FT-891 + DigiRig Go Box Checklist: Complete HF & FT8 Portable Setup Guide

Build Name: ____________________________ Date: ____________
Case: ☐ 2U Rack ☐ 3U Rack ☐ Hard Case Use: ☐ POTA ☐ EmComm ☐ Travel ☐ Home/Portable FT8

1) CORE RADIO GEAR

☐ Yaesu FT-891 HF/6m transceiver
☐ Hand mic (MH-31 or equivalent)
☐ FT-891 power cable (factory or upgraded)
☐ Spare fuses (radio + power leads)

2) ENCLOSURE + MOUNTING

☐ Rack bag/case (2U or 3U) or hard case
☐ Rack shelf / mounting plate (proper depth + clearance)
☐ Rack screws + washers + lock nuts
☐ Anti-vibration pads / industrial Velcro / isolation material

3) POWER SYSTEM (GO-BOX GRADE)

☐ Powerpole fused distribution panel (preferred)
☐ Inline MAIN fuse at battery input (critical)
☐ Master power switch (optional)
☐ Voltage meter (panel or inline)
☐ 10–12 AWG DC wire (red/black)
☐ Powerpole connectors (15/30/45A)
☐ Powerpole crimper tool
☐ Ring terminals + heat shrink

4) BATTERY / PORTABLE POWER

☐ 12.8V LiFePO₄ 20–30Ah (recommended range)
☐ LiFePO₄ charger (matched spec)
☐ Battery mount/strap (if internal)
☐ External battery quick-connect Powerpole lead

5) ANTENNA / RF CONNECTIONS

☐ SO-239 bulkhead connector (go-box exterior)
☐ Short internal coax jumper (PL-259 ⇄ PL-259)
☐ Strain relief clamp / cable gland
☐ Field coax (RG-8X or better)
☐ Minimal adapter kit (as needed): __________________________

6) TUNER (OPTIONAL — HIGHLY RECOMMENDED)

☐ mAT-30 (compact go-box choice) OR ☐ mAT-180H (more forgiving)
☐ Coax jumper: radio → tuner
☐ Coax jumper: tuner → bulkhead/output

7) DIGITAL MODES (FT8) — DIGIRIG PACKAGE

☐ DigiRig Mobile
☐ DigiRig FT-891 radio cable
☐ Quality USB cable: laptop → DigiRig
☐ Laptop / mini PC
☐ WSJT-X installed
☐ Optional: JS8Call ☐ Winlink ☐

8) RFI / STABILITY (RECOMMENDED FOR FT8)

☐ Ferrites on USB cable
☐ Ferrites on DC power leads
☐ Ferrites on audio/mic/speaker (optional)
☐ Bonding strap / braid (optional)

9) AUDIO / MONITORING

☐ External comm speaker (optional)
☐ Headphones/earbuds (optional)
☐ Mic clip/hanger (optional)

10) COOLING (OPTIONAL)

☐ Slim 12V fan + grill (optional)
☐ Airflow clearance verified (no blocked vents)

11) CABLE MANAGEMENT / FINISHING

☐ Heat shrink assortment
☐ Labels / label maker tape
☐ Zip ties + adhesive mounts
☐ Split loom / wire wrap
☐ Rubber grommets (pass-through holes)
☐ Blue Loctite (hardware)

✅ FT8 “READY TO OPERATE” FINAL CHECK

☐ WSJT-X Test CAT = PASS
☐ WSJT-X Test PTT = PASS
☐ Time synced (FT8 requires accurate clock)
☐ RX level ~30–60 dB in WSJT-X
☐ TX power set ~25–50W to start
☐ ALC minimal (do not overdrive)
☐ Antenna tuned/matched + connections secure

Notes: ________________________________________________________________