After reading an interesting article about equipment failures during deployments, I'm rethinking my go-kit philosophy. One flaky connector or blown fuse can shut down your entire station, and in a real disaster, this has serious consequences.

Very few go bags include extra batteries, cables, connectors, and fuses based on what I've observed. I'm thinking of adding a 'repair kit' with common failure items. Has anyone implemented something similar?

The balance between preparedness and carrying too much gear is tricky. "Two is one and one is none" - but there's also such a thing as being over-prepared.

Excellent point! I learned this lesson during Hurricane Ida when a PL-259 connector failed on my main antenna. Now I carry spare connectors, barrel adapters, jumper cables, and a basic multimeter. Don't be the guy who gets shut down over a simple problem!

I keep a small Pelican case with: spare fuses (various ratings), barrel connectors, adapters, electrical tape, zip ties, and a basic soldering kit. The key is knowing what commonly fails in YOUR specific setup through testing and practice deployments.

Regular drills help you identify weaknesses and practice setup. I do monthly go-kit deployments in my backyard - sounds silly but I've caught several potential failures this way, including a bad battery connection that would've killed my setup during a real emergency.