Racks to Transport Gear and a Simple Way to Cut Light-Gauge Aluminum Sheet

摘要

For me, constructing a go-box and other radio projects calls for a light-weight, rigid rack to hold equipment. As I built my latest portable equipment rack, my goals included the ability to operate HF, VHF, and UHF, in addition to voice and HF digital; being able to immediately connect to antennas; 120 V power and battery power (with easy access to plug these in); the ability to remove the rack for operation, and a lightweight but rugged structure.My solution came in the form of several interesting products, including:1. The Spud 7 Utility Dry Box from MTM Molded Products Company (www.mtmcase-gard.com).2. Six cooling racks for cooking, purchased from a department store. They were lightweight, strong, and could be trimmed to size and bent into broad u shapes for shelves.3. Wire cage clips, designed for a rabbit hutch (model ACC1, www. miller-mfg.com), allowed for joining wires in parallel to build the rack. Needle-nose pliers work, but you could also use Pet Lodge pliers, designed specifically for these clips.4. Soft wire ties - flexible wire covered in soft rubber - were perfect for organizing radio wires (see Figure 1). They're sold by Miracle-Gro or your local gardening store.5. Industrial-strength Scotch Bundling Wrap (a type of hook-and-loop fastener tape) mounted all components on the rack.