Information is a vital commodity in a disaster situation. Whomever has any, in the absence of Internet, phone and power services will have a great advantage.
Radio Preppers aims to provide individuals interested in disaster preparedness with an independent tool for the exchange of information about emergency radio communications and preparations. Hopefully it will also help build a community of like-minded individuals who could contact and help each others in times of what is commonly known as 'SHTF' or 'TEOTWAWKI.' Like-minded here means self-sufficient, strong-willed and responsible people. Independent means regardless of nationality, race, gender, political and religious beliefs, as well as unrelated to any organizations. Whether you are a licensed HAM operator, CBer, or simply curious about radio preparedness doesn't matter here.
My motivation for creating this site came from my inability to find an emergency radio club that really wasn't related to some kind of organization, mostly governmental or politically affiliated. Survival is a personal, family or small community affair. I am always suspicious of organizations that plan on telling people what to do for their own good, or else... That said, anti-government rhetoric will not be accepted here. If you don't like your government, vote accordingly. There are plenty of other boads for political ranting. This one is not one of them.
Sign-up, it's free, and stop by once in a while. If you have anything to contribute, please do so! Topics will not necessarily be limited to radio but must be related to disaster preparedness. To avoid spamming, you do need to answer a couple radio related questions; nothing a quick Google search can't answer.
Rules are few: Be courteous. Although some civil political discussions are acceptable, try to avoid them; same goes for religion. Do not suggest anything against the law, or you will be immediately banned.
Please consider supporting this site after joining by subscribing at: Profile > Summary > Actions > Paid Subscriptions. You will get more privileges!
Note that members who do not participate at least once a year will be deleted.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. I hope you enjoy this forum and that it helps make you and your family safer.
Gil.
Gil:
Tnx for starting something that I personally feel is long over due. I have been licensed almost 50 years and have been active in ARES/RACES for over 30 years. I am tired or these politically oriented organizations with their insistence on useless training courses that anyone can take over the internet. These courses won't make better communicators. I also think that the individual communicator (ham, CBer or individual with FRS/GMRS) who is savvy about the craft of radio can make a tremendous difference in times of unrest. It's the individual, NOT the organization, that communicates.
73 Rich K7SZ
Hello Rich,
I couldn't agree more. I would also rather trust a number of individuals reporting important events rather than some agency.. ARES/RACES probably have the merit of providing a structure and a liaison between disaster relief agencies and the public, but I do not think it is enough. More people with radios, off the grid, is in my opinion the way to obtain and disseminate potentially life-saving information. I am pro-government and pro-law-and-order mind you, but I prefer to be self-sufficient. Many Hams today would probably not be able to use their equipment without power. Others might have very little fuel stored for a generator. A car battery also doesn't last very long.. personally am leaning towards QRP with solar panels.. My newly built K1 draws 55mA on receive...
Thank you for signing up, have a great day,
Gil.
Interesting,
Someone with the ability to take equipment at hand and relay a message is what counts. If you use tin cans and string, fine get the job done with what you have on hand. The skill to adapt technology at hand is what counts.
The past 20 years have seen a major downturn in the skill level of hams. Now most hams can't repair their own equipment not to mention build or tune antennas.
At one of our club meetings I mentioned I preform monthly SWR checks on my HF antennas. Some people said they just use their auto tuner. I questioned how would you determine if you had water in the coax if you rely on a auto tuner? Besides I tune my antennas correctly so I don't need to use a tuner.
Hello Jim,
Welcome aboard :-) I did read all your posts with great interest. I am sure you will have knowledge to share on this board, and that is great.
I am new to Ham, though not new to radio and electronics.. I thought most Hams still did tinker with equipment, but I guess, not so much. Now I am busy learning Morse code... I also built three transceivers so far, including an Elecraft K1. I have a second Rock-Mite on order :-)
That said, my main goal with this board is to educate people interested in emergency preparedness on how to choose and use (even build?) radios which could help them gather information in SHTF scenarios, and communicate with others.. I am no expert, but hopefully, some will join us here..
Have a great week-end,
Gil.
As you probably know, the Tech test basically has very little theory in it, but it has more concerning the rules and the traditions of ham radio. It may be a "joke", but it does help to keep the ham bands somewhat free of the CB mentality and language. Unfortunately, there are portions on some of the bands that rival the CB as far a language. Unfortunately, when they dropped the code part of the exam, they opened the door to many who really don't know what they are doing, and don't really know what or how they are doing it.
Rules on the ham bands, most of them gentlemen's/ladies agreements are there for a purpose, and serve a purpose to keep the traditions alive and well in hamdom. Please don't minimize the tests because they might be a "joke" to you, but they do serve a time honored purpose. I passed the Tech and General the same night, and nearly passed the Extra, but had to come back the next test session to pass it.
Having been, and still am involved in some large prepper comms groups, I have found that most people can pass the tests, but they fail to purchase the equipment to practice those skills. Therefore, they are useless to the group, and especially themselves and their families.
I hope that those who frequent this site don't fall into that category. Purchase your equipment and become proficient in their use. Just sayin...
