Winter 2026 N9JIG Build

[N9JIG]

Nice reset. I've been contemplating one of those widescreen curved monitors to replace my 3 monitors but I'm not sure all my open tabs/windows that I have spread over them would fit it any better

That was the issue I was having with the Mac. I use my Mac for writing, video and audio stuff, my financial stuff and watching TV. As I have un-diagnosed ADD of sorts I cannot sit and watch TV, so I have it on as a distraction or background. I found the 27" monitors to be perfectly sized for my needs. When I got the widescreen it was awesome until I started watching TV shows, then it became an issue. If I full-screened the TV show I could not write, if it wasn't full-screen then it was too small. I tried adding a separate 27" monitor for TV viewing; it worked fine but I did not like the aesthetic.

The use case on the Windows machine however fit the widescreen to a "T". I use multiple radio programs, and multiple windows of several. Usually there are anywhere from 8 to 12 instances of ProScan running, along with things like FT-8, SDR, Win4Icom, Sentinel and/or ARC-XX running, all with different sized windows. Having a single huge monitor makes it easier to size and arrange things that it was with separate monitors. I was always constrained by edges of the monitor and I hated breaking things across monitors, they never seemed to line up properly after a restart.

 

[wa8pyr]

The cabinet is 60 inches wide, 12 inches deep (at the bottom) and 10.5 deep at the top.

Ok, I figured that was about it. Too wide for my desktop, unfortunately. I might have to look at fabricating a custom solution out in the garage.

 

[N9JIG]

The one I have is this one: Premium Series 4U x 3 (12U) Desktop Slant Triple Bay Studio

Any 3-bay cabinet is going to be 60 inches more or less* due to the 19-inch bay width. If that is too wide consider a 2-bay solution like one of these: Double Bay Straight Racks. You might also want to consider a pair of single bay cabinets.

*(19 inch bays x 3 = 57", 4 3/4 inch vertical risers = 3", 57 = 3 = 60)

 

[CKnobb]

That was the issue I was having with the Mac. I use my Mac for writing, video and audio stuff, my financial stuff and watching TV. As I have un-diagnosed ADD of sorts I cannot sit and watch TV, so I have it on as a distraction or background. I found the 27" monitors to be perfectly sized for my needs. When I got the widescreen it was awesome until I started watching TV shows, then it became an issue. If I full-screened the TV show I could not write, if it wasn't full-screen then it was too small. I tried adding a separate 27" monitor for TV viewing; it worked fine but I did not like the aesthetic.

The use case on the Windows machine however fit the widescreen to a "T". I use multiple radio programs, and multiple windows of several. Usually there are anywhere from 8 to 12 instances of ProScan running, along with things like FT-8, SDR, Win4Icom, Sentinel and/or ARC-XX running, all with different sized windows. Having a single huge monitor makes it easier to size and arrange things that it was with separate monitors. I was always constrained by edges of the monitor and I hated breaking things across monitors, they never seemed to line up properly after a restart.

Excellent info. I have so many different things going on, different tabs all for separate reasons that the multiple monitors make it easier. But the aesthetics are not ideal. I reckon multiple monitors are the best way for now. My more recent setup keeps the middle monitor for Push Video Wallpaper shuffle along with minimized DXlab Suites modules for my ham stuff.

Also 3 PCs running, so multiple monitors are a must.

 

[N9JIG]

Update for Early February:

Of course I couldn't leave it alone. This time it is just a minor evolution. I moved the SDS100 and SDS150 to the left side of the desk and added speakers for the scanners. I also have similar speakers for the ID-5100 and IC-7300 placed on top of the console at the edges of the monitor. I then added 8 external speakers for the scanners. With all the shacks I have had I rarely had ever used external speakers as the racks have enough gaps to allow audio to escape. I usually had no problem hearing the comms and the few times I did try external speakers I was not very impressed.

Then a bit back I bought an ID-5100 from a guy here on RR. He included an external speaker with it that I did not use at first. Later, the way I had mounted the shelf unit in my current shack caused me to try using the external speaker and I was pretty impressed. I then tried it out on a few of the scanners and I liked the performance. I also had one of those generic 2"x 4" speakers that are sold under various trade names like PowerWerx, Opek etc. I popped that onto one of the scanners and placed it on top of my monitor and it sounded great.

Now I was starting to think about how to mount a bunch of speakers. The monitor mount I have is the SecretLab Wide Screen mount which comes with a pair of optional handles to make it easier to move it around. I had removed the top handle as it stuck out too far for my tastes but realized it would support mounting a batch of these speakers. It was easily removed, just a couple Allen screws to lock it down.

I stopped by the local HomeDepot and bought a package of 1/2 inch pipe clamps and a piece of 1.5 inch angle aluminum stock. I had decided that I wanted 8 speakers above the monitors, one for each of the 536's and one each for the 2 SDS200's, the 260 and 996P2.

