So if and when the net goes down and the cable goes dark which emergency radio is the one to get. More importantly, is there a better option than just a crank radio? Maybe both? Definitely a prepper question
Thanks in advance
Thanks in advance
I don't know how you want to communicate but I personally invested the time in becoming a HAM. The options for radios will open up exponentially if you get that kind of radio.
With any kind of radio you will obviously only be able to communicate with people with a similar set up.
With a HAM radio you can communicate for really long distances (depending on how high up the levels you go). If you just want a radio to use 'just in case' it's the same thing as people that buy guns 'just in case'...but proceed to put them in the closet a lot of the time completely unfired.
With any kind of radio you will obviously only be able to communicate with people with a similar set up.
With a HAM radio you can communicate for really long distances (depending on how high up the levels you go). If you just want a radio to use 'just in case' it's the same thing as people that buy guns 'just in case'...but proceed to put them in the closet a lot of the time completely unfired.
If talking about a receiver:
countycomm.com
and a good solar charger
CountyComm GP-7 SSB ( GEN 4 ) General Purpose Radio - Organic Gray ( N
The Newest Batch of GP-7 SSB radios comes with an exciting addition - a Free Silicone Protective Bumper, valued at $10, ensuring your radio stays protected during your adventures.New Additions to the GP-7 SSB include a Direct Frequency Entry and Variable Tune Rate - Steps, granting you more...
countycomm.com and a good solar charger
Just to be clear, the Ham license allows you to transmit. You don't need a license to receive. But get your ham license anyway.
My SHTF radio is a 100W HF rig with UHF/VHF capabilities and is installed with battery, solar charger, tuner, various couplers, and antenna transformers in an EMP-safe case. It will cover everything of interest and value. I can listen to any broadcast station and talk to folks locally and and around the world. This is the result of learning the craft, experimenting with different setups, and eventually getting the license which allows transmission on all available amateur bands.
However, this is a $1000+ system that requires a lot of geek knowledge to configure and operate properly. In other words, even if you could buy it without the need for design, assembly and testing, it would be nothing but an expensive doorstopper without knowing how to operate it on which band, when and where, with what antenna, etc.
As others said before. Get your ham license and start the journey of learning the craft. In the meantime, get a cheap multiband receiver for listening, which does not require a license.
However, this is a $1000+ system that requires a lot of geek knowledge to configure and operate properly. In other words, even if you could buy it without the need for design, assembly and testing, it would be nothing but an expensive doorstopper without knowing how to operate it on which band, when and where, with what antenna, etc.
As others said before. Get your ham license and start the journey of learning the craft. In the meantime, get a cheap multiband receiver for listening, which does not require a license.
Last edited:
I have 3 options:
1) High power cell phone “MegaRange“
2) HAM radio
3) Long Range Morse Code optical sender (Barrett .50 w/ tracers)
1) High power cell phone “MegaRange“
2) HAM radio
3) Long Range Morse Code optical sender (Barrett .50 w/ tracers)
Buy ham shit. Don't get license. If you really need to use it the rules won't matter. Unless you want to build relationships with other operators beforehand (a good idea). Consider the ham online learning sites, they are very informative. But if you're worried about a grid down/stealth op, who gives a fuck. And yes, I have a license and still feel this way.
Baufeng uv5r.
Hands down, It will do things a fancy HAM radio will not.
Hands down, It will do things a fancy HAM radio will not.
There are ways to transmit on non-licensed frequencies. I don’t want to say it in a public forum. Because technically it is illegal. But if you think about what frequencies are used and where, those frequencies are pretty much open to use in other areas and do not need a license whatsoever to use.
When the SHTF.......there will be no one checking your license for any type of communication device..........get something that will work, and that you can keep powered...........
went with this either the batteries work the solar or the wind up they need to make it boom box sized I like my jams with base with 20' subs lol.
