My Scanner Box Project (lots of pics, 56k beware!)

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andy404ns

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Oct 21, 2005
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418
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New Hampshire
So as graduation day neared I started to plan out a project that would display all my scanners in a neat and orderly fashion. Not that I don't love wires all over the place, but I needed something to do before work started anyway. So I decided to make a box (basically a console) that would hold the scanners, all the wires, speakers, and whatever else I needed. Here it is from start to finish:

After the pine met the table saw along with some of the equipment:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=Beginning.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Beginning.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

I had to use a reciprocating saw to cut the slots due to a lack of proper hardware and funds (but I thought it came out halfway decent):

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=FrontCutOuts.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/FrontCutOuts.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Next I installed some "holders" for the scanners with some flimsy wood and a few shelving brackets:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=Supports.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Supports.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

An idea of where I was heading (I took a lot of these pics in case I screwed everything up and had to go back to fix something):

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=APrelude.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/APrelude.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The assistant (he "assisted" by sitting around and sleeping in the sun all day):

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=Assistant.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Assistant.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The front (with felt), sides, and bottom attached. The holes on the side are there to accomodate the speakers which are coming at a later step:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=SidesConnected.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/SidesConnected.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The completed outer shell wrapped in black felt:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=FinishedBox.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/FinishedBox.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

A shot from the back after the speakers were installed. You can see the speaker wires coming through in addition to the hardware used to mouth the speakers:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=SpeakersInstalled.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/SpeakersInstalled.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

A shot from the back with all the scanners installed and power/speaker wires attached. The two coax wires going out the top right of the box feed the two handheld scanners that are fixed to the front:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=Back-MostWires.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Back-MostWires.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The antennas that I put up. I have the RS 20-176 (I've had it for a while), the new Scantenna, and a Comtelco 800MHz:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=AntennasCloseUp.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/AntennasCloseUp.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Another shot from the back with the cables feeding the antennas installed:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=Back-AllWires.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/Back-AllWires.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And now for the completed front shot. I was actually very impressed with how it came out. I figured I would have messed it up somehow. The only thing that's missing in this pic is the power cord for the PRO-82. It's in the mail now. Also, There is normally two PC cables to connect the 246 and 996 to my computer but they have to go in front so I left them out for the pic:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=TotallyDoneFront.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/TotallyDoneFront.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And finally a shot from the side. You can see the piece of wood I cut down and installed in the window. The hole in the left side of it allows the antenna cables to pass through. I will soon be painting the wood to match the window and putting weather stripping on it:

<a href="http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/?action=view&current=TotallyDoneSide.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/TotallyDoneSide.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Hope you liked my project. I had a lot of fun with it! There's more pictures of the setup on my photobucket page:

http://s251.photobucket.com/albums/gg291/andy404ns/
 

SAR923

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Dec 19, 2002
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1,514
Very nice job getting all your radios in one place. My only suggestion is to get a black Sharpie marker and color all those staples black. It won't help reception but it'll make it look more like furniture. :)
 

af5rn

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N. Tex / S. Fla
Simple elegance! Very nice job!

Obviously, it's all about having the right assistant! :lol:

I too took some inspiration from your project.
 
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andy404ns

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Oct 21, 2005
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Location
New Hampshire
trooperdude said:
Good job.

Is the back open for ventilation, or did you enclose it ?

the back is open. ventilation, as you mentioned, was a concern. but more than that i need to have access to the connections since I take the 996T out at least twice a week for the car and in case we have a lightning storm come through. The back is up against the wall so none of the wires are visible anyway.
 

Caesar

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Apr 11, 2005
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Location
Lexington, SC
very good job! my only question, are you using rg-6/rg-59 (75 Ohm) coax? i thought i saw some adapters and the splitters looked like cable tv connections... with you only receiving i doubt the ohm difference makes much difference, but you might try rg-6/rg-58 equivalent later and see if you see much of a difference...
 

wogggieee

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Hugo , MN
Wow, that is a great looking set up. I like the design. It looks very functional and looks good too.
 
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