| Author |
Message |
    
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 8:32 am: | 
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Has anyone ever taken the board from a mobile and created a base by putting it in a new case? It's something I've thought about doing for years but haven't gotten around to it. I guess I got the idea more than a decade ago when I read a newsletter with lots and lots of modifications for the Cobra 2000 and other related Uniden SSB boards. Then a few years ago when I saw my first customized PC case with crazy mods and paint it reminded me of my CB idea.
I want to use the board from a Uniden Grant and put it in a cool looking case. I've thought about something similar in shape to a Cobra 2000 because I like that general design for a base radio, but I've considered other designs and lately I've thought about putting it into one of the inexpensive but really cool looking PC cases that are available.
After it's in the case I'd like to personalize/customize it even more by doing some modifications. These are what I've thought about so far:
- A nice large meter, or maybe split out the meter functions of the radio into separate meters
- Multi-turn pot for the clarifier or maybe separarate course and fine pots with a single turn for course and a multi-turn for fine
- Multiple microphone jacks wired for various schemes - switched of course
- Channel Guard filters
- Speech processor board
- Equalizers for both transmit and receive
- Audio bandwidth filters
- Very large speaker with frequency range in the 20-5000 Hz range
- Frequency counter
- Metering the ALC and AMC circuits so I can see when they're active
Any other ideas or suggestions? Comments? |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 4553
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 8:50 am: |
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Racer X,
YES!
MAGNUM S3200 Base Radio.
All the work is already done for you with the Frame & Board of a Mobile Radio already mounted inside of a Larger Case, like the ranger and galaxy case's.
Sam Lewis sent me one of the New Updated Version's of it and I will be Starting a Review on it latter this week for the Copper Forum Members.
Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 10:29 am: |
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Lon - With your long time spent in the radio business you must have seen a mobile made into a base at some point whether it was put into a different case or not. Any suggestions? |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 4556
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 11:07 am: |
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Honestly, I have never felt that energetic and I am 100% happy using a mobile from a power supply. 
And with the Reasonable price of the Texas Ranger 696F SSB Base and the MAGNUM 3200 Base Radios I would not even waste my time trying to do it.
It is tough to beat a factory made radio with the features they have in them now.
Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN
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AE336deathcharger (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 12:06 pm: |
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racer, if you're gonna go through all that work, instead of throwing in a speech processor that'll sound like every other one on the band, check out studio compressors like the beringers (sp?) and stuff like that. if you interface a studio compressor/limiter to your radio, it will open the options up to hooking things like an EQ, mixing board, direct line music, hi-fi studio mics, and all kinds of consumer audio/musician goodies up to it. a studio compressor will also brighten up that audio and make you crank |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Sunday, January 16, 2005 - 2:50 pm: |
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AE336deathcharger - Thanks for the suggestion, but I want to keep it a low cost project and professional equipment isn't in my budget.
For equalization I was thinking of using one of the many amateur projects on the web, and if I chose to get really fancy I might incorporate the EQ5+ into the project which would add a line level input (which I'll probably never use), 2 band equalization (all I really need), impedance matching, level matching, and lots of other features.
As far as speech processing goes, I prefer clipping to compression because it's much more effective. That's why I'm thinking about using the Lou Franklin speech processor. As an added bonus it can match just about any microphone input impedance depending on how it's configured. With switches and pots on the front panel I can have total control over it's input impedance, input gain, clipping level, and output level. Even if I never use the clipping it would be an easy way to have the control over the microphone input impedance and level.
Besides that, even if I had an unlimited supply of cash, I wouldn't use music studio equipment. I'd go for the W2IHY equalizer and noise gate. It does everything I'd need it to do for speech and more. |
Allagator
Advanced Member
Username: Allagator
Post Number: 541
Registered: 9-2002
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 8:28 pm: |
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if im not wrong i think the cobra 29 has the same board as one of the older bases !!!!
i did have a wild hair a few years back and took a cobra 29 and the power supply out of a computer and made a all wood box for it and with some fancy lights and a little hot glue it wasnt to bad of a setup !!!! LOL
Allagator |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Monday, January 17, 2005 - 10:25 pm: |
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I believe the Cobra 1000 had the same board as the Cobra 29.
Cool deal on the homemade base. Was it a cabinet for the radio or did you take apart the radio and put it in the box?
I like wood too. I've thought about taking a wooden cabinet from a console TV, adding doors or some kind of front panel, and making it a radio desk of some sort. |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 4630
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 7:13 pm: |
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Yes,
Magnum International Has a Mobile Radio installed INSIDE of the S-3200 Base Radio.
