With the Grid-ex exercise coming up this month (Emergency simulation of the hours/days after a CME or EMP), I have been gathering up the gear I need to participate now that I work for a healthcare facility. I will admit to cheating and talking to one of the exercise planners who is a fellow Ham, and know that all telephone and cell will be out, and failures of the repeaters will follow soon. I am hedging my bets with my portable HF set-up to communicate with the SC emergency management division on 80 meters, and further planning to increase the odds by using winlink. I said all of that to say this: If such an event were to happen, it's about a given that internet based amateur modes would be instantly gone, and probably most if not all of the repeater systems. This would leave only HF radio to communicate. I know a lot of Hams who only went as far as technician to be able to use repeater systems and they will be screwed. How many fellow MonkeyHams (tm) are HF capable? How many have Winlink or similar to communicate with email over radio? Most importantly, how many have contacts that will come up on a given frequency after such an event? Should we maybe get together here and make a contact schedule? I know several of us got together two years ago at Prepared Ham and tried HF without a lot of success (BT was in there) but we lost interest. With the growing concerns over NK, maybe we ought to consider it, because after an event, it's too late.
I am game, however, the HF Bands have been really crappy, lately, and for us Northern Folks, the Aurora has been fairly constant for the last month... So iwouldn’t expect a lot of contacts except for Ground Wave.. Solar Index was 71 this morning... Not like where it should be, up near 115 or above...
I like the concept of setting up some kind of net, or prearranged schedule, but I'm not sure there is any real survival/emcomm value in communicating with people I do not know hundreds or even thousands of miles away. I do have full off grid, all-band capabilities including data modes. If SHTF I'm probably not going to care about what's happening in, say, Finland. I can run DX if I have to, but most of my SHTF comms focus is on VHF/UHF (simplex) and NVIS because that's what's most relevant to my situation. I do agree that most licensed hams out there have no real skills and can't do anything beyond push-to-talk. Addressing that issue is a separate matter.
Extra here with an HF rig and a compromise antenna. I can hear better than I can talk. I will have to look for it but I actually did up a MonkeyNet version of a band plan a while back as well. ETA Just uploaded as a resource. Was working from my phone and didn't realize I'd posted a link to a conversation. https://www.survivalmonkey.com/resources/monkeynet-band-plan.456/
I'm in for a test run. 2, 6, 15, 20 and 40M are my limits for transmission, but I think I can hear elsewhere.
I used to think that way, and to each his own, but IF there is a grid down scenario, and IF my gear survives, I'd sure like to know as much as I could. I wasn't really suggesting a net per se, but more of a set of contact freqs and times for IF something happens. Maybe a test day once a month or something to go along with it.
I'm a general class and would be happy to play if the "net" was sometime on a weekend. I can usually hit the west coast or east into Kansas with my FT817 and it's whopping 5 watts. whynot
The chances of a group net is essentially zero. However, there is a chance that messages could be relayed if we can establish stations that can reach the next station in line to someplace. That, to a degree, will be band conditions controlled. On any given day, I can talk to FL, GA, OH, MN and sometimes WI and TX, so if there's a monkey in those areas, there's a slim chance of passing a test message along.
Still determining what HF gear/features will meet my needs the best. That and the requisite cash and moving somewhere there isn't an HOA to tell me what I can have on my own property.. It IS coming.
A general here in in the north east. I would be interested in joining the other monkey hams with this.
If I was staying here it would be an option, especially if I was participating in emergency services. My neighbor (NOT in the HOA) has a hundred foot tall tree 10 feet away from my fence, so when I get my HF rig maybe able to work something out there. Neighbor on the other side is the HOA President. Hopefully out of here in June/July to freer pastures.
