[Elecraft] [OT] K3 Shack Pictures and iMacs

[Joel Black]

Shack layout is very personal. I get that. Laying out my shack is a 
hobby within a hobby; however, I cannot seem to get it "just right." My 
wife will walk by and just shake her head.

I bought a late 2012 27" iMac. The thing is a beast! You cannot adjust 
the height of the monitor, but you can adjust the tilt. Compounding this 
problem is that I wear bifocals. Those of you who wear bifocals know 
that keeping your head tilted back trying to read the monitor is a PITA! 
Also, trying to get it the right distance so words are sharp is a pain. 
I *really* wish I had either bought the 21.5" iMac or a MBP. I am stuck 
with what I have for the next several years. Although my wife has a MBP, 
I don't think she'd be willing to trade that portability. I don't have 
the money for a new computer and I have twin daughters graduating high 
school next year so I am saving my pennies for a laptop for each of them.

I have a very large desk at my operating position. It is 5' x 3'. It is 
what I would call a wooden teacher's desk or a "not so fancy" banker's 
desk. On the left side is a spring-loaded shelf for a type-writer. I 
usually keep it inside in the down position and use it as a bookshelf 
inside. The right side has three drawers. There is a drawer in the 
middle. The left side is slightly larger than the right; therefore, both 
the monitor and I sit a little off-center to the right. I prefer to keep 
my monitor in the "center" to try and keep my neck looking straight 
forward. I also have a two-drawer wooden file cabinet that is the same 
height as my desk top. Although it is not as deep, I can place it on 
either side of the desk to "extend" the length of the desk.

I am right-handed. My radios are on the left; my keys (a paddle and a 
bug) and computer mouse are on the right. I usually tune the radio by 
placing the four fingers of my left hand on top of the radio and tune 
with my left thumb. Most of my radio operations are done with my left 
thumb. I do use my right hand to tune my P3. You can see my shack layout 
on my QRZ page. That layout has changed a bit to where my K3/P3 are on 
the middle shelf now with both of them on the right side of that shelf. 
I find it better to see both the K3 and the P3. The rotor controller is 
under them and I have an FT-847 which is to the left of the rotor 
controller. The FT-847 sees very little use. I don't do much VHF/UHF FM 
from home and I don't yet have my antennas built for satellite operations.

I have a somewhat minimal hamshack and I'd like to keep it that way. 
iMac in the center of the desk and radios off to one side or the other 
since the monitor is so large and raising it would put undue strain on 
my neck. I love K5ND's layout (http://www.k5nd.net/), but putting that 
monitor up is too much for me. There is no simple way to reduce the 
*height* of the iMac either.

Would anyone be willing to take pictures of their shacks and sending 
them to me? Those who have large monitors would be especially 
appreciated. What have you done that makes your operation easier? I plan 
on buying a sheet of plywood and making a new set of shelves for my 
operating position, but I want some ideas too.

In the interest of list S/N ratio ;), please respond directly to me. Thanks.

73,
Joel - W4JBB