Amateur Radio (G3TXQ) - Shack

When we designed our new bungalow I was able to factor in a purpose-built radio "shack" - a real luxury after spending many years in an outdoor shed! This is the main operating position. The equipment on the desktop comprises a Ten Tec Corsair II, a Hercules II linear amplifier, a remote VFO, and a Ten-Tec 238 antenna matching unit. From left to right on the shelf are: an MFJ pocket morse reader, a Ten-Tec Omni VI with model 260 Power supply, a home-designed and built SWR meter and a Palstar balanced ATU. On top of the Palstar ATU is a Yaesu G450 rotator for turning the HexBeam, and above the home-brew SWR meter is a LP-100 vector wattmeter. On the wall you can see an MFJ beacon monitor.

I use two antennas: a 130ft doublet fed with open-wire line for 160m thru 30m; for 20m thru 10m I use a HexBeam. This is a great little antenna: it is very lightweight (about 10lbs), has low wind resistance, can be turned by a lightweight rotator, and has a turning radius of only 9.5ft. Best of all it can easily be constructed at low cost. You can find full details of how it works on this website, and if you want to build one take a look K4KIO's website where you will find complete constructional details. I continue to be impressed with how well it performs at a height of only 20 ft.

This is the test bench - looking a bit tidier than normal. The main equipment next to the computer monitor is a Hameg 100 MHz oscilloscope. Below it is a matching spectrum analyser and tracking generator, and on the bottom a function generator and LC meter. On the shelves are an MFJ 259b antenna analyser, a Palstar ZM30 antenna analyser, a Heathkit GDO, and home made milliwatt power meter ..... and much more.

Looking a bit less tidy is the bookshelf and project shelf, and even less tidy the construction bench and component drawers.