Would now be a good time to start a "numbers" broadcast? (a regular broadcast on a frequency reading a list of numbers)( that eventually would contain "covert" information to folks behind the"lines"?before the interweb is seized. I've been looking into icom communication receivers...we used to use the R7000 (? iirc) nice radio for vhf and I think they cover ham also.(editted,...) Got my radio curiosity going (again)...
A big no-no. Hams aren't allowed to transmit encrypted communications. No reason interested hams can't get together and exchange lists of phrases that would allow quick descriptions of situations they'd like other hams to know about. In the interest of faster communication, of course.
Hmmm,sorry didnot know that...spent a few hours last night playing with my grundig pocket,had a blast...can you reccomend a good "tabletop" receiver for "worldband( dx kinda stuff) mostly I'd like to follow news from outside conus in an emergency
I started studying for my licence a few years ago, but binned it.... I do have a scanner and SWL the short wave, 2m & 70cm bands. I build my own antennas which work surprisingly well, echo link has made things very interesting and most of the local repeaters are interesting to SWL, a few years ago a Brit came over the local repeater to have a chat, he was using a dual yaggi set up with 2w power to get on the repeater (2m band) the troppo was extreme. As an SWL I couldn't chat with him, and a few of the local hams were miffed that he came on over their repeater when he couldn't speak German . I guess some people just don't understand what being a ham is all about. Tony
When I read the title, I thought you we're talking about, like.... "Virginia" baked hams. Always thinking of food.
Grundig makes good equipment. So does Sangean. Stay away from the cheap Chinese imports; they have lousy tuning and no amplification. Top of the line is Icom or Yaesu but you'll have to spend big $. For after SHTF there'll probably be power outages so a handheld is a good idea. Once you have a decent radio the antenna is more important than the receiver so try running a 20-30 foot length of hookup wire around your house/apartment and use an alligator clip to attach it to the antenna.
See also: http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4873&highlight=yaesu and http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=782&highlight=yaesu and http://www.survivalmonkey.com/forum/showthread.php?t=523&highlight=yaesu Those came up on a keyword search for Yaesu. If you want, pick a search keyword and plug it into the search box at the top of this page. Quite a big of radio chatter on the forum. Another thing worth the thought is that if/when STHF, Uncle Charlie will have LOTS more to worry about than if some silly prepper wants to talk to his "neighbor" via short wave or CB, or Ch 11. Maybe worth more thought is the use of mobile repeaters somehow. Like as not, the commercial repeaters will be, um, expropriated.
Got me thinking, what kind of comm would be needed? Amateur repeaters have been allowed to keep operating in past emergencies because sometimes they were the only reliable communications available. I expect that in a real SHTF situation they would be closely monitored and the regs about "non-essential" communications enforced. Also, most folks aren't trained in operating high-tech equipment. I'd say a few hand-held CBs or GMRS radios with rechargeable batteries would be good enough for short-range, house to house communications and would be low-powered enough to avoid being heard at whatever monitoring stations are set up.
