HELP--post SHTF Ham radio

[wf.wizard Profile]

This is a topic where I really do not know enough to ask the right questions. Here is what I want:

A small, low power transceiver that hooks directly to my computer.

I saw a show about the ARK-2, the guy in Ontario that buries a bunch of school buses. He is working on such a radio. It is home made and cheap enough that he can give out a hundred or so. It uses the existing sound card in the computer, transmits and receives in the High Frequency band and allows for packet transmissions similar to E-mail and multiuser connections similar to the old BBS systems.

Anybody have any ideas?

[newyorkuser Profile]

So you want to build one? Or you want to buy one? I take it that you want to be able to control the radio from the computer right?

Milton! Man come here, you are one of the radio guys.

[wf.wizard Profile]

Build or buy--not too much difference, but I dont want to have to design and engineer it----it would never get done.

[Brwlyan Profile]

Wizard, sorry for being late.

In my opinion any HAM radio with a good alternative power setup would do. Keep in mind the icom radios are very good at working together with a computer...but in a SHTF scenario, I would stay away from it. I'd rather have the whole piece in one, not depending on the computer. Less power to drain from your generator too.

[milton6994 Profile]

Wizard, sorry for being late.

In my opinion any HAM radio with a good alternative power setup would do. Keep in mind the icom radios are very good at working together with a computer...but in a SHTF scenario, I would stay away from it. I'd rather have the whole piece in one, not depending on the computer. Less power to drain from your generator too.

I agree. In a SHTF situation I prefer to adhere to the KISS principle. For me that is a basic transceiver able to operate on 12v and utilize CW, AM, and SSB modes.

Personally, I am not really that interested in transmitting, but in gathering information for myself and my group.

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with packet or PSK or any other "non-conventional" mode. They can be fun and challenging and a way to broaden your experience, but I have yet to get my basic system up and running. The more exotic modes will have to wait.

Ask yourself this question. Who is going to be transmitting during a SHTF situation? First would be communication between family or group members trying to keep tabs on each other. Second would be ARES or other EMComm members coordinating relief efforts or reporting conditions or incidents.

I don't plan on transmitting unless my group is having some kind of emergency, such as being attacked or experiencing a medical situation.

BTW, I hope you admins are working on the scrolling issue. I am still having to scroll down at least a screen to see any posts.

[sunstag Profile]

Wizard, sorry for being late.

In my opinion any HAM radio with a good alternative power setup would do. Keep in mind the icom radios are very good at working together with a computer...but in a SHTF scenario, I would stay away from it. I'd rather have the whole piece in one, not depending on the computer. Less power to drain from your generator too.

I agree. In a SHTF situation I prefer to adhere to the KISS principle. For me that is a basic transceiver able to operate on 12v and utilize CW, AM, and SSB modes.

Personally, I am not really that interested in transmitting, but in gathering information for myself and my group.

Don't get me wrong. I have no problem with packet or PSK or any other "non-conventional" mode. They can be fun and challenging and a way to broaden your experience, but I have yet to get my basic system up and running. The more exotic modes will have to wait.

Ask yourself this question. Who is going to be transmitting during a SHTF situation? First would be communication between family or group members trying to keep tabs on each other. Second would be ARES or other EMComm members coordinating relief efforts or reporting conditions or incidents.

I don't plan on transmitting unless my group is having some kind of emergency, such as being attacked or experiencing a medical situation.

BTW, I hope you admins are working on the scrolling issue. I am still having to scroll down at least a screen to see any posts.

If you are only going to listen, a scanner is a great tool...you can get an old scanner for not much, covering most frequencies.

Milton, I am a moderator, I can also fix stuff. What exactly is happening with the scrolling? Is it once you click on a post? Or is it on the home screen directly? Why is it? Do you see anything covering the top, such as a widget or something? What browser are you using? Nobody else has reported this problem, it could be the browser? Maybe some type of cache problem not refreshing after we made the widget changes? Are you on your phone or on a computer?

NEVERMIND, I found it. The problem is on internet explorer. Working fine on firefox and safari. Let me go ahead and fix the issue for you Milton.

Thanks for bringing it to our attention, and sorry I didn't see it before.

[sunstag Profile]

Fixed, sorry for hijacking your thread Wizard.
Milton, the problem was the precious metals widget, it seems to be incompatible with internet explorer. We will find an alternative.

Back to the radio subject. I agree transmitting would be the last thing I would do in a SHTF situation. Not only can it give away your location, but also it will eat all the power, since transmitting drains more energy. However, Wizard's situation may require transmitting.

[milton6994 Profile]

Fixed, sorry for hijacking your thread Wizard.
Milton, the problem was the precious metals widget, it seems to be incompatible with internet explorer. We will find an alternative.

Back to the radio subject. I agree transmitting would be the last thing I would do in a SHTF situation. Not only can it give away your location, but also it will eat all the power, since transmitting drains more energy. However, Wizard's situation may require transmitting.

The scrolling bug is gone.

Thanks.

...I guess it's not clear to me what your goal is, Wizard.

[SurvivalGirl Profile]

Yeah I was thinking just the same Milton. I wouldn't transmit, or somebody may be able to pinpoint my location.

Wizard hasn't come back and explained, but yeah, perhaps he has a different idea or need for a SHTF scenario. Maybe he has more people he needs to communicate with right away, within a big group, or 2 , in 2 different towns, for example.

[milton6994 Profile]

Yeah I was thinking just the same Milton. I wouldn't transmit, or somebody may be able to pinpoint my location.

Wizard hasn't come back and explained, but yeah, perhaps he has a different idea or need for a SHTF scenario. Maybe he has more people he needs to communicate with right away, within a big group, or 2 , in 2 different towns, for example.

In a SHTF situation you probably won't have to worry too much about about triangulation by the feds (they most likely will have their hands full). However, if you are in a situation like that portrayed in the Jeremiah series, you would have to worry about the "bad guys" getting a fix on you. The solution to that is to stay mobile and keep your transmissions very short. To pinpoint your transmission they will have to get a fix on you from two different locations. If you transmit from different locations and use different frequencies they will have a much harder time.

The thing about using packet, PSK, RTTY, SSTV or other "exotic" modes the person you are trying to communicate with will have to have compatible equipment. A plain vanilla transceiver will not work without additional equipment.