This past week I spent some time building a simple shelf in my ham shack to hold the Elecraft K3 and P3. While the tilt bail places the units at a nice viewing angle, I decided I’d like to get them up on a small shelf which would allow a bit more desk space. You can see the results in the nearby photo.
I also used some small wedges to put just a slight tilt to the front panels of both units. This helps the display and the lighting of the front panels by the LED strip above them. Had to move the strip just a bit to accommodate this change. Another nice result is that the backs of the two units rest against the back of the top shelf, holding them firmly in place whenever I need to press a button on the front panel. Works perfectly.
I won’t be bragging about my wood working skills. It’s my usual slightly sloppy construction, with one of the leg assemblies quite a bit out of alignment. The finish is Danish oil rubbed into the poplar wood. Now I’m thinking about adding a couple of coats of polyurethane. Perhaps that’s my next project.
Ideally, this configuration will help me in the next contest. Placing the Winkeyer underneath the K3 and P3 makes it a lot easier to access than where it was, behind the key. We’ll see how it goes.
