Leaving on 2500 mile Road Trip to get my S-250 Shelter
Hi, I'm new to this forum, but have been visiting the site for a year or so, and have found a lot of useful information--THANKS!
Tomorrow morning my 15 year old son and I are headed east on a road trip to Ontario, NY to pick up an S-250/G shelter that I'll be using for my HAM shack. It's a long trip at over 1200 miles each way, and I hope uneventful as far as road hazards. My Jeep Wrangler will be hauling a 1700# capacity trailer that I've modified to cradle the shock skids on the shelter. I also added a platform in front to mount a generator, and some miscellaneous gear. Once I get back here with it, I'll consider whether I need to swap out the 2000# axle and springs with a 3500# unit to support the gear I'll be adding inside. I've welded 4 serious D-rings to the frame sides, and fabricated 4 turnbuckle cables to criss-cross on the sides of the shelter. This cost more than web straps, but it will look GI, last forever, and I won't have to listen to the flutter of straps on the road.
I'm posting to ask for any suggested stops along my route as far as surplus stores, etc. Unfortunately Spruce Mountain surplus is a day further east, so I don't know if I'll make that stop yet or not. My route from Minnesota skirts the bottom edge of the great lakes, passing through Chicago, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Rochester. We'll also make a few side trips on the way out for my son, who's had a passion for automotive design/engineering since he could hold a pencil. We're allowing 6 days for the whole trip.
Thanks for the suggestions guys. Taylor (my 15 YO coPilot has considered those on his stop list, but (typical to a 15 YO) will be more interested when he sees the suggestion posted online!
Magnus, I'm planning on being at Ben's Friday afternoon. I'm picking up a 20' crank up light mast to attatch to the shelter as an antenna mast. The unit comes with a 6000BTU AC/4500BTU HTR. If it doesn't function, amazingly enough, I found a place that has 30 units for sale 3 Hrs. from here at $300 ea. If my money wasn't so tight, I'd pick up one just as a spare!
Part of the reason I'm going with a low profile trailer is that I'm considering putting a hole and cover in the floor to use as an ice fishing shack. Being 15" over the ice instead of on directly on it will keep the slush and water from the ice holes out. There is a sleeve that inserts into the floor hole that runs to the ice surface to keep the wind from coming up the opening. That's my theory anyway; we'll have to see if I actually have the nerve to cut a 12" hole in my shelter floor. Nothing like indulging in several hobbies at the same time, though!
Here are some pics Ben took of the shelter I'm getting.
Ben from Ontario Surplus. Lots of cool military stuff for the amateur radio market (HAMs). One of the few remaining vendors that has communication shelters available. The sad news is, they no longer come as pristine as the ones shown on his website:
Leaving on 2500 mile Road Trip to get my S-250 Shelter
