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Contents
29.1 Fixed Stations
29.1.1 Selecting a Location
29.1.2 Station Ground
29.1.3 Station Power
29.1.4 Station Layout
29.1.5 Interconnecting Your Equipment
29.1.6 Documenting Your Station
29.1.7 Interfacing High-Voltage Equipment to
Solid-State Accessories
29.2 Mobile Installations
29.3 Portable Installations
29.3.1 Portable AC Power Sources
29.3.2 Portable Antennas
29.4 Remote Stations
29.4.1 Introduction
29.4.2 Evaluation and Planning
29.4.3 Controlling Your Remote Site HF
Station
29.4.4 A Basic Remote HF Station
29.4.5 Remote HF Station Resources
29.4.6 Remote Station Glossary
29.5 References and Bibliography
29.2.1 Installation
29.2.2 Coax
29.2.3 Wiring
29.2.4 Amplifiers
29.2.5 Interference Issues
29.2.6 Operating
Chapter
29
Assembling a Station
29.1 Fixed Stations
Regardless of the type of installation you are attempting, good planning greatly increases
your chances of success. Take the time to think the project all the way through, consider
alternatives, and make rough measurements and sketches during your planning and along the
way. You will save headaches and time by avoiding “shortcuts.” What might seem to save time
now may come back to haunt you with extra work when you could be enjoying your shack.
One of the first considerations should be to determine what type of operating you intend to
do. While you do not want to strictly limit your options later, you need to consider what you
want to do, how much you have to spend and what room you have to work with. There is a big
difference between a casual operating position and a “big gun” contest station, for example.
Although many hams never try
to build a major project, such as a
transmitter, receiver or amplifier,
they do have to assemble the vari-
ous components into a working
station. There are many benefits
to be derived from assembling a
safe, comfortable, easy-to-operate
collection of radio gear, whether
the shack is at home, in the car or
in a field. This chapter will detail
some of the “how tos” of setting
up a station for fixed, mobile and
portable operation. Such topics as
station location, finding adequate
power sources, station layout
and cable routing are covered. It
includes contributions from Wally
Blackburn, AA8DX, a section on
mobile installations from Alan
Applegate, KØBG. and information
on gasoline generators from Kirk
Kleinschmidt, NTØZ. Rick Hilding,
K6VVA, contributed the section on
remote stations.
29.1.1 Selecting a Location
Selecting the right location for your station is the first and perhaps the most important
step in assembling a safe, comfortable, convenient station. The exact location will depend
on the type of home you have and how much space can be devoted to your station. Fortunate
amateurs will have a spare room to devote to housing the station; some may even have a
separate building for their exclusive use. Most must make do with a spot in the cellar or attic,
or a corner of the living room is pressed into service.
Examine the possibilities from several angles. A station should be comfortable; odds are
good that you’ll be spending a lot of time there over the years. Some unfinished basements
are damp and drafty — not an ideal environment for several hours of leisurely hamming.
Attics have their drawbacks, too; they can be stifling during warmer months. If possible,
locate your station away from the heavy traf-
fic areas of your home. Operation of your
station should not interfere with family life.
A night of chasing DX on 80 meters may be
exciting to you, but the other members of your
household may not share your enthusiasm.
Keep in mind that you must connect your
station to the outside world. The location
you choose should be convenient to a good
power source and an adequate ground. If you
use a computer, you may need access to the
Internert. There should be a fairly direct route
to the outside for running antenna feed lines,
rotator control cables and the like.
Although most homes will not have an
“ideal” space meeting all requirements, the
right location for you will be obvious after
you scout around. The amateurs whose sta-
tions are depicted in
Figs 29.1
through
29.3
all found the right spot for them. Weigh the
trade-offs and decide which features you
Chapter 29 —
CD-ROM Content
Portable Stations
•
“A Look at Gasoline Powered
Inverter Generators,” by Bob Allison,
WB1GCM
•
“Field Day Towers — Doing it Right”
by Ward Silver, NØAX and Don
Daso, K4ZA
Remote Stations
•
“Remote Station Resources by
K6VVA - 2014 Edition” — a list
of resources for remote station
builders
Fig 29.1 — Admiral Scott Redd (ret),
KØDQ, operates this station at WW1WW
in pursuit of top ranking in DX contests.
Notice that the equipment on the
operating desk is laid out logically and
comfortably for long periods “in the
chair.” [Woody Beckford, WW1WW, photo]
Assembling a Station
29.1
Fig 29.3 — Spreading out horizontally, John Sluymer, VE3EJ,
has arranged his effective contest and DXing station to keep
all of the controls at the same level for easy adjustment. [John
Sluymer, VE3EJ, photo]
Fig 29.2 — Top RTTY contest operator Don Hill, AA5AU
operates with low power from his effective station. RTTY
operation emphasizes use of the computer mouse so Don’s
desk has lots of room for his “mouse hand”. [Shay Hill, photo]
can do without and which are necessary
for your style of operation. If possible pick
an area large enough for future expansion.
equipment being grounded. Liberal use of
lock washers and star washers is highly rec-
ommended. A loose ground connection is a
tremendous source of noise, particularly in
a sensitive receiving system.
