Category: Chuck’s Blog

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

          I come from a time when books and magazines were the primary sources for up-to-date information.  Whatever interest I started to cultivate,  as it became serious I would find a magazine on the subject and start reading.  I helped bring technology to Lincoln County Schools so I have been around browsers and the internet  from the beginning but old habits still linger and I still enjoy getting information from the printed page.

          However this is an effort to share some sources you may or may not be familiar with.  I’m always open to new sources and I’ve found that some I’ve heard of, but discounted, were in fact worthy of my attention.  With that in mind, I am providing a listing of information sources for the ham radio enthusiast that I have found interesting or to my liking.

          Google any subject and you will find Youtube and web sites sometimes in the hundreds.  They often times represent “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” and sometimes are just wrong and incorrect.  These are sites I like and you will have to make your own decision as to your preference.  They are listed in the order that they came to mind and not in any order of preference.

1. Josh Nass, Ham Radio Crash Course is a site that gives the viewer many videos on many new subjects.  His material covers questions new hams might ask and gives his evaluation of various radios.  He covers a wide variety of methods of communication such as APRS and Digital. His videos are very well done.  He also hosts Ham Nation every two weeks on Wed evenings.  This show has a variety of moderators and during the hour presents interesting and current information about our hobby.  Presenters from the Space Weather Woman Dr. Tamitha Skov to the views of long time ham Gordon West and the Weekly Ham News Update.
2.  K7AGE produces a wide range of videos for the new and not so new ham.  Randy gives ways to try things in ham radio without investing large amounts of dollars.  For instance his video on digital that uses a headset to make the digital signal work instead of investing in a sound card.  He covers Winlink, Vara, and things like making a simple 2m ground plane antenna among his large variety of videos.  Randy has been a presenter at Sea Pac and appears on Ham Nation occasionally.  If you have an interest in ham radio Randy probably has made a video about it.
3. Ria’s Shack Radio show provides a wide variety of topics from a very knowledgeable young woman who has come to our country as a ham and very quickly qualified as a U.S. Ham.  She has also volunteered as an ARRL Director of the Hudson  Division since 2019.  Her presentations range from “How not to be a lid” to “No meters like 10 meters” to “CQ Skynet”  Ria has an interesting and informed point of view and is another passionate voice for Ham Radio.
4. Dave  Casler KE0OG has lots of informative and useful videos answering many concerns of amateur radio operators.  He has taken over a column in QST magazine which monthly answers questions from hams.  Dave is a long-time ham and has taught radio courses for years.  His site is a valuable and trusted source of information for hams new or old.

          There are many other sites and I have only offered a few I have found of value and interest.  Check these out, like them, hate them, or find they are not your cup of tea.  Ham radio is a constantly evolving hobby with more new aspects than most hobbies and the Youtube videos and Blogs are one way to understand these new innovations to our hobby.

          The March meeting will be held at the Health Education building and on Zoom.  For those who show at the “live” meeting, we will raffle off (at no expense to you, simply put your name and callsign in the bag) a HT.  This one is an Icom IC 91AD and is Dstar capable so here is your chance to get into digital mode!