Just had to build one of these www.hfsignals.com/index.php/ubitx/.
So here is my µBITX project, for the price of 2 crystals for a Codan lunch box, I get a full HF rig! It had to go into an ammunition box, a bit tight in one of the dimensions, and if I was to do this again, it would probably remote the Arduino/display board to provide an additional 9mm of depth. All plugs, buttons are on the top. The speaker is from an old mobile phone car kit.
The short lead with a female and male 3.5mm plugs is the iambic keyer.
With a mobile whip adapter, so that the radio front doesn’t take the load/stress from the 2m long whips. It also allows the use of an antenna analyser. The antenna mount box attaches to the 3 hinge bolts and is held onto the ammo box by 2 magnets. It also holds a 10 x AA battery pack to double the battery capacity.
With 10 x AA 2500 mAh NiHM batteries installed into the snap-on mobile mount adapter.
20m and 40m whips on the mount (one at the time) analysed!
Enclosure prototype
Cardboard model to test the dimensions before cutting the PCB sheets.
Now with battery pack inside the radio. So for field operation I now have double the capacity, a battery pack inside the radio enclosure, and another battery pack in the snap-on mobile antenna mount.
Yves vk2auj/ve2auj
Forgot my callsign KE8JAS !!
Chris, please send us some pictures when done to add to this post for other people to compare … and for us to see!
Currently developing my own ammo can based uBitx build, going to barrow some of your design elements! Nice build!
Yves do you still have the cardboard prototype
Yes I do, just! Why? If you want it, you just need to remember that the thickness of the cardboard is not the same as the PCB sheets and in my case the hole for the display is presented in reverse, so that I could copy. I think there are about 4 different models of small ammo boxes, but if you find a similar model, I’m assuming it would have the same dimensions.
Very nice, great job with the case/Antenna arrangement.
I’ll be installing an additional battery pack in the snap-on box to double the capacity when portable. So, should I drain 1 pack at the time, or use them in parallel? Yves vk2auj