[BC] Odd Toolkits

[Xmitters at aol.com]

In a message dated 3/8/2009 1:20:27 AM Central Daylight Time, 
broadcast-request at radiolists.net writes:

> >     I'm going to work with a backpack, snowshoes, campstove and survival
> > blankets this morning. What kind of "odd toolkits" do some of the rest of
> > you carry?
> 
>    On real cold mornings a sweater.
> -- 
>     Ron  KA4INM - around here the government employees have become quite 
> skilled at taking
>                   every opportunity to TAX and it shows.  (while giving very 
> poor service)
> 
> 
> 

Dave:

 Are you looking for a survival kit for yourself, or a toolkit to get you out 
of those tough jams at a remote site? If you're a transmitter guy like me, I 
suggest you have the following:

Have a good supply of every practical size and length of brass screws, 
washers, nuts up to about 1/4-20.

Get one of those neat crank up radio/spotlight thingies for the back 
pack/car.

Lock Deicer if you live in an area that has tough winter/freezing 
temperatures.

A good set of wheel pullers if you need to pull the blade assembly when 
replacing a blower motor.

There are some really neat Phillips and flat blade screwdriver heads in a 
small ratchet handle. Very handy for tight quarters. 

A small mirror on a telescoping handle. There are two common kinds; round and 
rectangular. Get both. Also have a larger round mirror like what the wife 
uses for installing her make-up. Sometimes, you have to be able to see around 
corners. Plus, you might have to pretty yourself up, if you're chosen on short 
notice to be keynote speaker at the next SBE.

Have plenty of flashlights; some you leave at the site, one or two for your 
toolbag. Have a variety of sizes. get one of those that you shake before it 
lights up so you're not burned by dead batteries. Find one of those lights that 
can attach to darned near anything, and stay put; Snakelight or similar device.

have a bolt splitter set, or something else specifically used to cut a frozen 
stainless steel flange bolt. (one of my associates has a Dremel tool  for 
this. OK if you're close to AC source) Be prepared.

There are bolts used to hold the bullet into the "inner" of 3" and other 
hardline elbows. Make sure you have the required Allen wrench(es) to get this bolt 
out. 

Spanner wrenches, yes, yes.

There are some nice tools out there for removing screws where the heads have 
snapped off. get one. 

Have a variety of sizes of right-angle screwdrivers; the ones with the drive 
head at a 90 degree angle. The ratchet style mentioned earlier has 
limitations. 

A complete set of "stubby" screwdrivers. We are rarely, if ever,  faced with 
having "too much" room to work inside a transmitter :-)  Those stubbies are 
life savers!

General rules about screwdrivers: Always get the ones with the black tempered 
tip, and always get ones with a rubber grip; that will give you more torque. 
Throw away all plastic-only screwdrivers UNLESS they are the pickle handle 
type; fat in the middle. Those straight, skinny plastic handle screwdrivers will 
rip the skin off your hand when attempting to remove stubborn screws.  If you 
prefer the pickle handle grip rather than the rubber, then get whatever is 
most comfortable for you. Be prepared for the worst by having good tools.

At least two diddle sticks like the ones that shipped with the Orban 8100. 
Best darned tuning tool I've ever owned! Thanks, Bob :-)

A fold-up set of Allen wrenches. get US and Metric sizes. Also have a 
complete set of individual Allen wrenches. Sometimes the fold-up set does not work 
because the holder gets in the way. The fold-up assortments are nice as a backup 
if you lose a size from the individual set. Get some long Tee-handled Allen 
wrenches if you have the space. 

A magnet on the end of a telescoping handle to get into those small places. 

A mechanical finger. The kind that has the four claws that come out when you 
push on the syringe type handle. 

Spare, charged battery for your cellphone. 

A Telephone Company type portable test telephone set. In an emergency where 
there's no cell service, I would bust into the nearest telephone pedestal in a 
microsecond. Main purpose of course is, they are handy for signal tracing 
analog audio environments.

A set of bolt cutters to keep in your vehicle, strong enough to easily get 
through any size padlock on the gate at any of your remote sites. Would also be 
good to have spare padlocks so you can "lock back up" for the time being. 

A complete set of RF adaptors. You could either buy a prepackaged 
professional set that gets from any connector to any other, or you could go nuts at Radio 
Shack. I tend to need more than one copy of several adaptors. This gets 
expensive if you go the route of the professional adaptor kits. I therefore go the 
Radio Shack or parts supplier route.

A full set of common hand tools is assumed.

Finally, drum roll please, at least a half dozen or more of the Excelite 
"greenie" screwdrivers. I keep two with my other tools, and one in the bottom 
every equipment rack. I also have one in my car. 

I have one transmitter site that has lots of equipment and subsystems. My 
policy to have backup hand tools for the commonly needed items; covers my butt 
for the next time if I walk out of the building with a screwdriver or wire 
cutters in my pocket, etc. My smaller sites all have their own modest tool kit.

Dave, I've never had the fun associated with maintaining a mountain top, or 
remote located transmitter site, so I cannot identify with the challenges 
associated therewith. In Illinois, a "remotely located site" is one that is more 
than two corn fields away from a primary state, or county highway :-) I live a 
very sheltered life.

The list I've given you here, represents all the items I've missed having at 
one time or another, over my three decades of experience.

I've saved myself a lot of agony after stocking my site with these items 
mentioned. don't know that you would classify any of these items as odd, but they 
sure are helpful :-)

Hope this helps, or at least gets you closer to the answer you need.  

Jeff Glass
WNIU WNIJ
Dell 2650 Win2000 AOL 7.0