[R-390] DIY cabinet/shielding questions

[Richard Biddle]

Hello Adam,

I traded a cabinet-maker some repair work and had him build an oak =
veneer
3/4" plywood case that I designed for my R-390A/URR.  The cabinet is =
just
wide enough to fit a pair of rack slides on either side of the radio.  =
The
chassis does not touch the cabinet.  The cabinet is deep enough to =
contain a
4" AC fan and filter and there are ventilation slots cut near the front =
edge
on the top and bottom.  The fan draws outside air through a filter and
exhausts after flowing through the radio.  There is a two piece trim =
molding
around the edge of the front panel to hold the radio and cover the =
mounting
holes.  I used large furniture glides on the bottom so the cabinet is =
easy
to slide.  The back panel is hinged for cable access.  The fan and the =
radio
plug into a small outlet strip in the back of the cabinet.  I plug the =
thing
into a small variac with a AC line-meter I built for this purpose.  I =
can
remove the trim strips and slide the radio out of the cabinet for minor
things like zeroing the carrier level meter and setting the IF gain.    =
The
cabinet weighs in at about 20 pounds.

I do not have the top and bottom covers on the radio.  Originally I was
thinking of using copper sheeting or the copper paint used on the inside =
of
plastic computer monitor housings, but I don't seem to have any issues =
at
all with emitted or received EMI using an outside long-wire antenna.

As far a heat, I use IERC tube shields and there is a good bit of =
airflow
though the cabinet.  I measured temperatures at various points in the
chassis and was quite pleased with the results.

Good luck and 73 de Richard W5SRB