PORTABLE EMCOMM STATION

Radio Incident Command Kit (R.I.C.K.)
Click on Images to Enlarge

What is a Go-Kit?
A Go-Kit (or Jump-Kit) is a portable amateur radio station and personal gear which can be taken when asked to go to an event which needs support with radio communications or use for emergency communications during Disaster or Hurricanes. What it consists of depends on the extent of the event, and the communication needs. Making a pre-planned kit helps to be deployed on a moments notice.

Your Go-Kit should be tailored to your needs, your equipment, expected assignments, and expected length of assignments.

RADIO INCIDENT COMMAND KIT (R.I.C.K.)
 

R.I.C.K. was design and built by Mike Fontana N1RFD

Mike is a member of the Florida SERT and CERT Teams and is the Incident Commander for both teams.

The case is a Pelican 1520 in orange color. Retails for $185.00 and you can find them for as low of $86.61 using Google Search.

The case is water proof and air tight and you put a padlock on it for security. You can even secure it to the table to keep it from walking away when you make a pit stop.

Exterior dimension 19.78" X 15.77" X 7.41"

Interior dimension 18.06" X 12.89" X 6.72"

You may purchase this case at http://www.4lessdepot.com/pelican_cases.html without foam for $86.61 plus shipping.

Inside of the case is a West Marine 12 volt 3-circuit panel with voltage meter, a RIGrunner 4004 USB distribution panel, an ICOM 880H D-Star radio, and a Pyramid 20 A  power supply with a built-in cooling fan. Pictured is the cooling fan for the lower compartment to move the heat out of the lower compartment.

The USB ports is used for the fan and the led light. The light provides a light for doing logs when you are without AC and totally in the dark and the fan helps circulate the air around you.

The Inspiration for the kit Mike designed and built came from a similar project documented by Rick (KH70).  Many emails went back and forth discussing the project.  What Mike did was to simplify the kit and take it to the next level.  This IS what "Amateur Radio" is all about.  I'm sure a "Third Generation" kit is on the way.  Follow the link to Rick's page:   http://www.hawaiirepeaters.net/radiokit/black/rick.html

Wiring under the top panel.

Mike does a professional wiring job with schematics for in the field maintenance. 

Lower Compartment.

Lower compartment houses the RIGrunner 4005, a Pyramid 20 amp Power Supply and a Duracomm 20A Battery BU/charger for automatic switching from AC to DC when you loose your AC.

Notice the rail kit that bolts around the side for the top panel to mount to.

The Rail Kit is optional and must be purchase separately. Go to http://www.pelican-case.com/pelican-1520pf.html to purchase it.

The bottom panel is secure to the case with Industrial Velcro.

The Duracomm 20A backup power switching station- Can hook up both 110V & 12V battery with automatic switchover if one loses power.

This is the link to purchase the Duracomm 20A BU/Charger http://www.tessco.com/products/displayProductInfo.do?sku=495032&eventPage=1

This is the components that goes into the Go-Kit.

Please click on the picture to enlarge for a better view of all the parts.

The white Board standing inside of the Pelican 1520 case is a new modification.

It is a plastic cutting board and it can be purchased from Walmart. It is a lot harder to work with when cutting it out to fit the rail kit inside of the case. The plastic gets hot while you are sawing it and keeps bonding back to the board. The oak plywood is much easier to work with.

In the case at the top near the cutting board, is a West Mountain PWRgate PG40S power/charger switcher, lower item is the power supply with a bag of Power Pole connectors and a PS-6AA 6 way power pole splitter that goes in the lower compartment to feed the West Marine 12 volt 3 circuit panel and the 4004 USB RIGrunner distribution panel. Near the mounting bracket is a round Led light. The ICOM 880H is missing in the picture.

Click on image to enlarge.

The Go-Kit on the left is using the plastic cutting board.

The Go-Kit on the right is using a oak panel.

It takes longer to cut the plastic board as it keeps bonding back to the board as you cut it.

This is the third generation of our Go-Kits.

This keeps your transceiver operating at full efficiency and performance by eliminating low or marginal voltages in the Go-Kit environment.

Click on images to enlarge

This shows the remote control for the Super Battery Booster, lower center in the picture

This is the MFJ 4416 BRC remote control.

The MFJ 4416B is mounted in the lower compartment. It is in the lower center of the picture. The green Cat-5 cable coming out of the front side of the booster is the control wire that goes to the remote control.

 The orange cable with PL259's delivers a signal to the booster to power up the booster when you push the PTT.

