My Ham Radio Go Box Build

[@HR4NT]

kzbin.info/aero/PL01YuCls6edbHUl6J_pFFH7989ZUGPjPZ

[@AndrewMurphy8383]

you dont have to have it all in all one box there are enough hams i know and built go boxes and battery boxes for that has them in two diffren cases

[@zeebraeend]

Today I've received my tunnel flight case and I'm trying to build a go-box. Thanks for showing us yours. 73's

[@HR4NT]

That is awesome!!! Good luck on your build! Thanks for the comment and for watching! 73!!!

[@devinhedge]

Wiring is always the hardest part. I’ve been building animated holiday light control boxes for a decade, and network racks for 34 years. I keep seeing a lot of great go boxes, and a lot of opportunities to learn. There are some amazing boxes out there.

[@HR4NT]

Some of the newer go boxes I have seen are absolutely amazing. I may have to up my game a bit, but for now, mine works just fine and it's [paid for...LOL. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!

[@devinhedge]

@@HR4NT “Paid for…” yeah… I’m building one and it is NOT inexpensive to build.

[@markdoyle8713]

Great honest content. My go box is on gen 3. It’s like a classic car , always getting better.

[@HR4NT]

Absolutely! Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!!

[@K3WRD]

Scott, you did a great job explaining your go box project. Exactly what I was needing. This is practical and has the essentials for POTA work in one box and did NOT include the kitchen sink! I can actually carry and transport this size. Thank You! Keep up the good work you are doing.!

[@HR4NT]

Hey glad you enjoyed it. I hope it helps you to build your own some time! Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

I started a build like this just for a dual band 2M-70cm rig and power supply. A gator box was my choice, just like you have here. I now have a larger box for my HF voice, 2M packet rigs. It is heavy, screwed up by not getting a big box with a handle/wheels like yours. I will strap it to a wheeled cart to move it. Good work

[@HR4NT]

Yeah when I was shopping around I knew it was going to be a heavy beast, so I made sure that whatever enclosure I chose it MUST have wheels. It's great on pavement and hard surfaces, not so much in grass...LOL Thanks for watching! 73

[@Truckinman2000]

Nice build.. i started with a 6U case with a Kenwood D700A and Ft891. It now houses my FT-991A and am building a box for my D700A and Ft891. I also built a multiuse 100ah solar generator. But the battery meter is the test thing i have ever had. I used Eco-Worthy LifePo4 50ah batteries because I got the at an awesome price. Regular price was $225 each... Sale price $135 each. I couldn't pass them up.

[@HR4NT]

That is OUTSTANDING!!!! Thanks for sharing your build. At that price I wouldn't have passed it up either. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@M6JKW]

Awesome 👍

[@HR4NT]

Thank you! Cheers! 73!

[@IZ2OAV]

Good job!

[@HR4NT]

Thank you! Cheers! 73!!

[@6foot7dad]

Great video! Perfect timing. I'm just now putting my shopping list together.

[@HR4NT]

It will be a fun build, but keep it simple. It is very easy to just install a bunch of stuff you may or may not need. Customize it to your needs out in the field and you will do great! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!!

[@scottdunn1093]

Hey Scott, that looks really good. When i build mine, sometime after i move to Kentucky, Im thinking of adding a couple of LED license plate lights on the face plate. Good job on yours. 73, KM4PMP

[@HR4NT]

That could be a fun project! I wish you the best of luck on your build. Share it on my FB group if you are a member! Look forward to seeing it! Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@tubbysailor]

Thanks for the video. It gives a simple overview of a very clean HF Go Box.

[@HR4NT]

Glad it was helpful! It had its challenges, but it also packs everything you need into one (heavy) box! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@ronaldross3978]

Hello from Tulsa KF5MCJ, the handle is Ron. I retired last year and am now working on my ham radio station. Right now I do not have any plans to do a "Go Box" but I hear other operators doing it. I sure wished I had worked on this one with you. OK, an introduction is in order. I am a Navy Veteran, Electrician on an aircraft carrier, 1975 thru 1980. I just retired from a major utility company as a Principal Designer for Protection & Control Transmission Substations.