You know, long time Ham people can discount the new Technician test and requirements and I appreciate where they're coming from, but consider the prepper who wants to add communications to their preps and appreciates the great resource Ham is but doesn't have the time to spend WEEKS or MONTHS studying just to get a basic license. I fall into that category. In a perfect world, I'd be getting my General right now, and really want to so I can actually test out my Yaesu 857D, but for right now, I'm content to just listen. And have that listening capability if things get bad. In the mean time I can use my VHF/UHF mobile and learn at my own pace. Scanning fire/police/public service and weather all the while. I'm not about to use bad language, and can use my VHF/UHF legally. The new technician license is a great entry level in my opinion. It's enough to get you 100% of the benefits in emergency, and still requires people to take a test thus keeping the riff raff at bay a bit... Heck I got my technician license in 2007 and am just now getting around to going to the local club meetings. It's taken that long to get the time free. :)
Thanks for welcoming me on board. As you well know, the ability to provide security, transportation food/water, and shelter along with our communications is also important.
Just wanted to introduce myself. My name is Norm call sign W6NCF and am located in the the Santa Clara Valley in California. I hold an Extra Class license but am not a more code person. I prefer the HF digital modes over voice and have put together a radio bug out kit that includes VHF/UHF/HF for voice and digital. I volunteer with the city R.A.C.E.S group and help with communications and transportation for local bicycle events. Relatively speaking I've only been a Ham for a shot time. I returned to ham radio in 2002 so I'm not an old timer and still learning. I hope I can learn for others and maybe pass some of the things that I have learned to others.
Norm W6NCF
Checking in.
No, this is not my real call sign. :)
Hi folks,
Like Normancf22, I'm in the lovely Silicon Valley too. I'm a recent HAM (tech) and fall into that category of someone who's not steeped in electronics but wants the utility of HAM for both emergency and general use.
The goal of prepping is to be prepared for most foreseeable events (e.g. "the big one"). Radios give us the ability to keep in touch with others to understand what's happening locally as well as in other areas. That info can be crucial to helping smaller groups cope after a disaster. It can also help local neighborhoods coordinate resources for aid and safety. That's my outlook on it.
So, tech licensed, currently using a Yaesu FT-60R HT (2m/70cm) around Sunnyvale-Mt.View. Eventually I want to expand to include 6M or 23cm (not decided yet).
Hello,
I would like to welcome all new members who joined us here this week-end following a link from survivalblog.com.
Thank you to whomever posted it, and thank you all for the great posts :)
Gil.
I just wanted to check in. A forum like this is long overdue. Thanks for taking your time, effort, and treasure to do it, Gil!
JP
Just wanted to post a checkin, thanks for starting this forum, a useful mix. I'm in the So Cal area, anyone down here?
Underhill
I am in Cal City
Greetings,
I am an absolute newbie to Short Wave. I recently was given a FRG-7 and want to learn more about short wave. I saw this site listed on Survivalblog.com and decided to have a look. So prepare for a barrage of questions. I have no clue about this subject in general except that I am keenly interested.
Gafarmboy
I am real new to HAM. I have some back up radios on hand (shortwave). I keep a faraday cage and have stuff in it.
Not sure if I have the temperment or intellect to operate a radio. I am not very tech friendly, but do enjoy light mechanics. I take pleasure in fixing something, though I have fixed much in years. Busy with nursingcare like needs in the home.
I do have some preparations for an emergency underway. Got into high step just 4 years ago. Seems like I would feel ready. Well, I can't say I am "ready" but as least I am not anxious and worried with a feeling of drede. Prepping is taking action and taking action calms my nerves.
I have been interested in Morse Code for some time - years off and on. I will start to study it and then put it on the back burner. I am 51 years old, an artist, and have no experience with operating or even listening to the kind of radio that a HAM would use.
I was first introduced to HAM at work many years ago. A main Director for this Aerospace Co was generous enough to give me a tour of the HAM station. He was the only HAM at this facility on the foothills at the time (if I recall correctly). I was very impressed with his appoach to have a backup plan for communicating with the head facility near the beach.
The only HAM in the family passed away several years ago. The idea of dealing with a bunch of Govt paperwork to have access to HAM strikes me as down point. I am joining this forum to help me get acquainted with the language of HAM, and maybe ultimately become a technician or what ever it is I need to do to have a radio on site (learn what to buy, how to set up, and how to use).
Not sure if I have the desire to have my own call signs, or watch a clock so I can get on to just have every one listen. I use a hard line telephone at home. I have a cell phone in the car for real emergencies. I use a computer, but am overwelmed by a video player and satelite TV.
Thank you for letting me register.
Sunflower, you make an interesting comment, and you are not the only one, about the perceived complexity of Ham radio. I say perceived, because it doesn't have to be. Although I am a programmer by trade, I do not like complex radios. I spend too much time as it is using menus and complex interfaces. I like my radios to have a volume button and tune button, and not much else! The least the better. More features does not make a radio transmit better. It does make it hear better sometimes, but bells and whistles are optional. My favorite radio, one I build myself, is the Elecraft K1. It isn't the simplest, does use menus and has a few knobs and buttons, but remains very easy to use, small, and has a very low current draw. Anything more complex, I shy away from. Let's face it, if I can't explain to someone how to use it in a few minutes, there is a potential problem there... I can't teach Morse code to someone in 5 minutes of course, but SSB (Single Side Band voice) radios can be simple too. Look at the MFJ-9440 or an old Atlas... That's the kind of simplicity I like. With the Tech exam being so accessible, why not? Sure, it's a pain to have to pass an exam and be "registered," but to practice, you need to get on the air. When the SHTF is not a good time to learn. You could use CB and learn a lot about antennas of course, but you limit yourself to one band that only allows long distance communications in the best of conditions.
