2 Meter Go Bag :: Ham Radio Everyday Carry

[@KM4ACK]

Battery Bank - amzn.to/3u8rKrK Lightning Cable - amzn.to/3Kd1C4o USB C Cable - amzn.to/3j38pSh Pi Case - amzn.to/3J746Qk Mobilinkd TNC - www.mobilinkd.com/ Powerwerx Adapter - amzn.to/3j3uAHV Signal Stick Antenna - signalstuff.com/product/super-elastic-signal-stick-bnc/?ref=2223 Mag Mount - signalstuff.com/product/bnc-magnetic-mount-for-signal-sticks/?ref=2223 SMA-M to BNC - signalstuff.com/product/smam-to-bnc-adapter/?ref=2223 SMA-F to BNC - signalstuff.com/product/sma-f-to-bnc-f-adapter/?ref=2223

[@davidsradioroom9678]

Having all BNC connectors on everything makes sense.

[@KM4ACK]

It does make life easier :-)

[@gaptastic]

I watched your previous 2M go bag video not too long ago, so I think mine lines up with your new one. I was able to get the nelson antenna, but also have the ed fong roll up (2 band). I highly recommend Ed Fong's antennas.

[@kevinshumaker3753]

I also have a multi-band scanner (currently a Uniden BC125AT) (runs on AAs, NiCads, or USB power) for monitoring other things like Local LEO, FD, and EMS, as well as other 2M, 70cm, and other frequencies, as even though most 2M/70cm HTs can scan, sometimes you are needing to talk, while listening to something else to relay info. Very handy, especially when Storm Monitoring, with the NOAA Weather Channel SAME alert warnings.

[@KM4ACK]

A scanner is a fantastic idea!

[@HamstudyOrg]

In case you were wondering, yes this post generated enough sales on BNC magmounts that I went looking to try to figure out what was suddenly advertising them ;-) Glad you find it useful! I have been honestly surprised not to see more interest sooner. Now the only issue is that I'm concerned I'll run out before I get my next shipment... and I may not have any in stock for hamvention! 73 de KD7BBC

[@KM4ACK]

Didn't mean to run your supply short but that's the best dang mag mount around for this type of kit :-)

[@RalliART1238]

Hello sir, I just want to tell you that I think this mag mount is ingenious. My daughter dropped my radio, and my signal stick bent at the BNC connector, so when I was buying a replacement, I tossed this mag mount in as well. I had seen it on the site before, but figured I would look for a larger mobile antenna. After seeing this video, buying this instead of a larger mobile made more sense to me, and after using it this weekend, I’m glad I didn’t go with something else. Great job on this, and I’ll recommend to everyone that is looking for a mobile antenna for their HT.

[@HamstudyOrg]

@@KM4ACK Clearly the solution to my problem is to stop carrying useful stuff on my store! ;-) Thanks for spreading the good word -- I honestly love this method and when I thought of it I was shocked at how hard it was to find a good BNC magmount with bnc on both the connector and the mount. There are others out there, but it's hard to trust them. So even though it's a pain to manage stock (you know how much of my basement it takes to store 750 magmounts? =]) I decided to try them out. It was just a bit surprising to suddenly have them start selling 3x faster than they had been! Glad to see that you have the affiliate links working so I can support you back!

[@HamstudyOrg]

@@RalliART1238 Thanks =] Note that while I won't complain if you choose to buy a new one to support our efforts (these sales are literally what allow me to spend half my working hours on HamStudy and ExamTools) we will cover damage like that under our warranty, so you can make a claim and get it replaced if you want. Now that I have played with them a bit I actually consider the BNC magmount to be pretty much a personal essential for my grab bag for helping with events -- it doesn't replace a real permanent solution but any time you need a "grab and go" it's the most convenient thing I've found! Trying not strain my arm patting myself on the back, but I'm glad other people are starting to see it as well =]

[@chesty1369]

Thanks Jason another good video. The only thing I would add is a PDF to download with your packing lists. 73

[@spikeywayent]

I have the same case for my Pi and drilled 2 holes for and fits the Hat module for using it as a Hotspot. Love it!

[@thuff3207]

Great idea for a simple kit. I will take what you said and upgrade what I am doing. The idea of carrying an HT with you makes good sense. Thank you.