[@HR4NT]

Nice to meet you Ron! The go box build was fun, but in hindsight, not completely necessary. I could have built this with a much smaller footprint and been just as efficient. This was more of a "can I do it" build. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73

[@steveverhoef5667]

Looks great! Very nicely done.

[@HR4NT]

Thank you very much and thanks for watching. 73!

[@yv6eda]

Great build Scott!

[@HR4NT]

Glad you enjoyed it. It works...it's heavy, but it works..LOL Thanks for watching. 73!

[@stephanhersey1186]

Nice build. If you would have used the LDG Z-100A or the MAT 30 tuner it would power from the radio. No need for an extra power source. Also, put a power pole face mount on the back panel connected to the battery for charging without removing the panel. Nice and clean. Good job. Steve, k7ofg.

[@HR4NT]

I have some modifications planned in the future, but that you for those suggestions!! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@HamRadioCrashCourse]

Wiring looks fine to me, there isn't a whole lot going on to add a ton of wires, so its pretty clean.

[@HR4NT]

I appreciate that! It just seemed like a mess to me because of the wiring we did to include that battery monitor. I like what you did with the power switching feature in yours and may adopt that later on if I decide to alter the build. The one thing I forgot to mention in the video is I used lever nuts to connect the wires that way IF I decided to make a change to the wiring, it would be very simple to just lift the levers, release the wires and move them to another configuration. Thank you for watching and for the comment! 73!

[@jamienleah732]

Hey Scott I just love your channel, just ran across your videos on studying for your Technician license and I can say we have the same study habits, the whole 9,lol So now after watching your videos on that, I am back to studying, thank you so much for your time,You are one awesome dude!! Thanks James WRPR732 GMRS Northern California

[@HR4NT]

Hey James! Thank you so much for your kind words! I strive to make my channel as accessible to everyone as possible. Your compliment confirms I am doping it right! Thank you for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@gilbreathca]

Great video! Welcome to the hobby. I picked up your channel from your recent youtube collaboration with Lord Callum - The DX Commander! Two things: 1. Don't leave AA batteries in your tuner long-term, they are good for short usages like a week away on vacation or something. Those batteries are notorious for leakage. ESPECIALLY Duracell batteries! They have had horrible quality for years now. 2. Consider using the old-fashioned mosquito coils while operating outside. I don't like to use mosquito repellant sprays because of the oils they leave behind. I don't want to transfer that oil to my radio buttons and knobs - perhaps degrading the rubberized surfaces. Mosquito coils burn like incense. I use them on my backyard deck with great success!

[@HR4NT]

Thank you for coming over to the channel!! Those are great suggestions, so thank you for that. I hope my videos bring value to you! Thanks for watching. 73!!

[@FreeStuffGuy916]

N6EF-Nice build Scott. I built a self-contained kit using a Harbor Freight Apache 4800 with my Yaesu FT-857D, 20Ah Bioenno battery, solar charge controller, Raspberry Pi, and external monitor for the Pi. A bit heavy but works great for POTA activations. Great build.

[@HR4NT]

That sounds fantastic. Whatever works is always a good thing. Thanks for watching. 73!!

[@RedNeckSurgeyTech]

Ya that's what I used as well.

[@SocialistDistancing]

It's not the worst wiring job I've seen. Keep in mind that those face plates and covers are meant to hide all of the wiring. I wouldn't lose sleep over it. If I was going to add something, it would be switchable charging and a connection on the back (or front) for the 120vac charging cable. Then, you dont have to remove the rear cover to change charging choices. Put multi pole switch on the front panel for charging option selection.

[@HR4NT]

I may add that feature to the setup down the road. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@stevehildreth1934]

Nice build! Wiring a totally looks pretty decent. I'm contemplating a 2 meter/70 centimeter box build. It's always good to see what others do for ideas. So, thank you for you video!

