A typical ham radio operator’s radio shack is usually a dedicated shed or room of the house that is filled with lots of carefully selected gadgets and equipment whose actual function is unknown to most of us. In the early days of amateur radio though this was definitely not the case.
The equipment was largely home built and very experimental and something that required some sort of workshop. Early transmitters used a rather noisy high voltage spark to generate the radio waves and this no doubt ensured that the ham and his partially completed project was exiled to more remote areas of the property where his experiment could do the least damage.
The term shack tended to be used to describe the general state of chaos and lack of cleanliness that prevailed. Here is a description of the things one could expect to find in a radio shack and what their function is.
1. The rig
The rig in earlier days used to be comprised of a separate transmitter and DXreceiver. Today it is all contained in one unit roughly the size of a large satellite TV receiver. The predominant frequency tuning dial is still evident but the old analog meters and dials have been replaced with state of the art digital displays and computer monitors.
2. Computer
A computer and in some cases two is now a familiar site in a radio shack. These control most of the radio functions and are also used to maintain a database of all contacts. A computer is also essential if an operator needs to utilize any digital form of communication.
3. Mobile/base rig
A handheld radio is normally used to operate via the local repeater stations, but the modern base stations are so compact that they too can be used as mobile rigs.
4. Microphones, headphones and keys
This is determined largely by the shack owner’s personal preferences but expect to find things like imposing chrome plated microphones and keys to miniaturized versions of the same. The old enormous and usually uncomfortable headphones of yesteryear have been replaced by super lightweight high definition headphones. These items comprise the interface of the modern ham radio operator.
5. Antennas
Inside the shack you will find an array of controllers and switches that operate varying types of antennas ranging from whip antennas the size of a pencil to wire antennas strung between two trees to the very imposing directional beam antennas mounted high up on steel towers.
6. Cables and feedlines
Expect to find lots and lots of cabling from your basic power cables that feed mains power to each component to the coaxial cables designed specifically to carry or DX high frequency signals with the minimum of interference.
Some people have even been known to use their cars as mobile radio shacks to great effect and most of the equipment used in their cars can perform the same function in a proper indoor quite adequately