[@tolowo80]

Well done. I also have the Argon Neo case, along with the fan hat (fan hat not required). Been using the case for several months. Best case for the money.

[@w4mkh]

For the roll up j-pole, Shaun only has them up on eBay when he has them in stock. Once sold out they go off line until he builds more. So check back often if what you need isn’t in stock.

[@KM4ACK]

Thanks for the heads up :-)

[@mikearmstrong9899]

Thumbs UP! Ed Fong or NTAX for a quality roll up antenna.

[@mikearmstrong9899]

N9TAX

[@nerdlywehunt]

great ideas but in the Orlando, Port Saint Lucie, I 95 corridor from Florida to NC area you are much more likely to get a call back if you just use smoke signals.............

[@Hamdalorian]

If you can’t find the Nelson slim Jim’s, check out the N9TAX slim jims

[@KM4ACK]

I own two or three of those as well. GREAT antennas but larger than the Nelson. They don't pack up as nice. Upside is they handle more power and use larger coax which has less loss. I have burned up on of the Nelsons at 50W but never had that issue with the N9TAX.

[@Hamdalorian]

@@KM4ACK I’m curious because I haven’t hooked mine up yet. What kind of coax are you running with that? I’m looking to do a 50 foot section so I can hang it off my 43 foot telescoping mast if need be.

[@KM4ACK]

@@Hamdalorian rx58 but i keep the length as short as possible. Most of the time, 20 feet in elevation will do what I need.

[@scottodonahoe9505]

J pole I make my self from old ribbon wire is awesome and it jacks up into a tree for elevation with no problem at all ! Costs like a dollar to make ! 73 N9RWJ .

[@jameshall5835]

Jason - I’ll be giving a talk to our club along with my son Patrick KO4HEX on ‘Winlink and your Go-kit’. I use a Maxpedition AUC as my bag, but otherwise everything you list is in it along with Mini-Nifty manual cards, USB C to C mini cable with C-to-A adapter, and a Digirig for VARA. I use the N9TAX 450 ohm version of the J-pole. The mag mount is the same except I use mine every day on my truck. The deal there is that it’s aluminum ! I added a steel flat plate on the rear cabin light. :) de WB4YDL Jamie

[@dherbert8288]

I also carry a loop antenna, portable satellite yagi, and solar panel.

[@kenluning909]

Nice setup for a radio go bag.

[@Jocon017]

I got a window clip with BNC's i think nagoya makes it. Can't close the window all the way with it unfortunately

[@TheTechPrepper]

Nice EDC kit, Jason. Our 2m/440 kits are nearly identical right down to the cover the Mobilinkd TNC. I have been covering mine with a piece of plastic and rubber band for over a year and it has eliminated my "dead battery" issue for the most part. It still turns on occasionally if there's enough pressure applied to it. If you squeeze your case even with the the 3D printed cover will it still turn on?

[@KM4ACK]

With enough direct pressure from my thumb, I am able to turn it on. However, it has never happened in the bag.

[@nvrumi]

Jason, that is a well thought out kit. If you have not done a deployment video of this kit, I would suggest one. It would be useful to see your use case for this kit before I assemble my own. 73 de AG7TX

[@KM4ACK]

Here's a video where I deployed it while traveling to Hamcations this past Feb. The video was made before the upgrade to the Pi 4 though. kzbin.info/www/bejne/f5bGZWiae5VgiLs

[@DonzLockz]

Nice to see your kit and how you use it. I need to get some signal sticks, do yours glow?

[@KM4ACK]

I've got yellow, orange, and black. On those, only the tip glows.

[@DonzLockz]

@@KM4ACK nice thanks, need safety goggles with them. Lol

[@larspregge6420]

Most important thing: full loaded batteries :P

[@K3JRZOnTheAir]

I love that your videos gives me some ideas for my own setups. Great work Jason! 73 de Jeff K3JRZ

[@chuckhubbert8330]

Thank you so much for this. I'm thinking/rethinking/overthinking my own kit right now. Wondering if I throw a 3-6 ft. coax patch cable in to adapt the mag mount as the feed line for the j-pole. I might try it, but am open to ideas on this. Otherwise, maybe there should be another 15-20 ft. of feedline for the j-pole. Back to my lists... Thank you again, I appreciate your practical approach.