Ground loops should be avoided at all
costs. A short discussion here of what a
ground loop is and how to avoid them may
lead you down the proper path. A ground
loop is formed when more than one ground
current is flowing in a single conductor. This
commonly occurs when grounds are “daisy-
chained” (series linked). The correct way
to ground equipment is to bring all ground
conductors out radially from a common point
to either a good driven earth ground or a cold-
water system. If one or more earth grounds
are used, they should be bonded back to the
service entrance panel. Details appear in the
Safety
chapter.
Ground noise can affect transmitted and
received signals. With the low audio levels
required to drive amateur transmitters, and
the ever-increasing sensitivity of receivers,
correct grounding is critical.
SURGE PROTECTION
Typically, the ac power lines provide an
adequate, well-regulated source of electrical
power for most uses. At the same time, these
lines are fraught with power surges that, while
harmless to most household equipment, may
cause damage to more sensitive devices such
as computers or test equipment. A common
method of protecting these devices is through
the use of surge protectors. More information
on these devices and lightning protection is
in the
Safety
chapter.
29.1.2 Station Ground
Grounding is an important factor in overall
station safety, as detailed in the
Safety
chap-
ter. An effective ground system is necessary
for every amateur station. The mission of the
ground system is twofold. First, it reduces the
possibility of electrical shock if something in
a piece of equipment should fail and the chas-
sis or cabinet becomes “hot.” If connected
to a properly grounded outlet, a three-wire
electrical system grounds the chassis. Much
amateur equipment still uses the ungrounded
two-wire system, however. A ground system
to prevent shock hazards is generally referred
to as
dc ground
.
The second job the ground system must
perform is to provide a low-impedance path
to ground for any stray RF current inside the
station. Stray RF can cause equipment to mal-
function and contributes to RFI problems.
This low-impedance path is usually called
RF ground
. In most stations, dc ground and
RF ground are provided by the same system.
29.1.4 Station Layout
Station layout is largely a matter of per-
sonal taste and needs. It will depend mostly
on the amount of space available, the equip-
ment involved and the types of operating to be
done. With these factors in mind, some basic
design considerations apply to all stations.
THE OPERATING TABLE
The operating table may be an office or
computer desk, a kitchen table or a custom-
made bench. What you use will depend on
space, materials at hand and cost. The two
most important considerations are height and
size of the top. Most commercial desks are
about 29 inches above the floor. Computer
tables are usually a couple inches lower for a
more comfortable keyboard and mouse place-
ment. This is a comfortable height for most
adults. Heights much lower or higher than this
may cause an awkward operating position.
The dimensions of the top are an important
consideration. A deep (36 inches or more) top
will allow plenty of room for equipment inter-
connections along the back, equipment about
midway and room for writing or a keyboard
and mouse toward the front. The length of the
top will depend on the amount of equipment
being used. An office or computer desk makes
29.1.3 Station Power
Amateur Radio stations generally require
a 120-V ac power source. The 120-V ac is
then converted to the proper ac or dc levels
required for the station equipment. RF power
amplifiers typically require 240 V ac for best
operation.
Power supply theory is covered in the
Power Sources
chapter, and safety issues
and station wiring are covered in the
Safety
chapter. If your station is located in a room
with electrical outlets, you’re in luck. If your
station is located in the basement, an attic
or another area without a convenient 120-V
source, you will have to run a line to your
operating position.
GROUND NOISE
Noise in ground systems can affect our
sensitive radio equipment. It is usually related
to one of three problems:
1) Insufficient ground conductor size
2) Loose ground connections
3) Ground loops
These matters are treated in precise scien-
tific research equipment and certain industrial
instruments by attention to certain rules. The
ground conductor should be at least as large
as the largest conductor in the primary power
circuit. Ground conductors should provide a
solid connection to both ground and to the
29.2
Chapter 29
for your installation; radio equipment has a
habit of multiplying with time, so plan for
the future at the outset.
Fig 29.6
illustrates a sample station lay-
out. The rear of the operating table is spaced
about 1
1
⁄
2
feet from the wall to allow easy
access to the rear of the equipment. This
installation incorporates two separate op-
erating positions, one for HF and one for
VHF. When the operator is seated at the HF
operating position, the keyer and transceiver
controls are within easy reach. The keyer,
keyer paddle and transceiver are the most-
often adjusted pieces of equipment in the
station. The speaker is positioned right in
front of the operator for the best possible
reception. Accessory equipment not often
adjusted, including the amplifier, antenna
switch and rotator control box, is located on
the shelf above the transceiver. The SWR/
power meter and clock, often consulted but
rarely touched, are located where the opera-
tor can view them without head movement.
All HF-related equipment can be reached
without moving the chair.
