Work begins on the new ceiling, but we're on the air!
The new QTH
April 2008 was a chaotic month for the Shaw family, not only did Caroline go into hospital for a hysterectomy and the removal of a 3.7Kg tumour, but we also moved house. A major benefit of the move, to me at least, is I now have for the first time a proper shack! Unfortunately the ceiling needed replacing so I couldn't just move in, but it gave me the chance to do something I once thought of...
Work begins on the new ceiling, but we're on the air!
My idea was to build a false rear wall to the shack where I can run all the feeders, and fit a removable panel to access the rear of the radios without having to move everything. Very simply, I stood against the rear wall of the room and held a piece of wood to measure how much room I needed to squeeze into, job sorted!
The false wall goes in with access apertures!
Although I was left with a room only 8ft by 8ft it is a huge improvement over my previous hideaway under the stairs of the previous QTH! On a visit to the local DIY store, I carelessly allowed Caroline, the XYL to pick the paint colour for the walls, "Raspberry Rush" more like lipstick pink when it went on but two days later it had darkened up nicely and once you acclimatise to it, it's quite nice!
Raspberry Rush! and some old kitchen units...
It's still a construction site but we're getting nearer. The removable panels haven't yet been made and there are still tools and paintbrushes about but it's now looking like a "real" radio shack!
QRV at last!