[@KM4ACK]

Now you have me to thinking......shorten the coax run on the mag mount and use that length of coax that was removed on either the mag mount or the jpole.......hmmmmm......I like it! The only additional component that would be needed is a BNC barrel connector. Thanks for the idea/suggestion :-)

[@chuckhubbert8330]

@@KM4ACK Nice idea! I like backups, but I also like lightweight and dual purpose items. This works!

[@user-he6nj1zv9f]

I used to talk on CB radio in the 70's and am thinking about getting a ham license. Is ham radio like CB back in the day where you and your friends talk or find someone to talk to? I don't know anyone that does this and don't want to spend lots of time and money if it is not something I can do in my apartment.

[@KM4ACK]

It is similar but different to CB. Hams have a lot more frequency to work with and aren't limited to 40 channels. You can start out super cheap ($25) with a Baofeng UV5r amzn.to/3a27P64 I would replace the stock antenna with one from Signal Stuff signalstuff.com/product/super-elastic-signal-stick-sma-female/?ref=2223 Yes, it costs as much as the radio but you will see a marked difference. Another option would be a roll up JPole antenna. Search ebay for the JPole. This would allow you to start out on a shoestring budget and see if you enjoy the hobby before diving deeper down the rabbit hole with other radios. Baofengs aren't the best radios but they are considered the gateway drug :-)

[@btcullen5876]

Enjoyed your video. I currently use a Pi-Star from HRO and my cell phone hot spot to connect to Yaesu Fusion. How do you use your raspberry pi and mobi link? I know you're the guru on raspberry pi's, I'm not sure why you would include them in your kit. BT 73

[@KM4ACK]

Primarily for Winlink and APRS in this kit but it also powers all digital for my HF travel kit that I'll have a video on next week. This is the foundation of my EDC travel kits and I take the HF kit on longer trips.

[@oldgeekster1]

The TNC3 is not currently available: "SOLD OUT -- due to high demand and the global chip shortage, the TNC3 is sold out for the foreseeable future. At this point the earliest we expect to have more available is July 2022. We are not accepting back-orders...." Too bad on the back orders, it will be a zoo come July. 😶‍🌫

[@KM4ACK]

I am tired of hearing "global chip shortage" but suspect it will get worse before it gets better. Assuming the cable for your HT is available, the digirig is another option that is really small and could work well in this kit. digirig.net/ I did a video on it not too long ago. kzbin.info/www/bejne/paTEqWpsf5tpeqc While it isn't available at the time of this post, it can be back ordered.

[@k2cjbradio]

Excellent! Love the antenna solution. Thanks for the video. 73 de K2CJB

[@WJ6FRadio]

Outstanding video!! Do you have to worry about the magnet from the mag-mount antenna base messing with the software on the Raspberry Pi?

[@KM4ACK]

So far no issues but the mag mount is at the bottom of the bag and the pi is at the very top.

[@jwreagan]

The pi doesn't use any magnetic media so it should not be an issue, all the pi storage is on semiconductor (SD cards.) Now... if you were using a mechanical hard drive with adapter to USB or something of that sort, I would not store it near the mag mount or vice versa.

[@davidg5308]

Great bag and thanks! I like the smaller size of that mag mount. Any suggestions on replacement for Pi's these days, or just sit it out and wait for production to catch up?

[@KM4ACK]

Unfortunately we are going to have to wait it out. The only current option is the Pi 400. If the form factor isn't an issue, it is functionally the same as a Pi 4 4GB model.

[@DuckingAround58]

Great kit, everything you need without going overboard. How does the signal stuff antenna work compared to a 15 inch Nagoya? Is the point of the antenna to have something flexible?

[@KM4ACK]

I love the signal stuff because of the flexibility but also because they support hams getting their license and maintain a website to help new hams study for tech or upgrade when they are ready.

[@randyhavener1851]

Jason your stuff is always awesome! 73 N9RAN

[@jwreagan]

What is your solution for a pi display in the field? Or is it running sans display as just an aprs computer?

[@KM4ACK]

Two possible solutions in my case. There’s always on old iPad mini in my Jeep that I can use. Otherwise I use my iPhone. Not great for long periods of use but acceptable for quickly checking Winlink messages. If I am traveling, my MacBook Air is also with me so I could use it as another option.

