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clv101 · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 6:48 pm Post subject: Amateur Radio

Not sure if this is the best forum for this... but does anyone know anything about amateur radio? Details of the UK set up here: http://www.rsgb.org/

I guess some might ask what's the point given the Internet and cellphones etc, however, this is a way to communicate with someone in another country or another continent without assistance. Totally independent of any infrastructure that may or may not continue to be as open and available as it is today.
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RenewableCandy · Joined: 12 Sep 2007 Posts: 10681 Location: York

John Michael Greer has become a radio amateur, so if it's good enough for him etc.

It is (or can be set up to be) far more robust than more recently developed comms. infrastructures.
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featherstick · Joined: 05 Mar 2010 Posts: 1215

Widely rated as very good doomer preparations, and ham radio features in a number of doomer novels. It's one of my longer-term wishlist preps.
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bealers · Posted: Mon Jan 30, 2012 10:00 pm Post subject:

I'll admit to having 'get 2 CBs' on my TFH list but it's way down the priority and will probably only happen if I happen to see one dirt cheap at a car boot.

I did look briefly at Packet Radio as a serious alternative for long distance data sharing but it looked far to geeky and required too much kit so I lost interest.

I bookmarked this as a good intro and I found a group in the midlands into it.
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Tarrel · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 11:38 am Post subject:

I have my intermediate license (2E0BBS). Youngest son has his foundation (M3KIH). We have a second-hand Icom IC730 100 watt HF tranceiver, a Yaesu FT817 5 watt portable and a small VHF hand-held.

Radio is, in my opinion, a hugely under-rated technology who's time is yet to come. It requires virtually no infrastructure to operate and is ideal for a situation when "the system" goes down. There are people involved in amateur radio who are pushing the boundaries in all sorts of interesting areas, including digital data transfer, slow-scan TV (Basically fax by radio), etc.

When Katrina hit, the cell-phone system went down very quickly apparently. Ham-radio operators were some of the first to get communications back up. I was, until recently, involved in Raynet - an organisation of amateur radio operators that work with emergency planning authorities to provide or support communications in event of a crisis. I was involved in the Surrey branch. Interestingly, I was told that the two most likely events they planned for were a mid-air collision over the area and a rupture of the Fawley to Heathrow fuel pipeline, that passes through the county.

Most people probably know that HF (shortwave) radio works over long distances by bouncing the signal off the ionosphere. This acts as an electronic mirror in the sky. (The reason why radio transmission tends to be better in the evening, is that the ionosphere has been charged up during the day by solar radiation.)

An interesting development in the area of emergency communications is something called "NVIS" (Near-vertical-incidence skywave). This basically involves using HF (shortwave) radio, but pointing the signal straight up. It then hits the ionosphere and is bounced back down over a wide area (rather like if you pointed a garden hose straight up in the air). This is useful in mountainous or urban areas in which alternative short range radio communication methods (e.g VHF) suffer from line-of-sight problems. It's also useful in poor weather, when VHF or UHF communication can be disrupted by heavy rain or snow (as anyone with Sky TV will know).

Whoops, that was a bit of a brain-dump, wasn't it! Embarassed

adam2 · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:17 pm Post subject:

As others post, amateur radio has a great deal to commend it, either as a hobby in itself, or more relevant on these forums, as a disaster prep.

Dont forget though that electricity is vital ! the smaller sets dont need much, but for any long term disaster an off grid power source is vital.
PV or wind are the obvous sources, with a generator worth considering.

Ideally standardise on equipment that can work from a 12 volt car battery.

Some smaller and simpler 2 way radios can be purchased and used by anyone without any licence or permit, these are better than nothing but are only a bit better than toys. (the sort sold in high street stores for £20 a pair) The range is typicly a bit more than shouting !

Other types of VHF 2 way radio require a licence, but this can be purchased by anyone, no special is training is required and no exams need be passed. (the sort widely used by security and maintenance workers in large buildings) The range is typicly from a half mile in built up areas, up to many miles in open country.

"Proper" amateur radio requires the correct licence and it is an offence to use such equipment without a licence. Who cares after the SHTF ! but I would strongly advise against breaking the law whilst times are normal.
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Tarrel · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:42 pm Post subject:

Tarrel · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:47 pm Post subject:

clv101 · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 12:55 pm Post subject:

I was hoping there might be some hams on PowerSwitch. Smile

Tarrel · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:06 pm Post subject:

Tarrel · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 1:08 pm Post subject:

The RSGB publish A4-sized workbooks, tailored precisely to each license grade. They cover everything you need to know in one place. Around a tenner IIRC. The foundation one is called "Foundation Licence Now!".

emordnilap · Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Posts: 9466 Location: way out west

I wish the thread title's spelling was fixed. Or is it delibberut?
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Tarrel · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:53 pm Post subject:

What's wrong with it?

adam2 · Posted: Tue Jan 31, 2012 4:55 pm Post subject:

emordnilap · Joined: 05 Sep 2007 Posts: 9466 Location: way out west

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The human appears to have no idea what its ideal diet should be; has self-inflicted diet-related diseases; causes extensive environmental destruction through basic food production & creates pathogenic infestations that widely infect its food supply.