ARES District 10 Go Bag List
Randy Long WB6AVV suggests this list of items to be carried by operators to potential assignments.
1.  A copy of your station/operators license.
2.  Your ARES ID card.
3.  Pencil and paper.
4.  ARRL style message pads (NTS variety).
6.  2mtr HT radio (for short duration deployments).
7.  Spare batteries (nicad and alkaline w/holders).
8.  Chargers for batteries.
9.  Filtered DC supply in the form of a gel cell or 120 VAC to 12 VDC with appropriate current for radio to be operated from it.
10. Earphone/headphones with appropriate adapters.
11. Appropriate clothing.
12. Food and drinks as may be required.
13. Snacks.
14. Throat lozenges or mints.
15. You own prescription and non-prescription medications (asprin other headache relief medications are advised).
16. Flash light with spare batteries and bulbs.
17. Alarm clock, with either wind up mechanism or fresh batteries.
18. Electrical and duct tape.
19. Safety glasses.
20. Mobile or base radios, with appropriate power supply.
21. Packet radio equipment (if available).
22. Portable antennas, complete with feedline, mast, and means to erect them.
23. RF and audio connectors and adapters. such as UHF to BNC, N to UHF, PL259, stereo 1/4" phone to 1/8" minature, etc.
24. Rope, 100 feet as a minimum, of 1/4" rope.
25. Extension coax, such as an extra 50 feet of RG8X or RG8, with appropriate barrel connectors.
26. Toilet articles.
27. Foul weather clothing.
28. Portable stove with fuel and appropriate cooking utensils (include method to clean up after your self).
29. Matches or lighter.
30. Soldering iron and solder.
31. Small tools, such as screwdrivers, pliers, multi use tools.
32. SWR bridge or antenna analyzer.
33. Volt ohm meter (VOM), need not be big, but able to check AC, DC and Ohms.
34. Spare microphones.
35. Spare clothing.
36. Extension power cord, at least 50 feet and no smaller than 14 gauge.

You need to be self sufficient for the duration of your assignment. Many of the places which we are deployed do not have the resources to take care of us. Hence, we must take care of ourselves. Make sure that you have suffcient means to keep both yourself and your station on the air for "the worst case scenario" duration.

Yes, that means that you might have to be able to recharge your batteries, or have sufficient battery capacity to keep you station on the air for an extended period of time. Be sure you know your power requirements and know what you stored capacity is by means of exercising it regularly, before disaster strikes.

Before you deploy, it is always wise to check your equipment. Pinched cords, broken leads, and other easily found glitches can save you time and frustration if detected and repaired or replaced before you go out on assignment.

The list above is only a guideline of what you might require as a minimum. If you find other items that you feel might be useful to you or to others, you are encouraged to include them in your "go bag". You are also welcome to share your additions with other ARES members, as they too may find them useful.

Items used in go bags, may be stored in nap sacks or gym type bags. If your station is like most, it is not always convienent to have multiples of some of these items. If there are items that you use daily, list those items and their probable location and keep that list inside your "go bag" along with items you can normally keep stored there and a complete list of items which you should have in the bag. That way you can readily find them when an ARES callup is in progress.

Comments about this ARES Colorado D10 website ?   Email Ted Cline, n0rqv@arrl.net

This http://home.earthlink.net/~aresco10/d10gobag.htm page was last changed Sep 30 2001.