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We need a case for the Maestro

W3EX -- Tom
W3EX -- Tom Member
edited April 2020 in Maestro
The Maestro is a nice piece of equipment but is not easy to transport safely. A carrying case would be a nice option to have available.

Answers

  • Jean Drolet
    Jean Drolet Member ✭✭
    edited September 2017
    Alu case on Amazon
  • Brenton Meadows
    edited September 2017
    Agreed on the aluminum case, my work requires I head over to Israel and the Middle east from time to time and Im just doing the cut outs for the Maestro and headset within the Aluminum case I always seem to have a few cases laying around on the shelves here.  I like Flexs portable case as long as I was able to take on board as hand luggage, just a super cool look with the flex logo on it, and looks like it would protect well.  I will post a photo of the way we do the cutouts etc into the felt product and usually it works great, and allows you the acc's you choose etc.  I should be portable out of Israel soon but of course, the base back in Australia.  I just love taking the Maestro portable, people dont believe what they  are seeing.  Im actually doing a scouts event and usually, its put up antennas, etc etc, this year, pull out the Maestro (and an Ipad back up) and signals just boom in with the advantage of the base station plus amplifier and optibeams setup.  I have a couple of Maestro units, I got lazy, one stays in the bedroom and one is dedicated to true portable playing around.  The other part of the case build we are doing is to include space for the Ipad as well to compliment the Maestro, I find the Ipad software amazing, and of course, all of this has just been so much more exciting with Version 2.0 software from Flex for all the portable equipment.  My many thanks to the Flex team, I would be lost without Version 2.0, just amazing software.
    Cheers Brenton VK3CM Australia 
  • Wes
    Wes Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    I use a case from Harbor freight. It does the job..imageimage
  • Doug
    Doug Member ✭✭
    edited December 2019
    Yes and with the Maestro turned on it ads "class" to the photo
  • Jean Drolet
    Jean Drolet Member ✭✭
    edited April 2020
    My Case  with power supply for my Maestro it's always connected and i charge my batteries too.imageimageimage
  • Wes
    Wes Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    Wish mine was that size as well..
  • W3EX -- Tom
    W3EX -- Tom Member
    edited March 2018

    Can you provide model number and source?

    Thanks


  • Chris DL5NAM
    Chris DL5NAM Member ✭✭✭
    edited March 2018
    >>  always connected and i charge my batteries too <<

    You charge only the internal Maestro batterie or both?

    73 Chris
  • Jean Drolet
    Jean Drolet Member ✭✭
    edited March 2018
    I install 1 power supp’y And il charge maestro + 2 batteriesimage
  • Gord-VA7GP
    Gord-VA7GP Member ✭✭
    edited January 2023

    It's now 5 years since this thread started, but there are great ideas! I also wanted something better than the Flex padded "grocery bag" for my Maestro; since you showed me yours, I'll show you mine 🤣

    My aim is transportability, whether to my office at work during the week (and back home on weekends), camping, or hotel-travel. I was not enamored with the idea of operating my Maestro in the Nanuk 930 case, but I think that was nicely done, above, by J. Drolet. You'd require a fan, to deal with the Maestro heat if you actually use it sitting in the foam.

    What's Inside, nearest the hinge and progressing clockwise:

    • the Maestro 'B' itself. I have the Flex hard-plastic face cover, and only plucked halfway for most of the Maestro, going full-depth-pluck where the knobs/buttons are (and where the hard cover is bumped out).
    • the spare battery. 20,000mAh / 40W, USB-C charge. Same as the battery in the Maestro. Each is good for about 6hrs, I figure.
    • In antistatic bag, mostly to keep stray foam-crumbs out, the Flex FHM-3 mic, with RJ-45 curly-cord. I will enjoy SSB, digital-modes, and CW. Therefore, I use standalone headphones (not a headset), and the hand-mic suits me just fine for SSB.
    • curly-cord for mic, along with the Flex shorty AC-power-cord. I've since put the curly-cord also into an antistatic bag, again to keep foam-crumbs out of the RJ-45 connector.
    • NYE Viking Master CW key, with gray cord. This key has enclosed contacts (again, to keep crud off) and is in fantastic shape.
    • Lastly, the Flex AC power-adapter.
    • Not shown: a 25ft network-cable (I strongly prefer wired network over WiFi; it's too bad that Flex disables wired Ethernet when operating from battery, citing battery-consumption <sigh>). Also not shown: a modest pair of on-ear JVC headphones (I do have Bowers+Wilkins over-ear/noise-cancelling, but I find them too isolating to use for speech :-( I need a lot of "leakage" from mouth-to-ear ...) The JVC is suitable leaky for SSB, especially if I only half-cover one ear. The Bowers+Wilkins are a joy for CW, or where noise-cancelling is an asset, but I simply get confused trying to talk.

    The hinge itself has a "pop" kind of "stay-open" feature, that would probably keep the lid open in a stiff breeze (not a hurricane, though). At least I won't unexpectedly crunch my fingers 😫


    And now, the outside...

    I chose Olive, but it was quite a debate (the other colours all have something going for them):

    I opted for the TSA latch-upgrade; installation took only a few minutes (in the photo above, you can see the metal-lined holes just outside each latch... I also got the optional TSA hasp-lock which goes into these holes):


    There is an auto-pressure-equalizer valve, rated IP67:

    Lastly, I got the padded shoulder-strap (not shown - it's black, no matter what case-colour you chose). To keep my hands free for carrying the **** / ciders / coolers 😁


    Oh, one last thing: I initially wanted to keep the fixed bracket, but when I mocked that up, it seemed it would exert pressure on the Nanuk case wall... that is, the bracket makes the Maestro asssembly just a hair too deep for my comfort, and it consumes quite a bit of space. Although I didn't originally see the need for the fancy-shmancy adjustable-tilt feet, this project made it apparent that folding the feet flat was a very desirable feature.

    HTH!

  • Gord-VA7GP
    Gord-VA7GP Member ✭✭


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