[TowerTalk] Advice for New Shack
Fred Hopengarten
k1vr@juno.com
Thu, 29 Oct 1998 11:29:59 EST
From:
Fred Hopengarten K1VR 781/259-0088
Six Willarch Road
Lincoln, MA 01773-5105
permanent e-mail address: fhopengarten@mba1972.hbs.edu
On Thu, 29 Oct 1998 09:55:36 -0500 Jennifer Gruber/Eric Rosenberg
<wd3q@erols.com> writes:
>
>I'm looking for advice on features and other things to add or avoid!
Eric: You did me a favor once. Here's one in return. I dug out some
old messages and put together the following summary for you.
How to Build A Shack
A Summary by Fred Hopengarten K1VR
From: "John D. Peters" <k1er@gte.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Station design resources
Paul Walker wrote:
> I am in the process of purchasing a piece of property and building a
house.
> Before I even get to constructing a tower - which was the whole point
of
> buying land (my wife thinks it was to build a house), I am concerned
mostly
> about a good station design. The aforementioned wife has already
> determined the station will be located in the basement.
>
> What resources are available for planning and laying out a station.
> Specifically:
>
> 1) What power requirements should you plan for.
> 2) Constructing a good ground.
> 3) Station egress for the coax.
> 4) Managing the wiring octopus.
> 5) Station proximity as it relates to electrical service
location,
> phone junction box and network wiring (yes, I'm a geek, I
work with
> networks and my house is going to have one)
> 6) et cetera ....
>
> I am sure there are many other things that I have not even considered.
> Anyway pointers to resources that may have this kind of information
would
> be helpful.
>
> Paul, N9PW
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First, you should regain control. Remind her that there are millions of
women, only one DXCC. It's a lot easier to find a better wife than a
better hobby!
The basement is a poor location for the station. It's frequently damp
which is not good for the equipment.
I have had good success with both a ground floor room (bed room or den)
sharing a wall with the garage or a 2nd floor bedroom. If you share a
wall with the garage it's easy access to the power distribution system.
If the house has a crawl space you have the choice of cable through the
floor, crawl space, into PVC conduit to the tower. Or through the wall,
around the garage, to the PVC conduit to the tower.
>From a 2nd floor bedroom, I ran conduit with the power lines against the
back of the house, through the back wall, to carry the 240VAC to the
linear and 120VAC to the rest of the station. I ran the cables to the
antenna up through the ceiling, across the attic, out a soffit vent, and
strung from a steel cable like the power and telephone lines from tree to
tree to the tower some 300 ft from the house. (Hardline has no loss,
.1dB/100 ft at 1,000 MHx is no loss.)
Ground the antenna system to keep lightning outside (lots of discussion
recently, I hope you read the posts.) Buy and read the PolyPhaser book on
lightning protection. Do NOT ground the station and provide a path to
ground through the gear. Connect the cabinets together so they are at a
common potential.
Provide the station with it's own circuit breaker box. All single plase.
240VAC 30 Amp, lots of 120VAC 20 Amp outlets. Provide 120VAC 30 Amp to
the hoist motor for your tower.
If you plan to bury the cables to the tower, bury PVC pipe, perhaps 4
inch, bring the end up vertical to a 180 elbow. So the wires go UP into
the PVC, through it to the tower, and come out of the elbow going down so
you keep water out of the buried PVC. Keep a nylon line in the PVC, long
enough so you can pull future cables, with the end of the line still
accessible from both ends. Keep critters out with either hardware cloth
or stuff something next to the cables at the ends of the PVC. Hire an
electrician to run your power lines.
Egress for cables? Pull back a side of the rug, cut a hole in the floor,
or cut a 3 x 3 inch hole in the ceiling, or through the wall (toward the
garage). Mount a utility box over the hole in the wall. For the ceiling
hole, there are wall patches that make it invisible when you're done with
the hole. (Screen mesh with plaster in the center, glue on one side,
that you stick of the hole, spackle and paint and no one knows a hole was
ever there.) I've built, bought, used, and sold LOTS of houses. It's
easy to remove all traces (except the 40,000 lb concrete tower base) when
you're ready to sell.
