Some folks enjoy operating out of an amateur radio shack, but I prefer to be mobile--in a vehicle or on foot--and my equipment must support this lifestyle. This manpackable ham radio kit, based on a Condor Pack Insert, allows me to keep a ready-to-use kit (or almost ready, if I need to set up an HF antenna) on the shelf, waiting for deployment to a backpack, vehicle, or disaster response operation.
So it's a go-box without the box.
Designed to be part of a larger modular system including photography and shooting equipment, I can easily customize my equipment for each day's activities. With this radio manpack, I can operate on 70cm/2m/6m with it in a backpack while I'm hiking, or 70cm/2m in a vehicle, without taking it out of the Insert. And I can add the 1.25m band at 25W if I substite the UV-25X4 for the FT-818ND.
Or I can switch my backpack from ham radio mode to wildlife photography simply by swapping out the inserts, with no need to dig through the pack and sort individual items that need to go on each trip. Same for a day at the range--my weather gear, water and snacks, and safety equipment remain in the pack. Simple, modular, efficient.
Design Criteria:
Complete package, including antenna tuner, LiFePO4 battery charger, admin (manuals, paper, pens), etc., in one easy grab-and-go kit. I don't consider the antenna itself as part of this kit, mainly because antennas are so dependent on user preference and on each day's activities. A Packtenna would fit in the accessory pouches, but discussing all the antenna options would quickly bring this page beyond the scope I intended for this project.
Flexible components, so I can trade out the FT-818ND with the 25W UV-25X4 (see my install) for a more powerful VHF/UHF option, or trade out the Bioenno battery with the Pyramid 50W power supply for use inside.
Modular package that's ready-to-use in different configurations--including at a table, in a vehicle, or out of a backpack--with very little setup. Also fits with other modular kits, like my photograpy pack inserts, so I can easily take either or both on a short-notice trip.
Durable enough of a package to put it in a backpack or vehicle for travel. I'm willing to trade some durability for mobility, so a Pelican case or similar is more than I want.
Minimal Setup. I want a complete package that I can use on VHF/UHF from the pack, on the move, because it's already set up. And be able to use it on HF frequencies simply by setting up the antenna, without taking the Insert completely out of the pack. For vehicle operations, I should be able to use it simply by connecting the appropriate antenna.
I found a few products that almost met my radio needs while looking for photography gear, but nothing was quite what I wanted. The F-Stop Tilopa is one example: 3050 cubic inch (50L) capacity, true load carrying suspension, padded protection for sensitive gear, and acceptable organization options. And I like how the pack is accessed on the back panel, which is a good if I need to set the pack down on wet ground to get inside. (It's meant to be a theft deterrent during urban travels.) But sometimes I only need a daypack and sometimes I take my gear on a weekend backpacking trip; I want to pick my pack based on my activity and not on the gear I'll carry inside it. And I don't want to have to re-pack everything for each trip. So I like the idea of this pack but the execution of it doesn't match my style. It just isn't modular enough.
So I continued my search until I found the Condor Pack Insert. It's designed to mate with the Condor line of assault packs, but I already have the 5.11 Rush 12 and it makes a great daypack, so that's what I'll use it with for now. This pack is an important part of the modular kit I'm building because I also ordered the Hazard4 Evac Photo Insert. Now I can leave the pack set up with basics (water, snacks, jacket, first aid, etc.) and just swap out the radio/photography/shooting range insert depending on what I'm doing that day.
Pic 2: Ready to Operate
Pic 3: Ready to Move
Pic 4: In 5.11 RUSH 12 Pack
So keep reading and check out the details...it's a pretty simple install and has no permanent modifications. Like my other projects, there's a full parts list, and links with pics at the end of the instructions. And for transparency, sometimes links like the Amazon and eBay ones are affiliate links, meaning I'll earn a small fee if you buy something from there...but it doesn't change your costs at all because it comes from their advertizing budgets. It helps pay hosting costs for the page.
Here are the basic parts for this project. I'll put links with pics at the end of the article.
Parts:
Condor Pack Insert, the foundation of the manpack (besides the electronics, of course).
Ninepeak 4" wide Velcro to stick the radio to the Condor Pack Insert. (You can also use the Extreme Outdoor Velcro if you want to stick it to the radio.
Extreme Outdoor Velcro (4"x2" Strips) to stick the battery to the Condor Pack Insert. If you're sticking the velcro onto the radio too, you might as well get the 10'x1" Roll because it'll cost about the same and you'll have plenty left over for other projects.
Velcro One-Wrap for cable management, and to act as strain relief for the Elecraft T1 ATU.
The first step is to plan how you will organize your components. A few things to consider include easy access to manipulate the radio and tuner, cable management (like not putting strain on the connectors), and method of securing the equipment. I tried several different layouts, assembling and disassembling and reassembling until I found something that worked for the equipment I will use most often--so it's kind of trial and error until you find something you like.
