Connunications update following Polls:

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(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 points NR, and largely I agree with you. But how many preppers are within 10 to 15 miles of you at the moment?.....and how are you going to find out? That's the probable max range you'll get with a fixed CB station and good antenna......


Using CB is excellent in theory as the equipment is relatively inexpensive and not too complex ( as already argued) but with small numbers of adopters it cannot be fashioned into a national network. Likewise, CB or PMR will only be of use in local situations if everyone has one and knows how to put it on air and keep it on air after a major grid down event.

I think it was Skves who made comments about needing to know what is going on primarily within 1 days travel of home. I think that this geographic parameter is valid and very ueseful in our comms planning. But what is 1 days travel? Its going to vary considerably because of geography.

Since March this year a small group has been testing PMR446, looking for prepper responses..... so far nothing heard, in spite of travelling many thousands of Km around the country. We know there are other preppers out there, but we've not succeeded in contacting a single one of them.

The task I have been asked to assess is how to set up a viable national comms network. For that we need to set up something and start practicing with it ahead of any SHTF event. Ham radio and NVIS will ensure that a large portion of the UK will be theoretically reachable. With our small number of stations in unknown locations its the best way to ensure a maximum number of preppers are in range.