Resin and etched SINCGARS radio from Voyager*; assembled and painted by yours truly.:
(Included in Voyager's #PE35806 "Modern US M983 Tractor Basic")


Front View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Right Side View


Rear View . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Left Side View



I love that little etched rack mount. For a moment I considered cutting the amplifiers off the resin radio and showing just the empty rack. Now I sorta wish I had!

* I had no idea this great little unit came with the semi-tractor etched set.
A total surprise when it arrived!

Better than what I cast for you.

Argh, my only complaint about the set is that they give you 2 radios in the rack. You have 2 radio's, you need 2 antenna. Wish they would have made it with one SINCGAR or ASSIP.

But still way better than what I had!!!!!!

I wish the rack had contained just one radio but I am very happy with the results and with the level of detail.

Will probably also add a Shapeways speaker, (the Voyager set gives you a nice speaker grill to use on the squawk box.)

Here you go Mike, so you can wire up your radio correctly. I took these when I was working as a Technician for the Texas Army National Guard.

This is a long range and short range radio set up. The SINCGAR(bottom radio) is set up as the short wave radio since it is directly hooked to the antenna. The ASSIP(top radio) is set up as the long range radio because it is hooked to the amplifier then to the antenna.




On this one, your only going to need the power cable and maybe the next one to it if you have a speaker mounted, 2nd one if you have the 2nd speaker mounted.

Thanks Pete! I will follow this.

Boy, that is a lot of front side wiring for our guys to get tangled up in. Almost makes me wonder why the designers bothered doing a rack mount in the first place. But this design does let you dismount the radio and move it as a battery powered back pack so that must be what it is all about.

As a side note: The Voyager detail set includes all the cab interior enhancements that I had already purchased with the Eduard set for my HEMTT. (Of course but the Voyager interior is unpainted and also minus the printed inside driver's side door placards and NBC equipment - but now I am ready for my next HEMTT if there ever is one.)

Archer really should do a HEMTT set with transfers colored for sand, green and camo vehicles and in a much broader choice of unit markings. Then include the interior safety placards and additional safety lettering for the tanker truck, semi-tractor, LHS, MHC and maybe even the PLC!

Just thinking out loud.

Whatever the set-up you certainly have done a lot of outstanding work here brother !
J

Jerry - many thanks! I admit this kit has been a bit of a journey!

Pete - what does the warfighter do if he has two radios and only one antenna mount on the vehicle? Are there "clip-on" mirror mount temporary antenna?

No clip-on antennas. The vehicles is set-up per the type of radio sets it will carry. Each radio set-up has a different number that designates either a one radio or two radio setup. The radio set also has the associated antennas designated for it as well. Additionally, the unit signal guy has lots of extra radio and antenna parts that can easily be bolted on to change the configuration.

Hind sight is always 20/20.

I wish now I had mounted just the empty radio rack with amplifiers, speaker and antenna bracket.

Not to worry, the radio is just sitting in place. It is not installed yet.
I still have to build a speaker, 2 hand mikes and wire the radio.

Gino is right. As my last units Commo NCO, the CO, 1SG and section leaders would ask me to configure vehicles a certain way for them. Most was just adding additional speakers or adding an AMP.

Look at this picture,it looks like and EPLRS antenna behind the drivers side but it could be a radio antenna. Just have to think logical when it comes to placing these additional commo equipment. Place them in places where it doesn't interfere with crew movement or vehicle maintenance.



So I would just add another antenna mount behind the drivers side like in the picture and run the antenna wire to the passenger side.

A little something from the SINCGARS Tech Manual:

Pete, what is a "Fill Device"?

I get the impression it has something to do with defeating radio jamming by the enemy.

Diagram from the TM confirming what Pete said about wiring the radio:

Mike,
A fill device is used to download all the units frequencies into the SINCGAR/ASSIP and it would be encrypted. There fore the fill device was considered a "sensitive item" device and was locked up.

AN-CYZ-10 "Crazy 10"


KYK-13 "KICK 13"

That makes good sense. You "fill" the radio with the frequency info before you go out on patrol.
_____________________________

Another question: Do the antenna wires just hang loose in the vehicle (go out the window?) or are they pre-wired to the antenna bracket?

If they are loose in the vehicle that is not a good way to threat coax?????

In the case of the HEMTT, behind the passenger seat a hole will be drilled or is already present and the coax/antenna cable is run thru it. A rubber grommet is installed so that the cable is not worn thru by rubbing against the bare metal. The cable is secured to the frame, cross members, etc. with zip ties or cable clamps all the way up to the antenna.

See the antenna wire to the left of the mount going behind the seat.

Photo courtesy of Prime Portal

Hum, I thought that black line was a corded edge in the padded upholstery fabric but I see it now.

More images from the TM:

Did not get too much done last night but did manage to spend a bit of time banging out some etch using my large bench vise and a 6 pound maul hammer:



Fairleads, cab steps, antenna mounting bracket, decontamination kit, etc.

Homepage of a flatrack manufacturer.
http://www.drs.com/products-and-services/flatrack-refueling-capability-frc/

Nice link!

Thank You!

Well the Trumpeter 20' container I mail ordered just arrived via USPS. It is nice to have (boy is it big in 1/35th) but will be of little or no use in my efforts to build the Hippo rack. I should have realized that ahead of time.

One critical comment that others have made before me; Trumpeter definitely needs to include decal markings for more than one container company! When doing any kind of dio you're going to want to be able to make the containers look like they come from a variety of shippers.

I have heard that a couple of company's are working on alternative decals for these containers. If you can't wait, just change up the color of the containers as I'm sure everybody is aware of the rainbow of colors on these containers.