Pic 6 shows the basic parts of the Condor pack insert available to work with. Pic 7 shows the layout I settled on, but 27-32 down the page show some other layouts based on different gear.
Step Two: Velcro the Radio to the Condor Pack Insert
For this step, you can just stick the outdoor velcro onto the bottom of the radio. But since I have the Portable Zero Escort Rails to protect the radio (see install page), I used the rails to hold the velcro in place. I just sewed a small strip of loop side to radio-width piece of hook velcro, threaded it through the rails, and then doubled it back onto itself. Now the radio can stick to the Condor insert's loop panel.
Then just stick it onto the panel at your chosen location.
Pic 9 shows the Escort Rails with the folding stand stowed against the velcro, which causes some of the velcro to be held away from the insert when installed. This has not been a problem for me so far; even with the stand folded, the velcro holds the radio securely to the panel. I have decided to keep the stand attached so I can elevate the radio's face when I use this kit on a tabletop.
If you prefer a stronger velcro connection over the option to elevate the face, just remove the stand. The Escort Rails still have a small protrusion on the bottom of each rail, where the stand attaches, but this will barely affect the velcro's ability to hold the radio in place.
Step Three: Velcro the Battery to the Condor Pack Insert
I used two primary considerations for deciding how to attach the battery: cable management, and how the insert will close. For the first, I wanted to reduce any strain on the cables where they exit the battery's shrink wrap. So I situated the battery so they would be right against the velcro.
For the second, the 6Ah Bioenno is exactly the size of the Condor insert's bottom panel (see Pic 11), so I chose to put the battery snug against the bottom panel. The cables are exactly the right size to put the battery here; any shorter and it wouldn't fit well.
Note that I have the SOTA Beams Anderson Powerpole Adapter installed onto the Yaesu's power port. This makes the power connect much more durable and convenient.
If you want a different setup, you might need to buy a powerpole extension cable. When I was first experimenting with this setup, I used the Anderson fused jumper to extend the reach. This worked ok, but I didn't need the fuses so they kind of got in the way. I do keep them in the accessory pouches in this kit, though, in case I need to use an untested power source in the field.
Power is a modular component in this kit, and several options will fit into the Condor insert.
Bench Power
These photos show the Pyramid 50W A/C-to-12V Power Supply (2.5A, 13.8V), which is also the exact height of insert's bottom panel. It is large enough that I have to remove the bottom mesh accessory pocket, though. And if I want to include the tuner, I need to slide the radio over to the side far enough that I can't leave the mic attached. Not a huge compromise if I need to operate from a tabletop somewhere, like on a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) activation.
Pic 12: Bench Power
Pic 13: Insert Closed
Pic 14: Insert Closed
Changing Batteries
This setup allows the user to quickly change batteries when one is drained, substitute a smaller battery if I want to go lighter or add additional components, etc. Here are some pics comparing the 6Ah Bioenno LiFePO4 battery with the 4.5Ah version.
Pic 15: 6Ah and 4.5Ah Bioennos
Pic 16: 4.5Ah Battery Setup
Pic 17: Different 4.5Ah Option
Pic 18: Includes Microphone
Here's what the closed insert looks like with the 4.5Ah Bioenno. The accessory packs are what's making it bulge over the radio.
Step Four: Velcro the Antenna Tuner to the Condor Pack Insert
Next, stick the velcro to the Electraft antenna tuner. Be sure to leave a gap so you can change out the battery. As Pics 21-23 show, I chose not to put any velcro on the battery cover to lessen the chance of the battery cover being damaged when I pull the tuner off the velcro.
Pic 23 shows a neat feature on the Electraft. The battery compartment is shaped so you can flip the 9V battery around backwards, and store it so the terminals are not connected to any circuit. No battery drainage or corrosion while in storage, and it's always right where you need it when you're ready to use it again--just flip it around and insert it correctly.
I discuss cables and adapters in the next section.
Pic 21: Velcro on Elecraft T1
Pic 22: Velcro on Elecraft
Pic 23: Battery in Storage Mode
For this build, I wanted to ensure I could recharge everything for operation--but I also wanted to miniaturize the components. The Electraft T1 is smaller than the LDG z817 tuner, but the z817 uses AA batteries (which are easy to recharge) and the T1 uses a 9V battery, which I thought would be harder to recharge. Then I found these Delipow 9V Lithium Ion batteries that are rechargeable from a USB outlet! Now I can have a small tuner and be able to recharge the batteries with my normal kit. (I'm transitioning most of my powered accessories to Anderson Powerpoles, and I bought this Powerpole-to-USB cable to I can run any USB device from any of my power sources. I keep this cable in one of the accessory pouches in this manpack.)
I bought the two-pack, which comes with a plastic case sized perfectly to hold one battery and the USB charging cable in the accessory pouch, while the other battery is installed in the tuner.
