So ive been meaning to do this for like two years and after the storm we had last month kind of rattled me into actually doing it. I got a Yaesu FT-891 I was gonna use as my base but thinking it makes more sense to make it the centerpiece of the go-kit since I have the IC-7300 at home anyway.

Right now I have the radio, a 40ah LiFePO4 battery, anderson powerpole distribution block, a few different coax jumpers, and im building out a cheap pelican-style case to fit it all. I think I have the basics but honestly I dont know what experienced emcomm guys actually reach for when things get real. Like the stuff you forget about until you need it.

Antenna situation is kind of a mess right now - I have an EFHW and a buddistick but neither is really set up for rapid deploy. anyone running something they can throw up in under 10 minutes without thinking about it? thats kind of the goal here.

The stuff people always forget is the small stuff honestly. Extra fuses, a good multi-tool, a headlamp (not just a flashlight, headlamp so your hands are free), a notepad and like 3 pens because pens always go missing, and some kind of logging sheet if you're going to be doing anything formal. Oh and a copy of your license printed out, sounds dumb but some served agency folks actually ask.

For antenna the Wolf River Coils setup has worked pretty well for a buddy of mine doing ARES stuff, he can get on 40m in maybe 8 minutes once he has a spot picked. I personally use a linked dipole cut for 40/20 and just toss it in a tree with a throw line, not the fanciest but it works every time which is kind of the whole point. The buddistick is fine but fiddly when you're stressed out.

Biggest thing I'd say though is actually go out and deploy the whole kit in your backyard once or twice before you need it. You will find every gap that way, guaranteed.

yeah what he said about practicing in the backyard, i did that and realized my coax was like 6 inches too short to reach from where i'd actually set the radio up and it was embarrassing to figure that out at a drill lol. also i keep a small inverter in mine so i can run off a car if the battery dies, saved me once already.