Personal Equipment

Personal Equipment – “Kit” Recommendation

In any case you should have at the least:

A 2 meter, or better yet, a dual band, or tri band, Hand Held (HT) radio
An antenna other than the basic HT antenna that came with your radio. Such as a J-Pole or other antenna with a bit more gain to it.
Extra batteries, or an auxiliary power source.
Writing materials: Paper, notebook, pens, pencils
Personal comfort and hygiene supplies. (TOILET PAPER!)
Some sort of Food Bars and a water bottle that can be filled before you deploy.
About 20 dollars’ emergency cash.
Weather appropriate clothing (Jacket, Raincoat, Hat, etc.)
Medications as needed

DAY KIT FROM RACES

Dual-band HT in padded belt case.
Copy of current FCC Operating License.
“Tiger tail” (enhances transmit and receive of typical “rubber duck” by 3 db).
Extra high-capacity (1000 man) NiCad, or backup AA battery case for HT.
DC adapter & cigarette plug cord for HT
Two extra 2A fuses, for HT cord.
Earphone and/or speaker mike
Spartan pattern Swiss Army pocket knife
Leatherman multi-purpose tool
Mini-Mag-Lite, extra bulb and spare AAs
Pencil and pocket notepad
Emergency gas / phone money ($10 bill, + four quarters and five dimes in pill box).
SO-239 to male-BNC adapter to fit HT to mobile antenna coax and female BNC to SO-239 to fit HT gain antenna to jumper.
6 ft. RG8-X jumper w/BHC male and female connectors to extend HT antenna with suction cups or auto window clip.
Spare eye glasses of current prescription.
Band aids, moist towelettes and sunscreen
Pocket sewing kit, matches
Small pocket compass
Operating reference card for HT
ARES phone and frequency reference card

The Supplemental Kit – Backup Bag

Neck-lanyard pocket with spare car keys, $20 emergency cash, credit card, long-distance calling card and ARES photo ID.
Second, “backup / loaner” 2-meter HT. (battery packs and accessories should interchange with the dualbander)
Spare NiCad and AA-battery pack, ear phone and speaker-mike for second HT
Operating manuals for HT”s.
Fused DC adapter cords with Molex connectors for brick amplifier and HTs
Extra 10” AWG 10 gage twin lead extension cord, with battery clips, in-line fuses and Molex connectors to power brick amp or HT.
Compact, rugged, 25-40w 2 meter or dual-band brick amplifier.
Gain antennas for both HTs: (telescoping half-wave Larsen and flexible dual-band Comet CH-72, 1/4-wave VHF, 5/8-wave UHF).
HT NiCad and 12V gel cell wall chargers.
Four NP2-12 gel cel1 batteries to power small brick amp at 10w @ 25% duty cycle / 8 hrs.
Two refills of AA Alkaline batteries for HT.
RG8-X jumpers with soldered PL-259s, two 3 ft., one, 6 ft., one 10 ft. and one 25 ft. with double-female connectors to combine all.
BNC-male+BNC female to SO-239;
BNC-male+BNC female to PL-259;
NMO to SO-239 adapters.
Cable ties, large and small, 6 each
Lensatic compass, 7.5min. series area topo.
Two sharpened pencils, pencil sharpener, gum eraser, note pad, permanent marker.
ARES Field Resource Manual
Compact, rugged, flashlight (Pelican Stealthlite), with extra bulb and AA batteries
Two sets of spare fuses (2A, 10A, 15A) for HT cords, mobile radio or brick amplifier.
Comfort, safety and basic first aid items: sunglasses, matches, tissues, toothbrush, sun block, sewing kit, insect repellent, tweezers, band-aids, adhesive tape, gauze pads, wound cleaning wipes, etc

