Your plans for 2012 shack

[KA5ROW]

What are your plans for 2012 shack Wise? My plan is to have a 14x24 building built subdividing a 14-10 climate controls section for radio shack and work bench.

[AF6LJ]

That sounds great.
My large scale plans include shelves, a new 75 meter doublet, maybe an amplifier.
Priority is my new computer so we shall see what happens.

[KG4NEL]

1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9...

Easier to do when you're starting from basically square one again... :p

[WA4OTD]

I've been granted permission to move from the upstairs hallway to the library. Already setting up but need to cut hole in ceiling and run coax to the library. Old radios and amp are in place.

[KB3LAZ]

Down sizing the shack. Partially by choice, partially by need, partially for change. Simply put I am moving (Europe) and will need to downsize. All BA's will be going to my parents house for storage, my 'newer gear' will be sold off, and once in my new location and retested I will be buying an FT-817.

Due to restrictions I will have to use a portable setup, qrp will be the most simplistic and least space consuming. Not to mention my operation time will diminish significantly. New job in the works, starting school all over again (well...mostly), getting married, planing on children. Not necessarily in that order. Busy, busy, busy.

[N0AZZ]

Planning on a new W8JI design Short Vertical Receiving Array from DXenginerring and to erect 50' Rohn 25G with a Glen Martin Hazer on it that I already own but have not put up yet.

2 more antenna's on the Rohn tower both long boom 2/6m yagi's with mast mounted pre-amps.

[2E0OZI]

My plan is to tidy up the "space" that I have - its in the computer room and frankly a nightmare of boxes, stored non-radio junk, paperwork....well I cant begin to describe what in this tiny room.

Only other plans are to;

1. Properly erect the W3EDP and put a ground rod down at the side of the house.
2. Make a dipole for 10 or 12m.

All this can only happen once I am properly mobile again.

[W2RWJ]

Club station (N2MO)


New Rohn 25G tower.
Re-install the satellite antenna on a new mast
New desk risers for additional equipment.
ISDN PRI to support host site education programs.
Finish installing the 10KW UPS system and the dedicated UPS outlets at each operating position
Upgrading the antenna patch panel and cable entry panel
Installing the cameras for the video conferencing system (classroom and in Radio One)
Replacing the 1945 vintage oil furnace with a 95% AFUE gas furnace.
Replacing several of the 1950 wooden utility poles that support the wire antennas.
Installing the racks for the IT and audio-visual equipment.
Install antenna for GPS network clock and 10 MHz source.
Finish building the computers (new HD and legit OS re-install)
Weather station and APRS.
Paint the whole &)&*&()&^& building

[W2RWJ]

PS -In case anyone is wondering if we have a lottery winner in the club, most of this equipment is corporate / industrial surplus.

[KE4YOG]

building a 6 meter antenna. Not sure what kind yet. Beverage for 160 and maybe, maybe, a new computer.

[K9ASE]

First eliminate, or cover up some local noise issues. Then, I'd like to find a boat anchor for working AM.

[AB2T]

Find a used antenna tuner, or build a frankentuner out of a few of them.

Make new wire antennas (do this every year in the winter)

Solder up a DB9 serial to grid block keying control cable. I have an old laptop that has a serial and a parallel port. I'd like to use the laptop as a cw keyboard/logger.

[W5WN]

That sounds great.
My large scale plans include shelves, a new 75 meter doublet, maybe an amplifier.
Priority is my new computer so we shall see what happens.

Sue, I like your logic. I have read about your new computer project. Keep it focused! Then, you can work on other priorities. There is nothing more frustrating than having a computer that doesn't quite do the job!

73, Jim - W5WN

[N0AZZ]

Well decided to buy another radio yesterday a New Elecraft QRP rig won't see it till March or April of next year but on the list. So much for not buying a radio next year.

[N2ADV]

I have nothing for 1.25 or 6 meters - I would like to remedy that in '12

[W5WN]

My plans are for a medium powered completely remote station. I already have a FlexRadio 3000, but the amplifier and tuner are manual. I just purchased the Elecraft 500 watt solid state amp and a remote antenna tuner. I'm waiting on the Elecraft kit to arrive. It should be hear in a few weeks.

[AB1OD]

I have more plans/wishes than I have time to implement.

My wishlist (many items overlap), in no particular order:

Get a beam, after finding a way to get it in the air without upsetting the FAA, the town, or the spouse
Consider options for 160m (I just threw an L together without putting much thought into it; it radiates, but it ought to be better)
Get better 10m and 6m antennas (the aforementioned beam, or something else if that doesn't happen)
Get my 2m/440 J-pole up further into the air, in an FAA/town/spouse-acceptable manner
Consider getting something up for VHF/UHF sideband

(I'm really tempted to try to build a fan dipole for 10/6/2/220/432 just to see if I can, and to see how it plays)

Do something to allow me to get to the Far East and Southeast Asia without upsetting the FAA, the town, or the spouse.
Maybe get a little amp.
Various adjustments to improve remote operation ability
Win the lottery, and move to a nice hilltop someplace, where I can have (and can afford to have) a nice antenna farm, set on enough acreage so as to improve the odds the XYL won't prohibit the farm on the grounds that her view from the house is too "ugly".

[N0AZZ]

I have more plans/wishes than I have time to implement.