The reason to buy or build a house is for YOU to enjoy Ham Radio. The
wife can have a flower garden. Never let her forget the priority!!! Tell
her to get a license if she doesn't comprehend such a serious matter. If
she threatens to leave, YOU get the lawyer and replace her with a better
looking one that understands you better. And don't let her forget that
you're willing to do just that.
John K1ER (With licensed XYL and kids)
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From: k4sb@avana.net
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 97
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Station design resources
You should thank your luck starts for your wife's assistance in sending
you to the basement. Some excellent ideas have already been put forward.
I did the same thing some 20 years ago, and designed a house around the
hamshack.
Still live here, BUT
Be sure you have adequate 220 input to the CB panel. Mine is 400 amp, and
from there, I take a 150 amp line off to the workshop wall (which is the
other side of the hamshack). Make this feed as short as possible. Have
things like the lights, etc. powered from the house supply.
If you use an underground method of getting the coax, ect out of the
hamshack, BE SURE the pipe is at least 6" diameter. AND, if trees or
layout of the property are such that you might want to use some at the
other end of the house from the hamshack, have another 6" pipe put it. DO
HAVE A DOUBLE LENGTH OF COATED STEEL CABLE ( 1/8" is fine ) INSTALLED IN
ALL PIPES BEFORE THEY ARE COVERED...unless you can train a gerble to run
through the pipe with your coax. DO NOT LET THOSE SUCKERS USE A 90 DEGREE
ELBOW ANYWHERE IN THE PIPES!!!
Start down with a 45 degree slant and come up with the same. (30 degrees
is even better).
My shack is 14x12. It's definitely too small. My workshop is 14x22. It is
also too small. Something like 14x18 for the shack and 20x20 for the
workshop sounds good.
Have a outside entrance from the basement. If you are going to have a
security system, have it prewired and in small conduit!!!!!!! I still set
off the fire alarm when I use 160. BTW, on the common wall between my
garage and the interior of the house, I put in 2 seperate "spider webs"
on the entire wall. (one is a spare ) If anyone ever tries to enter this
place home from the garage, and you could do it with your fist
practically, they're dead meat! BTW again, I installed a master switch to
the garage door opener motor which disables the motor. Just break the
HOT side of the line and mount a switch plate on the INSIDE of the
entrance door. I did this AFTER the house was built...too many stray
signals kept opening the garage door. Incidentally, I had 2 "phone
boxes" mounted on the outside of the house.One on each end. The real one
is the one furtherest from the phone line pole. (Of course, it's buried
also.) In the dummy, (which has a phone line coming out of the ground
just like the real one) directly on the inside wall is a small box
connected with the dummy line in series with the security system. (Be
sure the underground end of the dummy is shorted and well protected from
moisture, etc. If anyone ever cuts the dummy line, (which is in plain
sight - the real one is disguised) well, there goes the loud noise and a
call to the local gestapo. The real line also has a small box right at
the entrance, but on the inside basement wall, which has a small relay
held closed by the phone line voltage. If the real line is cut, obviously
the system can't call, but the loud noise starts immediately.
If at all possible, have an entrance to the basement similar to a garage
door entrance, make it into a clear area. Make the door one of those
sliding metal types. You'd be surprised how often you want to bring LARGE
stuff inside. Make SURE you can drive through this door.
Have all phone lines placed in small conduit, all connected, and all
grounded to a good outside ground.
Do have multiple ground rods in the entire basement, all tied together,
and brought to a common point. It also is not a bad idea to spread
"galvanized hog" wire over the entire basement floor before it is poured,
and of course, connect all the ground wires to it by soldering, and then
connect all of that to your outside ground.
