Technology Managers' Forum
Your Onsite "Go Bag" - what's in it?
Okay, technicians and managers - let's play a "desert island" game.
The scenario:
You get called to a client's location for a maintenance call. The client is facing numerous issues that need to be solved, and they can only give a few specifics over the phone, but the work is mission-critical. Time is of the essence. You have only a little bit of time to get to the site and, once there, you only have a small amount of time before the site is no longer accessible to you.
Your bag can only hold 6 items. What is in your bag as you walk out the door?
Six items that is a challenge. Cable+Network Tester with tone probe, multimeter, lineman pliers, Impact Rated Multi-Bit Screwdriver / Nut Driver, 11-in-1, soldering iron, and a knife.
I like Jeremiah's response. I always keep a multi-tool with knife and pliers in my pocket, so I would leave the knife and pliers out of the bag. Since bag size wasn't mentioned, I would drop in a laptop and a multi-head USB cable along with the net tester/toner, multimeter, 11-in-1, and the driver.
@Jeremiah Butrum and @Tim Dickson - Thanks for responding!
And yes, I did leave the bag size open, huh? :)
I had a Macbook Pro I would carry around as my Swiss Army knife computer as well.
The knife and drivers were somewhat taken care of by a Leatherman multitool at my museum job. And zip-ties+gaffers tape were always onhand.
So I would say:
Cable + network tester
Macbook Pro
Multitool
Zip ties
Gaffers Tape
Cell phone w/ hotspot
Multitool
Digital Multimeter
Spare cables and connectors
Laptop with the necessary software
Signal Tester and Generator
Mobile phone with internet hotspot
@Marc Marsocci ! Awesome, thank you! What's tricky is the cables and connectors might count as more than one item... hmmm... any go-tos?
Would it count as one item if all the cables were gaffers taped together? :)
@leon prather PS I love this new platform for discussing audiovisual and information communication topics. This was very much needed. Great job to you all!
A great discussion topic ! Thank you @Leon Prather !
For me, I am keeping in my laptop bag a multimeter and the nice EXTRON screw driver and 1 meter patch cord. those items very helpful for the troubleshooting.
Thanks for sharing @Mohannad Mousa, CTS ! Also tagging @TS Gopalakrishnan, CTS-D, CTS-I to suggest on what are 5 essentials he thinks must be in an AV professional's bag!
Hmmm...Been quite some time since i actually carried one to a site - but if i may add it would certainly include Testing instrument (usually specific based on project / install - a fox and hound kit surely if troubleshooting hdmi video), Allen key kit (we always forget that one particular key!), Swiss handy tool kit (Certainly not when i have to fly without check-in baggage), USB drive with key project documentation and my converter kit (i have a small pouch with passive converters (audio). Needless to say my phone with a many useful apps in it and laptop will always be there.
Laptop with crossover LAN cable and micro USB cable - for diagnosis, testing and if the issue is device based they could just use my laptop to get them through the session.
Socket and see power tester / multimeter - many issues are related to power
Wera Tool Check plus - this little kit lives in my toolbag and is the best £75 I've spent on tools. Can do pretty much anything except live electrics with this (and I'm not going to do live electrics anyway, so...)
Flush cut snips
Spare HDMI cable
Spare batteries
1. Laptop
2. Multi-head Screwdriver
3. Network Cable Tester/Toner
4. Strippers/crimpers
5. RJ45 ends
6. Client's Documentation (probably on laptop so does it count?)
6B. Headlamp.
Great though experiment; what's critical, and what gives you a sense of confidence going to site.
It is interesting to see what we all are thinking. There are quite a few similarities. I think we can all agree that that network tester is a must-have!