The MFJ-4416B Super Battery Booster Keeps your transceiver operating at full efficiency and performance by eliminating low or marginal voltages in the go-kit environment.

Today's compact 50 and 100-watt transceivers are designed to operate from about 12-16 volts, "without" signal distortion, output power problems, or transceiver reset when voltage drops below 12 volts (low voltage creates lost of your memory contents).

You can conduct a simple test on your radio input voltage by putting a voltmeter between the battery and your radio. Make sure you are not charging your battery while conducting this test. Watch the voltmeter while you key the PTT with the radio on High Power and and watch the voltage drop below 11 volts. 

You may purchase this from MFJ.
MFJ link: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-4416B

HRO has free shipping, no sales tax, cost is $149.95
HRO LINK: http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-008745 
 

P-1 Portable Tripod with a NMO antenna mount.

This is a great Field Day or ARES setup.

It will allow you to utilize any of your existing antennas.

It may be setup on a table, roof top or on uneven ground.

It has 24 inch- 3 position legs for very stable setup

It has 1/4 inch male spade connection for counterpoise. (left leg near the NMO antenna mount)

All Aluminum Construction with Delrin Leg clamps.

Closed length is 12 inches. Very compact to store with your kit.

You can purchase this at Blue Star Antenna LTD in Palatka FL.
There link is: http://bluestarantennas.com/sales//catalog/product_info.php?products_id=414 cost is $49.95 plus shipping.
 

The antenna on the P-1 Tripod is a Diamond SG-7900A with UHF connector that mounts to the SO-239 adapter.

The SG-7900A is 2m/70cm with a  5/7.6 gain, antenna height is 62".

This is a good dual band antenna to be used inside the shelter set on a table in front of a window.

With the 5 dbi gain and a HT set at 5 watts will be very effective.

We have check the SWR's on the tripod at 50 watts and it was less than 1.5-1.

This is a Tram NMO to SO-239 adapter, HRO SKU # is TRAM 1296. Cost is $9.99. AES cost is  $21.99 for a Comet adapter.

You can also get a NMO to 3/8 X 24 adapter for $9.99 at HRO. SKU # TRAM 1295

This will allow you to utilize any of your existing antennas.

Link to HRO  http://www.hamradio.com/detail.cfm?pid=H0-001411

You can email Mike @ N1RFD should you have any questions on his kit.

Most frequently ask questions

• What are the top and bottom mounting plates made of?   1/4" Oak 2'x2' paneling sold at Lowe's Hardware stores.

• What type and size hardware did you use?   Number 6 and number 10 Stainless machine screws

• What holds the bottom plate in?   Industrial Velcro to enable the bottom plate to be removed if necessary

• The plastic cutting board was purchased at Walmart. It is the biggest board that they have in stock.
   

Be sure to check out Rick's page in Oahu Hawaii

Rick KH7O made this nice go-kit using a Pelican 1450 case with a rail kit.

Rick lives on the island of Oahu in Hawaii and is a Red Cross disaster responder for emergency communications, and he maintains APRS wide area digipeaters that connects both Oahu and Kauai Civil Defense agencies. Rick is a former  communication officer for the Dept of Emergency Management (DEM). 

Rick's group is the UFN and consist of a dozen or so members from the 70's who are all technical background from broadcast engineers to Two way radio companies of General Electric Company, LMR and Motorola. Members are now spread out in California, Las Vegas and other parts of the world where they maintain communications by Echolink.

You can email Rick @ KH7O should you have any questions on his kit.

Please visit Rick's web page on his and other go-kits being built in Hawaii @ http://www.hawaiirepeaters.net/radiokit/black/rick.html

Here is a inexpensive case, it's good looking, and durable.

Harbor Freight has a aluminum case on sale for $24.99 Regular $29.99 Item # 39196.

EMCOMM operators are using these cases for Go-Kits (see image below). I'm using this case for our second Go-Kit for our club. Its almost the same size as the Pelican 1520 case.

Dimension is 18"W x 12-3/4"D x 6"H  You can make two 3" compartments with the 6" vertical space

It has Aluminum trim around the corners and you can lock this case.

This will make you an excellent Go-Kit case and looks sharp when you walk into the shelter or a served agency.

http://www.harborfreight.com/18-inch-x-12-3-4-quarter-inch-x-6-inch-aluminum-case-39196.html

This is a Harbor Freight case used for a Go-Kit, picture Courtesy KE7HLR.

As a Volunteer EmComm Operator, Your Mission is:   Mission of a EmComm Communicator

North Brevard Amateur Radio Club is a nonprofit educational organization under IRS Part 501(c)3
All contributions are tax-deductible