I then measured everything out and decided that I needed 23" of stock aluminum so cut that off the 48" piece I had. I then drilled holes to mount the speakers as well as holes for the clamps.

This is the monitor arm I use. It shows the same type monitor I have except in white, while mine is black. (photo from the company's website).

This is how the angle stock attaches to the monitor arm handle:


Here is a side view of the speakers mounted to the angle stock:


A better view of the rear of the assembly. I had originally considered a set up with the speakers mounted so the cables came out above but changed my mind mid-stream. In the time I wrote this I probably could have removed and reapplied the number labels but I have selective dyslexia and can read them upside down just fine.



This is how the speaker assembly looks when seated at the desk. The brightness of the display caused some havoc with the aperture of the phone camera.


A view from the center of the office. I ended up spending more time on measuring and aligning the holes for the speakers than anything else. They are actually pretty well spaced out, I used my caliper to measure the spacing. The front-rear alignment was set to allow the center two speakers to fit in front of the handle.


I like the way this turned out. I can quickly unplug the speakers and loosen the Allen screws holding the handle to the monitor arm and remove the speaker assembly as a unit in under a minute. Unless you are standing you would never see the bracket, otherwise I would have painted it. I did go thru a couple iterations of the thing over the last 2 days so there are a couple extra holes here and there, but since it is well hidden by the monitor I have no issue with that.

 

[weathermedic]

Looks great as always Rich, but I'm wondering, does it get confusing having all the speakers spaced so close together when you are trying to discern what radio/agency is talking? Just curious if that is an issue for you. I know it's not always possible to have speakers spaced out due to not having enough room for that but it looks like you do.

 

[N9JIG]

Looks great as always Rich, but I'm wondering, does it get confusing having all the speakers spaced so close together when you are trying to discern what radio/agency is talking? Just curious if that is an issue for you. I know it's not always possible to have speakers spaced out due to not having enough room for that but it looks like you do.

It is not too bad. I do have the radios on the right connected to the speakers on the right etc. When I get some new black label tape I will label each speaker with the radio it is connected to.

I usually have only 1-3 radios with the volume up at a time, they are all logging activity all the time in ProScan. Having spent a lifetime as a police officer, firefighter/medic, dispatcher and Comms director I am pretty good at discerning multiple radios.

 

[pb_lonny]

Another great change

 

[CKnobb]

Now my gears are turning. Looking forward to next week's update!

 

[N9JIG]

OK, I know I can never leave well enough alone! I was sitting in my LazyBoy this morning watching a couple livestreams and listening tot he scanners. I wasn't really happy with the speakers being vertical above the monitor and started thinking of alternatives:

One of the ideas included building a speaker box using these or other speakers behind a common grill to go either above or under the monitor. I am not a woodworker so would have to find someone to construct it for me. Scratch that idea for now...

I then thought about mounting them to a piece of stock with their brackets and placing that assembly under or above the monitor. I discounted this idea as that would separate the speakers by an inch or so each, reducing the number of speakers that would fit the available space (I need about 10)

Then I had a brainstorm, you all know how dangerous they can be! Since all the speakers have a threaded insert for mounting, I could chain them together with threaded studs. In another thread (Thread size for external speakers (Icom SP35 etc.)) I asked if anyone knew the proper thread size. I wanted to save a trip to the store (45 minutes each way...) and order the threaded studs. After reading some of the responses I finally realized another way: I could make my own. This way I wouldn't need to know the actual thread size, just find some machine screws that fit and hack off the heads.

I went thru my junque drawers and found a bunch of 2-inch machine screws that fit the speakers perfectly. I cut each in half with a hacksaw and then cut the heads off of half of the remains. I ended up with 12 studs, all but one threaded nicely, one did not seem to survive, probably having shifted during the cutting. I expected that to happen so I made a dozen instead of the 8 I needed, now I have extras.

I then attached 5 speakers together and did the same for another 5, making 2 sets of 5 speakers. These will go nicely under the monitor. I split it into 2 sections as it is a curved monitor. I might join the two sets together down the road but for now this works well.

These are the threaded studs I made by cutting the machine screws in half:


Insert a stud and twist: They tighten up right nice. Since the ends of the speaker enclosures are flat there is no bowing to the assembly.


The assemblies fit nicely under the monitor. Notice that the two are not joined in the center, this allows sort of a "V" shaped layout. I can always add another stud to join the two assemblies down the road.


The overall image of the speakers in relationship to the monitor. They kind of blend in to the background, which is one of the reasons I stick with an all-black motif.


I tried to adjust the brightness and contrast on this crop of the above picture to make it easier to see the speakers. BTW, the cloth is a cover my wife made for the cabinet to help prevent scratches.

 

[pb_lonny]

That is a good change.

 

[lebrunmn]

OK, I know I can never leave well enough alone!

I'm guessing that you've heard this before, but you're quite mad... You had me at "sitting in my LazyBoy".

Another great innovative change... thanks for the idea!

 

[CKnobb]

Much cleaner look too