Picked up a Btech and programmed in all the local freq. Can't find anything active despite N. Dallas being home to the oldest HAM group in the country. Just NOAA broadcasts. Still practicing the license questions though.
You don't need a license to transmit if it's an emergency. However, if you don't know how to use the equipment and a lot of it is complicated, it won't be very valuable to you and you learn to use the equipment by studying for your license. The big issue with emergency communications is maintaining adequate power to run your equipment.
I have a Kaito KA6000L with the additional Kaito AD-500 AC Power Adapter.
There must be something wrong with your configuration. A lot of repeaters have a code/tone for the receiving frequency as well and you need to program that tone in or your radio will stay squelched.
Copied from a longer list of repeaters listed on repeaterbook:
| Frequency | Offset | Tone In/Out | Location | County | Call | Use | Modes | |
| 442.0750 | +5 MHz | 110.9 / 110.9 | Dallas | Dallas | W5DCR | OPEN | FM |  |
| 442.2750 | +5 MHz | 110.9 / 110.9 | Dallas | Dallas | N5ZW | OPEN | Fusion | |
| 442.4250 | +5 MHz | 110.9 / 110.9 | Dallas | Dallas | W5FC | OPEN | FM Fusion | |
| 442.4750 | +5 MHz | Dallas | Dallas | WO5E | CLOSED | FM |  | |
| 442.5000 | +5 MHz | 110.9 / 110.9 | Dallas | Dallas | N5ARC | OPEN | FM | |
| 443.0000 | +5 MHz | 110.9 / 110.9 | Dallas | Dallas | N5DA | OPEN | FM |
Let' take the last line for example. You want to listen on 443.000 with tone 110.9. If the In/Out tones are different, Out is for receiving from the repeater. If you click on the frequency link, it pops up a more detailed summary of the repeater config.
For starters, monitor 442.475 (WO5E) where no tone is required.
Last edited:
None of those came up for my area, McKinney, TX. I'll need to double check, Chirp is only showing one tone value which was populated for me when I imported from RepeaterBook.
- Tone: A single CTCSS tone is transmitted, receive squelch is open or carrier-triggered. The tone used is that which is set in the Tone column.
+100
Let me use a relevant analogy.
In 'normal life', every idiot can go to the supermarket, whip out the SNAP card and have food. However, if you have to live of the land , you better have the knowledge and well-honed skills to survive.
Similarly, every moron can whip out a cell phone and make a call because of the supporting infrastructure designed and operated by smart, dedicated people. When the grid is down, you are back to the basics and you better know how to make that work.
I got my first ham license in Montana and one of the local operators was Klein Gilhousen, co-founder of Qualcom and co-inventor of the CDMA technology that our cell communication is based on. CDMA stands for Code Division - Multiple Access. All cell phones operate on the same frequency within a network (Multiple Access) and the messages are separated and routed via a header code (Code Division). Without Code Division, you would need to tune your cell phone to the same frequency of the person you want to call, hoping that nobody else is blocking the frequency with their chat. That's the daily reality of ham radio complicated by the physics of antenna circuits, radiation patterns, wave propagation, reflection, interference, etc.
If you haven't tested it, it doesn't work --Klein Gilhousen, Qualcomm
Last edited:
That sounds right. There are no tones shown in the ToneSql column, correct? You never need a tone to open the squelch unless you program a channel to require it.
Correct. Perhaps I'm just not checking at active times... I'm not leaving the radio constant on, just listening/scanning at times.
honestly....in a "grid down" scenario....have your group of contacts buy SAT phones.
1) handheld HAM have a range of 20-50miles depending on terrain.....in heavily wooded areas, that jumps down to 1-5 miles.....in an actual emergency, when i need to get ahold of someone, i dont want to rely on a shitty walky-talky.
2) every tom, dick, and jane is going to have a fucking baofeng, and the airwaves are going to be like early 2000's CB radio.
