hey i just took the time to open up my PSK and write an inventory:
Black rubber bands on outside of box
Black nylon strap attached to box
Steel carabiner on strap
Yellow nylon strap w/ buckle to hold box shut
2” x 2” sterile gauze pad
Wound white cloth medical tape
Paper: “Instant Guide to 1st Aid”
Bacitracin Zinc ointment packet
Packet: Motrin [contains 2 tablets]
Tube: Foille ointment
Glass applicator tube of iodine
Ammonia smelling salt
Butterfly closure bandage
Curad 2.25” x 3.5” bandage
3M steri-strip
2” x 3” strips duct tape
Thin white nylon line
Wire saw w/ string pull loops
Thin coated twisted steel cable
1 Liter clear plastic water bag
Needles, various sizes
Round magnet
Safety pins
Small metal compass
Fishing kit: 2 swivels; 4 split shot; 2 large, 4 medium, 8 small hooks
Monofilament fishing line on spool
Steel wire
“punk” firestarter
Iodine water purification tablets
Schrade SS1 folding knife
White LED Princeton Tec light
Match striking strips
Flint wheel sparkers
Straight razor blade
Sterile surgical scalpel blades
Sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil
Heavy duty black nylon thread
Blue transparent whistle
Cotton fluff in foil
Waterproof lifeboat matches
Waterproof strike anywhere matches

I decided that it was probably more realistic to focus on first aid with this. the whole thing is in the smallest otter box in high-visibility yellow with reflective tape on it. is there anything i'm missing?
ps i was thinking a morse code key would be useful, but haven't added it yet

>>2” x 2” sterile gauze pad

From personal experience, a single 2" x 2" gauze pad won't do much for anything beyond a small, probably superficial injury. Even a simple case of road rash will require a minimum of 2 4"x4" pads - more if you expect to change the dressing.

>>Tube: Foille ointment

I'm not familiar with Foille ointment - what's it used for?

>>Glass applicator tube of iodine
>>Ammonia smelling salt

I'd lose the smelling salts, personally - we don't teach that in First Aid and I can't think of a reason I'd ever want to use them. Plus, if it ruptures, then your entire kit is contaminated with ammonia.

>>Round magnet

Again, just out of curiosity, what use do you foresee for this?

>>a morse code key

I wouldn't bother with that unless you planned to use it anyway, e.g. for mobile hamming. In an emergency, you should be able to jury-rig a key if necessary (it's just a simple contact switch, after all). If you're planning on carrying a small SW ham radio, and you really want a morse key for it, I'd consider getting one of the small credit-card size iambic paddles.

>>I decided that it was probably more realistic to focus on first aid with this.

My humble advice is to think about the type of first aid you will most likely need to be performing. My personal philosophy when it comes to FA is that I'd rather have lots of what I'm likely to need, rather than have one each of everything that I might *possibly* need.

>>2” x 2” sterile gauze pad
I´d add more of those

>>Ammonia smelling salt
>>Butterfly closure bandage
I´d ditch both items. The use of smelling salt is no longer allowed around here (I had to take them out of our unit´s first aid kits about ten years ago). Wound closure may not be a good idea for first aid.

>>Steel wire
I´d suggest to use stainless steel wire. It will not rust if it gets wet.

>>i was thinking a morse code key would be useful
If it´s a cheat sheet sheet it can´t hurt having it.

I´d suggest to add at least a pair of latex or vinyl gloves to prevent infection and keep your hands clean when dealing with bleeding wounds.

Well, I will mention the unmentionable. I have not seen it included in any of the FAKs, but a few weeks ago it would have been a welcomed addition to one of my hiking companion's kits.
Preparation H, or some form of hemorrhoid ointment. One in our group had to cut short his trip due to the issue.
It is most likely up to each individual to take care of thier own personal areas, but had one of us packed some type of ointment for this problem, we all would have had to put up with less [censored] and complaining and our friend would have been able to finish the hike with us.
No doubt a "free giveawy" when required, replace after each use.

Happy New Year!

thanks for your responses. here are mine:
as to butterfly bandages, i can't imagine going without them. i have had a knife cut bandaged with one while camping, and i have also 'saved the day' with one of these from the kit once or twice.
i don't think gloves are going to work, because one pair would take up about half the volume of the box.
i'll take you guys' advice on the smelling salt.
i'd add more guaze, but nothing bigger fits (maybe cloth can be used if needed).
the Foille Ointment is old stuff, probably not around anymore. it is labelled as an analgesic and antiseptic for burns and cuts.
i decided to add the magnet for 2 reasons: it holds the needles neatly in the kit; if the crap compass i have [couldn't find anything better] fails, it can be used to make one out of a needle.
for the morse code key, i had imagined it being more likely to be used with light rather than radio, but perhaps even that is unrealistic. anyways, it's just a piece of paper, no reason not to have it.

a side note: after i wrote that post, i tested it again for buoyancy because i had changed some things. what i found is pretty funny: the box floats, but with the addition of the steel carabiner on the strap, it does not. when i went back to a weaker (but lighter) aluminum one, it floated. i'm glad i checked--it's funny to imagine the box being pulled under by the carabiner on the end of the strap.

thanks for your interest guys

Everett, I think the confusion over the Morse Code Key is due terminology. Amateur radio operators refer to a "key" as the piece of equipment used to generate the tones (dah-dit) heard on the radio. The thing that the telegraph operator tapped furiously in the old movies, that is a key. I understand that you want to include a list of the Morse code characters, correct?
You are right, it won't take any room in your kit, and if it helps your confidence in an emergency situation, priceless!
JoeBob

there, you got it exactly right. haha i didn't realize that's what those guys meant. yeah i was talking about a paper with the characters on it. thanks for clarifying.

I wondered that myself! "Morse code key?? What good's that going to do without a transceiver...especially if you don't know the code by ear?" Oh well, at least that's cleared up!

If you wish to pack a true Morse Key along with a transciever in your PSK you might try the rock mite Simply wind a random-long wire antenna around the box and add a bundle of lithium AA's and you are GTG. You might not have much room left over for the iodine tablets tho...

Everett:

dot dash dash, dot dot dot dot, dot dash, dash
dot dot dot dot, dot
dot dot dot, dot dash, dot dot, dash dot dot
dot dash dot dash dot dash

<img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

.....CLIFF

P.S. Does that "suburb of Boston" include 'Cabot's' on Washington Street? If so, please let me know. That's my adopted home town.