Still unlicensed, so I'm not flipping the RIG switch yet. But it's ready to go: after months of planning, measuring and tinkering, I fit an #icom IC-7100, Raspberry Pi, 256 Wh battery, USB power and a 30 W solar panel with built-in voltage regulator into a Savotta brand MOLLE pocket. In the end it all came together just as planned! 🌞
Notable fine details: the radio has a cooling fan in the front, and the Raspi is right against it, so it'll keep that cool too. There is insulation against the heat from sunshine on the top and bottom. The package fits under my car's seat for mobile use and can be carried on the chest strap of a backpack. The 7100 has a separate head unit with a speaker and all the necessary connections, so only a shielded CAT5 cable goes from the head to the bag.
Time to book the exam 😁
