One of the things I have been working on recently is improving my portable radio monitoring setup, mostly due to my new Uniden UBCD436PT handheld being a bit larger than my previous radio.
I have always liked the idea of being able to throw a scanner in a backpack and head out without having to think too much about protecting it, carrying accessories or setting everything up once I arrive. My previous case worked reasonably well, but it had one major limitation: the scanner really needed to be removed from the case to be used properly.
With summer approaching here in Tasmania, and with plans to get out and about more, I decided it was time for a rethink.
For the new setup I have used a Plano Guide Series 37410 Deep Waterproof Stowaway Tackle Tray. It might seem like an unusual choice for a radio case, but it actually works extremely well.
The Plano is designed as a waterproof tackle tray and uses a Dri-Loc O-ring seal and three latches to provide protection against water ingress. The 37410 is also a relatively deep case, giving me enough room to build something more useful than simply a storage box.
Rather than starting from scratch, I reused the foam from my previous radio case. This allowed me to create a custom layout around the equipment I actually carry.
The centrepiece of the case is my Uniden UBCD436PT. The important difference with this setup is that I can use the radio while it is still in the case. That changes the case from simply being somewhere to store the scanner into a portable monitoring station. I can put the case into my backpack, connect the required accessories and run the 436PT while I am out walking or exploring.
The 436PT's search and Close Call functions make this particularly useful for the sort of monitoring I enjoy doing. Rather than sitting at home scanning a fixed list of frequencies, I can take the receiver with me and see what I can find in the environment around me.
Another reason I wanted the 436PT in this setup is its recording capability. For me, that is a big part of the appeal of portable monitoring. With the scanner operating inside the case, I can leave it running while I am moving around and review interesting traffic later. That fits nicely with the way I log radio activity. I don't necessarily want to stop what I am doing every time something interesting happens. Being able to record the session means I can concentrate on exploring and then go back through anything interesting afterwards. It also gives me another way of building up information for my radio logging and monitoring projects.
I have also added a smaller case specifically for the little things that otherwise tend to disappear into the bottom of a backpack.
This contains things such as:
- Adaptors
- Earphones
- Small cables
- Other radio accessories
Keeping these items separate makes the main case much easier to manage.
One of the other benefits of the new layout is that I can also carry a 2 metre/70 centimetre amateur handheld radio. This is particularly useful when I am heading somewhere more remote. Although the primary purpose of the setup is radio monitoring, having an amateur handheld with me provides an additional means of communication when I am away from built-up areas.
Heading into summer, I expect to spend more time out and about.
That could mean heading into the bush, visiting different locations around Tasmania, doing some radio exploring or simply taking the scanner along when I am somewhere I haven't monitored before.
The equipment is protected, the accessories are organised and the scanner is ready to operate. This is a relatively simple change, but it has lifted my portable monitoring setup to a new level.
My old case was primarily about protecting and carrying a scanner. The new case is about taking a working monitoring station with me.
The combination of the UBCD436PT, recording, Close Call and search modes, accessories, and an amateur 2m/70cm handheld gives me a compact setup that can cover quite a few different situations.
And because it all fits into a backpack, I am much more likely to actually take it with me. For me, that is ultimately what makes a good portable radio setup: not having the most equipment, but having a setup that is convenient enough that you actually use it.
With summer approaching, I'm looking forward to putting this one to work.
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