Author Topic: A Radio Go Bag.  (Read 567 times)

Offline pkveazey

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A Radio Go Bag.
« on: January 03, 2021, 03:58:37 PM »
We all have a Bug Out Bag of some sort but how many of us have a Radio Bug Out Bag? Hmmmm.... I do. A bag with just an HF transceiver and a dual band Handi-Talkie is better than nothing. However, what about the extras that you'll need. The one thing that nobody seems to be talking about is COPPER WIRE. Do I have a ready made dipole in my Radio Bag? Hell no!. I have a 100 foot spool of Copper wire, a pully, some Paracord, and a 15 foot length of high quality coax. Yes, solder would be nice but making a temporary antenna in the field doesn't need solder (just twist those wires real tight). Why do I have 100 feet of copper wire? Well, its so I can cut a field dipole to whatever band that I need. Hmmmmm...... There was no mention of a 12 volt power supply to run the radio. Yep, that is a whole lot of weight to be lugging around when you know good and well that somebody is going to have a perfectly good automobile that you can get 12 volts from. Anyway, what other accessories will I need. Well, I have an automatic antenna tuner attached to the top of the HF radio, I have an SWR/Power meter, a portable frequency counter, a small Antenna Analyzer, a bunch of different coax adapters and connectors, and lots of extra batteries for the HT's with 12 volt battery charger. Why is it all in a back pack? Well, I plan to just throw it into the SUV with my Bug Out Bag and other survival stuff but if I have to leave my vehicle, I'll need that Back Pack. Even with all that preparation, I'm still going to be screwed but just not as screwed as some others are going to be. If I have enough time before leaving the house, I'll also be grabbing my DMR Handi-Talkie. Yep it takes the same battery packs that my other HT's use.

Offline Jackalope

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Re: A Radio Go Bag.
« Reply #1 on: January 03, 2021, 09:16:09 PM »
      Some of the guys in our MAG have radio bug out bags.  Personally, I prefer to use either pelican cases or army surplus ammo boxes or surplus plastic cases, rather than backpacks..  I like hard sided cases because they protect the equipment better and they're usually waterproof.  In addition to the items that you mentioned, I've included lots of anderson powerpoles with a crimper.  Radio bugout bags or boxes are nice to have, if you won't be hiking.  Weight is going to be a major factor is you're hoofing it, and if you plan on bugging out on foot, definitely get out and try your set-up before TSHTF.  I've tried out some of the bags that my group have assembled, and there's no way I'd carry that much equipment in addition to my needed survival equipment, if I was on foot.

     I've got a couple of options available, depending upon my needs, the distances involved, and how I'll be bugging out.  If I'm going on a distant long term trip, while hiking, I have a CommRadio CTX-10 HF radio in a small pelican box, along with charging cable, an end-fed antenna, and some collapsible vertical antennas.  The CTX-10 has built-in, replaceable batteries, and an antenna tuner.  It can be recharged using a small solar panel that always resides in my backpack.   The radio is well protected in the pelican box, and it's relatively light, at maybe 3-4 pounds, it can be strapped to my GHB.  I usually carry both a mic and a micro CW key, and other accessories in the box.  The end-fed antenna has rope, mini carabiners, extra coax, etc.  It really is a HF shack in a compact box.  My GHB bag usually already has a dual band j-pole with some coax already attached, along with various coaxial adapters for my VHF/UHF radios.

    For mobile, or portable base operations, I have an Icom IC-7200 along with an older Radio Shack VHF mobile radio all mounted in a large .50 caliber ammo box.  There's a manual antenna tuner, and an AC power supply mounted inside too, with provision for DC connections.  The box is set-up for vertical antennas.  It's heavy, and I wouldn't want to travel very far with it.  However, it's set-up for easy digital comms.  Radio can be powered by a Renogy, folding suitcase type solar panel.  The box also has an end-fed antenna enclosed along with coax.  So the station can be set-up in literally a few minutes, but it's heavy and I won't be hiking with it!  I have another box with a antenna analyzer, freq counter, VNA, etc.  And if I think we'll be at a long term base, I have an IFR-500 communications service monitor with all of it's cables and accessories, that will accompany me.  The IFR-500 is compact and light enough that I use to fly to remote mountain tops and hike from helicopter landing sites to repeater sites with it, usually not more than a half mile.  The IFR-500 can take the place of a watt meter, frequency counter, signal generator etc., it's a great piece of kit for a radio technician.

     In a SHTF situation, all that extra equipment you have will be helpful PK, as long as you're mobile.  Everyone has different situations, so our equipment needs and wants will be different.  I guess the important thing is to have as much gear as you can with you, be flexible, and be ready to improvise.

Offline pkveazey

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Re: A Radio Go Bag.
« Reply #2 on: January 04, 2021, 12:37:00 AM »
Jackalope you have done a fine job of thinking of most everything. I'm always mindful that I may have to be flexible to changing situations. My first hope is that if I bug out I will do everything I can to stay with my SUV. Hiking at my age really sucks. I even have a 500 watt inverter mounted in it to operate 120 Volt AC items. I have a 25 watt tri-band radio and a 60 watt 2 meter rig in there. I keep one of those small 12"X6" Solar panels in each vehicle to trickle charge my car batteries. I haven't designated the SUV as a command center but my brain keeps thinking that it is. Its big enough for me and the wife to sleep in it in a pinch.