Connunications update following Polls:

[The Local Ned]

Just going to add onto what PJ above has said....I want to remind everyone that a lot of these repeater setups these days are being built with power redundancies factored in , and are run with wind/solar power backups , which means that there should be repeater access when grid down , although , granted , this may be intermittent.

[The Local Ned]

An idea for those interested in this...

Sorry - on google docs it sometimes doesnt open right.

[Biter]

(9 July 2012, 09:52)NorthernRaider Wrote: Good post but I feel that in the interim most folks will go the CB route primarily for cost, availability of kit, lack of regulation, and as other preppers plans progress I feel they too will add a rig to their kit when they see the hard core of other preppers have them, even if its for a " just in case " situation.

Equally in the interim I feel that most preppers care more about being able to contact other preppers when they are in their AO more so than being able to relay messages the full length of the UK. Being able to " hail" known preppers when you are passing through their AO will probably be far more useful to preppers travelling out of area than long distance messaging. Being able to get local realtime intel from the resident area prepper such as danger spots, traffic jams, incidents and perhaps the ability to call upon those local preppers for an area map, refill of water, place to park up safely overnight or to trade with is I feel likely to be the greatest benefit for preppers iin the immediate aftemath of TSHTF and in the interim until NECCESSITY drives various people to link up a better quality radio system.

Good post. I am getting a CB base station next payday.

[Lightspeed]

(2 October 2012, 17:31)Biter Wrote:

(9 July 2012, 09:52)NorthernRaider Wrote: Good post but I feel that in the interim most folks will go the CB route primarily for cost, availability of kit, lack of regulation, and as other preppers plans progress I feel they too will add a rig to their kit when they see the hard core of other preppers have them, even if its for a " just in case " situation.

Equally in the interim I feel that most preppers care more about being able to contact other preppers when they are in their AO more so than being able to relay messages the full length of the UK. Being able to " hail" known preppers when you are passing through their AO will probably be far more useful to preppers travelling out of area than long distance messaging. Being able to get local realtime intel from the resident area prepper such as danger spots, traffic jams, incidents and perhaps the ability to call upon those local preppers for an area map, refill of water, place to park up safely overnight or to trade with is I feel likely to be the greatest benefit for preppers iin the immediate aftemath of TSHTF and in the interim until NECCESSITY drives various people to link up a better quality radio system.

Good post. I am getting a CB base station next payday.

Maybe a better bet to get something more portable? Either a hand held or a small mobile unit?

This will give you the option to teasily transport and even use in the field.

Just a thought

[PrepperJohn]

I agree a CB would be a valuable addition to thee preppers communications armoury but I wouldn't spend too much on it to be honest.

As I said in an earlier post you can do your foundation licence and buy a dual band hand held for under £100

I am in Cornwall where we have a lot of hills and I am reaching the local repeater over 25 miles away with a £39 hand held and getting very good signal reports.

Basically I reckon I could get into devon from that repeater

CB is for very local comms especially with a hand held

I do have a CB in my truck, I am going to fit one in the wife's truck so I do think CB has a place but getting your licence and getting onto the VHF/UHF bands is a good gateway to full ham radio

Just my opinion[/u]

[NorthernRaider]

After TSHTF the chances are the repeaters like the cell towers and microwave relay stations will be off air cos they will be unpowered, line of sight systems are the only viable option in the long term I reckon

[PrepperJohn]

(3 October 2012, 14:09)NorthernRaider Wrote: After TSHTF the chances are the repeaters like the cell towers and microwave relay stations will be off air cos they will be unpowered, line of sight systems are the only viable option in the long term I reckon

But what I am saying is Vhf comms is a gateway to the HF bands and independent radio communications.

CB is better than nothing but there is only so far yo can progress with it.

[Lightspeed]

(3 October 2012, 14:26)PrepperJohn Wrote:

(3 October 2012, 14:09)NorthernRaider Wrote: After TSHTF the chances are the repeaters like the cell towers and microwave relay stations will be off air cos they will be unpowered, line of sight systems are the only viable option in the long term I reckon

But what I am saying is Vhf comms is a gateway to the HF bands and independent radio communications.

CB is better than nothing but there is only so far yo can progress with it.

Hi Prepper John,

I'm all for encouraging people to take their ticket, but you'll see on other threads on this section thathere is some resistance on teh grounds of OPSEC.

CB has proven a lot more effective than I expected. I helped another prepper set up a simple CB based comms system in August and with just 4wFM we were getting groundwave contacts out to 30 miles and e-layer skip landed us a bundle of contacts in scotland ( we were operating in SE of England) At the same time we were hearing stations 70 to 80 miles away, but could not get back to them.

CB is a long way from being perfect, but its accessible to everyone. I am sold on Paul's arguement that most critical communication horizon will be up to one days walk from base.... this correlares quite well with CB FM 4w capability.

Glad you're enjoying your radios anyway

LS

[PrepperJohn]

That's fair enough.

If you are that worried about OPSEC then don't register your licence at your actual address.

pj

[Straight Shooter]

question for ls , can a signal be triangulated if the cb is on and you just listen in