21-04-2018, 03:33 PM
So the system is now ready to go. Not exactly how I wanted it but I'm running out of time to finish some of the bits so I used a really big Anderson distribution board and a large multi-pole relay box I built a few years ago. Whilst convenient in terms of the available time they are pretty clunky and annoying when it comes to set up and tear down.
The tree bit fits in the back seat of the car as a single assembly and the bike stand and battery fits nice in the foot well. One thing that is really worth doing is getting a bit of Loctite into all the screws that hold the legs together on the bike stand. Doesn't matter how tight you make them they always rattle loose during transport.
FT817 is held in place with an artistically contorted coat hanger. Easy to install and the radio is always looking right at you.
Setup time from stepping out of the car is 15 minutes while tear down and packing the car is around 5 minutes. The price I pay for this convenience is the weight of the bike stand and the tree assembly. I also use one of my standard battery boxes containing 2 x 18Ah SLA which is well over kill but worth the peace of mind. This arrangement is not SOTA friendly unless you go to a drive-up summit.
The tree bit fits in the back seat of the car as a single assembly and the bike stand and battery fits nice in the foot well. One thing that is really worth doing is getting a bit of Loctite into all the screws that hold the legs together on the bike stand. Doesn't matter how tight you make them they always rattle loose during transport.
FT817 is held in place with an artistically contorted coat hanger. Easy to install and the radio is always looking right at you.
Setup time from stepping out of the car is 15 minutes while tear down and packing the car is around 5 minutes. The price I pay for this convenience is the weight of the bike stand and the tree assembly. I also use one of my standard battery boxes containing 2 x 18Ah SLA which is well over kill but worth the peace of mind. This arrangement is not SOTA friendly unless you go to a drive-up summit.