This post will address the "Go Box" design criteria ONLY.

While it is not intended to be a complete or definitive listing of components that might be desired for a "Go Box", it does provide a place from which to start your planning.

GOAL
To operate in "the field" with sufficient power to maintain communications in Region 2 for a single 12 hour shift.

ASSUMPTIONS:
PART 1
The design includes the ability to:
- Utilize Battery 12 volt D.C.; Commercial 120 volt A.C.; Generator 120 volt A.C.
- Switch to Battery D.C. power upon failure of A.C. power
- Charge the Battery while operating on A.C. power
- Access a vehicle's 12 volt D.C. system.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PART 2
- Lead Acid/ Gel Cell/ AGM Deep Cyclce Batteries MUST BE RECHARGED at or before 50% usage.
See: Choosing the Right Size Battery
www.ctaresregion2.org/forum/the-go-box/1...e-right-size-battery

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PART 3
- VHF/UHF Mobil Radios use 1.2 amps on Receive. (YMMV)
- VHF/UHF Mobil Radios use 10 amps on Transmit. (YMMV)

- Field Stations (non NCS) Hourly operations = 5 min. Transmit, 55 min. Receive.
- Field Stations (non NCS) VHF/UHF Avg. power consumption = 2 Amps per Hour.

- NCS VHF/UHF Hourly Operations = 30 min. Transmit, 30 min. Receive
- NCS VHF/UHF Avg. power consumption = 7.1 Amps per Hour

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PART 4
- HF Radios (100 watts) use 20 amps on Transmit (YMMV)
- HF Radios (100 watts) use 2 amps on Receive (YMMV)

- Field Stations (non NCS) HF Hourly Operations = 5 min. Transmit, 55 min. Receive
- Field Stations (non NCS) Avg. Power Consumption = 3.5 Amps per Hour

- NCS HF Hourly Operations = 15 min. Transmit, 45 min. Receive
- NCS HF Avg. Power Consumption = 6.5 Amps per Hour
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

RADIOs
There a several good Dual Band (144/440 MHz) Mobile radios on the market today that meet the 5-50 watt criteria.
It all boils down to what you may already have on hand, or how much you want to spend to acquire a radio.

Even though I am partial to the Kenwood TM-V71a, there are other fine choices available.

Also, look on the "USED" market for older radios at less cost.

A discussion of antennas will be found at the ANTENNA CENTRAL forum.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From everything I have been reading and seeing, it appears that there are THREE LEVELS of "Go Boxes" that are being built for 3 specific missions.

For lack of better terms, I will call them:

#1: The Basic
#2: The Intermediate
#3: The Kitchen Sink


#1: THE BASIC
This is the more powerful version of a Ham's "HT", and forms the basis of both The Intermediate and The Kitchen Sink.

MISSION:
To provide portable/mobile VHF/UHF Voice Communications (144/440 MHz) for a single 12 hour shift WITHOUT Net Control Station (NCS) duty*.

What you NEED:
- Suitably sized box/enclosure... with provision for VENTILATION.
- Mobile Dual Band Radio (capable of 5w to 50 watts).
- Microphone, Headset, or Combination of both.
- Fused Power Distribution Block
(e.g. the West Mountain Radio (WMR) "RIGrunner" Model: 4005).

- Option 1: (recommended)
A.C. to D.C. Power Supply + the EZ-gate (Hamsource.com), or WMR's PWRGATE (@ more $$), or

- Option 2:
All in One (Jetstream: model JTPS14BCM)

- 1 Short Power Cable (10 gauge Red/Black twin lead) from the Radio to the RIGrunner with Anderson PowerPoles on the far end.
- 1 12 volt Battery (55 Ah)
- 1 Battery Case

* To have the option to function as NCS (or to extend your NON NCS operating time), just add another 55 AH battery and Battery Case.
- Best to use a dedicated Battery Case with a 6' Power Cable (10 gauge Red/Black twin lead) with Anderson Power-Poles at one end and the appropriate fittings to connect to this second battery.


#2: THE INTERMEDIATE
MISSION
To operate INDEPENDENTLY for a single 12 Hour Shift (without NCS duties*) and provide portable/mobile VHF/UHF Voice AND Data Communications - with the ability to use either A.C. power or D.C. Battery power.

What you NEED:
- Suitably sized box/enclosure... with provision for VENTILATION.
- Mobile Dual Band Radio (capable of 5w to 50 watts).
- Microphone, Headset, or Combination of both.
- HT (144 or 144/440 MHz)
- Spare HT batteries
- TNC (Terminal Node Connector)
- Laptop
- Connecting wires
- Fused Power Distribution Block
(e.g. the West Mountain Radio (WMR) "RIGrunner" Model: 4005).

- Option 1: (recommended)
A.C. to D.C. Power Supply + the EZ-gate (Hamsource.com), or WMR's PWRGATE (@ more $$), or

- Option 2:
All in One (Jetstream: model JTPS14BCM)

- External 12 volt Battery (55 Ah), and Battery Case
- External Battery Power Cable (e.g. 6' of 10 gauge Red/Black twin lead terminated with Anderson Power Poles at each end.
- 1 short (~ 1') Red/Black twin lead terminated with Anderson Power-Poles on one end and Ring Terminals at the other end attached to the Battery.

To have the option to operate as NCS, just add another 55 AHr. Battery and Battery Case (with a connecting 1' power cable attached to the Battery).


#3: The KITCHEN SINK
MISSION
To operate INDEPENDENTLY for a single 12 Hour Shift WITH NCS duty and provide:
- portable/mobile VHF/UHF Voice AND Data Communications
- portable HF Communications
- Have the ability to use either A.C. power or D.C. Battery power.


What you NEED:
- Suitably sized box/enclosure... with provision for VENTILATION.
- HF Transceiver
- HF Antenna Tuner
- Mobile Dual Band (VHF/UHF) Radio (capable of 5w to 50 watts).
- Microphone, Headset, or Combination of both.
- HT (144 or 144/440 MHz)
- Spare HT batteries
- TNC (Terminal Node Connector)
- Laptop
- Connecting wires
- Fused Power Distribution Block
(e.g. the West Mountain Radio (WMR) "RIGrunner" Model: 4005).

- Option 1: (recommended)
A.C. to D.C. Power Supply + the EZ-gate (Hamsource.com), or WMR's PWRGATE (@ more $$), or

- Option 2:
All in One (Jetstream: model JTPS35BCM)

- 2 External 12 volt Batteries: (110 Ah rated batteries or better)
- 2 Battery Cases
- 1 Battery Cart
- 1 External Battery Power Cable (e.g. 6' of 10 gauge Red/Black twin lead terminated with Anderson Power-Poles at each end.
- 2 short (~ 1') Red/Black twin lead power cables terminated with Anderson Power-Poles on one end, and Ring Terminals at the other attached to each Battery.

What do you think?
Any improvements, Changes, Conceptual Problems?
(Hint: I see one.)

DISCUSS.

"Go Box" Component Block Diagram (1 Radio)