3) "HAM people" are fucking miserable to talk to....they are either boomers who want to only talk to their boomer friends.....or they are neckbeards....
its the 21st century.....HAM radio is largely outdated and irrelevant...its good for local shit, we use them when hunting to keep in touch.....but in an actual emergency, they are shit.
hell, try hosting a Net sometime...fuck....even an organized one like ARES/ RACES.....they are complete shit-shows 90% of the time.....and thats under ideal conditions.
i treat HAM radios like a high quality Blisterpack FRS/GMRS radio.....and i dont really expect any more out of it.
1) handheld HAM have a range of 20-50miles depending on terrain.....in heavily wooded areas, that jumps down to 1-5 miles.....in an actual emergency, when i need to get ahold of someone, i dont want to rely on a shitty walky-talky.
2) every tom, dick, and jane is going to have a fucking baofeng, and the airwaves are going to be like early 2000's CB radio.
3) "HAM people" are fucking miserable to talk to....they are either boomers who want to only talk to their boomer friends.....or they are neckbeards....
its the 21st century.....HAM radio is largely outdated and irrelevant...its good for local shit, we use them when hunting to keep in touch.....but in an actual emergency, they are shit.
hell, try hosting a Net sometime...fuck....even an organized one like ARES/ RACES.....they are complete shit-shows 90% of the time.....and thats under ideal conditions.
i treat HAM radios like a high quality Blisterpack FRS/GMRS radio.....and i dont really expect any more out of it.
You just have not met the cool kids yet who work with digital modes, mesh networks, etc.
Part of the problem may be your attitude. Like in any other trade, you are expected to do your apprenticeship before you can expect the masters investing their time into your progress. In another trade, I had to file (!) a perfect 2" cube out of a hunk of metal and then turn this with more filing into a sphere before they let me anywhere close to a mill or lathe. Further down the road, people helped my to build my own CNC mill and that was long before youtube took off or you could buy a hobby CNC on Alibaba.
“When the student is ready the teacher will appear. When the student is truly ready... The teacher will Disappear.”
― Tao Te Ching
Last edited:
...are you typing that with a straight face?....i cant tell behind a keyboard...
my attitude towards ham is shaped by my experience with ham.....not the other way around.
Have your local ARES net try to communicate a message to another ARES net 1,000 miles away, and then get back to me and tell me if HAM is a reliable form of communication.
...or, more reliable than just using a SAT phone...
It appears from your statements that you have a preconceived notion about ham technology and operators and you only look for evidence to support this notion. There are multiple, excellent youtube channels run by people who could be called boomers and neckbeards only by the types who would call black conservatives "White supremacists".
Yes, the example you made about a robust ARES net to net connection is not trivial but it has been done before and will be done again if needed. The hard part is actually NOT the communication technology but the organizational structure and proper network topology.
I agree that a Baofeng is of little use for reaching a distant buddy in an emergency, but at least you get FM radio and can listen to the chatter on the repeaters while they still have power. That will give you an idea of what you are dealing with.
My, admittedly dated, experience with SAT phone is that it is peer to peer only - no reception of broadcasts. In an emergency situation, the first order of business is to develop situational awareness. Talking to my buddy over SAT is not going to increase intelligence much but listening on multiple bands will.
Beyond that, the opportunities of amateur radio communication become more apparent if you ask yourself how existing network structures could be transferred in an emergency to a different physical layer, i.e. radio waves in different bands. Looking closer at the fundamental ideas behind AREDN, WINLINK, LORAWAN, etc. will put you on the right track.
But thanks for mentioning SATCOMS. I have to check the current prices and capabilities to see whether the civilian plans would be a good candidate for backhaul connections of local ATAK networks for example.
Last edited:
And the facts supporting you stereotypical bashings are?
If you do not like ham technology or the people using it, fine. Don't use it. You do not need to justify your choice by deriding those who come to different conclusions.
On a positive note: 27 intelligent posts before the "stir up the shit" posting started is actually pretty good for the pit. With that I return this frequency to normal use. Out.
