The HamPack

One of the most enjoyable parts of the amateur radio (or “ham radio”) hobby for me is the feeling of self-reliance. I like knowing that in the event of an emergency, or a situation where grid-supplied power, phone service, and/or internet access have been knocked out, I still have the ability to communicate with others.

Now granted, I do have home base units that are not set up to operate without grid power, but I also have multiple ways to communicate using battery and/or solar power.

One of the ways I’m doing this is with something I’m calling the HamPack.

The inspiration for this came from a gentleman I follow on Instagram named Corbin Neville (@corbinneville84), who started making and selling something he calls the “Man Pack.” He’s had great success with them, and I was instantly fascinated by the idea. I thought to myself, “You know what? I bet I could build one of these myself.” So I hit the drawing board and got to work.

Corbin was very friendly and shared some information with me about the gear he was using in his setup. I really appreciated him taking the time to do that.

The HamPack is a complete 30-watt dual-band (2m & 70cm) ham radio setup powered entirely by battery. Best of all, it’s all contained within a lightweight, easy-to-transport backpack that still has plenty of room left for other gear.

I deviated slightly from Corbin’s setup and tailored mine specifically to fit my own wants and needs. I performed a beta test with the first version during a trip to Catalina Island, California, over Memorial Day weekend. My goal was to make contact with either the 2m or 70cm repeater located at Elsinore Peak in Lake Elsinore, California—approximately 60 miles away.

For the initial setup, I used a QYT KT-8900R. I really like this radio; it’s compact, solidly built, and packs one heck of a punch. I already have one installed in my truck and I’m currently working on installing another in my daily driver.

I ordered a Signal Stick antenna from Signal Stuff, but unfortunately it didn’t arrive in time for the trip. So, I improvised and borrowed the “rubber duck” antenna from my Yaesu FT-65: a 15.6-inch Nagoya NA-771. It wasn’t ideal, but I had a test to perform and made do with what I had.

Even with the temporary antenna setup, I was able to successfully make contact with both repeaters and had several conversations with my dad while on the island. Right away, I noticed two major drawbacks with my setup: there was no speaker in the microphone, which made audio difficult to hear at times, and anytime I wanted to adjust the volume or change the channel/frequency, I had to remove and open the backpack. Not the end of the world, but I wanted maximum convenience.

I jumped on Amazon and stumbled across the ABBREE AR-7600, a radio with the display and all controls built directly into the handheld microphone. Put simply, it’s basically a handy talky tethered to a 30-watt amplifier. It seemed perfect for what I was trying to accomplish, so I ordered one.

By the time I got home from my trip, both the radio and my Signal Stick antenna were waiting for me on the porch. I programmed the radio, hooked up the new antenna, and within minutes I was standing in my driveway successfully making contact with a repeater roughly 40 miles away. For reference, I was unable to hit that repeater from my driveway using the rubber duck antenna, so major props to the Signal Stick.

Another perk of the Signal Stick is that it’s made from nitinol superelastic wire, meaning it’s extremely difficult to break or permanently deform, which is perfect for something strapped to the outside of a backpack. It also makes it very easy to stow away when not in use.

I had to redesign the MOLLE mount to work with the antenna I chose for my setup. I uploaded it to Thingiverse (link below) and made it available for anyone who would like to download it.

Not counting the cost of the 3D-printed bracket, I have about $250 invested in this. Below is a list of everything I used to put together the HamPack.

IMPORTANT NOTES!

You will need to make a counterpoise for the antenna using a 20-inch piece of 14–16 gauge wire and some type of connector to attach it to the base of the antenna. I used a ring terminal for a clean, polished look.

If you do not have access to a 3D printer, I can print and ship them to you! Check out the Ham Part's page for more info.

HAM PARTS