[@jwreagan]

@@KM4ACK although not ideal, a little while back I got some portable hdmi led projectors. They were an impulse buy at a flea market, GPX branded... they have the ability to wirelessly link to a phone or other bluetooth appliance to stream video, they have some streaming services built in... all do me no good. What does do some good for me, is with the projector, I can use about any solid surface that is reasonably flat with a consistent color as a display. The projectors have built in batteries too. I loan them to friends when they go camping to occupy the rug rats. I need to see how feasible they are for actual displays though. Great video by the way. Now I am going to probably revamp my 2m go box, similar to yours except i used a dry box like what you use for kayaking because i use it for kayaking, bit it is a tad heavier because of it.

[@TheCyberRick]

Another great video, Jason. Do you have the file for printing the cover of the TNC3? I would like to print one myself. 73, Rico

[@KM4ACK]

Shoot me a message though Patreon Rico and I'll see if I can run down that file.

[@kleinbiker1]

So how does the mag mount antenna work on a fiberglass jeep roof?

[@KM4ACK]

It doesn't. You have to run it on the hood of the Jeep Wrangler.

[@cameronmelvin9640]

Thanks for the video Jason. Great job as always. Just out of curiosity, what programs are you running on the pi for the 2m go bag?

[@KM4ACK]

For 2M I am using APRS (xastir) and Winlink. This Pi also goes with my HF travel kit. Video coming soon.

[@cameronmelvin9640]

@@KM4ACK Thanks Jason. Sperate but related question. With the RTC, do you still keep a GPS dongle in the kit or does the RTC suffice?

[@KM4ACK]

In this kit I don’t keep a GPS. I can stream the GPS data from my phone if needed. If both fail, it just means the time stamp on a Winlink messages might be off. Not using FT8 or JS8CALL with this 2M setup so timing isn’t critical.

[@JanPeterson]

Can you recommend a tri-band (2m, 1.25m, and 70cm) antenna with a BNC connector? I have not been able to find one.

[@pgrundle]

Awesome video, I am curious as to how you use the Pi. Do you have it linked to a notebook or tablet if needed while mobile? Cheers!

[@KM4ACK]

Two possible solutions in my case. There’s always on old iPad mini in my Jeep that I can use. Otherwise I use my iPhone. Not great for long periods of use but acceptable for quickly checking Winlink messages. If I am traveling, my MacBook Air is also with me so I could use it as another option.

[@pgrundle]

@@KM4ACK Thank you for the info!

[@Andrew-dg7qm]

What does the moby link TNC do?

[@KM4ACK]

It is used to interface the Pi to the radio.

[@larrytaylor7753]

What are you using for a monitor with the Pi 4?

[@KM4ACK]

There’s always on old iPad mini in my Jeep that I can use. Otherwise I use my iPhone. Not great for long periods of use but acceptable for quickly checking Winlink messages. If I am traveling, my MacBook Air is also with me so I could use it as another option.

[@LevyCarneiro]

Would you have the name of this bag? Thanks!

[@KM4ACK]

This bag has been sold out on Amazon for over a year now. I just recently moved to this bag amzn.to/3NPhlrr (affiliate link) and it is capable of carrying everything that I had in the old bag.

[@LevyCarneiro]

@@KM4ACK awesome, thanks very much sir.

[@wmitrader]

What is the brand and model of the bag ?

[@KM4ACK]

Here's the original listing for the bag - amzn.to/3uV66Y2

[@wmitrader]

Thank you ! Appreciate the video also.

[@chuckhubbert8330]

Just sharing... I have this bag on order to try for a kit similar to Jason's www.amazon.com/gp/product/B076HV6HX6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

[@sjgriger]

USB GPS Pi compatible Aisn B09MRTMLWD

[@KM4ACK]

Big fan of USB GPS devices! In this kit I took a different approach. I utilize the real time clock for accurate time but can also stream the GPS data from my phone to the Pi if needed. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJzQgqusiZ11prM It works even when the phone has no cellular service.

[@rickpellicciotti]

Here's the Nelson Antenna Ebay page: www.ebay.com/str/nelsonantennas?_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2563

[@stevearodgers]

#bncallthethings