Not true Bushcraft, but definitely DIY

[Eric_Methven]

If you've read the posts in the Bushmoot section, you probably know that I'll be setting up and running a special event amaterur radio station for the duration, as well as carrying out extensive field tests just to see what I can do with the gear I've built.

So, I've been a busy boy for the last few weeks. Here's some of the stuff I've done.

I wanted a grab and go manpack frame for my radio, antenna tuner and a decent battery, so I could just grab it, do away someplace wild, plug in the antenna and use it without fiddling around connectiong wires etc.


I bought some 15mm copper pipe, some angle bends and some T pieces and cut them all to size.


Then I started the build.


It started coming together nicely.


Then I added a shelf and back board made from cheap plastic chopping boards (Face Value - £1.99) and mounted the radio and tuner.


Stripped it all down again and painted the frame olive drab.


It all fits perfectly in the small bergen I got from Mr Fenna two moots ago. Now I can lug it around and get set up within minutes.


I also put a canvas cover round it to give a little added protection, and it lives quite comfortably in my man cave.


For the moot, because we'll be there two weeks, I used another chopping board and mounted a couple of solar panels to help keep the batteries topped up.


Charge controller mounted on the back.


And also, because we'll be there a while, with more than one radio, I built a power pack battery box. I can run four appliances from this, as well as charge my tablet, iPhone, e-cigarette etc.


Before the wiring is done.


All wired up and working perfectly.

I've also made a ton of antennas. But more about those another time.

Ask questions as always,

Eric

 

[Tengu]

wouldn't ali tube be lighter?

 

[boney gumbo mcgee]

That looks fantastic mate, you have put a lot of work in there and you should be rightly chuffed. Good work well done.

 

[Eric_Methven]

wouldn't ali tube be lighter?

Yes it would Tengu. A lot lighter, but impossible to solder, a bitch to weld and nowhere near as strong. I won't be lugging it up any mountains. Just short distances from the car. Besides, I've bought one of those folding sack barrows from Aldi, and I can get the battery box, the backpack, the solar panel and the antennas all on there and just drag it along.

 

[ammo]

I do like the look of that. Nicely done.

 

[Samon]

Very cool, nice job!

What sort of radio stuff do you do?

 

[welchyd1]

Damn you electrickery types. Looks ace mate.

 

[presterjohn]

I love it. I'm glad to see that podcasting and Youtube has not completely wiped amateur radio.

 

[VaughnT]

That's spectacular. I don't know what half of it does, but it looks awesome!

 

[Eric_Methven]

Very cool, nice job!

What sort of radio stuff do you do?

Amateur radio, specialising in VHF/UHF emergency and disaster communications stuff. All low power to conserve battery longevity.
I rely on building efficient antenna systems to get the signal out, rather than pumping out hundreds of watts. Most of my transcievers put out just 5 watts, with the HF rig producing 25 watts.

 

[Biker]

Hey nice bit of work there Eric. Liking that frame a LOT!

Did you see the picture of the US Army radio set up I posted in the D-Day thing I went to? I took several more so if you'd like I can email them to you.

 

[Eric_Methven]

Hey nice bit of work there Eric. Liking that frame a LOT!

Did you see the picture of the US Army radio set up I posted in the D-Day thing I went to? I took several more so if you'd like I can email them to you.

Bloody re-enactors! Can't even set up a radio station in a tidy manner. It looks like two orange boxes used for target practice with spahetti projectiles.
(Only kidding). I'm pleased you went. That ain't going to happen again. There'll be no original old soldiers left for the 80th.
That frame was fun to do. I learned a lot about soldering with a blowlamp right there.
Now I'm just waiting for someone to ask me if I'll fix their central heating!

 

[rickyamos]

I Do like that setup, are you a member of RAYNET? Please tell us more about your antenna setup please, I do like the W3EDP end fed for my portable HF QRP setup

73 DE M0ZAV

 

[Eric_Methven]

Please tell us more about your antenna setup please,

73 DE M0ZAV

I've made loads of antennas. Here's a couple of drawings I did for portable dual band working on VHF/UHF


This one is just made from RG58 coax, and works very well indeed. It just rolls up and goes in your pocket.


This one is a J Pole made from 300 ohm ladder line. It has more gain than the previous one and like the other, can be slung up a tree to gain more height. Alternatively, I've used it on occasion with an HT just tied to the top of a cut branch and held above my head.


Here's the home base copper pipe slim jim dual band I have up at the moment.


This is the method of fixing the fishing pole to the metal mast I used. Just a scrap piece of chopping board left over from all the other home brew projects.


The bottom of the slim jim. SWR across both bands is good.

No point in trying to show photos of my HF long wires as I made them all from brown stealth antenna wire from SOTAbeams http://www.sotabeams.co.uk/
and they are almost invisible, but I have a few different ones.

I also made a bunch of antenna/guy winders from the chopping boards plus some dipole centres.





Not so stealthy, this one. But it's for field use on 20m. The wire is cheap Sainsburys wire cored clothes line.

I'll leave it at that for the minute. If you're coming to the bushmoot, you'll see them all there, and you can have a play with them if you want.

73 de G1SLP