. Is it a counter top or a desk? Either way, Great Job!

Manny

 

[tonsoffun]

Super!!!!

Mancow,
Your shack looks terrific, very nice collection of radios. Your shack should be an inspiration to many people on here.
I love it!!!
Take care

 

[mancow]

It's one of the Bestar brand corner desks. I got it off Craigs List cheap.

thanks

I love the corner counter top. Is it a counter top or a desk? Either way, Great Job!

Manny

 

[NYRHKY94]

Mancow:

Awesome shack!!! I'm a big fan of the neat & clean look, so this one is now one of my favorites. If you could give us a run-down on all the radios, that would be great. I think I see an old Patrolman 3 up in the top left corner.

Also, let us know how you're using the computer set-up (scanner software). Do you have separate towers down below for the 3 LCD's or are you using a KVM switch?

Again, great job!

 

[xpawel15x]

Yes very neat shack with lots of radios, just makes me want to get another new radio.

I just noticed you have the same Microsoft computer mouse as me on the bottom of the picture.

 

[hoser147]

Nice Job

Looks Great Mancow,..........Hoser

 

[n8emr]

was the coax block home made? Whats on the otherside on the patch panel?

 

[K8PBX]

Great Job!

 

[RESCUE4NFD]

Very clean setup...

 

[W9NES]

Nice set up!!!!!

 

[texasemt13]

*drool*- I had to gather my jaw up off the floor- WOW! That is sharp. That is about how cleanI would have to have it- way TOO OCD for a jumbled mess. Very nice my friend.

 

[eorange]

What's the ham rig in the bottom left? Do you run that through the plate?

 

[mancow]

I don't use much software. I just mainly let the radios do their own thing. I do have ham radio deluxe on the far left monitor for the FT-857. The regular ARC stuff is loaded on the middle Vista PC and the right hand XP laptop if needed.

It is an old Patrolman 3 that I got off the list here. It still works great.

There are a couple of 15s, a 2096, 996, 2055, 780, Bendix/King LMH-3142 vhf, VX7r, R-20, RACAL25, XTS2500, XTS5000 and Bendix/King EPH599 plus the old PRO2030 and the 800 Mhz A7 trunking/coventional spectra.

The 857 is hooked to an LDG Z-11 PRO tuner and then it patches to the panel and on out to the 40 / 80 meter fan dipole.




Thanks to all for the good words.

The best investment was to rip out the carpet and install that Pergo hardwood flooring stuff. It's so much easier to keep clean and my chair actually rolls now. But, I hate carpet anyway. I always thought of it like a piece of clothing that never gets changed.

Mancow:

Awesome shack!!! I'm a big fan of the neat & clean look, so this one is now one of my favorites. If you could give us a run-down on all the radios, that would be great. I think I see an old Patrolman 3 up in the top left corner.

Also, let us know how you're using the computer set-up (scanner software). Do you have separate towers down below for the 3 LCD's or are you using a KVM switch?

Again, great job!

 

[steele_lpd]

Didn't notice it before... but I love the A7 Spectra!

 

[rhicks6000]

very nice radios and very organized