If you do not like ham technology or the people using it, fine. Don't use it. You do not need to justify your choice by deriding those who come to different conclusions.
On a positive note: 27 intelligent posts before the "stir up the shit" posting started is actually pretty good for the pit. With that I return this frequency to normal use. Out.
Last edited:
I'm guessing the OP wanted something one-way - something he could use to keep up with public news: what's going on in the outside world. Hence the question about a hand-crank radio of which there are several inexpensive models. I've got one. Somewhere. When the SHTF it's not high on the priority list in terms of breaking it out of storage. I don't rely much on public airways radio now for info but in a grid-down situation it may be the only real news source. Though to be honest - it's only likely to be worth anything if the grid is just down locally. If the national or world-wide grid is truly down I imagine any news will be scarce and "unreliable".
If the interest is two-way communication then something like a ham radio is probably best. Seems to me sat-phone by definition relies on satellites and if so, if the grid is really down I imagine that means no satellites. I've got a couple of handhelds, ham as well as some of the Blisterpack FRS/GMRS and CB, for using very locally. I got my technician license thinking it would help learn how to use them, but honestly I found nothing interesting to listen to otherwise, and nobody I was interested in talking to, so I don't use the radios for much except for weather reports. As long as there's no (or not much) fee for renewing I'll probably do it just to keep the callsign for the rare occasion I might want to use/test the radios pre-SHTF. But I concur that if things truly fall apart having a license won't matter.
If the interest is two-way communication then something like a ham radio is probably best. Seems to me sat-phone by definition relies on satellites and if so, if the grid is really down I imagine that means no satellites. I've got a couple of handhelds, ham as well as some of the Blisterpack FRS/GMRS and CB, for using very locally. I got my technician license thinking it would help learn how to use them, but honestly I found nothing interesting to listen to otherwise, and nobody I was interested in talking to, so I don't use the radios for much except for weather reports. As long as there's no (or not much) fee for renewing I'll probably do it just to keep the callsign for the rare occasion I might want to use/test the radios pre-SHTF. But I concur that if things truly fall apart having a license won't matter.
im not stirring shit.....im offering a realistic opinion on HAM....
you also seem to be of the opinion that im just some mook who dipped his toes into HAM......ive been a HAM operator for over 10 years and been a member of ARES in 2 states......ive been around the block a bit.
if you want to use HAM, by all mean, rock out....
...but answer me this first, in an emergency (say your house was on fire)...would you trust HAM to reliably summon the fire dept using the established emergency channels?
better hope theres not poor weather....better hope theres a clear line of sight....better hope theres no solar activity so you can reliably bounce a signal..
......if you cant trust it to function reliably when theres no societal collapse (or whatever BS requires you to need HAM).......how are you going to expect it to function when there is?
...especially when you can spend the same money, and just buy a reliable communication device that will work from anywhere on the planet...
HAM radio is a fine hobby.....but expecting anymore out of it is fool hardy.
HAM radio was great 50 years ago.....we have better, more reliably technology today.
sorry if the truth hurt your feelings.
why?......they arent just going to fall out of the sky.....
all sat phones have a base level of encryption....but like anything, that can be bypassed.
as with all communications...regardless of the method of transport or encryption....assume they are unencrypted and easily read/ heard.
so if you need to order replacement parts for your RealDoll and dont want the govt to know, work out prearranged codes before hand, and change them frequently.
Pretty much. I was just looking for opinions and brands to look at. Not sure if there are that many different brands to begin with. Then, where are they made, customer reviews, actual reviews etc... They HAM idea is great and to be honest i had no Idea it was that involved. I still may do something as my house has a huge antennae tower coming up from the ground going up above the trees, It has the old TV antennae on the top and the tower itself is supported with tension wires (3) that are footed to the ground. I am thinking its a shame to have a nice tower and not use it.
Not starting a pissing match....
Satellites will be the fisrt things to go if SHTF.