By the way, other members can thank you for suggesting the "New To Radio" board, it is on.
Gil.
I am in the same boat as billca, in that I am new to HAM, Tech license, same motivations, SAME starter rig. I have very little time to spend on it but don't want to lose what skill and knowledge I have. I have the General Study Guide sitting on my desk, waiting to be opened. I have yet to speak to anyone on the air but have listened a lot. If I had time to go to local club meetings I might have motivation to talk on air but so far that hasn't happened.
Thanks for starting his board, I will be checking in daily and hopefully will have something to add.
Scott
Quote from: billca on September 02, 2012, 08:50:09 AM
Hi folks,
Like Normancf22, I'm in the lovely Silicon Valley too. I'm a recent HAM (tech) and fall into that category of someone who's not steeped in electronics but wants the utility of HAM for both emergency and general use.
The goal of prepping is to be prepared for most foreseeable events (e.g. "the big one"). Radios give us the ability to keep in touch with others to understand what's happening locally as well as in other areas. That info can be crucial to helping smaller groups cope after a disaster. It can also help local neighborhoods coordinate resources for aid and safety. That's my outlook on it.
So, tech licensed, currently using a Yaesu FT-60R HT (2m/70cm) around Sunnyvale-Mt.View. Eventually I want to expand to include 6M or 23cm (not decided yet).
Hello Gil and the rest of the Fellows -
I'm new to Gil's forum, a long time ham - going on forty years on the air now. I've done a lot of backwoods radio, both in the US and outside of the country and even aboard a sailboat for a few years. Having worked communications under some pretty dire field conditions and also played a lot in the mountain west with my QRP rigs, CW is absolutely my favorite and most dependable mode.
These days, I'm looking more at how to make our little home more self sufficient, communications being the strong point, followed by 'mini-farming' and etc. It's clear that we're in trouble as a nation. In my past, I worked a lot with refugees from the communist bloc. Virtually all of them said of their over-run homelands: "we never thought that it would happen here". At least they had an America to escape to. I think that learning to communicate withOUT commercial infrastructure would be very helpful, even if nothing drastic ever happens. If - God forbid - it should happen, then at least we have some options and sources of raw information outside of the controlled media.
73 de Ray
W7ASA ..._ ._
Hi Ray, you should post pictures of your KX1 on the technical board ;)
Gil
Quote from: underhill on September 02, 2012, 12:26:40 PM
Just wanted to post a checkin, thanks for starting this forum, a useful mix. I'm in the So Cal area, anyone down here?
Underhill
Use to be. Glad I am gone from the place. Miss the family, but not enough to go back. If I relocate ever again it is North only. I miss clam digging and body surfing, but not enough to return. There was a lot of HAM fun going on when I was out there. That is where I was first introduced to it.
Hello, Gil and all. Thanks for setting this up. I found you in survival comms yahoo group. I am another "40 yr" ham. But my three daughters never got interested in ham radio. So, I am going to use GMRS to keep in touch. Myself and some of the hams here are going to set up a GMRS repeater this year. I have Wouxun and Baofeng handhelds. I like having one radio that covers ham VHF / UHF, GMRS and MURS. ( I was going to say FRS but that would be illegal ;) One thing I like about MURS is that packet is legal there, except digipeating. I will be reading the whole forum to see what's up. Thanks again!
Welcome aboard Brad!
Gil.
I am really enjoying Radio Preppers! The other preparedness organizations in my area have been crippled by petty politics. Thank you Gil, I look forward to a QSO someday.
Ken - ke4rg
Welcome aboard Ken!!!
Quote from: Ken on May 27, 2013, 10:39:41 PM
I am really enjoying Radio Preppers! The other preparedness organizations in my area have been crippled by petty politics. Thank you Gil, I look forward to a QSO someday.
Ken - ke4rg
Welcome Ken. What I love about this forum is that we all seem to be like minded and there's no petty bickering and arguing. We may not always agree on everything, there might even be a spirited debate, but from what I've seen it's always done in a respectful manner. I think you're gonna like it here.
Sure thing Ken, welcome aboard!
Gil
Found this board and decided to join for the discussions. Any chance of adding a Colorado forum? I know a LOT of prepper minded radio folks here.
I'm deeply involved in emergency communications, using amateur radio, GMRS, and even Civil Air Patrol comms. I find it all to be rewarding and a lot of fun.
Eric
Welcome aboard Eric
There are a lot of great people here. To add a state board and to make sure Gil see's it head over here to the state board request area, and post there. Or fallow my link.
http://radiopreppers.com/index.php/topic,321.0.html
73
Joe
I just signed up W0UDT
Name is Bob
Location Colorado
Welcome, Bob!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Welcome aboard Bob, you'll find yourself right at home here :)
Gil.
