RADIO COMMS

[Lightspeed]

Hi NR

I agree with you that we need to get the ball rolling and start building a network with little delay. Can we use this thread you’ve started to try to get some consensus, and then implement?

The Poll to find out what comms equipment resourse we have available to us as a community is so far inconclusive. There are far fewer responses than I had hoped for, with some of them being a wish list responses, not a statement of actual current capability. Thank you to all who have responded but it would be most useful if the whole of our community to a few minutes to respond, that way we’ll be able to try and find a best fit solution.

After discussions on this forum, I’m personally starting to favour CB. I’ll post reasons why on a separate response.
Has anyone else got any strong views that we can discuss?

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Arguing the case for CB:

and a question for NR

When initially considering a survivor network I was considerably against CB as a viable tool, but I am now re-evaluating that position. It is a good compromise solution for a structural communications network. My thoughts are
• CB is license free
o We can own and operate compliant equipment immediately without having to declare to authorities, nor break the current laws.
• Range on 4/5w CB is between 5 and 30 miles depending on terrain and antenna set-up
o This is better than most handheld VHF/UHF/PMR equipment, but not as good as Ham gear
• CB equipment is for the most part robust and runs from easily generated 12v power
• CB Equipment is very simple to operate
• CB equipment is fairly easily repairable
o certainly true of older gear, provided you select equipment for which you can still purchase replacement output transistors.
o Personal experience is that I still have 30 year old equipment that remains serviceable.
• Listening around the country, I’ve found that there is very little activity on the CB bands nowadays.
o So we will be relatively free to set up test networks without disturbing existing users
• Ham emergency communications are generally at frequencies well separated from those of CB ( 27 MHz).
o So we won’t be interfering with their activities ( literally)
• CB equipment is still available to purchase new and indeed GBP200 will get you a very capable and robust rig. These can be set up to be pretty much compliant with UK CB specification, but retain the ability to operate at higher power and in SSB mode
o Note that EU has recently permitted use of 12wSSB capable CB. This change has already been embraced by France, Germany and a few other member states, but our own dear government is somewhat dragging its heels. But we can expect a change to the rules here eventually
o 12w SSB will give support 400 to 600 mile skip at certain times and will enhance local comms up to around 30miles
 Yes, it will also support intercontinental communications during sun-spot high activity ( right now). But this is not needed for a UK centric network.
• Second hand CB gear is available on e-bay and at car boot sales for very low money
o Low cost and easy availability is a good thing and a bad thing
o Good that we can afford to purchase duplicate and backup gear
o Bad that the equipment is equally available to idiots who only use it to try and disrupts other peoples genuine activities . Actually view this as a positive as it is a semi-intelligent interference that will test the robustness of our network.

Some Direct question to you NR:
As a seasoned prepper with knowledge and experience developed beyond most of the rest of us on this site, what do you think about using CB both now and in the long term? Do you think it is a viable proposition for the wider prepper community, not just those of us in this group?

To make a viable network (with redundancy) country-wide we’d need around 100 prepper stations to participate. Do you think we could muster that many? Cheers

Lightspeed

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Ha, my previous reply on the other thread to your question anbout a versatile radio has evaporated.

Answer: Yes

The Yaesu FT817 is 5w, hand portable, has several ways to fita antennas, and when modded can transmit on Ham, CB, Marine VHF, as well as the frequencies supported by the Chinese handhelsds we've been discussing.

Too good to be true?

Probably

This radio eats batteries and really needs a back-up 12v accumulator, which kind of negates the small size

Also, its low power makes it only marginally effective, especially if used with portable loaded whip antennas. Really it is best on High Frequency with large wire antennas and for these it is probable that you will also need to carry an antenna matching unit.

Also its an all of your eggs in one highly compex little box. If it fails it will be very difficult to get fixed. Even today, most Hams using this gear return the radios to specialised workshops for repair as the level of complexity is somewhat beyond the capabilities of most home workshops.

Alternatives are the Yaesu FT857/FT897 and the Icom IC706mkIIG. These are all mobile units, larger, more powerful (variable 5w to 100w) and somewhat more robust.