Tidying up is Important – K9ZW Island Rack

Sometimes the small things matter a lot.

The Island Rack basically has been put together piecemeal, and now that it is settling into an all-FlexRadio setup it was time to tidy things up.

Here is the backside of the rack:

K9ZW Island Rack – Backside View

Kind of a “So What?!” picture as I forgot to capture before tidy-up shots.

Changes made include:

• TP-Link Network Extender has been replaced with an Ubiquiti Amplifi HD Router configured as a Mesh-Point.
• Ethernet cabling simplified.
• CAT6e color coded cables replaced the mishmash of all blue mystery brand/spec ethernet cables.
• Ethernet Cables have been tidy into a cable chase away from power and RF cables.
• Low Voltage DC power cables have been tidied up into a cable chase on the right side, away from the RF and ethernet cables.
• RF jumpers all replaced with DX Engineering pre-fab assemblies, DVE-400MAX type.
• Cables have been tidied/tied/taped away from potential interference, and the natural rats-nest that builds up sorted out.
• Boom-microphone moved close to the rack and audio setup streamlined.
• PTT switch cable positioned with command-clips

Stuff that doesn’t show is new Global Profiles were made, so the station can switch from Digital to SSB in basically a key-click and a manual volume adjustment if using the speaker rather than a headset.

Here is a view of the front with my Island Shack boom mike (Neumann BCM-705 Dynamic Microphone) and RadioSport boomsets:

K9ZW Island Rack – Frontside View

Walking the frontside downwards from the top:

• Lepai (Generic Asian) Audio Amp running an Optimus Pro-X55AV Speaker
• Array Solutions PowerMaster Meter, cabled after the HF amp – coupler is at the back and will find a more permanent position later
• Behringer MX602A Audio Amp used with the Boom Microphone
• FlexRadio Flex-6700 Transceiver
• (behind) West Mountain Radio RigRunner 405 DC power-strip
• FlexRadio Flex 4o3a TGXL Tuner Genius Antenna Tuner
• CyberPower CPS-1215RMS 120 VAC power distribution (has receptacles both front and back)
• FlexRadio Flex 4o3a PGXL Power Genius HF solid state amplifier (runs on own dedicated 240 VAC power)
• Astron RS-20A Power supply (which is being switched out for a higher rated version shortly)

In the Island Rack things are on shelves where at the home QTH anything I can is rack-mounted.  This is more about the possibility that the rack may be relocated at the Island QH to the Garage/Workshop at some point.

K9ZW Island Rack – In Operation

In the operating picture, remember the PowerMaster is showing the situation as the RF leaves the shack, in this case to a DX Engineering Hexbeam at only six feet up.  Losing a few watts achiveing a better match is expected.

73

Steve
K9ZW