Hi Bob,
Nice callsign!
de RadioRay ..._ ._
W7ASA
Welcome to the forum Bob.
Hello Everyone,
It's a pleasure meeting you. I was delighted to find this place, thanks for making it available.
I've been a ham for 12 years now. Upgraded to General last year and am working on my Extra. Look forward to hopefully meeting some of you on the air.
Hi Everyone,
I'm new to the forum as well, and looking forward to learning and helping as I'm able. I've been interested in this space for quite a while. :-)
Andrew Baze, AB8L
Hi folks, name is Dave - I'm a ham in Ireland, licensed since 2012. From the start I've been interested in how to stay on the air if the power quits.
Equipment at the moment is ok for staying put, but I'm slowly putting together the kit necessary to stay out in the field indefinitely.
Main mode is CW but also active on WSPR and some other digital modes. Have a QRO rig that's currently sitting in a drawer, so my main radio is an FT817ND and I have a HB1B as backup. I operate QRP mainly due to the practicalities - small and light make it easier for me to move around, often find myself using internal antennas so QRO isn't a great idea.
Had been thinking about a PRC320 for a long time, but have decided against it for now as it would mean more equipment to work with 24-28vdc.
Hope to work you guys on the air at some point.
73
Welcome Dave!
Here is how I deal with charging batteries for the 320.. Right now I can charge 18650 cells with a 14W solar panel, then use four of those to power a Supernova nicad charger to charge the Clansman batteries. I could also simply charge two 12v gel cell batteries with a larger panel and charge controller..
The RT-320 also has a manual charger to be used with a 1Ah battery. Tedious work but does charge the battery, albeit slowly.
Gil
Interesting Gil.
I had thought about getting an empty battery box and installing a 12V LiFePO4 alongside a 12V/24V boost converter to simplify things - 24v for rig, 12v input for charging - but then read that these converters are very noisy, so I decided to stick with the 817!
I'll throw up some pics as I get my setup together for the outdoors - I'm spending a lot of time at the moment trying to figure out how to make it a bit more manpack like, without making it too bulky.
Great thanks. I have a 7S LIPO for the 320 as well.. Looking forward to your photos.
Gil
Gil, I just wanted to say Thank You. You have a good forum here. Over the years I have learned some and hopefully helped others. 73'S KA5SIW
Thanks Jim! We do have a good community here and I have learned much as well :-) I especially like it when people try stuff and post the results to benefit us all.
Gil
Hi Gil
Have subscribed to your YouTube channel and really like the idea of a Prepper's HF frequency. Practicing morse every day now, I do struggle with it but overall I am sure it is worth the effort.
I am an active member of Uk Raynet in North Anglia and have been for over 10 years.
Basically a homestead sort of Prepper with a small group. We all live in the same little village and have our own Radio UHF network. As we all live within 1/2 km of each other PMR/FRS work well for us.
Best wishes Larry.
Excellent Larry! I don't know the UK Raynet but I participate in the VMARS net on Wednesday nights on 3615...
Welcome aboard :)
Gil.
Hi, folks. I'm a long-time prepper and have had my license for a couple years now. Having seen a few youtube videos by Gil, I thought it would be smart to join up here and learn a lot. :)
Welcome aboard!
Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk
Welcome to the forum bkt, glad to have you aboard.
Hi Gil and all the members of this forum.
I am 41 years old and I have my ham licence from 1993 (I was 17 yo). I come from Spain.
Sorry for my poor English, I 'll try to explain as better has possible.
I discovered this forum throught radioprepper channel, I am glad to know anothers friends with the same interest about the priority to comms in a possible dissaster or SHFP.
I don't trust in the help of goverments, neither in his false information.
This comunity/forum allows me share my ideas of radio lightweight/portable etc to get at this hobby became a important tool for SHFP.
I hope we can learn more all together and make a net to share info and knowlegde.
Enviado desde mi iPad utilizando Tapatalk Pro
We should be able to establish contact between France/Spain Jon...
Gil.
Quote from: gil on June 03, 2017, 04:57:00 AM
We should be able to establish contact between France/Spain Jon...
Gil.
I wish it!!
Quote from: Jon_Garfio on June 03, 2017, 07:07:05 AM
Quote from: gil on June 03, 2017, 04:57:00 AM
We should be able to establish contact between France/Spain Jon...
Gil.
I wish it!!
I should be on 20m this afternoon, 14060 around 15:30 French time, 13:30Z See F4WBY on the reverse beacon network...
Gil
Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk
Hello everyone, my name is Moray located south of Glasgow in bonnie Scotland. Have been inspired with Gil and his YouTube videos very interesting. I have an RT-320 and I am active most weekends like experimenting with various antennas. They are great radios and a bit of nostalgia for me being ex army look forward to spending time in here reading posts and contributing.
Welcome aboard Moray. I am a big fan of the 320, but you already know that ;)
Gil.
Yes I know it's a great radio hope to speak to you on the bands I to hate contests :)
We'll try!
