The reason I am asking around is that I have issues with the shelter I have now. These are actually good points of the shelter, yet they do not all jibe with my use as it has evolved.
The Army might say something like this: "not concurrent with the continual evolution of high speed low drag mission strategy necessary in today's high-tempo battlefield environment".
My shelter is S-280-like. It is a "ELECTRONICS SHOP AN-GRM-23D" and has a full length workbendh along each side. Undeneath the workbench, are pull-out drawers. The benches are extremely sturdily made of thick aluminum and so between each drawer is a vertical support made as part of the workbench frame. The benches are also made so that shenves and drawers can be repositioned height wise by loosening some large bolts and they will slide up or down. I currently even have one shelf set tilted back at an angle, as it holds my reels of coaxial cable and power cables.
It also has an extremely comprehensive yet simple to use power distribution system (image) with some 50 or so outlets arranged at different heights on the walls above and below the benches. Also 24VDC outlets and 100A 24V system. For 120VAC, it has two 208V 3 phase systems, one for 400Hz and one for 60Hz, both now converted to 60z. This means it can take up to six separate 120V 30-50A inputs. well pictures are worth a thousand words.
It has two air conditioners, one 8000BTU and one 12000 BTU. Both are 120V 60Hz. Also a heater, aftermarket too.
No windows is OK for me. I could use closed circuit TV if I need to see out. It is well insulated. The thing is perfect for what it is. It was a repair shop, there was no gear so I put in radio equipment, added a 12V 100A system, and air conditioning.
The main issues I have are:
Too little space between the workbenches to put a decent comfy bunk
The door is too narrow for the ATV to fit inside, necessiating a trailer to be towed.
The workbenches are removable, and bad-arse in their own right, but that still does not get the ATV into the box. An M820A2 would be perfect, but a little long for my parking place.
All the inside is shown here. Anyone else using radio communications - all their base are mine. Maybe it is an example of how much communications gear can be crammed into an S-280 space.
There's radios in there you can't even see unless you are in the operating position in front of them.
M35 Commo Truck 23 June 2007 - Field Day" with the Irving Amateur Radio Club
Ok, so I am somewhat constrained by the original fixtures. Even if I cleared out all the electronics gear and stripped it down to a plain S-280, I'd still not be able to get the ATV in.
I'd still like to gather more info on the differences. I swear I saw an M109 with a huge liftgate similar to the one on the M820A2. Maybe that was my imagination.
