EVOLUTION OF A GO BAG

EVOLUTION OF A GO BAG

Joe Guerra KD5CZM

It’s hard to believe how far my go bag (or ready kit) has come over the past few years since becoming involved in public service-and emergency communications work.

It would have been easy from the start if there were a vendor somewhere who would sell go bags off the shelf. However, experience has shown there is no one universal go bag that suits every possible event and disaster.

Since your situation is unique you may want to see how other operators in your club or community put their ready kits together. Go back over recent events where your club provided communications. Prepare your own go bag accordingly. For example, there are plenty of shelter opportunities where I live so I won’t need a tent and camping gear. However, if I need to bed down in the radio room at the Emergency Operations Center during a hurricane, I’ll bring a sleeping bag or at least a blanket and pillow.

I went to my first public service event with both eyes wide shut. It was the annual Beach to Bay marathon in Corpus Christi, Texas. My assignment was to relay traffic from the first aid tent near the finish line to the mobile command unit some three blocks away. My kit then was nothing more than a notepad, a pen and a wooden stand to prop up my handie-talkie. Jim, KE6DRE, was kind enough to give me two ice-cold bottles of water from his well-equipped truck.

The marathon started just before daybreak and lasted until mid-afternoon. The bright May sun toasted my nose. There were long stretches where I would have appreciated a good crossword puzzle. Free pizza was available after the race for the volunteers. But three hours into the marathon my stomach was rumbling. Chilled water quenches thirst but hardly sticks to your ribs. When Larry, N5XCI, asked me to relay messages to the event staff, precious time was spent reintroducing myself as “one of the hams working the race.”

Afterwards, having showered and quaffed two bottles of Gatorade®, the wheels inside this old’ bonehead started to turn; I began putting together a go bag. As time goes on and I work more marathons and other events, I keep adding items.

When the event I work will last more than two hours, I pack some fluids and high-energy snacks to tide me over. Along with a first aid kit, I add a bottle of sunscreen/insect repellent. I stash some reading material in case it gets slow traffic-wise. While on duty, I wear a suitable vest complete with a callsign badge. Since I put the go bag together in its present form, I’ve served as volunteer radio operator for the local Emergency Management Center during hurricane Bret (August, 1999), worked at a water station for the 10K run in Bishop, Texas and call in reports as a Skywarn storm spotter.

I keep my eyes open and never fail to come across something that might come in handy. When I added a mag-mount antenna to my go bag, I bought a termite shield, a thin metal square tucked between concrete piers and the house they support. I spray painted it black and trimmed the edges with safety tape. It makes an excellent ground plane in a pinch.

Cable ties are handy but used only once. Friendlier to the environment are reusable Cable Clamps®. These are made of sturdy plastic and stainless steel and come in various sizes. These units keep my coax from unwinding at the bottom of the go bag. Sometimes you’ll find yourself doing double duty as I did, manning a water station for thirsty runners while keeping marathon officials informed of a race’s progress. Runners would stray off course; chaos would ensue as spotters and spectators would shout and wave the athletes back on course. The bonehead’s wheels turned some more. What would you do if you had to get immediate attention or signal for help in a high-noise environment? I found the shrill blasts of a Storm® whistle to fit the bill. This is not your father’s cork-pea whistle. It is oversized and so is its sharp sound. Hams doing search and rescue work might find this whistle useful.

I tote the kit in an inexpensive duffel bag I bought at Wal-Mart. I can either carry it or sling it over my shoulder.

I’ve included a list of what’s in my go bag. Look elsewhere at eham.net or consult the ARRL Field Resources Manual for published lists and see how your ready kit turns out.

Recognition

1 Lanyard

1 bead chain

1 ham radio club credential¹

1 County Emergency Management credential¹

1 ARES Photo ID

2 ID Card straps

1 Pocket callsign badge

Writing and printed matter

1 5 x 8 legal pad and holder

2 Official Weather Observer pads

3 pens

1 date book

1 repeater directory

1 Hazardous Materials Emergency Response Guide book²

2 HazMat training manuals²

Toiletries

1 First Aid Kit

1 Lava® liquid soap packet

1 Avon® Skin-So-Soft Bug Guard and Sunscreen

1 bottle Castrol® Super Clean waterless hand cleaner

1 bottle of Purell® hand sanitizer

Hardware

1 Rechargeable Pocket Power® supply³

1 DC power cord for cigarette lighter socket

1 Tool kit, contained in an old bank bag⁴

1 razor knife

Post-it® notes

Sandpaper

1 Toothbrush

1 pair diagonal cutters

1 Multi-tip screwdriver

1 Shop cloth

2 Film canisters

2 Valve caps

1 pair needle nose pliers

1 pack of fuses

1 roll electrical tape

Cable ties

5 Cable Clamps

1 audiocassette adapter (to pipe rig audio to a boom box)

1 OnDuty® shutoff wrench/pry bar⁵

Antennas

1 Mag-mount dual-band antenna, disassembled

1 ground plane

1 telescoping whip antenna

1 rubber ducky antenna

1 assortment of connectors

Visibility and safety

1 hooded raincoat

1 safety vest⁶ with callsign badge

1 Vinyl orange safety vest, spare use

1 hard hat

1 set of blaze orange suspenders

1 Storm® whistle⁷ with lanyard

Comfort Items

1 flop hat

1 folding chair*

1 ice chest*

1 luggage carrier*

Notes:

1. Keep your credentials up to date. Nothing puts a dent in your credibility than an expired credential.

2. From my training in Hazardous Materials Awareness and Response.

3. Vector, Inc. distributes these sealed lead acid 5.0 amp/hour batteries you can recharge from your vehicle or household. They come in a bright red cordura bag and is fitted with a cigarette lighter socket. It powers my 2 meter mobile rig without blowing the fuse. My dual band handie talkie can run for 3-4 days straight off this unit.

4. I am indebted to another ham who wrote about his bank bag tool kit and was published in QST magazine several years ago. His article was the inspiration for this kit. I regret I don’t remember his name.

5. The first principle of emergency communications service is to make sure your family is safe and your property is secure. FEMA recommends keeping a wrench to shut off your water and gas in an emergency. The OnDuty® wrench also serves as a pry bar.

6. Visit the Midlands ARES website for their Skywarn merchandise and look at their vest (http://www.qsl.net/n0hpp/) or EmComm Supply at http://www.emcommsupply.com/FeaturedProducts.htm

7. The Storm® whistle is available at Wal-Mart.

*Naturally, these three don’t fit in the bag but they keep me refreshed and rested and that makes me a more productive operator. The carrier totes both the go bag and the ice chest.