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[TowerTalk] Station design resources

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Subject: [TowerTalk] Station design resources
From: K2JAS@worldnet.att.net (Roger L. Elowitz)
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997 21:35:12 -0400
At 12:31 AM 4/17/97 +0000, you wrote:
>...oh yes, very important - you will thank me for this....
>
>when designing your station's layout plan on the operating table being two or
>three feet away from the wall behind it....when you have problems with
>cabling or have to pull our a piece of gear you simply walk behin the gear
>and go at it....none of that reaching around and feeling your way is
>necessary.
>
>k4oj

The anonymous K4OJ (alias Jim) is absolutely right!  Having access to the
rear of your equipment is CRITICAL!  Getting on your knees and shins on top
of your desk to connect stuff in the back is a royal pain.  Trying to do
things after crawling under the desk or table to squeeze up behind.... is
ridiculous...period!

I'm set up down in the corner of my finished basement (cellar for you native
New Yorkers) and situated directly over a dry (thank the deities) sump drain
hole into which I have placed a ground rod.  (One doesn't get much closer to
ground than this BUT..... it probably could use some copper chloride
seasoning and an occasional filling with water.)

The station equipment is set up on several folding banquet tables arranged
in a "T". At a cost of $35 each they're beautiful.... of course there's
always luan room doors for desktop use but these, (available at Costco-Price
Club) I consider reasonable and good looking.  They only lack a nice rounded
bull nose to keep the edge from cutting into your wrists... and of course
could use some drawers.

Now I thought that pulling the tables 1.5 to 2-ft away from the wall would
look ridiculous.  WRONG!  Besides no one cares and I have easy access to the
rear of everything... which is an absolute MUST.  I learned this lesson when
I set up a video editing studio upstairs. I was constantly needing access to
the rear of the equipment for patching cables at a moment's notice. Getting
up on desks on my shins in front of clients gives a disastrous appearance
and besides.... it hurts.

By all means, follow Jim's advice.... even if he remains anonymous.
Elebenty-seven other guys on the reflector will probably tell you the same
thing!

GL de Roger, K2 JAS


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