USE UNDERGROUND WIRING FROM THE POWER SOURCE TO YOUR HOUSE!!!! Make sure
the transformer box is grounded at all 4 corners.
Edward W. Sleight k4sb@avana.net Date: 4/15/97
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From: rhummel@monad.net (Rob Hummel)
Date: Wed, 16 Apr 1997
Subject: [CQ-Contest] Station design resources
My new house had the following criteria designed into the hamshack.
1. In the basement, both for better grounding and to prevent family
rebellion during CONTESTS.
2. Seperate entrance to the hamshack (walk-out basement). This allows
groups of wandering CONTEST operators to enter and exit without spooking
the XYL in her nightgown at 0300 local. (Also prevents scraggly-looking
ops from catching lead from overprotective XYL.)
3. Small room next to operating position containing the following: sink,
running water, microwave oven, coffee machine, toilet. See #2 for reason.
4. Separate breaker box with transfer switch and generator hookup.
(NOTHING interrupts the CONTEST.)
5. Separate zone comming off the FHW system -- to keep toes cozy during
winter nights.
6. Plenty of open wall space to hang plaques and certificates.
Rob Hummel (WS1A) <rhummel@monad.net>
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From: Dan Szymanski <dszymans@erols.com>
Date: Fri, 18 Apr 1997 05:42:00 -0700
Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Florescent Tube Interference.
Balz wrote:
>
> Florescent Tubes and their associated Interference are in 137%
of
> all rooms here.
>
> I'm looking for your Hints, Kinks and experience on how to
eliminate
> or at least significantly attenuate the noise.
>
> Replacement by incandescent fixture is probably the most
effective
> but least practical solution.
>
> I will summarize Hints / Experiences received direct to:
> WC3L / YB9 <NCBAET@Dili.nusantara.net.id
>
> Thanks and 73,
>
> John Balz
> WC3L / YB9
> East Timor
I remember years ago while on active duty (US Navy) as a Communications
Technician problems with florescent light fixtures. In fact if my memory
serves me correct,
because of the fact they did create levels of RF interference, they were
not permitted in operational areas used by Naval Security Group
Activities. Over some time floresent devices were installed but they
were not the typical $9.00 shop devices you find at the local Home Depot
or Builders Square.
The devices have the following mechinical considerations.
All metal construction.
Totally enclosed wrap around enclosures.
The diffuser panel fits tightly around bottom of fixture, and was
typically a hinged unit.
Early units in fact had diffuser panels with metal wires embedded in the
panels.
The AC input connection was through a internally mounted EMI/RFI AC
filter. This filter was internal to the fixture. All wiring to the device
we had to provide when we installed had to be done in EMT conduit.
If a flexible AC power connection had to be used then we used material
such as Greenfield or Liquid Tight Flex conduit to the fixture.
Twelve years ago, when I set up my radio operating station in my house I
installed fixtures mounted in the suspension grid of the ceiling. I
selected light units that were again all metal 100% wrap around
enclosures and simply added a CORCOM EMI/RFI AC filter mounted in each of
the fixtures. I have not experienced any RFI problems.
K3SKE Dan Szymanski Frederick, MD Potomac Valley Radio Club
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From: k0hb@JUNO.COM (Hans Brakob)
Date: Sun, 1 Mar 1998 22:50:15 -0600
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] What to build in a new shack???
>Am getting ready to build a new house and am looking for
>ideas to include in the ham shack.
>
>The proposed hamshack room is 13X12, with a large walk in closet.
>An outside door, no windows on the West wall to cause glare
>on computer monitors. Windows will be on the north wall.
>
>Of course plenty of 220V and 20amp 115v outlets are in the plans.
>
>What else do I need to "build in"???? I only want to do this once.
>
>Station will mainly be used for SO2R and possibly some M/S efforts.
>
>Am presently planning on having a 10' table set out from the wall
>so I can get to the back of all the equipment. ideas???
