One of my favorite organizing tools is Rubbermaid’s Action Packer. They make these things in several sizes (from 80 gallons to 8 gallons), they’re just about bulletproof, and they pack a zillion items. So when it came time to build a go-box, there really was no option – it’s the Action Packer or nothing! (Well, I have debated using something metal, to protect from an EMP, but I haven’t found anything that’ll work for that—yet).
What’s a go box? It’s a box or container you can grab and just run with. It’s great for field day or for the special events station we’ll be manning in June (for the Pony Express 150th anniversary). It contains essentially everything you need to operate in the field. Most go-boxes include radios, antennas, wires, batteries, and even food. I like to keep my food separate; it allows for a slightly smaller go-box.
My goals for building a go-box were:
- Store both my Yaesu FT-100 and my Yaesu FT-817 radios, in an upper shelf.
- Carry at least two lead-acid batteries below.
- Be completely wired – I should be able to open the top, plug in a radio and an antenna, and just GO.
- Be wired with ARES/RACES standard Anderson Powerpoles.
- Include an external connection so I can input power at any time, easily.
- Have room to store antennas, cables, a quick repair kit, etc.
- Include luxuries such as a flashlight and more.
Given that I want it to be easily portable AND I want it to hold a limited amount of gear, I opted for the smallest Action Packer, which is 8 gallons in size. Great choice!
Here are some photos of what I’ve got so far:
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| Batteries in the bottom, and the hole in the side for external power tap. | Close-up of the hole – I added a small rubber gasket for waterproofing. I also drilled the hole on a down-ward facing slope, to keep out water. |
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| As you can see, the power out will have Anderson Powerpoles on it. That way I can plug into just about anyone’s system. | These are the lead acid batteries at the bottom. I have 1) power in, 2) lead acid batter, 3) second lead acid battery, and 4) power up to the top. Wanting to save a boatload of cash, I built my own power distribution unit (power distribution block) out of Anderson Powerpoles – I’ll write a quick blog on that. I also made room in the power block to plug in two additional batteries (I’ve got 4, after all), just in case. |
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| Some things are just too easy… This is an Energizer brand battery charger. It just happens to take… 12v to charge batteries! You never know when you need a AA or AAA battery! | The comforts of home! I made 1) alligator clamp connector for auto batteries, 2) ring connectors for power supplies, 3) ring connectors with small alligator clamps, 4) 12v battery charger with the power supply cord modified, 4) Anderson-equipped power supply for my FT-817 (which happens to use the same tip as some old PockePC power supplies—and is the same tip the VX-7R uses). There’s a sample power distribution block. Oh and that’s the COOLEST flashlight I’ve ever seen – it’s LED powered. They sell them at NAPA for about 8 bucks—they have a hook and a magnet on the back of them. |
There’s still some work left to do—I would like a shelf at the bottom to cover up the power supply. I’m worried a wrench or something will fall in between the batteries and cause a short. I need a shelf on the top on which I can put the radios (padded for transport, of course). I hope to wrap all that up shortly, and I’ll add final photos when I do.
Quick note on batteries – I left my QRP (low-power) Yaesu FT-817 running the other day. I went a full 24 hours on one lead acid battery. Twenty-four hours! And that included a couple hours of heavy HF transmission at full power (5 watts). Can you imagine what 4 batteries will do, if I shut the thing off now and again? It measures in weeks…
