[Elecraft] [OT] K3 Shack Pictures and iMacs

[David Bunte]

Indeed, shack layout is personal.  I have fussed with it off and on for
years, and earlier this year I tried a new one... and so far, it serves me
very well.  In my case, I had my K3 etc. right on the desk, with a shelf
above that, which held a pair of 17" monitors, keyer and watt meter.

My desk is not very deep, so the keyboard was "almost" touching the K3,
until I angled it via the front bail.  But, the monitors were still too
high.

Now I have two 24 inch monitors, and I mounted them on the wall straight
ahead.  I lowered the shelf that had been above the radio, and put the K3,
P3 & KPA500 on the shelf.  My keyer sits atop the K3, my LP-100A sits on
the P3, and I can slide unused paddles, and the front edge of my keyboard
under the shelf, if I wish.  With this size monitor, mounted as it is, the
distance from my eyes to the screen is about 27" to to the center, 30" to
the outside edge.  I wear tri-focals, and I don't seem to have to move my
head nearly as much as I did previously.  However, I am not really into
contests, so most of the time I am in the shack, I am in QSO, not having to
look at the monitor during that time, or chasing DX, (which for me, may
mean sending my call 100 times before I need to look up at the monitor
again).

The suggestion to but the lower edge of the monitor at desk level confuses
me.  If I did that, I would not be able to see the lower half of the screen
because of the gear in front of it... or it would be in front of the the
rig... which would really create problems.  I guess if someone has the rig
off to one side that might work, I never tried it... but that underscores
your starting comment, that shack layout is highly individual.

A photo of my shack can be seen on my QRZ dot com page.

Best of luck es very 73 de Dave - K9FN




On Fri, May 2, 2014 at 10:29 AM, Jim N7US <jim at n7us.net> wrote:

> I've found the best quality, high-index lenses to be what works for me.
>  For
> me, polycarbonate lenses have a very narrow focus (i.e., like a yagi's
> beamwidth) so I was always turning my head to center in my lenses what I
> was
> looking at.
>
> My monitors (two 19" 4:3 1280 X 1024) are on an Ergotron double swing-arm
> mount above my K-Line, which is on a shelf 4" (~9 cm) above my desk.  I use
> Shamir Office lenses but I want to get a different pair that is optimized
> for the distances from keyboard to the monitors.  Check out
> http://tinyurl.com/oa8erwf .
>
> I was recently diagnosed with a neck disk problem that is permanent.  I
> don't know if staring at computer monitors for the last 33 years
> (accountant
> and ham) or bicycling was responsible, but I think this subject is very
> relevant.
>
> 73, Jim N7US
>
> -----Original Message-----
>
> I must also concur with Dale, et al.  I also have a set of glasses I had
> the
> Optometrist prescribe, and I can not use my bifocals anymore, too much head
> movement...  That was th best money I have spent in a long time.  One thing
> you might consider is adding an AR coating to them.
>
> I use ONLY glass lenses, (no polycarbonate), and have them AR coated.
> The coating is finally coming off my bifocals after 5 years of heavy
> cleaning.  The AR coating is wonderful if you have specular lighting events
> around your OP area.  With an AR coating, if you clean your glasses right,
> (ultrasonic cleaner), you will not even see them...
>
> --
> Thanks and 73's,
> For equipment, and software setups and reviews see:
> NK7Z
>
>
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