so ive been meaning to do this for like two years and finally sat down last weekend and started pulling stuff together for a real go-kit. im pretty active with our local ARES group but honestly my kit has been kind of embarrassing — just a HT and some spare batteries thrown in a backpack, nothing organized at all.

what i have so far is my FT-857D, a SignaLink USB for digital modes, a 40Ah LiFePO4 battery from Bioenno, a few Anderson powerpole cables, my logging laptop which is old but works, and im planning to throw in a J-pole and some coax. also have a small inverter somewhere in the garage i should probably include.

but i feel like im definitely forgetting something obvious. like i know there are guys in our group who show up to exercises with these beautiful Pelican case setups and everything is labeled and it just works, and mine is going to be a pile of stuff in a rubbermaid tote probably. is that actually fine or is the organization part more important than i think? also any must-have items that tend to get overlooked? i always forget like the small stuff.

the rubbermaid tote is totally fine honestly, dont let the pelican guys make you feel bad lol. i ran a tote for years before i switched to a proper case and it worked great. the organization matters more than the container — just make sure everything has a spot and you can find it in the dark or when you're stressed.

things i always tell people they forget: a small notepad and like 3-4 pens (sounds dumb but you'll thank yourself), a headlamp with fresh batteries, some kind of antenna stand or mast option because you cant always find a good tree, and copies of your license and any served agency IDs. also a power strip or small surge protector if you're ever running off a generator. oh and zip ties, always zip ties. i also keep a small printout of my most used frequencies and the regional net schedule laminated in there because when things get hectic i dont want to be digging through my phone.

the SignaLink is a great call for digital, a lot of guys show up without that capability and its a pain when the net manager wants Winlink traffic moving.

yeah what he said about the notepad, seriously. i showed up to a simulated emergency exercise last spring thinking i was totally ready and spent the first 20 minutes trying to find a pen. felt like an idiot.

one thing i'd add — test your whole kit as a unit before you actually need it. like set it all up in your backyard or garage and run it for a few hours and see what breaks or what you wish you had. i did that and discovered my coax connector on the J-pole was loose and also my laptop charger was missing from the bag somehow. better to find that on a Tuesday afternoon than when there's an actual activation happening.