[@HR4NT]

Awesome! I am glad my video helped! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@welltravelledtoolbox]

Great build!

[@HR4NT]

I'm glad you like it. It's a bit clunky and heavy, but it works just fine and I like it for the portability. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@chrisw5bbm584]

Great build, thanks for the info on the battery monitor.

[@HR4NT]

No problem 👍. I mean I like it, but wiring it up made it not worth it to me. Thank for watching. 73!

[@cmarchi128]

great video

[@HR4NT]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it! 73!

[@thewind-ne8rh]

nice job , looks are not everything ,as long as it works and you are happy with it.

[@HR4NT]

Agreed! It does everything I set it up to do and works fine! It was the wiring that was a bit of a challenge. Thanks for watching. 73!!

[@wild-radio7373]

Those cases are so badass! Awesome project :) 🤜🏻👍🤛🏻♡♡♡

[@HR4NT]

They are! They are a bit big, but repurposing them for Ham radio stuff makes them fantastic to me. Thanks for watching and for your continued support of the channel. I really appreciate it!! 73!!

[@GeorgeAdams]

Good build. I have the same speaker hooked up to the 891, too. It works well.

[@HR4NT]

Yeah I was actually surprised how well that little speaker performed. I made a mistake in the video saying that I got it from DX Engineering. I got it on Amazon through Radioddity for like $15. Thanks for watching. 73!!

[@GeorgeAdams]

Yes! Exact same then. I wondered if it was just differently branded packaging.

[@gaptastic]

Awesome go box! So I've been wanting to create a gobox for mobile/quasi-portable using my ftm-400drx and g90. This is something I want to bring in the back yard, garage, in my cars and parks. Seems feasible, but would like it about half the size of what you have and I think that should be possible. I'm not using bioenno but dakota lithium which I already know work great for both. I don't think I need a speaker but thought about working in a powerwerx meter. Thanks for the video, as a musician I can't believe I didn't think about rack mount storage. I think that's the way to go. Also, for all other hams out there, don't just look at ham outlets for peripherals. Ham crap is a niche market which tends to be very expensive. Think out of the box and tell your fellow hams what you learn. Also join your local clubs, they a have a wealth of information. And be kind to others we all live in the same biosphere.

[@BLACKHEAT1028]

My thought is to have the battery box power the go box this will give me more room. Also like HRCC set up of being able to use AC and can switch over to DC. If I build a box I will also include a CB, GMRS, thinking of using the 891 as well and maybe one of those Chinese Tri band mobile so I would have to get a 6U Gator Case. Nice build

[@HR4NT]

That is a lot of equipment to put in there. You will definitely need the 6U (hopefully on wheels) for that build, but I think it would come out pretty cool and would serve you well for many years. I like what Josh did as well with the switching power. That might be an addition later one. Thanks for watching..73!

[@GraemeKoch]

Neat setup🙂

[@HR4NT]

Thanks! It was a bit if a bear to do, but overall a fun and educating build. Thanks for watching..73!

[@chuckmartin6049]

Awesome build. I am a newbie and I am gathering stuff for building a harbor freight go box. I just bought a Yaesu LTM 300DR which draws 11 amps TX at 50 watts. I am having a hard time figuring out wire size and fuse size going to a distribution box then to a watt and amp meter and switches

[@HR4NT]

I have 25 amp fuses for the majority of my gear. However I am also not an electronics major. You may want to pose that question to Yaesu and see what they would recommend. I guarantee they will know. Their number is [phone] between 8AM - 5PM PST. I hope this helps a bit. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@noexcuses6727]

Very nice. Perhaps a small cooling fan just to move air through the case while in use?

[@HR4NT]

Maybe so. Depending on what happens when in use out in the field, I may add one. Thanks for watching. 73!

