[hpsdr] Pandora's Box

[Ben Hall]

Hi Eric and gang!

Eric Ellison wrote:
> Ben
> 
> Will try to respond still 'typing out loud'. Will also try to draw out my
> concept and post it.

Excellent!  Drawings help a lot.  Even a little sketch would help, as 
I'm still dopey from the antihistamines.  (Thankfully, it rained today 
and no controlled burn at work.)

I can always take the sketch and draw it up into a 3D model.

> A well thought out sub-chassis, would allow mounting Atlas and installed
> cards in any sized/type enclosure as long as it was bigger than the
> sub-chassis. The 'box owners' would be required to hack out a rough opening,
> slightly smaller than the sub-chassis, to let the evil sprirts escape, and
> allow mounting of the sub-chassis assembly.

A very interesting and great idea!

> 2 pieces shipped flat. (I ALWAYS think about shipping!)
>  
> Piece 1: is the mount for the Atlas board itself with pre-drilled mounting
> 'holes' mating with Atlas mounting holes. Also a 'break line' to form a
> right angle bracket for mounting the second piece below, perfectly aligned. 
> (also makes a good base plate to protect the bottom of Atlas, from resistor
> leads floating around on the table for those with 'no-case' option)
> 
> Piece 2: With the six slots stamped out for cards, (standard PC case style
> AT slot sizes and spacing).

This is a great idea.  Roughing out a hole is pretty easy for folks with 
basic hand tools - cutting slots with exactly the right AT spacing is 
not.  The user can then choose the outer case to meet their needs.

> Course there are many details to even construct this, like "once joined how
> can I plug in cards with protruding connectors?" etc.

Agreed.  But, they are not insurmountable.

Additionally, I've been looking over the wish list, thinking about how 
to make one design work for all users, and the closest I've come is 
something like a square/rectangular box with all four side panels being 
completely interchangeable.  This would allow cables to be routed out 
the front, out the back, or the side as the user desired.  Buckeye 
Shapeform makes something like this at:

<http://www.buckeye-enclosures.com/product_overview.php?subcategoryid=18&applcation=D>

Your idea above of a bottom panel and a back panel could be modified to 
expand the back panel to be the complete back panel for the unit.  It 
even could be made from a Ten-Tec standard case end, but that would 
eliminate the sideways mounting possibility.

I'm loving all the great ideas that are floating around here!!!

thanks,
ben
-- 
Thanks and 73,
Ben, KD5BYB


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