Have always wanted a home 'command post', and am mostly interested in military aircraft. I already have a pretty successful setup in the car with a Stridsburg 204M feeding two TRX-1's and a PRO-197 (with an extra cable for my AirSpy 2). So here is a slightly more ambitious project using a Stridsberg MCA208M, a Bestek USB charger (3 A's with QC and 2 C's with PD) and a nine-volt converter which will power several handhelds. All mounted on a legal size plastic clipboard which can be carried in a legal sized valise or computer case.
The Bestek USB unit will keep mobile devices charging--including a USB power pack that powers the 4 TRX-1's that I keep mounted on a legal size clipboard with hardware to mix their audio into a single output for high-noise environments.
First photo is the new device, mounted on a legal size clipboard. At the upper left is the Bestek USB charger which is powered from the RigRunner power distribution unit at lower left. At upper center is a 10-amp 12v-9v converter. The output of that converter goes down to a powerpole splitter at lower center, where I'll plug in the power cables for my PSR-500's.
Second photo is the home shack as it stands. I pulled out all my old scanners (I now mostly use TRX-1's and sometimes PSR-500's). Mobile units up on the shelf are (from bottom to top) Radio Shack PRO-2042, Radio Shack PRO-433, and Radio Shack PRO-652. To their right are a GRE PSR-410, and a Radio Shack PRO-96.
The third and fourth photos area photos are the TRX-1 array that I keep for portable use. In low noise environments I often use them on their own battery power and their individual speakers. But when watching something like an airshow, their audio can be combined into a single output via a mixer into a small headphone amp. They are mounted on back-to-back legal size clipboards, and I transport them along with spare batteries cables, cheat sheets, etc. in a computer bag purchased at a local thrift store.
The primary use of the unit I just built is to combine my TRX-1's, PSR-500's and AirSpy 2 into a single antenna (possibly up on my 12-meter telescoping mast), and to power 12v, 9v and USB devices all from my car or from a LiFePo battery that I keep for portable ham radio use. This allows me to take advantage of the ham setup for some serious scanning out in the boonies. My Spiderbeam 12HD pole can be attached to the bike rack on my car--helping me avoid running afoul of park regulations on setting stuff up...particularly with guy lines.
Biggest complaint thus far is that the power cable for the Bestek USB unit is somewhat coaxial, using the shield as the negative conductor. Serious pain in the butt, that required some heat shrink to get fitted. NOT FUN trying to get this to terminatre in a powerpole! Unfortunately, chargers I've looked at in that power range have been optimized to run off AC, and I wanted this entire thing to operate on the 12v that is the only thing available in the field.
The Bestek USB unit will keep mobile devices charging--including a USB power pack that powers the 4 TRX-1's that I keep mounted on a legal size clipboard with hardware to mix their audio into a single output for high-noise environments.
First photo is the new device, mounted on a legal size clipboard. At the upper left is the Bestek USB charger which is powered from the RigRunner power distribution unit at lower left. At upper center is a 10-amp 12v-9v converter. The output of that converter goes down to a powerpole splitter at lower center, where I'll plug in the power cables for my PSR-500's.
Second photo is the home shack as it stands. I pulled out all my old scanners (I now mostly use TRX-1's and sometimes PSR-500's). Mobile units up on the shelf are (from bottom to top) Radio Shack PRO-2042, Radio Shack PRO-433, and Radio Shack PRO-652. To their right are a GRE PSR-410, and a Radio Shack PRO-96.
The third and fourth photos area photos are the TRX-1 array that I keep for portable use. In low noise environments I often use them on their own battery power and their individual speakers. But when watching something like an airshow, their audio can be combined into a single output via a mixer into a small headphone amp. They are mounted on back-to-back legal size clipboards, and I transport them along with spare batteries cables, cheat sheets, etc. in a computer bag purchased at a local thrift store.
The primary use of the unit I just built is to combine my TRX-1's, PSR-500's and AirSpy 2 into a single antenna (possibly up on my 12-meter telescoping mast), and to power 12v, 9v and USB devices all from my car or from a LiFePo battery that I keep for portable ham radio use. This allows me to take advantage of the ham setup for some serious scanning out in the boonies. My Spiderbeam 12HD pole can be attached to the bike rack on my car--helping me avoid running afoul of park regulations on setting stuff up...particularly with guy lines.
Biggest complaint thus far is that the power cable for the Bestek USB unit is somewhat coaxial, using the shield as the negative conductor. Serious pain in the butt, that required some heat shrink to get fitted. NOT FUN trying to get this to terminatre in a powerpole! Unfortunately, chargers I've looked at in that power range have been optimized to run off AC, and I wanted this entire thing to operate on the 12v that is the only thing available in the field.
