Were you a Marine, you didn’t say. I can see where a forward air post would be humping some major gear. But for some assault personnel to be humping that much gear is idiotic. No doubt the prc-25 and antenna was a heavy piece of equipment. I worked on a backpack radio switch for the prc-117, (not that much lighter believe me) for normal and satellite comm function. 100 prototypes partially assembled in my kitchen for the war in Irag and Afghanistan (forward air control). I took my job seriously when I was last working, no thanks to defense cutbacks under the “won”
But for some assault personnel to be humping that much gear is idiotic.
They have to eat, drink water, carry weapon(s), ammo, etc. Your load is divided into assault items and everyday life items. When you get to the Line of Departure to begin the Assault Phase, you drop the everyday life items and make the assault with your fighting load - weapons & ammo & comm gear.
We had one operation where resupply was not possible for almost two weeks (our company was on patrol and engaged with an NVA battalion). We normally carried a week's worth of meals, but had cut down to one meal a day then finally ran out of food. I was a radio operator and rarely fired my M-16 (I rated a .45, but I preferred to "reach out...way out, and touch someone"). However, I humped 500 rounds of ammo. This particular Op I was down to 120 rounds when it became necessary to share with my buddies. It is no fun getting low on ammo.
I carried the PRC-25, spares (battery, handset & antenna). My job was to communicate, no matter what. Assistant machine gunners carried one or two boxes of gun ammo. Regular grunts in a fire team often carried 60mm mortar ammo or LAAWs in addition to their own gear.
There is a reason they call us "Grunts".