A bit of work today putting together a travel case with some tether management from one of our Nanuk hard cases.
Something to keep things together and easy to load and use onsite.
Nice work! Can you give any specifics on the tether management construction, and how long of a tether that is holding?
Thanks. 100M of tether.
The design is pretty simple, it’s 2 garden hose hangers bolted to lid of the case.
The Tether X module and usb power pack are velcroed inside. So just an Ethernet cable needed to the computer.
I like it, very clever! 
Here I was worried about loosing a USB port to power the Fathom X, but you came up with a simple solution!
One thing I might suggest, is to coil your tether so it doesn’t snag/kink. One method is the “over - under” technique as explained here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqQNw1XKAHQ
Another is to fake the tether in “figure 8’s”, which might work really well with those hose hangers, as demonstrated here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrhiRRaYSsM
I like this, I need one.
The “correct” way to manage cabling is the over under method from what I’ve seen in other industries. The figure 8 would work but will bulk up too high in the middle as the cable crosses itself.
The ideal solution is a reel and slip ring.
@schoonerlabs - “Figure-8” is used a lot by commercial divers who have to “fake down” their umbilical hose on deck during a dive. Yes, it tends to be bulky, but it’s easier and quicker to do if you have the space.
Here’s another simple solution to carrying the tether and ROV together. I’m using a “27 gallon storage tote” I bought at the local hardware store. The cardboard template will be replaced with a piece of 1/4" plywood. Everything fits very neatly into the one tub, although I wouldn’t use this to travel on an airplane.
My next BlueROV2 will have 200m of tether so I may have to do something clever with all that tether, such as a reel.
Ya with this I was trying to minimize the space so it would fit to the case in the smallest overall size.
End goal I think is having a detachable tether and using a reel with a wireless connection to PC to make things as separate and easily portable and manageable as possible.
After years working with UAVs it’s hard going back to cables
The tub multi-layer setup is a nice clean setup. Main reason I went with the Nanuk case is I had 2 of them sitting here already and the ROV fit in perfectly. And it has wheels so easy to pull around on site for setup. It’s not the perfect solution but more re-purposing some items for now. A better solution is in the works, especially with winter on us here soon, more time for design than diving.
LOL Having spent most of my adult life working on ships and boats, I’m kinda used to working with cables. 
Here’s what I’m using for now for a topside disconnect. The connectors in the background look nicer, but were a bugger to solder and I never got a solid electrical connection with them.
Grew up in the commercial fishery as well so had my fill of coiling rope and dealing with twisting cables, was hoping that was behind me but here we are back again 
Nice work on the case, I am waiting for my system to be shipped over to me shortly so nice to see everyone progressing with different set ups. I can confirm with eyeball systems used commercially we tend to figure of 8 the teathers. I have been in the Rov offshore industry for 9 years now but the under and over is a perfect way to handle for smaller diameter tethers. The only draw back I can see, and from some of the video is the tethers get memory and look like a old telephone cord and the figure of 8 method will help eliminate this memory if the lay down is a decent size.
@Scott - The tether is pretty stiff, I’ll be interested to see what you recommend doing. I’m undecided what the best method may be for this tether.
My current personal system is a hydrovision Hyball. The teathers are very stiff on that and I just go for the figure of 8 approximately 5ft lay down. (I mainly run a 200M teather) I tie the centre up and then fold the teather in half for transport. Only draw back is deck space on a boat. I will most likely do the same for the BlueROV2, I have specified a 150m teather will up date when I get my sea trials done.
@Scott - You’re gonna -love- how light the BlueROV2’s tether is. I just received my 2nd ROV and this time got a 200m tether. I’m guessing it weighs less than 20 lbs.
I looked at a couple of “portable job boxes” yesterday while at Home Depot (see attachment). For under $70 it looks like it might be an option. Definitely has enough room for the ROV + 200m of tether. Might need to fashion some dividers to hold everything in place, but it might work.
That looks like a great solution! I am building a top side enclosure as I am in Scotland and the weather is not the best to say the least! I am housing my lap top in this should give 3 sides of protection when out on the RHIB and help with glare.
Thought I’d post this frame grab of how these students fake the tether into figure eights at QSTAR SRL (an ROV pilot school in Spain).
@schoonerlabs,
Where did you get your hose wall hanger brackets from?
Regards,
TCIII AVD
It’s from Canadian Tire here in Canada for a garden hose. May need to check the home supply stores in the US. When I tried Home Depot here they didn’t have anything simple & light like what I used and wanted.