This layout assumes that the operator is
right-handed. The keyer paddle is operated
with the right hand, and the keyer speed and
transceiver controls are operated with the left
hand. This setup allows the operator to write
or send with the right hand without having
to cross hands to adjust the controls. If the
operator is left-handed, some repositioning
of equipment is necessary, but the idea is the
same. For best results during CW operation,
the paddle should be weighted to keep it
from “walking” across the table. It should be
oriented such that the operator’s entire arm
from wrist to elbow rests on the tabletop to
prevent fatigue.
Some operators prefer to place the station
transceiver on the shelf to leave the table top
clear for writing or a computer keyboard and
mouse. This arrangement leads to fatigue
from having an unsupported arm in the air
most of the time. If you rest your elbows on
the tabletop, they will quickly become sore.
If you rarely operate for prolonged periods,
however, you may not be inconvenienced by
having the transceiver on the shelf. The real
secret to having a clear table top for logging,
and so on, is to make the operating table deep
enough that your entire arm from elbow to
wrist rests on the table with the front panels of
the equipment at your fingertips. This leaves
plenty of room for paperwork, even with a
microphone and keyer paddle on the table.
The VHF operating position in this station
is similar to the HF position. The amplifier
and power supply are located on the shelf.
The station HF beam and VHF beam are on
the same tower, so the rotator control box
is located where it can be seen and reached
from both operating positions. This opera-
tor is active on packet radio on a local VHF
Fig 29.4 — Mike Adams, N1EN makes the most of his desktop to operate on the HF and
VHF+ bands. His laptop and tablet computers are an alternative to the larger desktop
systems. He uses a full-size keyboard with the laptop. [Mike Adams, N1EN, photo]
a good operating table. These are often about
36 inches deep and 60 inches wide. Drawers
can be used for storage of logbooks, head-
phones, writing materials, and so on. Desks
specifically designed for computer use often
have built-in shelves that can be used for
equipment stacking. Desks of this type are
available ready-to-assemble at most discount
and home improvement stores. The low price
and adaptable design of these desks make
them an attractive option for an operating
position. An example is shown in
Fig 29.4
.
necessary to allow you to reach everything
from your chair. Stacking pieces of equip-
ment directly on top of one another is not
a good idea because most amateur equip-
ment needs airflow around it for cooling.
A shelf like that shown in
Fig
29.5
can im-
prove equipment layout in many situations.
Dimensions of the shelf can be adjusted to
fit the size of your operating table.
When you have acquired the operating
table and shelving for your station, the next
task is arranging the equipment in a conve-
nient, orderly manner. The first step is to
provide power outlets and a good ground as
described in a previous section. Be conserva-
tive in estimating the number of power outlets
ARRANGING THE EQUIPMENT
No matter how large your operating table,
some vertical stacking of equipment may be
Fig 29.5 — A simple but strong equipment shelf can be built from readily available
materials. Use
3
⁄
4
-inch plywood along with glue and screws for the joints for adequate
strength.
Assembling a Station
29.3
Fig 29.6 — Example station layout as seen from the front (A) and the top (B). The equipment is spaced far enough apart that air
circulates on all sides of each cabinet.
repeater, so the computer, printer and terminal
node controller (TNC) are all clustered within
easy reach of the VHF transceiver.
This sample layout is intended to give you
ideas for designing your own station. Study
the photos of station layouts presented here,
in other chapters of this
Handbook
and in
QST
. Visit the shacks of amateur friends to
view their ideas. Station layout is always
changing as you acquire new gear, dispose
of old gear, change operating habits and in-
terests or become active on different bands.
Configure the station to suit your interests,
and keep thinking of ways to refine the layout.
Figs 29.7
and
29.8
show station arrangements
tailored for specific purposes.
considerable force at the end of the hand’s
range of motion. A simple tool redesign re-
solved this issue.
Considerable attention has been focused
on ergonomics in recent years because we
have come to realize that long periods of
time spent in unnatural positions can lead to
repetitive-motion injuries. Much of this atten-
tion has been focused on people whose job
tasks have required them to operate comput-
ers and other office equipment. While most
Amateur Radio operators do not devote as
much time to their hobby as they might in a
full-time job, it does make sense to consider
comfort and flexibility when choosing furni-
ture and arranging it in the shack or workshop.
ERGONOMICS
Ergonomics is a term that loosely means
“fitting the work to the person.” If tools and
equipment are designed around what people
can accommodate, the results will be much
more satisfactory. For example, in the 1930s
research was done in telephone equipment
manufacturing plants because use of long-
nosed pliers for wiring switchboards required
Fig 29.7 — Simple stations work best for
portable operating, such as this 2013 Field
Day setup for the two-operator NX9L team.
[Photo courtesy of Andy Myers, NX9L]
Fig 29.8 — Richard, WB5DGR, uses a
homebrew 1.5-kW ampliier to seek EME
contacts from this nicely laid out station.
29.4
Chapter 29
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