Communications In Dark Times, by J.B.
Posted by XenokRoy 10 years, 3 months ago to Technology
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While we're very happy to have you in the Gulch and appreciate your wanting to fully engage, some things in the Gulch (e.g. voting, links in comments) are a privilege, not a right. To get you up to speed as quickly as possible, we've provided two options for earning these privileges.
I didn't even have a then available and very popular CB, shrugging it off like I now scorn such things as Facebook.
Do you know how one feels way out in the middle of a flat desert when you're used to the shady comfort of trees? It's like you're a little speck of nothing!
I knew what to expect before I took the second round trip but I took it anyway.
How crazy could a young dino be?
Sometimes I'll tell a kid with a laptop that a computer filled an entire room when I was his age and I never imagined carrying one around.
On, the other hand, I have also told kids that when I was their age I thought that before now we'd have cities on the Moon and Mars under huge transparent domes. I recall such speculative art as far back as the 60s.
So many young engineers have walked by and asked what it is that I put a sign on it saying "This is an analog air fuel mixing device". How can a mechanical engineer not know what a carburetor is? Oh yeah, not one car today uses them! Kind of fun getting old and sarcastic!
That's funny. I'm thinking YouTube.
Afraid the video would need to come with an explanation.
Its seasons explore different scenarios about how people try to adapt.
Jericho I ignored when it was on TV.
I just went to my Netflix in my email to check it out.
The first two pages of reviews were almost all favorable.
One 2-star person complained that it was a soap opera but my grown son said that about The Walking Dead and his remark was an uncomplaining fan's observation.
Think I'll try the first disk of Jericho out.
State inmates are not allowed to have cash, though certain inmate jobs as well as relatives can have money "placed on the books" for canteen purchases.
Inmate currency is cigarettes. You don't even have to smoke to trade in cigarettes.
For example, Inmate A gets cigarettes for giving Inmate B an illegal tattoo.
Since Inmate A lost 30 days canteen privileges after having his tattoo machine confiscated before he constructed another, he can go to Inmate C and buy some canteen cookies.
Of course, inmates illegally gamble for cigarettes and illegally whore themselves for therm as well.
First, a disaster might take the form of a Solar Flare that could fry most radios and generators.
Second, if Civil Authorities determined that Terrorists might use the HAM Band to set off bombs during a crisis, they could reasonably be expected to immediately suspend or terminate all Radio Licenses making the use of radio communication illegal.
In short, if things were to get *really* dark you'd have to fall back to some form of Sneaker Net and rely on networks of physical, in person, human curriers or carrier pigeons to relay messages over long distances.
Jan
Another issue is the license. If you get a license then you are automatically on the list of people that they will want to suppress if the shutdown is intentional. Of course that's the same with a license to carry firearms but there are a lot more of those - and, by definition, those people are armed. :)
I think I would rather learn ham radio and get some equipment. But no license. Of course i would never use it without a license unless it were an extreme emergency. Never ever. :)
Ideally 3 or more widely dispersed DF sets plot a bearing and their positions and bearings are plotted on a map. Where the bearing lines cross is the transmitter location. That's the old school way.
Given today's satellites and what not, it is probably far easier.
Other than that, brief bursts of transmission seem to be better than long conversations insofar as being a better fox is concerned.
Jan, thinking
Hams call this fox-hunting and there are regular contests at local conventions.
As to the second idea, what you're proposing is to punish the innocent thinking you'll stop the criminals. Now I know the government isn't particularly bright, but I can tell you as an involved member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) group here locally, there is no outside group of "civilians" more trusted and respected by police, EMS, National Guard, etc. than the Hams. We work with these groups regularly and they actually assign us security details during actual emergencies because we ARE their eyes and ears. Even the bureaucrats in the FCC wouldn't try such nonsense (even under direction from the White House) because it would make them a laughing stock.
While I understand your concerns, what you are talking about is the .0001% For the rest of the 99%+, the Hams are your go-to communications in the time of an emergency and I'd recommend everyone get at least a Technician license. For the price of a $35 manual (get the ARRL one which has all the actual test questions BTW) and another ~$15 for the testing, you'd be ready to go. And no, you don't have to learn Morse code!
SSB with a decent antenna like the back stay on a sailboat is a manner of lining the boat up in the proper direction for max range. Code goes further trhan voice Useful for when you need assistance.
Lazy went too far this time. I use a small weather balloon from Edmunds Scientific and a small cylinder of helium to raise an antenna for both UHF and VHF Omni directional. the whole thing fits in the life raft with a spare VHF and another in the boat.. those that be prepared very often never need to use the gear. Seems like those that rely on GPS and Cell phones .......
73's
Much more likely the ham equipment could be fried, particularly if the antenna was connected during the event.
For what it is worth, I have a pair of Baofung software-defined radio that are ~4 watts. Very nice, and only ~$35/unit. They work beautifully. Yes, I know they can be used in an illegal manner if transmitting off CB channels, which they are completely capable of doing. They can do, CB, VHF and UHF.
down to cb. -- j
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zone picks up at 136, goes to 174, then from 400-480;
of course, cb is down at 26-28mHz. . these won't go
down there, unfortunately. -- j
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and its friendly glow keeps me company many a night!!! -- j
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p.s. the $15 Cobra 7 plus is my little one --
basic and friendly!
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I used to work for a company that produces those for commercial use.
In a SHTF situation I would expect what coordination there is, to be done on Internet sites in neutral countries. Leaving the people affected to try to communicate with those sites by sneakernet or any other means available.
Short messages - compressed on a tape. changing freq''s, BBT's, good radio procedures, I wonder if any of that is left.
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of the moon!!! -- j
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http://survivalblog.com/category/communi...
Thank You and 73s! -- j
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