Public Comms SHTF

[kellys_eye]

Being (keeping) informed in a SHTF situation is critical as SD points out - information will always be useful.

[Mortblanc]

Information or misinformation?

and how do you know which you are getting?

99.44% of the information we get now is propaganda so why would we get any "truth" SHTF.

Plus the fact that the "information" from individuals with "Comms" as you call them are simply people seeing the tunnel they are existing in. What is happening to them might not be relevant to anyone else in the world. It is simply an interpretation of their perspective. You do not know their intents or political leanings that filter their observations.

One bully holding a village hostage because no one has the balls to knock him in the head might be the end of law and order to one person when to another it is simply a fool to be dealt with. But you are getting information over the "comms" that entire villages are under control of a warlord.

Information is power only if your information is correct.

[bigpaul]

there will be a lot of gossip and heresay about post SHTF, thats just human nature, whether any of it is truthful or useful is another matter.
not something I'm going to be getting involved in, will be keeping a low profile.

[Joe]

Mort it’s obvious you don’t need comms and have no intention of using them.
However someone trying to contact their family as an event kicks off might find some basic communication kit very useful.
Personally I have always kept some radio kit, not as a hobby as I don’t use Ham radio or CB, my background with radio is mainly as a job. However I’m always happy to help out anyone who needs some radio info.

[kellys_eye]

I've worked in comms all my life - access to and use of such equipment comes naturally to me and I have all the licences needed to operate as an amateur or professional.

We all take our information on a daily basis from where we can get it. It's no better than 'gossip' even now - as is the information 'you' use to determine IF the SHTF and whether it is going to or even when etc. It's what YOU do with that information that determines how YOU react.

Which is why post SHTF you need to keep listening to the gossip - where ever it comes from. Being 'mis' informed is probably worse than being 'un' informed (i.e. ignorant).

[bigpaul]

I dont give a rats backside what is happening hundreds of miles from my location post SHTF, thats not going to affect my position one way or another, the mortality rate amongst the general public will be so large that anything national will not affect my location until long after I am gone and forgotten.

[Skean Dhude]

Even if the information is tainted it is still going to be useful. It'll give you information of who is in charge, or thinks they are, where they are and that they have power and facilities. When it goes quiet then something has happened.

Although tbh I'm only really going to be interested in my local area.

[bigpaul]

I'm only interested in my local area and maybe my county.

[Joe]

It's maybe an idea to explore comms in a bit of detail.
To start with you have your ultra local comms, mainly uhf handhelds under 1 watt and mainly intended for use around 0.5 to 1 miles.
Next up you would be moving to local comms, this would be a mobile radio, possibly vhf around 25w. I would be using this for contact between vehicles when the comms first go down.
Moving on you have comms around your region, possibly a vhf mobile running 50 plus watts operating to a base station or via a hill top repeater.
Beyond that we move on to HF comms, apx 100w plus and aimed at covering national coverage, apx out to about 500-1000 miles using low frequencies around 3 to 7mhz. Ideally this would be base or fixed mobile. This would be your main source of info during a long event.
For Global work we would still be using HF comms but now operating around 14 to 20 Mhz and ideally with a proper base antenna and power from 100 to 1000w. This gives us good comms beyond the 500miles range and out to several thousands.

I do agree with the other comments, it is safer to listen rather than transmit if it's a serious event but for most normal disasters it's doubful that groups will be trying to DF your position, just use what radios you have set up to contact your family and friends. A cheap 25w mobile with a magmount antenna can live in the boot of your car for years and takes 2 minutes to plug in.

[Lightspeed]

(16 June 2021, 10:46)bigpaul Wrote: I dont see the need for any comms, any public announcement especially if from the BBC will be left wing BS.
I'm only interested in what happens in my local area, both now and post SHTF, and I can find that out for myself I dont need a radio to do it.

BP its still useful to listen to Aunty Beeb, of course the ability to filter what's real and what's propaganda will be critical. But it will let you know what the GP is being told to do and that'll be useful to know