My radio setup in the shack is not overwhelming – not too much with bells and whistles – but it’s solid gear and was build with emergency communication in mind. If I would do a list of inventory for emercomm operation (or a fieldday) somewhere in the open, this is how it would look like and being packed in the car:
Radio’s and Antenna’s
Amount Manufacturer & Type | Functionality | Remarks |
1 Yaesu FT-857D | Multibander SSB, AM, FM | RX:0,1-56 + 76-108 + 118-164 + 420-470 MHz TX:160-6m + 2m + 70cm Modulation: LSB/ USB/ CW/ FM/ AM/ RTTY/ PSK31/ AFSK |
1 Anytone AT-D578 UV Pro | DMR, FM, 2m, 70cm | TWINband 2m/70cm (V/U, V/V, U/U) |
1 Anytone AT-D878 UV Pro | DMR, FM, 2m, 70cm | TWINband 2m/70cm (V/U, V/V, U/U) for Backup of D-578UV + Nearfield Comms. |
1 ICOM ID51E Plus 2 | DStar, FM, 2m, 70cm | TWINband 2m/70cm (V/U, V/V, U/U) for DStar and Backup + Nearfield Comms. |
1 Baofeng BF-F8HP | 2m/70cm FM | MONOband 2m/70cm for Nearfield Comms. |
2 Baofeng UV-5R | 2m/70cm FM | MONOband 2m/70cm for Nearfield Comms. |
1 LDG AT-1000Pro II | Autotuner to match the HF-antennas | For the Yaesu FT-857D |
1 Chameleon CHA Hybrid-Mini UNUN with 60′ (approx.18m) long wire | 6m to 160m HF EndFed antenna | For the Yaesu FT-857D |
1 Chameleon CHA Mil-Whip 9’4” (approx. 3.10m) height | 28-54 MHz monopole | For the Yaesu FT-857D |
1 G5RV Full 94′ (approx. 31m) long wire dipole | 80-10m Band coverage | For the Yaesu FT-857D |
1 Antenna Switch 3x | PL-Connectors | |
1 Diamond NR-770H | 2m/70cm antenna | For the Anytone AT-D578UV / AT-D878UV or ID51E |
10 RG58 cables PL – PL different length | To connect the external antennas | – |
1 PL/N-Adapter | For the Yaesu FT857D | – |
1 Antenna extension for antenna base mount | To have the 2m/70cm antenna higher than the roof of the car (radial propagation of signals) | – |
Supporting Materials
What | Used for | Remarks |
1 Suzuki Gran Vitara SUV 5 Door | Transportation, antenna support, 13.8 V power generation, shelter | – |
1 Voltmeter | To monitor the battery | – |
2 Sleeping Bag & Blankets | Shelter & warmth | – |
2 Self-inflating sleeping mats | Soft and comfortable mattress | Isolation from the ground when not sleeping in car |
1 Camping table | For the radios | Foldable |
2 Camping chairs | For the OM’s | Foldable |
1 Rain cover | Between hind door and a pole | With eyelets |
1 Pole | For the rain cover and the dipole | For the other end of the dipole if no other tree is around |
1 Ground screw | For the pole | – |
90′ (approx. 30m) duct tape | For repairs | – |
21 gal. (approx. 80L) Diesel | To keep the car going, charge the battery, deliver 13.8V | in army fuel canisters (metal) |
1 Powerpack 12V | To start the engine if the main battery is too low | – |
1 Roll of paracord | To fix things, to hang the antennas, to place the pole | – |
1 Set of tools | To fix things | – |
1 Set of tent pegs & a hammer | For rain cover and pole | – |
1 Camping oven, pots, pans, cutlery, dishes, gas, plastic bowl, kitchen towels | To cook | – |
1 Camping light gas with refills + mantles | For light | – |
50 bin bags | For waste | – |
1 Maglight Torch | For light | – |
1 Universal tool with knife (Leatherman) | various use | – |
1 Bow and arrow | To shoot paracord through a tree to hang the dipole | – |
1 Fishing line nylon | To shoot first with the bow to pull the paracord later | – |
Food, Water & other supplies
What | Used for | Remarks |
5.3 gal. (approx. 20L) drinking water p.P. | Fluid intake | bottled or canister |
20 Can’s of food, pepper, salt | Food intake | canned, packed |
div. other Food (i.e. noodles, noodle sauce, butter, bread) | Food intake | packed, bread (=long lasting) |
div. toilet-paper, kitchen-paper, soap, towels | Hygiene | – |
3 Lighters | For the oven and candles | – |
div. Candles | for some light | – |
Geography/Topology
The area I live in (red arrow) is relatively flat, but west of my home is a 210′ / 70m high hill (marked 70m) which is a leftover from one of the iceages. Reachable by streets and has parking areas, some houses nearby, lots of trees for the dipole. This would be strategically my point for emergency communication, as I can propagate FM/DMR/DStar into the rhein-ruhr-area (which is east and between 12.5mi / 20km closest, up to 40mi / 65km to the farthest point in the east), into Holland (19mi / 30km west) and maybe Belgium (56mi / 90km south-west), Dusseldorf (18.6mi / 30km south-east), Cologne (34.4mi / 55km south) and everything in between. HF propagation is of course a different story.
Availability of the above stuff
Everything above is already “in stock” and used in day to day operations (radios)
Other things to consider
My Diesel engine of the Suzuki Gran Vitara consumes – in idling mode – approx. 0,26 gal/h or 1L/h. If the tank is full (18.5 gal or 70L) plus (21 gal or 80L) in canisters ,gives than (70L+80L)/1L(hour)= 150h idling of the engine 150h/24h=6.25 days of idling,