Patch panel is good idea and I am leaning that direction. They make male UHF
and N connectors with no threads so you can just push them on the panel
female connector. I built a patch panel like that when I worked at a city
radio lab. It worked just fine. You can actually make two panels. One for
antenna termination and one for equipment terminations. They need to be
isolated electrically and far enough apart to reduce chance of lightning
jumping from one to the other (NO common ground). Antenna panel needs to be
at entrance to shack and well grounded. Antennas not in use can have
shorting plug pushed on to ground center pin. When radios are not in use
pull all patch cables from antenna patch panel for lightning protection.
Rotor control should also pass through the panels. There are different
theories as to whether equipment should be grounded all the time. You can
decide whether to let the equipment ground be a patched item.
If you have a small room an alternative is to have your console on GOOD
wheels so you can easily pull it out from wall to work behind. That is what
I am presently doing.
If you have a big room built a wall with door. Front of console is on one
side of wall and back of equipment is on back side of wall. The back side
room only needs to be three feet deep. A very neat installation. Walk thru
door to service back of gear. Wish I had the room to do that.
73, Ron W8RJL
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