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NorthernRaider · 22 February 2016, 11:57,

Perhaps one of our geeks can educate me as to why I often can send a text from my cell phone to someone else when I cannot contact that same phone to TALK to them?

I'm starting to think that very simple basic TEXTS may have a better chance of getting through than a phone call in a disaster situation and so I'm thinking of using some very simple codes in TEXT for to relay message to my family.

Just for example if something kicks off texting the letters 'RV' for them to know to go to a pre arranged safe location, They reply only with one character EG 'Z' to acknowledge receipt of the text. or 'HM' to tell em to come HOME.

Ranger · 22 February 2016, 15:06,

In the last week I've just signed up to the (free) Whatsapp app for use amongst a group of us at work as we are all self-employed and we have to work together to help each other. The reason why this may be of interest to preppers is that you can create closed groups where you only have to send one text which everyone in the group then receives so you don't have to text each individual in a family/mutual support group. You can, of course, still text people individually but a couple of advantages to this kind of group is that it saves you having to text each individual separately and as each person responds all members of the group can see the replies which allows everybody to be kept up to date on each members status. Being a bit of a techno luddite I'm not really up to how exactly you run it but I know that one person has to act as an admin/co-ordinator for the group and they have to add people to the group.

**Lightspeed** · 22 February 2016, 15:54,

HI NR,

I'm not a mobile telephone engineer, but guess that SMS will get through where voice calls fail because they are less data heavy, take up less bandwidth and that they are asynchronous ( meaning that nessages are not exchanged live)

The asynchronicity can be a problem in my experience, when messages can be delivered very late indeed when conditions are poor. I've had up to a day's delay at times.

But agreed that pre coded messages sent by SMS will be a more robust and resilient than relying on voice calls.

**Devonian** · 22 February 2016, 16:08,

(22 February 2016, 15:06)Ranger Wrote: In the last week I've just signed up to the (free) Whatsapp app for use amongst a group of us at work as we are all self-employed and we have to work together to help each other. The reason why this may be of interest to preppers is that you can create closed groups where you only have to send one text which everyone in the group then receives so you don't have to text each individual in a family/mutual support group. You can, of course, still text people individually but a couple of advantages to this kind of group is that it saves you having to text each individual separately and as each person responds all members of the group can see the replies which allows everybody to be kept up to date on each members status. Being a bit of a techno luddite I'm not really up to how exactly you run it but I know that one person has to act as an admin/co-ordinator for the group and they have to add people to the group.

I use WhatsApp as well and its a fantastic tool for communicating with others.

One advantage of WhatsApp is that it that sends the text messages across the internet, so if you have a WiFi connection on your phone, then messages can be sent even when the mobile networks are down - assuming of course that the fixed line systems haven't also gone down....

And of course using a WiFi connection means that all the texts you send are sent free of charge - no charges for your text messages.

If you don't have a WiFi Connection you can still use WhatsApp on the mobile 3G/4G networks, but you'd have the same connectivity issues as normal texting in that situation....

**Lightspeed** · 22 February 2016, 16:08,

Ranger:

Yes the Whatsup App makes a smartphone into a kind of virtual walkie talkie. Its totally reliant on an internet connection, but definitely has good application to prepping.

I use a similar App called Zello. We set up an SUK closed group a while back but it didn't get off the ground. I still use Zello within my private closed group though and we find it very useful indeed.

If you are interested theer is a CB to Zello internet gateway here: http://www.g0hwc.com/11m_gateway.html this lets users chat in a group between connected computers, smartphones, PMR446 walkie talkies and CB radios. Pretty neat eh?

But lets not divert this thread, if anyone wants to discuss Zello/ Whatsup gateways lets start a separate thread.

Straight Shooter · 22 February 2016, 17:20,

My view is more suspicious with coms ....worse case ....if the internet was say shut down along with the mobile network what then? ....i have WT and CB and i will go for ham radio even just to listen in...this will get done when the new build starts (still fucking waiting for funds) ....i sound like a fucking stuck record..
so okay can they jamb this communication i don't know but i see it of my best chance to get info.....lightspeed will sort me out when time and funds allow.....but txts and codes sounds good also ....there is a place for any medium that works for us survivalists .

NorthernRaider · 22 February 2016, 18:10,

SS you make a good point, but me being a technophobe I always go for simplicity, so I was thinking if something kicked off, I would be advising my family to play safe every time and if they did not get a message from me as the crisis developed then they should play safe and come home. ? Once home we could then break out the PMRs

Straight Shooter · 22 February 2016, 18:33,

Yes i do see the sense NR and can not fault your reasons in the short term and not knocking it at all....by the way ....you have not answered your baked bean tin in ages...check your string your end ....mine is tight this end.

Skean Dhude · 22 February 2016, 19:15,

NR, Two reasons. As LS said it is less data heavy and significantly more tolerance to drop outs. So when the phone call loses connection it drops the line and jas to connect again. The SMS connects for a fraction of a seconds then the message is gone.Once on the servers at your provider it can retry as many times as it can for a day or so.

Texts can make contact when calls can't in signal poor areas so better using texts if you must get in touch.

Downside is you don't get the immediate feedback it was received unless you get a text back.

**Devonian** · 22 February 2016, 19:37,

(22 February 2016, 19:15)Skean Dhude Wrote: Downside is you don't get the immediate feedback it was received unless you get a text back.

Another bonus of using WhatsApp is that you get immediate confirmation as to whether it has (or hasn't) been delivered, plus you can also see if the message has been read and whether your intended recipient(s) are online.

Definitely worth considering in the scenario suggested by NR.

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