First things first: you need good electrical infrastructure — plenty of outlets and reliable power.

I ran one 4×16 mm² cable from the main fuse box to the shack. A generous cable like that avoids voltage drop and future problems. Smaller cable works too, depending on what the law in your country allows.

Sockets

Install as many sockets as you can, even in places you might not think about initially. You never know what your future setup will need.
I used some second-hand sockets, which helped keep costs down. I have about 70-80 sockets in my shack (not all visible). For high-power devices (like an amplifier), I use a dedicated socket with 6 mm² cable.

TX coaxial cables, RX coaxial cables and control cables.

I created three separated conduits through the wall: one for TX coaxial cable, one for RX coaxial cable, and one for control cables. Keeps things organised, avoids interference, and makes future changes easier.

Internet / network system

Flexibility matters. I have about 10 network access points in the shack plus WiFi. That allows me to reconfigure things whenever needed. Dreaming big is fine — maybe someday I’ll do a “multi-multi” contest!

RF Ground

Good grounding is essential. For the shack alone, I installed ~6 copper grounding rods, each about 3 meters long, placed at distance from each other.
The earth resistance I measure is around 1 Ω.

Heating

In winter, a heating system is important — and yes, sometimes the amplifier helps! We spend a lot of time at the transceiver, so I prefer my shack to be warm and comfortable.

Foefelhoekske (Dutch word)

Kind of working space

This is kind of my working space inside the shack where creativity happens — small, cozy, and practical.

 Some final words

I built the shack on a small budget; it’s still just a hobby. After doing the main renovations in the house, I saved the shack for last — plus rebuilding my antennas.

Many things have changed since buying the house. A shack made of gold won’t make your DX contacts any better — the DX station won’t know the difference in your signal. What matters is your setup works well for you.