My New "All Flex" HF station....

Ken - NM9P

Here is a picture of my newly reorganized operation position. Flex-6500. Flex-1500, Lapai LP-808 Audio Amp, ALinco DM-330MV Power Supply, Behringer Xenix Q802USB Mixer driving both flex rigs simultaneously, IC-275A 2 Meter All mode, IC-T90A HT, Charger for Baofeng UV5RA, Flex Control Knob. 2 Samsung TV/1080P Monitors 22" & 23" on adjustable Dual Monitor stand. Ameritron RCS-4 Remote Antenna Switch Heil PR22UT on boom. Sony MDR-7506 Headphones Above Desk... Dayton Audio Bookshelf speakers on wall, driven by Lepai amp. Atomic Digital Clock.

DonS

very nice but where is the amp to punch holes in the ether?

Ken - NM9P

First Things First! hi hi. I have 55 ft. of Rohn 45G to put up with a Tennadyne T-11 on top, then some 2 Meter antennas, and wire for Lo bands. Then I may consider an inexpensive amp. I'll probably never have a multi-thousand Dollar amp. I have just about shot all of my radio fund!

DonS

I have an Ameritron ALS 600 with SS PS that I have attached to the 1500. I also have an AL-811 that is sitting in a box after I acquired the ALS-600. I did modify the ALS-600 by replacing the relays. I really don't use the amps but they are there if I need them. I am currently using a zero-five 43' vertical and I also have a Steppir 3 element with the 30/40 m add-on on a US Tower MA40. But wouldn't you know it after having the beam up nine years I started having some issues with it last week. I am not sure if it is the wx or not. Guess I will have to wait till it warms up again to find out!

W4EY

Ken..See my downsized FLEX station on QRZ.COM/W4EY 73 Bill W4EY

Walt - KZ1F

What's the FB comfy chair ya got there Ken?

rfoust

Nice setup!

Ken - NM9P

I got it from bizchair.com. About $169. Mesh back with lumbar support. Nice. But the headrest is too short by about 4 inches to be helpful for my six foot, 295 pound frame! They have lots of models.

rfoust

I'll have to check that out, been looking for a new chair...

Bill -VA3WTB

LOL Ken, I gota show my wife this....

Bill -VA3WTB

LOL Ken, I gota show my wife this....

Bill-W9OL

That's not a hamshack, it's way too neat.....
Mine was messier than that when I had a Eico 720 and Drake 2C.
You really got to create some more 'stacks' of 'stuff' piled up....
and where are the stack of coffee cups you forgot to take to the kitchen?
not even a single half eaten donut....
:-)
Nice pic. Have fun.

Bill -VA3WTB

My wife likes Kens shack, but lets see how it looks in a little while...

Ken - NM9P

I didn't show the junk behind me on the other side of the room! But I am not done yet... Third monitor on the way, as well as rotator control box, Bose Companion II speakers to replace the Lepai and Dayton's, and a VHF/UHF FM rig. I may need to add a short hutch, or shelves attached to the wall before I move the desk against the wall. It is a constantly evolving project!

KY6LA_Howard

My most recent version of my all Flex Station which I run remotely from all over the world via iPad. Flex 6700 with FlexControl K6TU iPad Flex Control App SPE 2K-FA under desk SteppIR MonstIR antenna @85' Digital rotor controller 3 - 27" Monitors with i7 CPU with 5 Serial Ports 50MB/s -5Mb/s Internet connection, CISCO Managed Switches Lots of. Speakers lots of VHF/UHF radios Station totally DC battery Powered with Linear AC/DC power RadioSport Headset Lots of Digital and Analog SWR meters Everything is remotely controllable VHF/UHF Stack Rotor, SteppIR , SWR Meter Stack Desktop, monitor, Speaker Stack

James Kirk

KY6LA_Howard

I gotta get me some of those big displays.

Ken - NM9P

Howard, I love your "stacks!" What did you build them with? And are they bolted to the desk, or just standing on it?