The Manpack also works with the larger LDG z817 Antenna Tuner; some options are shown below. I used the Spider elastic attachment by Portable Zero, so the radio and tuner are quite a bit thicker than the Elecraft T1 option. This means I took off two of the accessory pouches.
If I use the z817 and the bench power supply, there's basically no room for accessories inside the insert.
Pics 26 and 30 show the accessory side of the panel folded under the insert, giving better access to the radio and tuner for operation.
Pics 29-32 show one of the insert's elastic panels used for cable management.
Step Five: Connect Cables and Install Cable Management
This is really part of Step One when you determine the layout, because cables play a role in where you can situate the components. Specifically, you need enough room between components to avoid stressing the connectors, and you need to ensure some kind of strain relief so manipulating the equipment doesn't pull the cables, resulting in strain on the connectors.
Pic 32 shows how I used the Condor insert's elastic panels to deal with the thicker and longer cables (plus the data cable) that came with the z817. But when I decided to go with the Electraft T1, I ended up ordering shorter cables with the right-angle connectors included. These took a while in shipment but it really simplified the setup.
I used Velcro One-Strap for some minor strain relief; it's basically a velcro strap with the same kind hook/loop on both sides, so it sticks to itself. I just made a loop and then put another strip through it that sticks to the insert panel. It's not very strong but it does provide a little bit of protection for the Electraft's fittings.
The next step is to install the accessory pouches that come with the Condor Pack Insert. All accessories have hook backing to stick onto the loop panel at any location. It comes with two windowed pouches with velcro closures, and one velcro-closure pouch with a mesh front instead of the plastic window. It also comes with two panels that have weaves of elastic straps. I use these for cable management in my first experiments, but found that I did not need them...so they are unused in this project.
How you organize the accessory pouches depends on which accessories you want to include. Some of these accessories are organized and linked below the pics.
Remember that pouches need to be pretty thin if you want the insert to close flat. Since the Bioenno 6Ah battery is exactly the size of the insert's bottom panel, I can't put anything in the pouch on that side. But since the battery doesn't cover the whole width of the insert, I can put the microphone into the pouch at the bottom. I velcro the cable on the battery side of the microphone to keep the mic from sliding around.
Pic 34: Three Accessory Pouches
Pic 35: Detail of Velcro
Pic 36: Detail of Pouch Size
Power:
Bioenno charger. (LeFePO4 and Lithium Ion batteries take special chargers.)
Anderson Powerpole accessories: fused jumper, cross-jumper, Powerpole cigarette lighter adapters (male and female), etc.
And that's it...done! Here are a few more pics of the kit, open and closed.
Pic 37
Pic 38
Pic 39
Pic 40
Pic 41: Closing the Loops
Modular Option: Haley Strategic Flatpack Plus
A major reason I designed the insert to be modular is so I can easily switch the Yaesu 818 to a different pack or to a vehicle, or so I can switch a different radio (like the UV-25X4) to the insert. Here are some example setups of the FT-818ND in the Haley Strategic Flatpack Plus. I like this because the Flatpack Plus small enough to hold only the essentials if I don't want to take the insert (or if I'm using the insert for a different purpose), and it has MOLLE webbing on the back so I can attach it to a larger backpack and still have easy access to the radio without unpacking the backpack.
I like the Flatpack Plus because the front panel unzips all the way open (unlike the cheaper, original Flatpack) and, more importantly, the inner panel is made from heavy duty velcro so I can stick the components directly onto the pack.
Pic 1 below shows the radio attached to the Flatpack Plus just like it's attached to the Condor insert--I just pulled it off the insert and pressed it onto the Flatpack. The Elecraft fits beside it, but I needed the longer 20" UHF male to right-angle BNC female cable to make it work. (It wraps around the radio, which relieves stress on the cable and connectors.) I'm also using the smaller 4.5Ah Bioenno here.
Pic 2 is very similar, but I put the battery and tuner in the Haley Strategic Evike Top Insert Bag--Small (fancy name for small accessory pouch with hook velcro on the back). This way you don't need to stick hook velcro on your battery and tuner.
Flatpack 1: Components on Flatpack
Flatpack 2: With Small Pouch
Pic 3 shows the battery and tuner stuck onto the velcro, and the small Evike pouch stuck on the bottom of the pack to hold accessories.
Flatpack 3: Small Accessory Pouch
Pics 4 and 5 show the radio, tuner, and battery in the Large Evike pouch, and the small Evike pouch on the bottom with accessories. It would be feasible to avoid putting any velcro on the radio components and use it this way, but the parts might move around inside the pack.
It's worth noting that the Evike pouches also have velcro inside them, so the components in these pics won't move around at all because they've velcroed to the Evike pouches themselves, and then the pouches are velcroed to the Flatpack's internal panel.