[@twohandsandaradio]

I really REALLY want to do this just to build it. After I priced the box and then the cost of the shelving...OMG... Like you said toward the end, it's just too much. I look at my camera bag of stuff and that's all I need. Certainly would be fun to build. 73

[@HR4NT]

It is a fun and expensive build. However, after building it and bringing it out to the field I found that it is rather heavy (at least 45-50lbs) and that can be a task to drag through a park even with the wheels. I recently took my 7300 and put it into the X-large Apache case and got myself a 20Ah Bioenno that will be a bit lighter and still give me the 100w in the event I don't want to load the beast into the truck and drag it out. My 705 pack is much easier to transport as well and I have another bag that has the other equipment in it and that seems to work fine. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@FEPLabsRadio]

Cool build. I am still deciding if I want to go all-in on a gator box build. I was thinking the 6U, with a 7300 and a 2M DMR rig. Something like that. Still pondering it. Good video dude!

[@HR4NT]

Go for it! If you are putting both of those radios in there the 6U version will work fine. Josh at Ham Radio Crash Course built the one you are describing. Check out his video if you haven't already. Make sure you get the gator case with the wheels and handle though or you will suffer having to carry that heavy SOB everywhere...LOL Thanks for watching. 73!

[@6foot7dad]

That's almost exactly what I'm thinking of building. Do it! Then build me one 😀

[@havok4103]

That is a huge box!!! (Thats what he said) I kinda feel like that is a bit much, id rather have a backpack for greater mobility, i dont yhink I could walk quickly or efficiently walk with a big box like that (also what he said).

[@HR4NT]

I was more designing it for ruggedness rather than lightweight portability. For that I have my 705 in a backpack with a 9 aH battery and a few antennas to chose from if needed and that weighs almost nothing in comparison. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@hamradiotube]

Great go box build. You have made me proud. Disagree about the meter though. It wasn’t hard to wire and you know how much power you have used. Wait till you try to figure out how to set the fuel gauge though lol! Way better battery meter than others I have used.

[@HR4NT]

Hey I am glad you saw the video and liked the build. Maybe we over thought the wiring. I have it wired not only to the battery, but also to the radio and I guess they way we had to wire everything just made it chaotic as I was trying to NOT have a mess of wires everywhere. Wiring for DC is simple as you have said, but I was adding in switches and trying to make sure everything stayed in some order. Thanks again for watching and for the comment. I still want to join you out sometime for a POTA event!! 73!

[@TheNoCodeTech]

A very well thought out and implemented system. looking forward to seeing her in action. Thanks for the great video. HLTW TeamReplay for the win!

[@HR4NT]

Thank you! I spent a bit of time trying to figure out how I wanted to build it out. I am pretty happy so far! Thanks for watching. 73!

[@paulhastings3109]

Nice build. Been thinking about using the 991a, have any ideas

[@HR4NT]

Any radio will work as long as you can handle the weight. With the 991A you will need two antenna outputs, one for HF and the other for VHF/UHF, but you should be good to go. Let me know how it turns out if you decide to build one! Thanks for watching as always Paul, 73!

[@kellydiver]

Interesting ideas. What kind of antenna do you carry for a deployable rig like this?

[@HR4NT]

Most of the time I use my DX Commander Expedition, but I always have a selection of EFHW's available as well. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@weslofton886]

wish you put the FT991A in it ... but its awesome.

[@HR4NT]

I considered it, but the 991 is mainly for in house use for me. Not sure that I would do a lot of 2m/70cm work out in the field. If I need those bands I just use the FTM400 in my truck. Thanks for watching. Glad you enjoyed the video. 73!

[@mikeramsey9747]

The only additional item you need is a cooling fan to pump any heat out of the box during use or while charging. You have room in the back.

[@HR4NT]

That may be something I add in the future. However I have found that I really like bringing out my 7300 now. It is a much smaller setup than the go box and a lot lighter...LOL To date, I haven't had too deal with any overheating except for me carrying that heavy thing around to the parks. Thank you for the comment and suggestion and for watching. 73

[@stefanosfragos582]

Great work, thanks for sharing! Any thoughts on grounding?