Satellites will be the fisrt things to go if SHTF.
....Where are they going?.....
Exactly. And it isn't just the radio, but much more importantly, the antenna that matters. Get whatever radio you want.
i got a few cheap handheld units and better antennas, installed chirp and got them functioning, but then there was a long discussion here and some members explained better what i should do or get or study.
and i haven't done shit.
and i haven't done shit.
because govts gonna govt....and if they can make a buck selling you privileges, they are going to.
but the answer in the back of the book is pretty much:
"many of the frequencies used in HAM are close to frequencies used for other things (emergency frequencies, MARS frequencies, Aviation, Radio, other comms equipment) and many ham radios can be tuned into these frequencies, given the power they are capable of putting out, its easy for HAM radios to interfere with those frequencies and cause trouble"
Realistically, the only reason licenses are even still required is because the Boomers who have their ticket like to think of themselves as Ersatz FCC deputies.....and will track you down and turn you into the FCC if they think you are operating without a license, whether you are doing anything inappropriate or not.....
fuck, go onto a HAM forum, and ask about using a baofeng on FRS/GMRS channels.....they will be frothing at the mouth quoting FCC guidelines, and threaten you with fines and jail time for doing so....as if it were their fucking job.
Last edited:
ha...gotcha and thanks
one of the reasons i got the baofengs when i did was the idea that the government (or anyone else) didn't want me to have one.
in any case, i don't need to transmit like john conner, i would just use them to stay in contact with my family if i was out foraging for food or ammo after the zombie apocalypse.
It is imperative that you get your HAM license BEFORE the SHTF. Also get your concealed carry license. It would really suck to not be able to carry concealed and use your radio during the zombie apocalypse.
Ok, I’ll say it ONCE. If your not tarded, you can figure out the rest. No license needed.
Uv5r, GMRS/FRS and marine UHF used inland.
Figure it out.
sad HAMS like to stroke the nerd boner too much.
Uv5r, GMRS/FRS and marine UHF used inland.
Figure it out.
sad HAMS like to stroke the nerd boner too much.
There are frequencies you can transmit on without a HAM license (FRS); however Baofengs' output exceeds the allowed wattage, so it's technically not legal to use a Baofeng on those frequencies. ...Maybe if you dial down the wattage, can't remember if that's kosher.
These are the frequencies used by walkie-talkie type radios. Without getting some elevation max range is 6 miles before the curvature of the earth gets in the way.
https://www.fcc.gov/wireless/bureau-divisions/mobility-division/family-radio-service-frs
Have you ever been driving 50 miles outside of a city and started picking up their radio stations on the radio?
HAM is basically "broadcasting". You can broadcast quite far with just a simple rig and really far with other stuff. I'm talking about a simple rig can broadcast for miles around. The more advanced levels can broadcast around the world. As in you can talk to people in Australia etc.
The broadcast element is why they require a license is what I've always been told.
Another aspect is, say you like to listen to Smooth Jazz 99.2 FM, but some other asshole has some modified HAM equipment and constantly broadcasts over the top of your favorite station.
There is a reason why HAM equipment only transmits on certain frequencies. It's because it is all regulated.
Cel phones onward on to traditional broadcast TV on to regular old AM/FM radio have to share the air (in some flavor or another of the same thing).
Can you show me on the doll where the bad ham man touched you?
I am going to reply to the specific comments for the benefits of those who do not know the details. If you are a ham, you should know better than to take things out of context in order to push a victim narrative.
Currently, the FCC does not make a buck from amateur radio operators. The $15 exam fee goes to the organization (ARRL) who administer the tests on behalf of the FCC. Now, the FCC has proposed the collection of a $35 license fee for themselves but so far not collected yet. Even if they do, compare that to the millions of dollars these radio band allocations are worth on the commercial market and it does not look like .gov is getting rich from ham operators.
