drjenner
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Post by drjenner on Aug 29, 2021 11:11:15 GMT 10
Keeping in mind, my expertise is medical, and I haven't the foggiest about radios - We are trying to find a great radio we can use to communicate in a grid down situation where I'm at work and the hubs is home, about a 15 mile distance. Any suggestions and thanks in advance.
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frostbite
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Post by frostbite on Aug 29, 2021 11:18:51 GMT 10
What is the terrain like between you and hubby? Either of you on a high point?
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Aug 29, 2021 11:40:46 GMT 10
The humble UHF cb radios should go 15 miles or so, as long as there are no big hills or buildings in between. Do you have a local UHF repeater ? If so, that's the way to communicate. Ours is on a mountain and has a range of several hundred KM in all directions, with rock solid comms almost everywhere out here. Its also totally solar powered, so will work during a grid down. I've also just donated 2 more solar panels to increase its reserves, ready for the inevitable fall of the economy. All our cars have a 5 watt UHF cb radio, with good battery's in them and the troops all know how to use them. My Ute, our on farm fire truck, tractor and the radio room all have UHF' s built in. Ham comms is also available to us for the bigger picture. We have a handheld cb for everyone, ready for them to communicate after the fall when we are working on the farm. U should also have a decent short wave radio, the Jaycar ones are not very robust, but Kaito makes some good units, and a small one for yr bug out bag as well. There are lots of decent communications receiver's on the ham 2nd hand market, Kenwood, Yaesu, and so on. Unless u know what u are doing, stay away from any valve technology, most is at least 50 years old and will need work. The advantage of the older gear is its EMP/CME proof.
Have it OUR way. Yours is IRRELIVANT. @borgerking.
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drjenner
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Post by drjenner on Aug 29, 2021 12:11:24 GMT 10
I’m not sure about the UHF repeater, how would I find out? House will be surrounded by rock to the north which is where the hospital is, 15 miles of rugged terrain, hills and a few miles of houses until you get out where our place is.
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drjenner
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Location: Pacific NW, USA
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Post by drjenner on Aug 29, 2021 12:12:44 GMT 10
The humble UHF cb radios should go 15 miles or so, as long as there are no big hills or buildings in between. Do you have a local UHF repeater ? If so, that's the way to communicate. Ours is on a mountain and has a range of several hundred KM in all directions, with rock solid comms almost everywhere out here. Its also totally solar powered, so will work during a grid down. I've also just donated 2 more solar panels to increase its reserves, ready for the inevitable fall of the economy. All our cars have a 5 watt UHF cb radio, with good battery's in them and the troops all know how to use them. My Ute, our on farm fire truck, tractor and the radio room all have UHF' s built in. Ham comms is also available to us for the bigger picture. We have a handheld cb for everyone, ready for them to communicate after the fall when we are working on the farm. U should also have a decent short wave radio, the Jaycar ones are not very robust, but Kaito makes some good units, and a small one for yr bug out bag as well. There are lots of decent communications receiver's on the ham 2nd hand market, Kenwood, Yaesu, and so on. Unless u know what u are doing, stay away from any valve technology, most is at least 50 years old and will need work. The advantage of the older gear is its EMP/CME proof. Have it OUR way. Yours is IRRELIVANT. @borgerking. Thank you! I will look into this. Mainly looking for my BOB which I keep in the back of my subi.
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malewithatail
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Post by malewithatail on Aug 29, 2021 13:16:10 GMT 10
Make contact with yr local radio club, someone there should know if u have a repeater and the channel its on, weather it needs a coded tone to access it and so on. Ours is owned by the local Progress Association, so they hold the license and I have a set of keys as well for maintenance. My BHB in my ute also has a 5 watt UHF cb as well as the usual gear. My strategy is if im out when it happens, get home ASAP. The troops know how to contact me on the UHF and I can reassure them all is well and I'm on my way home, I may be walking, but I will get there. My BOB has one as well as a small Kiato short wave/am/fm solar radio. Obviously, as we will all be bugging out together, only one is needed. The action has passed from the 27 Meg 'good buddy' types of CB's many years ago, although there are still a lot gathering dust in sheds and cupboards that could be useful in a society breakdown situation. I have one in the radio room and occasionally turn it on to see if anyone's there. In the heyday of CB's, it was not uncommon to be able to talk to the states, but not to the next street ! Then UHF came along and all long distance communications stopped due to the high frequency of UHF. I think that 27 Megahertz CB radios will have a resurgence for such long distance comms b people who don't have a Ham license. If someone offers u one, and an aerial as they are quite scarce now, for a reasonable price, like free ! take it. You might be able to find an old book on such CB radios in a second hand shop and its worth getting as there are lots of jargon to learn, SWR, Power etc. As far as I know, the blanket type license hasn't been revoked, so they are probably still legal to use. 20 odd years ago, 27 Meg CB radios were available as handheld units as well. I have a couple of sets, crystallized to channel 14 for emergency long range use.
He who speaks with forked tongue, has no need of chopsticks.
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drjenner
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Post by drjenner on Aug 30, 2021 6:28:48 GMT 10
Make contact with yr local radio club, someone there should know if u have a repeater and the channel its on, weather it needs a coded tone to access it and so on. Ours is owned by the local Progress Association, so they hold the license and I have a set of keys as well for maintenance. My BHB in my ute also has a 5 watt UHF cb as well as the usual gear. My strategy is if im out when it happens, get home ASAP. The troops know how to contact me on the UHF and I can reassure them all is well and I'm on my way home, I may be walking, but I will get there. My BOB has one as well as a small Kiato short wave/am/fm solar radio. Obviously, as we will all be bugging out together, only one is needed. The action has passed from the 27 Meg 'good buddy' types of CB's many years ago, although there are still a lot gathering dust in sheds and cupboards that could be useful in a society breakdown situation. I have one in the radio room and occasionally turn it on to see if anyone's there. In the heyday of CB's, it was not uncommon to be able to talk to the states, but not to the next street ! Then UHF came along and all long distance communications stopped due to the high frequency of UHF. I think that 27 Megahertz CB radios will have a resurgence for such long distance comms b people who don't have a Ham license. If someone offers u one, and an aerial as they are quite scarce now, for a reasonable price, like free ! take it. You might be able to find an old book on such CB radios in a second hand shop and its worth getting as there are lots of jargon to learn, SWR, Power etc. As far as I know, the blanket type license hasn't been revoked, so they are probably still legal to use. 20 odd years ago, 27 Meg CB radios were available as handheld units as well. I have a couple of sets, crystallized to channel 14 for emergency long range use. He who speaks with forked tongue, has no need of chopsticks. So I just did some digging online and found the local radio club. They do have a UHF repeater that is on the property of the local Fox news station, which is conveniently located between the hospital and our property. Good news! Next up to establish contact, they also have people available to train us how to use them. So helpful thank you malewithatail
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tactile
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Post by tactile on Oct 16, 2021 15:33:58 GMT 10
Bit late to the party here but Commsprepper on YouTube has a good intro video from a US perspective...
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