[@HR4NT]

Thank you for the comment. I did a couple videos on grounding and that is a topic of controversy as to who does what and how when it comes to grounding. My advice is to do the best you can with what resources you have available. Ideally multiple rods lined together and a certain distance from the shack and everything being kept as short as possible (as far as distance from ground rods to your equipment) seems to be desired, but sometimes you may not have everything in that checklist available to you, so do your best and use common sense. I think you will be fine. I have two ground rods and lightning arrestors on the cables from the antennas to the shack. I used a 6 or 8 gauge wire to ground from the rods to my window passthrough going into the shack. You just have to find what works for you. Thaks for the comment and I hope you will go see those videos I made on this subject. They aren't perfect, but they work. 73!

[@Sgtoscarcolon]

The cooling fan is sucking out the air or blowing in? I'm confused about the direction it should be on my go box.

[@HR4NT]

If you are going to have a fan in your gobox, I would probably have it blowing the air out as you may be in hot weather and blowing hot air would be counter intuitive. I hope this helps. Thanks for the question and for watching. 73!

[@q8padi]

How about dealing with the heat ? do you have a heat sink ?

[@HR4NT]

There is a nice fan on the back of the 891 along with a heat sink and I have yet to experience overheating or anything that would affect the performance of the radio on hot days.

[@donaldsmith3048]

I think you did a very good job! I am not sure if it was on the wheels is it top heavy. I had trouble with things falling over because it was top heavy!

[@HR4NT]

The wheels definitely help with the weight distribution. It stands up just fine with all of the equipment inside and no signed of teetering, so I would say that even with everything inside I have mounted, it is still stable. Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@mhpreach]

How much operating time do you get from the 15ah battery?

[@HR4NT]

At 100 W on my 891 I am able to operate all day long without any issues. I am usually in a park from about 9am to 4PM on that 15ah battery. Thanks for the question. Hope this helps. 73!

[@mhpreach]

@@HR4NT I have two 8Ah batteries. I wanted to get an idea how much time I could get out of one of the 8Ah batteries. I do have a 60 watt solar panel to,put in the system.

[@MegaCadr]

Any heat issues? Great job!

[@HR4NT]

So far, no. The rear of the case has a 2U solid plate and above that a 2U vented plate to allow for airflow from front to back. Thank you for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@matthyde9042]

Do you know how much the case weighs now with everything in it?

[@HR4NT]

If I had to take a guess, I would say about 35-40 lbs. There are two steel shelves that I purchased that are made for this case. One is a 16 inch deep and the other an 8 inch. The lower one has the majority of the items mounted to it whereas the top shelf only has the tuner and helps to keep the mass amount of wires out of the way...somewhat...Having the retractable handle with the wheels makes toting this thing around a lot less cumbersome. Hope this helps. Thanks for the comment and for watching...73!!

[@barrykelly2722]

Umm. That thing is....well it looks heavy....a bit bulky. But whale oil beef hooked if it doesn't have everything one needs. Nice

[@HR4NT]

It is heavy, but very functional. It is a mobile radio station ready to go in a moments notice. Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!

[@mikeerstad3705]

Nice Go Box and your correct about the wiring...it's a bit of a challenge. My Go Box was one featured on KM4ACK's KZbin channel...73 K9BBN

[@HR4NT]

Thanks for the comment. Wow that is awesome that KM4ACK had your build on his channel! The wiring was a challenge and I would do it differently if I did it over again. Thanks for watching. 73!

[@charlierumsfeld6626]

I* have the same HF rig too

[@HR4NT]

They are pretty slick! Thanks for the comment and for watching. 73!

[@germanjohn5626]

Lol, chicken littles and their go bags and go boxes....no the sky is not falling lol.

[@HR4NT]

I don't think I ever referenced that the sky was falling. Being prepared is being responsible. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!!

