Try to standardize the size of batteries you will be using. Most hand held radio alkaline battery packs use "AA" size batteries.
When choosing other equipment for your pack-look around for a product that uses "AA" size also. Instead of fumbling with AA-AAA-C-D-9 volt etc. it is much easier to just buy a "brick" of "AA's" each time you grocery shop or run to the local Radio Shack, and throw them into your bag!
High intensity LED flashlights are now readily available at almost any retail sporting goods store and they use AA's. The LEDS are almost indestructable, have a long operational life, and only draw microamps of power!
Scanners, weather radios and whatever else you pack along with you, should all use one standard size battery as a power source. That way you will always know WHAT you need as far as batteries go!
Emergency Communications in The Field
Concept:
1. You can use a 1/4 wave magnet mount or ground plane antenna (with masting) with your 50 watt mobile, to which you will need at least a 30-40 pound deep cycle battery-to get through. What are you using as a back up radio?
2. You can carry 8 sets of spare batteries (12 volt pack=64 batteries or about 10 lbs. or less) your 5 watt portable about 1 lb. with nicad (5-8 lbs lighter than most mobiles) and a 5 element VHF/10-14 element UHF combination antenna (about 6-8 lbs) to get your signal to the repeater. An toss in a 15 foot collapsable fiberglass mast (4 lbs.).
Now consider having to carry your comm gear plus your personnl gear 5 miles or more and switch crowded modes of transportation twice. The kit includes all the common stuff like coax, connectors, etc.
Which would you rather tote?
#1 - over 60 lbs of comms gear?
#2 - about 20-25 lbs of comms gear? (that includes an extra lb or 2 for that back up portable!
Go GAIN so you don't have to STRAIN! LOWER the power and your available supply will last much longer!
1- 144-148 MHz. Portable
1- 430-450 MHz. Portable
1- Dual Band Portable
(always have a spare radio for whatever band is predominate in your area)
Alkaline Battery packs are suggested MAINLY because you are most likely going to be working in an area that will have no commercial power for several days. Chargers will do you no good!
Make sure you have:
Spare Speaker microphones or Boom-Mic headsets
Power Cords for your equipment
4- 30 foot sections of RG-58 with PL-259's and 3 double female barrel connectors to join them together to make up longer cable runs. (RG-58 vs RG-8 as a weight and space consideration- I'd rather use hard line-but I'm not hauling 100 feet of it 5 miles on my back!)
Other things in your pack can be used to secure your antenna to a post, signs, on telephone poles or TV mast on the roof of buildings. You have to be imaginative and inventive during emergencies. You will seldom find an "ideal" mounting location for your antenna's and will most likely have to "rig"something up that is not very conventional to get it to work.