KY6LA_Howard

I built the stacks from readily available parts at hardware aisle in Home Depot

The wood was 12" shelves that I cut into 12" x 12" squares  -
Clamp the stacks together to drill the  four 9/16" holes

The rods are 1/2" threaded Stainless Steel Rods  - I used 24" and 36" lengths

Nuts are washers are 1/2" Stainless so everything is totally adjustable and easy to level each shelf individually - Adjustable is important because equipment configurations always change..

1/2" plastic caps at the top

For feet I used glue on felt onto a nut and **** it on the base.. makes a great leveler too..

The weight of the equipment and the cabling (which is tied down) precluded the need to bolt it to the desk - it has even survived earthquakes...

Ken - NM9P

Really slick! I will be reproducing this design. I like its versatility and stability. I have been working on a design for a corner desktop using a single piece of 4x8 plywood with a few cuts that will create a corner with 8 ft x 2 ft. Wings one way and 6 ft. X 2 ft. on the other, and a nice operating post in the middle, facing the corner. I am not much of a carpenter, but I may be able to pull it off. The plan is for three monitors of about 22-24 inches and a comfortable operating position with everything within easy reach when contesting. Your stacks will help. And I don't think they would be very expensive, which is good. It looks like you have movable shelves on casters underneath to facilitate easy access to stuff under the desk. Also a good idea. I am planning to use some simple but strong legs and use similar file cabinets and/or drawer cabinets and shelves underneath. I will not be retiring in his house, so everything needs to be movable when the time comes, hopefully in 8-10 years. But I only want to design and build it once. Then I can move it in pieces and reassemble. Thanks for the inspiration. Ken - NM9P

KY6LA_Howard

Glad to be of assistance... I found that leveling and more important the ability to change the spacing on the shelve worth the time and effort to built it.. Plus its really simple... the most time consuming part of the shelves is spinning the nuts up the rods.

Yes everything is on Caster and moveable.. even my amp sits on a wooden box with casters under my desk...makes life much easier to change things around.

My station design was for maximum flexibility to add and remove equipment without looking cluttered..

I did cheat on the Desks...Went to Ikea and pieced together the desk from components..  I have about 30 linear feet of desk space shaped in a big U... the Pictures are from only the radio side of the desk

Corey/ KC0YNS

Ken, Curious about the relay you changed in the ALS-600, Why?

Ken - NM9P

I think that was Don's ALS-600.

Corey/ KC0YNS

Oops, Your correct, I'll redirect that question to Don.

Dale KB5VE

Ken great set up but one question, why the sdr boxes on the desk taking up valuable space. The great thing about sdr is you do not need desk space taken up with boxes, since we have no knobs ther is no need for them to set arround. I ran my powersdr with dedicated power switches and set up in a closed hutch. The 6500 is even better since you have remote on off and with release of 1.4 you will operate off the lan. I love to send those who bash sdr radios picture of three monitors keyboard, mouse, two flex knobs and point to my solid state legal limit sdr station all tucked away along with legal limit tuner. They brag about their custom made covers on their high end radios and I just point out mine is on a shelf in a enclosed venal acted hutch. I love it. I will post some pictures today. Can't wait till someone comes out with uhf/VHF all mode sdr then the station will be complete.

Corey/ KC0YNS

Don, Curious about your comments on the Ameritron ALS-600 you changed relays on? Why change relays? , I'm using the same amp so I'm looking for any tips!!

Bob G W1GLV

Ken, nice setup. Where's the amp?

Steve W6SDM

I will answer that for him:  When you pay that much money for a little black box without any knobs, you want it where you can see it. 

Ross - K9COX

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/11811
http://www.ad5x.com/images/Presentations/QSKals500als600RevA.pdf

DrTeeth

Ken, you dare tidy up those wires I can see on the floor. The moment something is too tidy, the XYL will know you can do it and that's it. That is why I am not too tidy. No need to make rods for my own back, LOL.

Mark-NA6M

Here is my station. 6700 and 6300 are on rack shelves in the rack below the counter top. Furniture is old Harris Broadcast stuff. The mic is a Neumann TLM-103 feeding a Wheatstone Vorsis M1 DSP mix processor. Amplifier is a Henry 8K Ultra. Computer Monitors are Asus 27" 1440P. Also in the rack are two Dell 990 computers. 73 de na6m