Just sitting here and monitoring the 20 meter band and a thought
came to me about Go Bags. I have put together a few of these and I’ve
never been satisfied with the final result.
As I see it there are three basic types of “Go Bags”. A very small one
you can carry with you all the time, grab it going out the door or keep
it in the car. Next would be a larger one, perhaps a backpack or some
kind of briefcase/pilot’s map case. Finally the big one that you are
moving a major amount of ham radio gear out the door with you.
For my “big one” I used a carpenter’s tool box about the size of a
medium suitcase on wheels. I have this baby loaded with a power
supply, batteries, HF radio, VHF radio, computer, antennas, antenna
tuning unit, parts and tools to put the parts into whatever is broken (I
know that was the king of run-on sentences!). The only thing missing
is a donkey to pull the thing to the set up position. Once I replaced the
lead-acid batteries with LiFePo batteries I found I could substitute a
St. Bernard for the donkey as the new batteries totaled only 5 to 6
pounds for two 12 v 10Ah batteries.
The backpack version has been used more often. Not surprising as I
could actually get it out of the house. The backpack was the result of
winning the raffle at the ham club meeting years ago. It is light
durable and has more zippers that a pair of parachute pants. I counted
once and I think I came up with ten pockets or compartments
including one on the shoulder straps. It is the product of Dell so I can
only imagine some computer guy of long-ago hauling everything from
his huge laptop to the modem and boxes of floppy disks, CDs and all
kinds of jumper cables.
I have loaded this with enough to last me a day or so and still be able
to carry it out the door. I soon found that my memory as to what I had
and which of the ten compartments contained the item was a real
problem. I had to embarrass myself as I searched for the multi-tool
pliers as I pulled item after item out of the bag (thank God there was
no dirty laundry in there) looking for that elusive item. There on the
grass before me lay: an ACS shirt; a bright yellow vest; water; MRE;
First- Aid kit; ACS ID; pens and pencils; multiple coax adapters; a
VHF ground-plane antenna, VHF/UHF HT, ziploc bag of batteries;
flashlight; shortwave/broadcast band receiver; notebook; matches;
candles; heat source tabs (not C-4 as in the Army days); handi wipes;
poncho; para cord; Swiss Army knife; carabiner; whistle and finally
that multi-tool!
To prevent a recurrence of such an event I taped lists to each
compartment. It helps but sometimes numerous items need to come
out so the desired item can be accessed. I also learned that due to the
load of items, buttons could be depressed which were not meant to be
depressed thereby turning on items like radios and flashlights. This
can cause two major problems. The first is that radio or flashlight is
not working when you need it. The second is that when the batteries
are depleted they begin to corrode themselves and everything around
them. So, even if you have replacement batteries the radio will not
function until and unless you can clean the battery compartment. It is
a pain but I have learned to remove the batteries and install them when
I need to use the radio or flashlight.
Another hint, the list states flashlight. I have found those great little
lights you strap to your head are a great improvement. Nothing like
having both hands free to do whatever the emergency dictates and the
light is pointed where ever you are looking!
Perhaps we should have a “Bring your Go-Bag to the meeting” night.
We could share all kinds of good ideas as to what to do and what to
NOT do. It might inspire those “bagless” hams to put one together or
provide ideas as how to improve their bag for those with a “Go-Bag”.
The “Go-Bag” is useful for things other than an earthquake or tidal
wave (I would have used Tsunami but I couldn’t spell it). Activities
like POTA (Parks On The Air), SOTA (Summits On The Air), support
of special events such as the Barrel to Keg or Gravel Classic might
find having that “bag” with you very handy.
73 Chuck W7CRG