Disaster Bag

3-ring binder with County ARES Handbook, Skywarn Net Control Operations Manual, area topo maps, and operating manual for auto mobile rig, in zipper portfolio.
Dual-band or 2-meter magnetic mount antenna, with portable ground plane.
MS-44 mast kit, tripod adapter, dual-band base antenna and 100 ft. of 9913F coax on reel.
AC charger for HT NiCad’s and small gel cells
BCI Group 27, 95 ah AGM battery and 1.5 amp charger (48 hrs. power for HT brick amp or mobile rig on low or medium power, plus 12V, 8w fluorescent light, for use as needed).
12-volt fluorescent drop-light with alligator clips for attaching to auto or gel cell battery, with spare bulb. Adequate light is important for operating efficiency and morale. A strong, battery powered light is safer and more reliable than gasoline lanterns.
Weller Pyropen soldering torch with 2 cans of propane fuel, 63/37 eutectic solder and flux.
Leather work glove shells, wool finger less liners, warm hat, wind/rain suit, sweater, insulated rubber safety boots, extra dry socks and change of underwear.
Tarp or poncho
Wool blanket or insulated poncho liner
Two message pads, two pencils, grease pencil, two sheet protectors, 12 push pins.
Vinyl electrical tape for rain wraps, 1 roll
Cable ties, large and small, 1 dozen each
Rubber bands, medium and large, six ea.
Adjustable open-end wrench, 6″x 0-5/8″
Folding hex key set
Klein pliers with crimpers and side cutters
Needle nose pliers
Channel locks or Vise-Grip pliers
Small, mobile-type SWR/power meter
Pocket VOM or multi-meter w/ test leads
Assorted connectors / adaptors including no-solder BNC and UHF for emergency repairs
First Aid Kit container.
3 days’ supply of bottled water and nonperishable food (which can be eaten cold), mess kit and utensils.
Personal hygiene and sanitation supplies

A GOOD “every day” kit stays within easy reach. Including a dual-band HT, includes the following:

1. Dual-band HT in padded belt case.
2. Copy of current FCC Operating License.
3. “Tiger tail” (enhances transmit and receive of typical “rubber duck” by 3 db).
4. Extra high-capacity (1000 man) nicad, or backup AA battery case for HT.
5. DC adapter & cigarette plug cord for HT
6. Two extra 2A fuses, for HT cord .
7. Earphone and/or speaker mike
8. Spartan pattern Swiss Army pocket knife
9. Leatherman multi-purpose tool
10. Mini-Mag-Lite, extra bulb and spare AAs
11. Pencil and pocket notepad
12. Emergency gas / phone money ($10 bill, + four quarters and five dimes in pill box).
13. SO-239 to male-BNC adapter to fit HT to mobile antenna coax and female BNC to SO-239 to fit HT gain antenna to jumper.
14. 6 ft. RG8-X jumper w/BHC male and female connectors to extend HT antenna with suction cups or auto window clip.
15. Spare eye glasses of current prescription.
16. Band aids, moist towelettes and sunscreen
17. Pocket sewing kit, matches
18. Small pocket compass
19. Operating reference card for HT
20. ARES phone and frequency reference card

The “Backup Bag” contains “24-hour” items in a sturdy shoulder bag with carrying strap. I am trying to reduce mine from its 12″x8″x6″ size and 18 lbs. weight. I use a padded, ballistic nylon camera bag with external pockets marked as to contents. It stays in the car until needed. Suggested contents are:

1. Neck-lanyard pocket with spare car keys, $20 emergency cash, credit card, long-distance calling card and ARES photo ID.
2. Second, “backup / loaner” 2-meter HT. (battery packs and accessories should interchange with the dual-bander)
3. Spare nicad and AA-battery pack, ear phone and speaker-mike for second HT
4. Operating manuals for HT’s.
5. Fused DC adapter cords with Molex connectors for brick amplifier and HTs
6. Extra 10′ AWG 10 gage twin lead extension cord, with battery clips, in-line fuses and Molex connectors to power brick amp or HT.
7. Compact, rugged, 25-40w 2 meter or dual-band brick amplifier. – See note at right>>.
8. Gain antennas for both HTs: (telescoping half-wave Larsen and flexible dual-band Comet CH-72, 1/4-wave VHF, 5/8-wave UHF).
9. HT nicad, and 12V gel cell wall chargers.
10. Four NP2-12 gel cel1 batteries to power small brick amp at 10w @ 25% duty cycle / 8 hrs.
11. Two refills of AA Alkaline batteries for HT.
12. RG8-X jumpers with soldered PL-259s, two 3 ft., one, 6 ft., one 10 ft. and one 25 ft. with double-female connectors to combine all.
13. BNC-male+BNC female to SO-239; BNC-male+BNC female to PL-259; NMO to SO-239 adapters.
14. Cable ties, large and small, 6 each – Lensatic compass, 7.5min. series area topo.
15. Two sharpened pencils, pencil sharpener, gum eraser, note pad, permanent marker.
16. ARES Field Resource Manual
17. Compact, rugged, flashlight (Pelican Stealthlite), with extra bulb and AA batteries
18. Two sets of spare fuses (2A, 10A, 15A) for HT cords, mobile radio or brick amplifier.
19. Comfort, safety and basic first aid items: sunglasses, matches, tissues, toothbrush, sun block, sewing kit, insect repellent, tweezers, band-aids, adhesive tape, gauze pads, wound cleaning wipes, etc