Enclosures and antennas?

[csete]

Hello,

I've been playing around with some of the wi-fi radio stuff. Very cool. I've been eagerly awaiting the final installment when there is a discussion about enclosures. I'm wondering if anyone has come up with anything good and easy at this point? I'm *considering* gutting an old "boom box" and trying to mount the guts of the router so I can use the (cheap) amplifier and speakers. Has anyone tried this? If I hook up the boom box's original AM/FM antenna, would that work? I know almost nothing about antennas and what works/does not work.

Thanks for any ideas.
Craig

[mightyohm]

The AM/FM antenna on a boom box probably won't work very well - I wouldn't recommend it. You'll need a Wi-Fi antenna of some sort. You would be better off somehow adapting the antenna that comes with the router to fit the boom box.

I'm using the amp out of an old set of PC speakers for my radio, so a boom box amp shouldn't be too much of a stretch. You just need to figure out where to connect the input. If the boom box originally had an external line input, it will be easy, if not, you'll need to experiment a little.

[csete]

Any other really good ideas for making this thing into a "real radio"? The boom box is my only idea at the moment. I wish I were a wood-working sort and I could build my own enclosure.

I will try to figure out how to adapt everything and use the boom box unless there are other better ideas.

[RadiatedAnt]

you can always use aluminum hammond project boxes but those are on the expensive side (at least for me)

[mightyohm]

If I had access to a laser cutter I would use that. You could whip up a case in a few hours with a laser cutter and some acrylic or thin sheets of wood.

[csete]

That sounds interesting... But I don't know where I would find access to a laser cutter around here (Southeast Minnesota). I'm guessing that you must have done something similar for your enclosure? I've been waiting (im)patiently for that part of the series for a while now! Since you put out the teaser shots, I have a feeling you must be close.

[mightyohm]

Part 10 is up now: http://mightyohm.com/blog/2009/05/build ... g-the-box/

I'm hoping that at some point, Tony will write a post about how he fabricated the box. I was there for 2 days of the 2 month process, and I know it involved a lot of cutting, sanding, and filing. No laser cutter!