My good friend Bill WA7NWP and I keep encouraging each other to get our "collections" of radios and other gear, especially packet radio gear, actually on the air. I know, radical concept, hams having gear that is on the air. Or, as us Amateur Radio Data Geeks say - online.
Bill coined a term - Amateur Time Units (ATUs). ATUs are scarce, roughly equivalent (my approximation) to an undisturbed 4-hour block of time to work on projects. But ATUs are very scarce during the week, and I was bemoaning that to Bill, who replied that when he can't get ATUs, he's content with Mini ATUs, meaning if you can't get anything big done, you can get something done. And, of course, he's right. So, here's my MATU report for this evening.
- Re-photographed the rack for the 2014-02-20 post, and updated that post.
- Found a suitable base for the TM-D710G, marked it up to drill bolt holes for the bracket
- Installed the audio (Kenwood calls it "data") cable for connection to the external TNC
- Installed the RS-232 cable (Kenwood calls it "PC" ) cable for connection to a computer for controlling frequency, etc
- Wrapped up the 5 cables, partially with the split loom tubing
- Will finish the split loom when I receive the audio and RS-232 extension cables from Amazon
- Moved the big power supply to the basement (ouch).
- Determined that the power studs on the power supply, and the battery, are 1/4".
- McLendon's (our wonderful local hardware store for most things mechanical) didn't have a ratchet crimper, so ordered one from Amazon. It'll be here Wednesday, Thursday at the latest.
- The TM-D710G head and its eventual 1200 baud TNC will live on DATA15, which is the most convenient shelf for futzing with the controls on the head. It'll be about the only data radio that I'll be futzing with. All the other data radios will be set and forget.
So, that was 1 MATU completed. (Update - Bill says it was more than 1 MATU... I'm humbled :-)
de N8GNJ