Gil
Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk
Thank you for providing this forum. I agree with you and others that preparedness in all forms, especially in communications, is the utmost importance for all types of disasters whether the source is naturally occurring or man-caused. As a ham radio operator for over 35 years and a military retiree, preparedness is second-nature to me and my family. We look forward to great dialogue with others.
73,
Joe - KB9LXH
Nice words, Joe.
Enviado desde mi iPhone utilizando Tapatalk Pro
Hello everyone,
I'm a prepper located in Western Europe and I stumbled upon this forum in the links section of the webpage of OH8STN - awesome to find an entire forum dedicated to ham radio & preparedness, without too much focus on only either of those topics, but the best intersection where both topics meet.
As a prepper I got in to ham radio & comms-gear a few years ago when I picked up a scanner and later a few chinese HT's and I extensively started testing ranges to get a good understanding of communication capabilities. A huge pet-peeve within the prepper communities are people buy a few Baofengs and basically make grotesque assumptions on their capabilities or usefulness, nor not even practice using & operating their radios. Not to mention how little time people spend on finding & evaluating the right or up-to-date frequencies to get news or information from.
I've come to the conclusion that 2m & 70cm is pretty much only useful for short-range, tactical communications for those people in your prepper group that are very near or with whom you are directly working together. For instance the neighborhood watch, on patrol or in vehicle convoys or vehicle to dismounted. Unless Party A and Party B both have Diamond VHF/UHF antennas on their roof, I've kept VHF & UHF prepper communications within
5 Miles tactical range (that is with external DIY antenna's but not in any optimum situation. Better to be conservative with range rather than overestimate). For obvious reasons I do not wish to rely on amateur repeaters.
That brings me to my next and latest research, where I've spent the last year looking into: NVIS. I've already ready a few threads on this forum and I've spend so much time reading all available articles and research into, ranging from the USMC antenna books to the latest research on NVIS from 2015 (http://www.vederfonds.veron.nl/PhD%20Thesis%20B.A.Witvliet%202015.pdf)
A few problems I can't get around are so many articles praising NVIS on 40 meters. Most of the amateur radio articles on NVIS are from the United States, and I have some problems with that:
- The Unites States is huge compared to Europe, if one makes an international contact 320 kilometers out (200 miles) that would be in the States only the next state over
- After keeping an eye on ionograms (http://digisonde.oma.be/latestFrames.htm) daily for a year, I've never seen the foF2 frequency above 60 meters, and I hardly ever hear amateurs from my country on 40 meters, and the times I did I suspect it was the groundwave playing a factor.
I know the solar cycle is currently at a minimum, and foF2 could easily go to 40 meters in a maximum - professional or commercial articles on NVIS only give very broad and shallow information in regard to frequency choice which are no help at all
A close friend recently started prepping as well and I want to establish a (for HF very) short-range method of communication. The ranges to think of are 15 to 75 miles. I'm having the hardest time with finding the right frequency band that would provide the highest reliability for daily communication, all-year and preferably solar cycle round.
PS: Saw the CB sub-board, maybe that should/could be expanded to general license-free comms (to include PMR446 for instance) and add an NVIS subboard.
Hello and welcome aboard :-)
The most reliable band for NVIS is 80m. Don't ditch the 2m band... Using USB on 2m can greatly increase its range. 2m USB can cover the near-regional range and 80m the far-regional range. Both can work DX under some conditions, especially 80m. Any band works for local, so we might as well use VHF or UHF with shorter antennas.
Gil
Sent from my SM-G928F using Tapatalk
Quote from: gil on August 16, 2017, 08:22:04 AM
The most reliable band for NVIS is 80m.
What would be the most reliable time of day to establish an communication on 80m? Early Morning, Noon, afternoon or at night/midnight? And I also reckon seasonal change would have a large impact on this as well, so I'd love to have some more info on that
Don't ditch the 2m band... Using USB on 2m can greatly increase its range. 2m USB can cover the near-regional range and 80m the far-regional range.
2m would be a great band too, but unless you're within omni-directional range(saw your video on it) you'd also need to know someones bearing to use SSB with an Yagi antenna, plus there are a few more factors, like me suspecting I'd need access to two buildings in order to cope with the rather flat terrain.
In any case the most prominent limiting factor for the set-up in mind is the cost of a second, third or fourth rig that can operate the desired band and mode. Since I am the commsguy in my prepping group, I have a nice QRP do-all rig, but now I am looking to create a set-up for the other people in our group with a means to communicate "when SHTF". I've been looking at the recently announced QRP-Labs single band CW transceiver, which looks promising even for people who don't know morse code since it has a built-in decoder and message keyer.
https://www.qrp-labs.com/qcx.html
That way some very basic communication can happen, which would have effect on further SHTF-plan execution and decision-making for both parties communicating, or scheduling a rendez-vous point and time for instance. I'm not aiming for long rag-chews but short, easy & "robust" pre-selected messages that can deliver a situational report to other members
I've gained a lot of "inspiration" for what I'm trying to achieve from Guerrillacomm NVIS experiments, which I'm sort of trying to copy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N_F_2BcfqC0
QuoteWhat would be the most reliable time of day to establish an communication on 80m? Early Morning, Noon, afternoon or at night/midnight? And I also reckon seasonal change would have a large impact on this as well, so I'd love to have some more info on that
80m will work better after sunset and in winter.