>
>Jeff K4JNY
>jnyeager@southern.edu
The best "purpose-built" ham shack I have ever seen is that
of Bill Tynan, W3XO. Bill may not be well known to HF
contesters, but his call will ring a bell among VHF folks
as the holder of 6-meter DXCC #1, President of AMSAT,
and a serious contender in VHF contesting. This is a
SERIOUS radio room!
His floorplan uses the walk-in closet idea to perfection. The closet is
behind the "long" wall in his shack, and is quite wide -- I'm guessing 6
feet, and as deep as the ham shack is "wide".
The common wall between the ham shack and the closet is
actually a continuous run of shelves, and Bill's equipment sits on these
shelves (actually *in* the closet) with their front-panels extending
through paneling, into the "ham shack".
The paneling is in horizontal segments, equal in "height" to the
intershelf spacing, so that new equipment can ba accomodated without
replacing a full 4x8 sheet of panel.
On the ham-shack side of the wall, at desktop height, is a nice
full-length piece of counter top, as found in kitchens.
Back-panel (servicing and interconnection) work is a breeze.
Just walk into the closet, and the full "backside" of the complete
station is exposed to access, easy to keep organized, and hidden from
those "un-converted" XYL-types who object to masses of cables.
Hans, K0HB
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From: "Kevin Bier, K7VI" <bier@teleport.com>
Date: Mon, 02 Mar 1998
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] What to build in a new shack???
I did good with 115 and 220V in our new house but forgot to put in access
for grounding and cabling. Don't forget the holes/access plates for
rotor cabling, coax and ground wire/straps.
I'm going to be adding a coax relay to keep coax clutter down. Also
going to add a shelf or two above the rigs for amps and power supplies.
I've always liked the big sheet of glass/plexiglass on the table top to
keep import handy reference stuff under.
We added a switch panel to power some of the circuits in the house in the
event of power failure. Something to consider. Cost around $600 to have
it done.
Kevin K7VI Hockinson, WA mailto:bier@teleport.com
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From: "Jim White, K4OJ" <k4oj@ij.net>
Date: Tue, 3 Mar 1998
Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] What to build in a new shack???
For the if we only knew when category....
Imagine this....
IF
the wall about to constructed for your shack is like those here in South
Florida (concrete block)
AND IF
you have the foresight to plan ahead
AND IF
there is a window which you can look out to see the relative position of
the Sun as you decide when to get up to the higher bands or drop down for
those gray line mults...
AND YOU DO IT NOW
you could, instead of having one or two of those concrete blocks under
the window in the shack be blocks, have them be a thick of sheet brass or
copper, which is grouted into the surrounding blocks. Since the area
under your window is not load bearing this is an ideal location for such
a
concoction.
AND IF YOU ARE SERIOUS YOU SHOULD
Have a sheet metal outfit prepare a piece with a bunch of holes drilled
in it that are the right size to accommodate those barrel connectors with
the two nuts on them that you see in the catalogues and in the flea
markets,
and have them drill several smaller holes - say 1/4", which will serve as
homes for bolts/studs which you can use as grounding points - on the
outside to go to grounding stakes...on the inside for your shack
grounding
bus....now....
If you have the builder set this panel and wait till after the mortar is
set and the house is painted you have waited a little too long.....put in
your connectors in the plate once the plate has "set up" and then cover
the ends of them and the "studs" with black tape or something so that the
installation can be painted along with the house and you will have
minimal visual impact other than other hams saying gawd I wish my shack
had that!
To me this would be ideal....imagine it....your PL259 from the antenna
screws into the outside of the house, and then on the cozy inside of the
house you can connect your Jumper with its own PL259 which in turn can go
to a coax switch or whatever...
You can fabricate PL259's which are shorted to plug into unused antennas
which will take the center conductor to ground when inserted!
This is too easy...
BUT ONLY IF YOU DO IT WHEN THE WALL IS IN THE PLANNING STAGE!
just my HO
k4oj@ij.net
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