Stage 3: Boxing it

he shopping list for the complete transceiver is quite long:

  • Case – reused from the old power supply project
  • Power supply – Meanwell switch mode module bought at a radio rally
  • USB sound card – Behringer card, bought at a music store
  • USB hub – found one lying around somewhere
  • Controller & LCD – Arduino Micro, ordered online
  • Screen for LCD – Rescued from a defunct printer
  • Electronic control unit – Aluminum case, PCB ordered online @ Reichelt
  • PA heatsink – bought at a radio rally
  • Case for LPF – from an old cable TV module
  • Fan – Rescued from an old PC PSU
  • Dust filter air outlet – ordered @ Reichelt
  • Power supply for PA – PowerOne Switch mode power supply
  • Various components, switches, connectors, wire, cable, mostly available in my (junk) box.

After I emptied the 19″ casing from all the stuff that made up the power supply, I fitted all the parts in the unit. The box was already full of holes, but it turned out that I had to add some more. It was a little bit of a puzzle, but in the end everything fitted neatly. A new front panel was custom made, since the original had too many holes already. A few hours of drilling, jig-sawing and filing were needed to make the holes for the air outlet, LCD unit and on-off switch. After everything fitted, I spray painted it. Also the top cover got a new layer of paint, as it had suffered quite badly from its stay in the garage for so many years.

In the end, I am quite happy with the result.