QuoteI'd need access to two buildings in order to cope with the rather flat terrain.
The trick here is to put your antenna on a mast or hung from a tree branch. 2m indeed will not work well with an antenna close to the ground, unlike NVIS on 80m.
Gil.
Quote from: gil on August 23, 2017, 12:50:25 PM
QuoteWhat would be the most reliable time of day to establish an communication on 80m? Early Morning, Noon, afternoon or at night/midnight? And I also reckon seasonal change would have a large impact on this as well, so I'd love to have some more info on that
80m will work better after sunset and in winter.
So winter is in general better on 80m, and in both winter and summer it would work better after sunset.
Studying VOACAP all-year prediction gives a different result though, link probability gives higher reliability around noon during the winter, and probability drops to zero at sunset in the winter(around 1700h), opening later again at 2300h.
In the summer however VOACAP gives almost a round-the clock consistent link probability, almost not dropping below 90% for the entire day except between 2000h and 0500h
Quote from: gil on August 23, 2017, 12:50:25 PM
QuoteI'd need access to two buildings in order to cope with the rather flat terrain.
The trick here is to put your antenna on a mast or hung from a tree branch. 2m indeed will not work well with an antenna close to the ground, unlike NVIS on 80m.
I don't know what kind of height you were thinking of for 2m but I was planning on an 80m dipole at about 10 meters using a tree as a center support. It's easy to throw a small heavy object over a tree branch and get to that height.
Using a tree for a 2m SSB, it would be pretty hard to get above the general canopy/building roof height around here. A dipole is much easier to deploy the right way the first time.
I think it'd best if this discussion was set forth in a new thread, this thread being a welcome thread and all
Commsguy - VOACAP is correct - in winter months during lows in the solar cycle (like now) 80M generally becomes a DX band after dark.
During highs in the solar cycle, like last time, on average I found 40M the best NVIS/regional comms band during both day and night - sometimes even 30M was good during the day and 80M would be very good for regional comms in the dead of night and just before dawn.
To explain what I mean by regional comms - I live in Ireland and if I wanted to have somewhat reliable winter night, solar minimum, regional NVIS/regional comms across this island, or into Britain, I'd need to be on 160M.
I strongly advise you to regularly check live foF2 readings in your region - it's the magic critical frequency: http://www.digisonde.com/stationlist.html
If I could give one other piece of advice: in the time I've been licensed, I've learned there is no single magic band that's always reliable - so frequency agility is a must.
Say last weekend for example; I was using the radio for a couple of hours and the conditions were dire on 20/30/40/80 - I decided to go up to 10M (but we're in the solar minimum, it's probably not going to work!) and conditions were brilliant, I was getting all over Europe.
Whether it was sunspots, or Sporadic E's.... being able to switch bands made communications possible.
I can't find the context of the original quoted question:
"What would be the most reliable time of day to establish an communication on 80m? Early Morning, Noon, afternoon or at night/midnight?" but the answer depends on the location you are in the world, and the location of the other station! Is it 10,000km away or 10km or 100 or 1000? 80m generally speaking offers only local contacts up to a few hundred km during the day, but thousands of km (or more) depending on the antenna, at night. Near the equator there is a lot more static on 80m than at mid latitudes. Signals during the day are absorbed by the D layer, so don't reflect (refract) well hence short distances, again more so in summer than winter. You may look at 80m as being a band that favors darkness over light. BUT for short distances and NVIS at mid to high latitudes it is good. At mid to high latitudes at night though you especially need to make sure you have a horizontal dipole at a low height compared to 80m wavelength, as a vertical is more likely to give you sky wave reflection of F layer, not blocked by D layer, resulting in large dead "skip zone" before landing back to earth far away, for long distance "DX" contacts.
This plot of how a dipole radiates (low angles to the left and right are for long distance, you want the high straight up lobes for close-in contacts) at various heights, this is for 40m. It would be more helpful if I found one that gives height in relation to wavelength, but to make this valid exactly the same for 80m, simply double the heights given, e.g. the 10m high plot on this 40m graph would be 20m high on 80m, etc. Don't worry about the exact frequency, it will be much the same for 3.5 or 3.7 MHz in this case!
(http://www.antennablog.net/images/40mDipole/allelevplots.gif)
Look at the red line: this is what a dipole up 15m on 80m band would look like, so NVIS even at that height, and few can get an 80m dipole up that high! Look at the green line, if you can get it up 60m in the air, you will have BOTH low angle AND high angle but less intermediate angle radiation: good for local NVIS and long distance. But who can get it up 60m? But on 10m band you can get that green pattern at just 7.5m above normal ground. 10m of course is not much use at this part of the sunspot cycle, we have to wait many years, if ever, to get those good conditions again.
Quote from: gil on May 09, 2012, 02:11:40 PM
Information is a vital commodity in a disaster situation. Whomever has any, in the absence of Internet, phone and power services will have a great advantage.
