Topband: Re: Beverage boxes

[K0FF]

>George
>Where are you getting the metal boxes that you are using to house your
balun?
>73 de Bob AA4RL

Bob, I use so many different types of boxes there is no one answer. The
largest outdoor boxes are Hoffman NEMA 12, steel and with a gasketed door.
Also use a lot of fiberglass boxes with a hinged gasketed door. The smaller
ones are usually a Hammond die-cast aluminum with a screw on lid. They work
well, and have proved to be water proof enough as-is. Sometimes we use a
Radio Shack plastic box with a molded lid, and they work pretty good, but
are showing signs of UV damage.
The best all around source for the Ham builder who needs to house a balun, a
few relays or a preamp outdoors is Home Depot. GO to the electrical
department, they have a whole assortment of cast aluminum boxes and lids
that are intended for outdoor lighting wiring etc. Coming in a variety of
sizes, they all have built in threaded holes intended for conduit. There are
special fittings that also will fit those holes called "cord grips" that
have a rubber grommet in a compression fitting, and you can pass a cable or
coax thru there, and then tighten it down. The grommet squeezes tight for a
waterproof strain relief.
 Make sure you get some of the blank screw in plugs to fill the unused
holes/

The 160/80 meter K0FF Loop kit uses a condulet TEE, which is also heavy cast
aluminum, and has a gasketed door which you can open to get at the tuning
capacitor.

http://homepages.dstream.net/K0FF/160/LoopPartsKit.DOC


Happy Building, Geo>K0FF



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