Basic Deployment Equipment Checklist

2-meter HT, 2meter Mag-mount Antenna and Coax, Ear-phone, Pencil and paper, ARES ID Card, Extra Batteries, appropriate Clothing, Food and Water,

Extended (72-hour) Deployment Checklist

Snacks, Throat lozenges, Prescriptions, First aid kit, Log books, 3 day change of clothes, 3 day supply of water and food, Flashlight, Candles, Alarm clock, Electrical and Duct tape, Safety glasses, Additional Radios, packet gear, Headphones, RF Connectors, Patch cords, Extra coax, Liquid refreshments, Aspirin, Toilet articles, Message forms, Shelter (tent and sleeping bag), Foul weather gear, Portable stove, Mess kit with cleaning kit, Batteries, Waterproof matches, Toolbox, Soldering iron and solder, VOM, Microphones, Power supplies & chargers, Antennas with mounts, SWR bridge (VHF and HF), ARRL Standardized Connectors (Molex 1545)

ABOUT YOUR "READY" KIT

POWER - Your radio 72-hour kit should have several sources of power in it, with extra battery packs and an alkaline battery pack for your HT. For mobile VHF and UHF radios, larger batteries are needed. Gel-cell or deep-cycle marine batteries would be good sources of battery power, and you must keep them charged and ready to go. It is also wise to have alternate means available to charge your batteries during the emergency. You can charge smaller batteries from other larger batteries. You can build a solar charging device. If you're lucky, you may have access to a power generator that can be used in place of the normal electrical lines. Have more battery capacity than you think you might need. Have several methods available to connect your radios to different power sources.

GAIN ANTENNAS - You can expect to need some kind of gain antenna for your HT, as well as an additional gain antenna that can be used on either your HT or your mobile rig. The extra antenna might be needed by someone else, or your first antenna might break. For VHF and UHF, you can build a J-pole from a TV twin lead, for an inexpensive and very compact antenna. Have several lengths of coax in your kit, totaling at least 50 feet and with barrel connectors to connect them together.

PERSONAL - Include staples: water, or a reliable water filtration and purification system; enough food for three days; eating utensils, a drinking cup and, if needed, a means of cooking your food. Shelter is also important. Here, you are only limited by the size of your kit and the thickness of your wallet. Some hams plan to use their RVs as shelter, conditions permitting. Other disaster conditions may make the use of an RV impossible, so you should have several different plans for shelter. Light is important psychologically during an emergency. Make sure that you have several light sources available. Various battery-powered lights are available, and propane or gasoline-fueled lanterns are also good possibilities.