Radio Preppers aims to provide individuals interested in disaster preparedness with an independent tool for the exchange of information about emergency radio communications and preparations. Hopefully it will also help build a community of like-minded individuals who could contact and help each others in times of what is commonly known as 'SHTF' or 'TEOTWAWKI.' Like-minded here means self-sufficient, strong-willed and responsible people. Independent means regardless of nationality, race, gender, political and religious beliefs, as well as unrelated to any organizations. Whether you are a licensed HAM operator, CBer, or simply curious about radio preparedness doesn't matter here.
My motivation for creating this site came from my inability to find an emergency radio club that really wasn't related to some kind of organization, mostly governmental or politically affiliated. Survival is a personal, family or small community affair. I am always suspicious of organizations that plan on telling people what to do for their own good, or else... That said, anti-government rhetoric will not be accepted here. If you don't like your government, vote accordingly. There are plenty of other boads for political ranting. This one is not one of them.
Sign-up, it's free, and stop by once in a while. If you have anything to contribute, please do so! Topics will not necessarily be limited to radio but must be related to disaster preparedness. To avoid spamming, you do need to answer a couple radio related questions; nothing a quick Google search can't answer.
Rules are few: Be courteous. Although some civil political discussions are acceptable, try to avoid them; same goes for religion. Do not suggest anything against the law, or you will be immediately banned.
Please consider supporting this site after joining by subscribing at: Profile > Summary > Actions > Paid Subscriptions. You will get more privileges!
Note that members who do not participate at least once a year will be deleted.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. I hope you enjoy this forum and that it helps make you and your family safer.
Gil.
Finally bought a hand held ham radio going to start studying
Sent from my 5049Z using Tapatalk
Excellent. The Technician license is easy. You might want to check the General book, it might convince you to give it a shot as well...
Gil.
Quote from: gil on November 03, 2017, 04:33:50 AM
Excellent. The Technician license is easy. You might want to check the General book, it might convince you to give it a shot as well...
Gil.
I will definitely be doing that I just have a lot going on right now so it's kind of hard to even make time. Radio is a perfect IV for someone like me though I've always been the person that has to know how things work and then I have to improve the mousetrap lol
Sent from my 5049Z using Tapatalk
I am just wanting to check in and say thanks for this forum I feel as well it is long over due
Sent from my Z981 using Tapatalk
Welcome aboard :)
Gil.
Hello , Ive been back to ham radio after years of absence , am interested in qrp..like this site and videos Gil has ..dont know much about battery for qrp , thanks , brian
Quote from: gil on May 09, 2012, 02:11:40 PM
Information is a vital commodity in a disaster situation. Whomever has any, in the absence of Internet, phone and power services will have a great advantage.
Radio Preppers aims to provide individuals interested in disaster preparedness with an independent tool for the exchange of information about emergency radio communications and preparations. Hopefully it will also help build a community of like-minded individuals who could contact and help each others in times of what is commonly known as 'SHTF' or 'TEOTWAWKI.' Like-minded here means self-sufficient, strong-willed and responsible people. Independent means regardless of nationality, race, gender, political and religious beliefs, as well as unrelated to any organizations. Whether you are a licensed HAM operator, CBer, or simply curious about radio preparedness doesn't matter here.
My motivation for creating this site came from my inability to find an emergency radio club that really wasn't related to some kind of organization, mostly governmental or politically affiliated. Survival is a personal, family or small community affair. I am always suspicious of organizations that plan on telling people what to do for their own good, or else... That said, anti-government rhetoric will not be accepted here. If you don't like your government, vote accordingly. There are plenty of other boads for political ranting. This one is not one of them.
Sign-up, it's free, and stop by once in a while. If you have anything to contribute, please do so! Topics will not necessarily be limited to radio but must be related to disaster preparedness. To avoid spamming, you do need to answer a couple radio related questions; nothing a quick Google search can't answer.
Rules are few: Be courteous. Although some civil political discussions are acceptable, try to avoid them; same goes for religion. Do not suggest anything against the law, or you will be immediately banned.
Please consider supporting this site after joining by subscribing at: Profile > Summary > Actions > Paid Subscriptions. You will get more privileges!
Note that members who do not participate at least once a year will be deleted.
Any suggestions would be appreciated. I hope you enjoy this forum and that it helps make you and your family safer.
Gil.
Sorry but I did not know that this is a chat room that you have to pay for. Yes I am a ham radio operator and proud of it. But I am not associated with any club to say, but have knowledge of proper radio edicate and many ideas that might help some people that are new to the game.
Sent from my 5049Z using Tapatalk
QuoteSorry but I did not know that this is a chat room that you have to pay for.
Hello,
No, you don't have to, but you can if you want to.
Gil.
Quote from: gil on November 13, 2017, 03:59:04 AM
QuoteSorry but I did not know that this is a chat room that you have to pay for.
Hello,
No, you don't have to, but you can if you want to.
Gil.
Thank you for clearing that up
Sent from my 5049Z using Tapatalk
Hi,
I stumbled across Gils videos on Youtube and then over this forum. I am from Croatia, currently preparing for my basic ham license exam.
This topic is very comprehensive and I am eager to learn radio stuff.
Cheerio!
Wellcome CroPrepper
Dobro nam došao
Thanks Blind! Small world ;D
New to your site Gil. Led here by your great videos. Thanks!