[@brentjohnson6654]

Another great video, Scott! I am interested in finding a 4” hinged front panel and doing similar project to yours. One thing about solar controllers, I have heard recently that the MPPT controllers can have more RF hash on it due to the DC-DC conversions they do. That threw me since I assumed (yeah, I know about that term haha) that the PWM would have more hash but they said the PWM controller was RF quiet. What is your experience with solar and RFI?

[@HR4NT]

I haven't had any issues with RFI on my controller. However, two things, I have heard from other that using the USB on the charge controller from Bioenno "can" produce some RFI, however I do not use the USB on the controller as I have others that are easier to get to and I think Bioenno is aware of the issue and are making new versions that will eliminate that issue. The other thing is you can always add ferrites to anything in your box that is producing RFI. My solar panels have a 20 foot wire that goes to the charge controller, so no issues there either, but again, if there was, I add ferrites. Hope this helps. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@brentjohnson6654]

@@HR4NT I am back again. My POTA/mobile setup is in process. I have a 15AH Bioenno, with a solar charge controller. I was planning on using a cheap PVC chassis with wire mesh shelves for an open case. Now I am leaning more to a gator 4U chassis, with the battery inside. For the battery monitor did you use a shunt with that to know about usage? By the way, I am planning on using the home HF rig at first which is a Kenwood 590SG with a SDRPlay for a pan adapter (all I have to provide is a laptop). Hope to have the shark sticks mounted and the coax run into the cab before I go to Florida later this week. IF I can get that done, I can do the bonding when I am visiting my son’s place in florida. Still very much a work in progress and learning where to run coax into the cab (wish I had a lift - my aching back - haha). Oh I did order some Messi & Paoloni Ultraflex. Nice stuff. Way more flexible than my LMR400! I also like the connectors. I don’t know how I am going to protect the 1/4 x 24 antenna mounts when no antenna is on there. Also, I want to make sure there is no ingress with water under the lip where it fastened to the bracket. Fun to do these projects. My wife thought I was working at this too hard and said instead of mounting the antennas on the truck just set something up at the park. I try to tell her this is fun. Of course I don’t always sound like it when I holler because I pinched myself with a tool. Haha. All the best, 73! One day I want to catch up with you Houston boys! Could be fun! Cheers!

[@anthonyrosa5006]

That aint nothing. Try setting up a Digital Audio Workstation for home audio recording, now that can go from very simple (dual band mobile simple) to simply insane akin to guys with multiple towers and a dozen Yagis and parabolic dishes. It's a nice clean setup but that' I'm surprised there is no dual band, but you probably have that in your vehicle already. Makes sense now.

[@HR4NT]

Yeah i have the dual band UHF/VHF in my truck and if need be, I can always remove it and make it portable. Just wanted to make an HF portable rig to bring out to POTA. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@mraleksk1]

Hmm... Actually, you don't put all your eggs in one nest. I would rather have several smaller boxes than the one I can't even drug out of my house... =D

[@HR4NT]

I have since amended my gear and that is exactly what I did. The box from this video is still used but more for an emergency gotta go situation. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@RedNeckSurgeyTech]

That thing is huge. Not good for a go box at all. That's a stay box 😂😂😂

[@HR4NT]

Go boxes are whatever you feel is good for your needs. This one suits me and is rugged enough to handle pretty much anything. It may be larger than some, but it is a self contained unit that has everything. Thanks for watching and for the comment! 73!!

[@barntt]

🤔 You mean you DON"T store your Em-comm box FULLY Charged? Disasters Always give you a weeks Heads up to Prepare? LOL

[@HR4NT]

LOL...Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!

[@manvirjudge8156]

First

[@danieldube3576]

Great video, gave me a lot to think about for my build. I appreciate it! K1YLE (Dan)

[@HR4NT]

Glad I could help! Be creative. Yo have next to no limits on the features you can add. Thanks for watching and for the comment. 73!