Therefore, unlicensed folks who tie up repeaters (that cost plenty of private coin and time to install and maintain) with broadcasts of music or profanities are being used as an exercise for direction finding and handed over to the FCC because they do not quit this nonsense no matter how often you tell them politely to knock it off.
OTOH, if you grab a ham radio in an emergency and call for help as an unlicensed person, you will have a dozen of folks going out of their way to get you out of your pickle. Even if you are totally lost, they'll know very quickly where to look for you. ARES/RACES was also mentioned before, which is ham operators using their equipment, knowledge and time to assist first responders in either emergencies or scheduled events like parades, bike races, mountain runs, etc.
If a novice does not have a clue of how to get over the next technical hurdle, all he/she need to do is to talk to someone on a frequencies she is licensed to operate on. At the lowest level, this would be using your voice as a guest of a ham club meeting. You will be surprised how much hard earned knowledge gets offered for free and without having to pry. The assistance and support we get here on the internet forums existed already decades ago on the airwaves. Why? Because everyone had the same issue at some point in time and you just pay forward as you learn from others.
I am going to reply to the specific comments for the benefits of those who do not know the details. If you are a ham, you should know better than to take things out of context in order to push a victim narrative.
Currently, the FCC does not make a buck from amateur radio operators. The $15 exam fee goes to the organization (ARRL) who administer the tests on behalf of the FCC. Now, the FCC has proposed the collection of a $35 license fee for themselves but so far not collected yet. Even if they do, compare that to the millions of dollars these radio band allocations are worth on the commercial market and it does not look like .gov is getting rich from ham operators.
How do you like idiots showing up on your range and skipping rounds over the berms and doing other stuff that could cause a closure of the range? Like everyone vies for real estate on the planet's surface, there are multiple parties who are just looking for a reason to snatch up another part of the electromagnetic spectrum. How people behave on their assigned air bands is as important as how people behave on a gun range. Plus, stupid and reckless people are just annoying in any hobby. Everyone expects newbies to have some basic decorum and respect or to stay out of the adult space.
Therefore, unlicensed folks who tie up repeaters (that cost plenty of private coin and time to install and maintain) with broadcasts of music or profanities are being used as an exercise for direction finding and handed over to the FCC because they do not quit this nonsense no matter how often you tell them politely to knock it off.
OTOH, if you grab a ham radio in an emergency and call for help as an unlicensed person, you will have a dozen of folks going out of their way to get you out of your pickle. Even if you are totally lost, they'll know very quickly where to look for you. ARES/RACES was also mentioned before, which is ham operators using their equipment, knowledge and time to assist first responders in either emergencies or scheduled events like parades, bike races, mountain runs, etc.
The problem with FRS/GMRS on a Baofeng is that these folks inevitably end up on the ham bands with the most power they can get out of that box. OTOH, if you know what you are doing and use your Baofeng to talk to a hunting buddy who has a dedicated FRS/GMRS radio, nobody is going to give a shit about it. The point is not so much whether the action is legal or not but whether it interferes with other people's opportunities to pursue their activities - like in the example with the shooting range.
If a novice does not have a clue of how to get over the next technical hurdle, all he/she need to do is to talk to someone on a frequencies she is licensed to operate on. At the lowest level, this would be using your voice as a guest of a ham club meeting. You will be surprised how much hard earned knowledge gets offered for free and without having to pry. The assistance and support we get here on the internet forums existed already decades ago on the airwaves. Why? Because everyone had the same issue at some point in time and you just pay forward as you learn from others.
Last edited:
The big issue with the more powerful rigs is that they can transmit WITHOUT modification on many bands, including those set aside for public broadcasting, emergency services, etc.
The ham licensing requirements intend to equip new operators with enough knowledge how not to become a nuisance to other services. How they actually get their 'job' done needs to be learned through other avenues like books, videos, or by talking to more experienced ham operators.
Is very much a hobby that requires knowledge of the "why" as well as the "how" to get the most out of it.
Last edited:
Similar threads
