so i've been meaning to put together a proper go-kit for like two years now and i finally sat down this weekend and did it. partly because we had that windstorm last month that knocked out power for about 18 hours and i realized my "emergency setup" was basically just a radio on my desk with no plan whatsoever.

anyway what i ended up with is my FT-891 in a pelican case with a 40ah lifepo4 battery, a little dc power distribution block i wired up myself, some coax jumpers, and my handheld as backup. threw in a notepad and some pencils because yeah apparently we still need those when the internet is gone lol. also a printed copy of my local ARES frequencies and the county EOC contact info.

the thing i didnt expect is how much time i spent just thinking about connectors and cable lengths. like do i have enough coax to reach from my car to wherever i need to set up an antenna? ended up just buying a 50ft RG-8X run and calling it good. also realized i had zero idea where my Anderson Powerpole crimper was so that was a fun two hour detour.

for anyone who hasnt done this yet - seriously just start. even a basic kit with your HT, some extra batteries, a charger, and a list of frequencies is better than nothing. i kept waiting until i had the "perfect" setup and that was dumb. what does everyone else keep in theirs?

yeah the connector rabbit hole is real, i spent a whole saturday just redoing all my powerpole connections because nothing was consistent. totally worth it though once everything just clicks together without hunting for adapters.

one thing i'd add to your kit if you haven't already - a small spiral notebook dedicated just to the go-kit, not a fresh one you grab off the desk. write your callsign, your grid square, local net schedules, and maybe a quick checklist of what's in the bag on the first page. sounds overkill but when you're tired and stressed and somebody's asking you for your info you'll be glad it's right there. i also keep a laminated card with simplex calling frequencies for our region tucked into the lid of my case.

the 40ah lifepo4 should do you really well. i ran my IC-7300 for almost a full day on a similar battery during a field day style exercise and still had plenty left. just make sure you've got a way to recharge it without shore power, even a small solar panel in the kit is worth the space.

this is motivating me to actually do mine, ive had a half-assembled kit sitting in a tote bin in the garage for probably six months. its got a radio in it and some cables but i dont even really know what else is in there at this point honestly.

quick question - do you keep your antenna in the same case or separate? im trying to figure out how to pack a linked dipole without it turning into a giant mess of wire every time i open the bag.