Mobile Frame & Board. 
Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN |
Texan (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 2:27 am: |
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If I'm not mistaken, I think that the Cobra 2000 was done that way, Someone told me they stuck a Cobra 148GTL board in a big case and called it a Base. |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 4:45 pm: |
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True. That's how all radios are made. They have a board mounted in a chassis, and then the controls are connected to the board. The only real difference between a base and a mobile is the size and the power supply. |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 4655
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 5:28 pm: |
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How about this,
Not just the Board but the complete Frame & Board.
Power supply is to the left in the above picture and the radio can be used with AC 120V, 60Hz or DC 13.8V, 7 amps.
This is the Updated 2004 Magnum S-3200B Base Radio that I am doing the Review on for Copper at this time.
Needless to say it really does look a lot better when it is together, but right now I have it Completey apart in pieces for the Review & Testing.
Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 6:50 pm: |
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That's a good idea. I might try the same myself. I can see where the production cost might be lower as the sub-assembly could be done on the same line as the mobile chassis. The front panel controls and display could be sub assembled too, then final assembly would be bolting the face onto the case and plugging in the connectors. That seems like a really good idea. |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 7:17 pm: |
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Lon - Is the sub-chassis connected to the back panel with heat sink compound? |
Tech808
Moderator
Username: Tech808
Post Number: 4657
Registered: 8-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 8:02 pm: |
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Racer X,
Sorry about the quality of the picture it is dark outside here now.
Hope this helps,
Lon
Tech808
CEF808
N9OSN |
Racer X (Unregistered Guest)
Unregistered guest
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 8:57 pm: |
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Thanks! The picture does a good job of showing how it's mounted to the rear of the chassis. |
Chad
Intermediate Member
Username: Chad
Post Number: 110
Registered: 11-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2005 - 9:48 pm: |
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Holy cow! That really is the back end of a mobile!
My 2547 is a mobile in a chasis but magnum sure did do it different, DARN I should have taken pics, I have pics of everything else!
I take it that's a switch mode PS? |
Goat373
New member
Username: Goat373
Post Number: 5
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 30, 2005 - 9:07 pm: |
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I love my s-3200b...but if it only came with a buitl in Freq counter and not the option to plug one in...darn it, and an internal power supply with a few more amps would be nice...co i could drop in the amp from a 2990 i have sitting around here unused |
Hotwire
Intermediate Member
Username: Hotwire
Post Number: 234
Registered: 1-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 8:05 am: |
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Man I think instead of buying a base I would save money and go mobile on a power supply. Unless I knew a way to add extra goodies in that big box. Maybe beef up the P.S. and add a small amp ? maybe even a TX Mod V? Just day dreamin a little. |
Keithinatlanta
Advanced Member
Username: Keithinatlanta
Post Number: 559
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 8:30 am: |
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Hey everybody. I think we are missing the point here. Racer X, it sounds like you are wanting to make a one of a kind that you can be proud of! Doesn't this sound like ham radio operators a long time ago that wanted to experiment? I think it is a great idea if he wants to build a cabinet for a radio! Actually Racer X, when you get it done, we need pictures. I might just have to try that kind of project myself.
Think about the old radio cabinets that had AM radios in them, or the ones with a record player as well. Great pieces of furniture too!
An idea here. Go to local high school to shop class and have "them" build one for you. I bet the right kind of shop teacher would love that opportunity.
Keith in Atlanta
CEF 150 |
Racer_x
Intermediate Member
Username: Racer_x
Post Number: 236
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 31, 2005 - 7:30 pm: |
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I'm still in the imagineering stage right now Keith, but when I finally get around to building it I'll definitely document it with pictures.
I don't think I ever seriously considered the wooden cabinet concept although I'm not opposed to the idea. I like the design of of late 70's stereo gear that has a wood cabinet for the top, sides, and back with a nice shiny aluminum front panel. I've got an older Kenwood receiver that I think looks great.
What I had always pictured thought was a nice aluminum cabinet shaped somewhat like a Cobra 2000.
Hey - I've been kicking around the idea of using both analog and LED meters. I was thinking of an LED meter for modulation that uses 19 LEDs in a line, starts at a center LED and grows outward in both directions. I'd use multiple colors for the LEDs starting with green, then yellow, then orange, and red. Maybe blue for the outermost LEDs? What do you think of that idea? |
