(2) Selecting Cables and Connectors for Pods: Wiring up multiwire plugs is tedious, so it
si best to use commercially made cables whenever possible. Since you’ve already used
your transceivers and amplifiers without a StationPro, you undoubtedly already have
most of the necessary cables. But if not, since nearly all transceivers have several RCA
phono jacks, you can buy several three foot “stereo cables” and cut them in half.
Similarly, you can also buy 1/8” audio cables with molded 1/8” subminiature connectors.
Ditto for shielded cables with 1/4” stereo or mono plugs. In other words, it should be
possible to purchase most of the needed interface cables for your pods (The one
exception: you will probably have to make your own Pod microphone cable). Using
purchased cables, the pod assembly will be easy and quick.
(3) Install the connectors on the ends of any custom cables you need, and then cut all the
cables to length. Allow 15 inches for cables that plug into rear panel jacks of your
transceivers, and 32 inches for cables that plug into front panel jacks. Strip and tin 3/16”
from the free end of the cable wires.
(4) Install a 25 pin ferrite-filtered D-Sub female connector (Mouser p/n 806-KF22X-
B25S-NJ) on the pod circuit board. Check the solder joints to make sure there are no
solder bridges, and be sure to solder the mounting tabs to the pod ground plane, using
enough heat for the solder to flow nicely.
(5) Solder the cable ends prepared in step (3) to the appropriate pads on the Pod circuit
board, using the list you prepared in Step (1). Take your time to do a neat job, and be
careful not to overheat the wires which can cause their insulation to melt. Set aside the
Pod circuit board.
Hint: for a particularly neat appearance, slip a length of heat shrink
tubing over the cable sleeves, as shown in the previous photograph. It is also a good idea
to label each cable, as shown in the photograph following step (13).
(6) In the next few steps, you will prepare the enclosure for the Pod circuit boards. This is
a small soft plastic box whose sole purpose is to protect the pod wiring, and it is very
easy to work on. It should take you about 15 minutes to prepare one enclosure. The
below photograph shows some tools you may find helpful.
Hint: the specified pod
enclosure is a Hammond 1591XXBSBK (Mouser p/n 546-1591XXBSBK), but if you need
an enclosure right away you can use a Radio Shack “Deluxe Project Case” p/n 270-221,
which is nearly the same size.)
