Go Box Latest Version

Today I set up in Oro Valley, AZ behind the local high school. It was chilly and breezy!

Two Ras[berry Pi's are connected to DV4mini to provide hotspot connections for DSTAR, DMR, and C4FM. The PowerAnalyzer on the left allows me to monitor battery status. 2 of the USB ports on the right provide 5vDC power to the RPi's and the other 2 are connections for the FT-991 and the WIRES-X link.

It all breaks down to a reasonable size for transport. My objective was not lightweight but I did want to keep it small enough to carry in a small car. Inside the long bag is a Buddipole HF antenna system, plus an Arrow handheld satellite VHF/UHF antenna, plus a few other antenna items.

Cabling is always a challenge, as it tends to get out of control. I needed to provide enough excess for connection cables to allow the inside tray to slide out. 

Bulkheads for USB connections and coaxial cables on the inside back. A single 12VDC power in cable connects to a RigRunner distribution block. All power connections use Anderson PowerPoles for easy connections. Most connectors are labeled using a handheld label maker. The holes in the back come from previous incarnations and provided cable egress, but I find they also help keep things cool inside the box when operating.

I added a 12VDC fan to circulate air and it really helps cool things down. One area I need to improve on is grounding. Only the FT-991 had a ground terminal, but other items should be grounded as well.

The AZ dirt is hard to get a ground rod into. The battery box holds an 80AH sealed battery. On top is a 600W power inverter, but I try to avoid using that at all costs; also on top is a PWRGate block which allows me to trickle charge the battery when AC power is available.

Always a scenic view here in AZ.

The DV4minis are just above the LCD displays. These little gadgets allow me to use an HT to connect directly in to various digital reflectors around the world. The station also includes a WIRES-X digital node controller, allowing the mobile rig in the middle right to connect to System Fusion servers.

My first love is always HF, especially 10 meters. The Begali Traveller paddle allows for morse code fun, and the microphone is used for voice mode. The HF rig is also controllable from my laptop computer and with Ham Radio Deluxe, I operate various digital modes such as PSK31 and RTTY.