My wishlist (many items overlap), in no particular order:

Get a beam, after finding a way to get it in the air without upsetting the FAA, the town, or the spouse
Consider options for 160m (I just threw an L together without putting much thought into it; it radiates, but it ought to be better)
Get better 10m and 6m antennas (the aforementioned beam, or something else if that doesn't happen)
Get my 2m/440 J-pole up further into the air, in an FAA/town/spouse-acceptable manner
Consider getting something up for VHF/UHF sideband

(I'm really tempted to try to build a fan dipole for 10/6/2/220/432 just to see if I can, and to see how it plays)

Do something to allow me to get to the Far East and Southeast Asia without upsetting the FAA, the town, or the spouse.
Maybe get a little amp.
Various adjustments to improve remote operation ability
Win the lottery, and move to a nice hilltop someplace, where I can have (and can afford to have) a nice antenna farm, set on enough acreage so as to improve the odds the XYL won't prohibit the farm on the grounds that her view from the house is too "ugly".



Remove one large obstacle in your path for all your antenna problems a new XYL.

Just kidding.

[AB1OD]

Remove one large obstacle in your path for all your antenna problems a new XYL.

Nah -- at the moment she's amused by my "stupid radio stuff", and has been toying around with the idea of getting her own ticket. If that happens, we'll have a happier set of problems. :)

[VE1PEW]

1.Finish building my shack
2.Get the beams and vertical mounted on the tower.
3.Set up a 2m/440 vertical for local rag chewing.
4.Get a new multi-band all mode tranciever (preferably with sat functions).
5.Get the wire antennas up for 160m, 80m, and 40m.

After that we'll see.

[WA7PRC]

#2, 4, 5.

In the interest of busting pileups on the FIRST call and running a frequency in a contest 'til I've worked EVERYONE, I decided to put up my first tower -- a US Tower TX-472 (72' freestanding/crankup/tiltover). The tower came to me with the raising fixture, refurbished Hy-Gain HDR300 rotator, thrust bearing, 15' double-wall mast, and coax arms. It came from inland Southern CA, and there's NO rust. Of course, it needs a serious yagi, and I wanted 40m coverage. I found a nice Force 12 C4-XL yagi (2el-40/20/15m, 3-el 10m) with NO traps. I'll move my Cushcraft AR-10 to the top of the mast, putting the top of the vertical 98' AGL! My 80m cage inverted vee will move to the top of tower (the height will increase about 20'), and will be reconfigured to also operate as a flat top on 160m with a little magic from a vacuum relay in the feedline. All the preparation work is done. I'm just waiting for spring. :D

I'm also working on building a 160m monoband amplifier using a Russian triode, inside an old Heath SB-220 case. It'll use a GS-35b (http://gs35b.com/), rated 1500W PDISS. I've read they're capable of much more dissipation. I rewound a rather large xfmr (http://www.tinyurl.com/big-xfmr) for the plate supply, which should give me more than 50% overhead. However, with the 1H/800mA/7.5Ω choke, I have about 80# of iron that I can't fit inside the SB-220 case. The PS will be separate. This actually works because I also have designs on doing some work on 6m and 2m, and will likely build amplifier(s) for those bands. :D

[WB2WIK]

I plan to try to keep everything working as it is.

If I'm lucky.

Oh, also I plan to try to keep the dogs out of the shack more. They can chew on cables and bark, which trips the VOX sometimes.

I used to have a cat who tried to work CW. Or, at least she would climb around on the desks and push up against key paddles, which could also put me on the air when I wasn't in the room.

No more cat.

[KC8CFM]

I plan on cleaning up and redoing the shack. My shack is my home office which is in my basement. That isn't bad the basement is finished. I have a built in desk that I use as my operating position but I am really lacking in shelving and storage.

My other hobby is woodworking. I am going to replace that desktop with a oak top with finished and trimmed front edge. Then I am going to build what will look like a built in bookcase. I am going to set this up to work with my radio equipment. I am going to leave gaps on the back and sides of the case, which will be hidden with wood trim to allow the Coax to come down from behind the case and not be seen. all of the shelfs will be 3/4 oak plywood edge banded with 1" solid oak strips, these will keep the shelves from bending and saging.

I am also going to upgrade my TS-440SAT with a new Heil Mic and the IC-10 chip and CAT cable to my laptop so I can use HRD. I am also going to rehang my G5RV. I have it in a 80 foot maple tree in my back yard but it is only 15 feet up the tree. I want to get that to at least 30 feet.

[WN9HJW]

I'll probably buy some more keys. I only have about 25. Must have more keys.

[KB3LAZ]

As stated before my migration to Europe will lead to the purging of what remains of my shack. At first I will start out with an 817. After I plan on rebuilding the shack. 817, K3(10) kit, K1-4, and a few misc things such as tuners, test gear, books, etc. That will be in the flat. I do not yet know what the future holds but regardless here or there I eventually intend to reenforce my BA collection. This last part may take time. (Ofc that is one part of my shack I will not be liquidating. It will merely stay in storage so to speak at my parents house state side.)

No desire to ever part with my HQ, Eico, or Collins gear.

[KG4NEL]

I've been getting an itch lately to get back on satellites. I haven't done that since the AO-40 days, but I enjoyed it.