the GO-BOX

GO-BOX #1

Ham & Biz Band Event Box

For easy transport and easy setup the “Go-Box” comes to play. For me it is a 6m to UHF setup. I have not had the need to use HF for any event, only 6m on up.  The current Go-Box has 5 radios (1 dual band) for 6 simultaneous frequencies on 10m, 6m, VHF and UHF analog and DMR. The box is a shallow 6U with 2 shelves:

• 2 DMR/ANALOG UHF Hytera Mobiles (commercial & ham)
• 1 UHF Motorola CDM1250 Part 90 and Amateur Radio
• 1 swappable position:
  • VHF Motorola CDM1250 Part 90 and Amateur Radio, and/or
  • 40Mhz Motorola CDM750 Part 90 and Amateur Radio (6m)
  • X-Band Part 90 and Amateur Radio Capability
• 1 Yaesu FT-8900 6m,10m,2m,70cm (Amateur Radio)
• 35amp Power Supply
• Ham X-Band VHF/UHF capability
•  Additionally:
  • 2 Drive-over antenna mast plates
  • 2 antenna masts (12′ and 24′)
  • misc multiband base and mobile antennas

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GO-BOX #2

The Mobile Travel Kit

A job-change is on the horizon with a weekly commute of about 150 miles (one way). The car currently has a CSI800D FM/DMR dual band radio in it. It works OK, but does not have DMR Roaming. Additionally, the car also has a APRS Mobile I-Gate with Smart Tracker.

The entire route has DMR coverage, but over two separate systems; CT ARES and NYC Metro. The car also has a DMR HotSpot via cell-internet, but that’s kind of cheating. RF Ham Radio is the goal, internet the backup!

Thus, the goal is a Roaming DMR setup so that as the car moves, the best DMR repeater is always automatically selected much like cell towers as.

GO-BOX 3 is designed based on a shallow 4U SKB Gig-Box I had laying around. At this time (it may change) it has 4 radio slots:

CB for when traffic backup	Moto XPR4550 UHF for DMR Roam
Icom IC-2820 D-Star Dual Band Ham	Moto XPR4550 VHF for DMR Roam
Experience from using the Go-Box – the installation has been flip-flopped so that the Mototrbo radios are on the left to be easier to work while the Go-Box is on the passenger seat in the car to my right.
The MOTOs and CB are connected to one antenna with a Comet CFX-514 Triplexer to reduce the porcupine effect on the car. The IC-2820 will probably not normally be used, but can be turned on by adding (yet) another mag-mount antenna. All radios are connected to a Anderson PowerPole strip and then connected to the car’s Anderson PowerPole outlet. Microphones are disconnected for the picture.

 

GO-BOX #3 (under construction)

Box 3 will be mini standalone business level cross-band analog repeaters. The concept is in place. Radios are on the bench working. The (inexpensive) box has not yet been defined.