PVC Amateur Radio “Go Box”

I used PVC to make an Amateur Radio “Go Box”.  A Go Box is basically a portable ham radio setup that can be taken with you and set up in the field with ease. Some ham operators have elaborate Go Boxes, others will have their Go Box in backpack.  Go Boxes are only limited to your imagination and budget.  The goal for me was to have a Go Box that I could take out in the field but could be used at my house for everyday operations. The Idea is all I will need to do is hook the radio to an antenna and power (whether electricity or battery) and I’m on the air.  In the Go Box I wanted to have the Radio, antenna tuner, and AC power supply. I also have in it a switch box that allows me to switch from the AC power supply to a battery backup and an external speaker for the radio. The switch box could be considered a build in itself, so I’m not going into much detail on it. At home the PVC Go Box slides into a wooden enclosure that I built so it has a finished look to. 

Supplies

3/4" PVC Pipe

8 - 3 way 90 degree side outlet elbows

6 - Tees

7 - 15 1/2" strait piece of PVC pipe

2 - 8 1/2" strait piece of PVC pipe

4 - 4 1/4" strait piece of PVC pipe

8 - 3 1/2" strait piece of PVC pipe

1/4" Plywood

1 - 10 1/2" wide X 3 1/4" high X 1/4” plywood

1 - 10 1/2" wide X 9" long X 1/4” plywood

1 - 10 1/2" wide X 13 1/2" long X 1/4” plywood

Other Hardware and electrical connectors

18 - 3/4” long Phillips Pan Head Sheet Metal Screw

2 - battery posts (1 red & 1 black)

1 - 3/4” bolt, washers, nut, and wing nut for ground post

1 - SO239 Panel Mount Coaxial Connector

Radio and equipment

Yaesu FT-450 HF Radio

LDG YT-450 antenna tuner

12 volt, 30 amp power supply

External Speaker

Power Source Switch Box

Step 1: The Box

I cut the 3/4” PVC Pipe into 7 section that are 15 1/2" long for the sides, top, and bottom there is one additional section on the top that is a handle for carrying the box.  Also cut 2 section of the pipe 8 1/2” long for the front and back bottom cross pieces. The top section has 4 sections of pipe that are 3 1/2” long.  

There are 2 plywood shelves both are 10 1/2" wide. The top shelf is 9” long and the Yaesu FT-450 HF Radio is mounted onto this shelf. The bottom shelf is 13 1/2" long and has the power supply, External Speaker, and Power Source Switch Box are mounted to it. The antenna tuner is mounted on top of the power supply.

The bottom frame of the box has 2 sections of 15 1/2" strait pipe that connect to the 3 way 90 degree elbows and 2 section of 8 1/2" long section of pipe in the front and back. The top frame adds an extra 10 1/2” section in the middle and that is the handle and because of the handle instead of the 2 – 8 1/2" section there are 4 – 3 1/2" long section of pipe that have a Tee in the middle of them. I did have to make sure that these sections were 8 1/2" long when put together so that the top and bottom frames came out the same size.

Between the top and bottom there is a shelf that the Yeasu Radio is mounted to. I needed to make 4 section of pipe the same that had a 3 1/2" piece of pipe, a Tee, and a 4 1/4” piece pipe. The 4 sections became the vertical supports for the self with the 3 1/2" pipe at the bottom than the Tee than the 4 1/4” pipe at the top, the 4 vertical section measures 9 1/4" high.

The over all size of the box is 12” high, 11” wide, and 18” deep.

I fastened the shelves with 3/4” long Sheet Metal Screw. I used 6 screws on the bottom self and 4 on the top shelf.

Step 2: The Back Terminals

On the back of the of the box I have a piece of plywood that is 10 1/2" wide and 3 1/4" high for the different terminals. There is an SO-239 connector for the antenna, 2 battery terminal one red for positive and one black for negative than I use a 3/4” bolt with washers, nut, and wing nut for ground post. 

The battery terminals connect to the switch box. The switch box allows for easy switching from the AC power supply to the battery backup. The ground post has a ground wires attached to it that go to the radio, antenna tuner, and power supply. 

Step 3: Final Picture

This is the Go Box hooked up to the battery backup. I have a simple stand that the Go Box is on and the battery box under it.