Great thanks, lots of great info here and some very knowledgeable people, great place for discussions!
Gil.
Hi Gil and co.
Just joined today and would like to say helllo.
Not a radio ham but radio does pay the bills :)
Welcome aboard!
Gil.
New old guy checkin in 📻
3rd generation ham... not very active.
Retiring in 3 years so starting to delve back into the hobby.
Retirement and ham radio are a good mix.
My Wife & I saw a plaque a few days ago that said it all:
-Retirement -
Twice the husband.
Half the money.
Welcome aboard -
Welcome aboard!
Gil.
Hi Gil.
Just joined today and would like to say hello.
Still consider myself as a newby, eager to learn more about this hobby.
Preparing myself for my full licence and morse.
Enjoying your YouTube channel(and all the other channels ofcourse.)
73 Robert PD1RWK
Thanks Robert!
Gil.
Hi OM's
Saw some youtube footage and ended up here :-)
I'm a Dutch HAM, low profile and just getting started with HF. Love to experiment with antenna's, just finishing my uBITX ( took me 1 year ;-) )that would be my first HF transceiver.
73's Alex. pe1rxu
Eric will you be the moderator?
Gil.
Hi Gil,
New ham here. Name is Lee and I live on the coast of Georgia in the United States. I have always had a fascination with radio in general and after a hurricane scare last year and with all that has been going on this year it made me realize that I need a reliable means of communication not if, but when SHTF. Got my technician license in May and studying for General. There's a small club in the next county over from me and some ARES groups in surrounding cities. I'm glad to find your forum here where ARES and ARRL notions don't prevail. Not that I wouldn't step up and help my community, but that's not the sole reason I got into amateur radio. I have learned a lot from your YouTube channel and one can clearly see that you're different from those other guys on there doing unboxing and merely advertising. I currently have a Yaesu FT-6T5R that was my first radio and with good antennas does way more than I ever expected it to do. For the home I have an Icom IC-2300H that on I regularly talk to folks in South Carolina and Florida up to 150 miles away. Granted, that's through repeaters that are actually that far away. But I'm slowly learning and want to improve my 2 meter capabilities beyond that of repeaters. I don't consider myself a prepper per se, but definitely trying to do the best for myself and family so we can become self sufficient. Anyhow, thanks for the add. You are doing great work here and with your videos. Hope to catch up with some of you all over the air. 7 3 for now,
Lee
KO4DNI
Welcome aboard Lee :-) you might want to look into 2m SSB. There are a lot of cheap 2m all-mode transceivers on Ebay... I have an old Icom IC-251 that works wonders :-)
Gil.
Bonjour à tous,
Je suis nouveau sur ce Forum. Je suis arrivé ici grâce aux vidéos de Gil que j'apprécie. Je suis SWL F61514 en JN25JO (Rhône) et je trafique de temps en temps en DX sur la bande des 11 mètres avec en ce moment une boucle magnétique.
Il y a deux ans avec des copains radioamateurs et grâce au travaille préalable de F1HWG nous avons construit nous même notre imprimante 3D.
J'ai une autre passion, je possède une Citroën ami8, je suis allée en Croatie en été 2019.
Au plaisir de vous lire et merci de votre accueil
Jean-Pierre
Bienvenue Jean Pierre, et bonne année!
Gil.
I used to go to the ARRL ARES training but grew disheartened when it was the same thing over and over, "you have to use winlink if you want to remain in this training and join the ZOOM meetings on Thursdays!!!" When chatting with people locally they just want to learn how to use their radios or other communication devices during an emergency or disaster. A few of my neighbors and coworkers decided to get their radio licenses and training and are totally enjoying a hobby they really didn't think about. Thanks for the website!!! de KE5ES
Thanks. Here in France we have something called ADRASEC... Supposed to help Civil Defense with whatever communication needs they might have, and search for downed planes, etc. I just participated in a Live-Stream for the French World Ham Radio Day... The guy presenting after me was saying ADRASEC needs volunteers... I commented that a few years back I emailed them saying I was a HAM and certified in first aid including advanced resuscitation, but nobody answered my email... A bunch of other guys commented that they too were ignored! Now, another thing... We are in mountainous terrain here and searching for anything means hiking up mountains, cliffs, down valleys, snow, rocks, you name it... I'm 54 now and would not presume to be able to do what a 25yo firefighter or mountain rescuer can do. These guys are like 70+ and don't look like they could run up a flight of stairs without risking a coronary... There are exceptions of course, but I believe Emcomm anywhere is in a poor state of affairs and officials are doing all they can to keep them away, as to not having to rescue more people or having a bunch of entitled old guys (nothing against old guys, I am not far from being one), bugging them running around like headless chickens (yes, I have seen headless chickens run...) Pretty sad. The solution of course is younger HAMs, but how to get them is a whole other ball game...
Gil.
Hi, I have just stumbled across this forum whilst searching YouTube. I am here to learn more.
The wife and I can see the bigger picture when it comes to being prepared and I am interested in communications when SHTF.
I am in France, but struggle with the language (been here twelve years). I can manage when its face to face with people but find it hard on the telephone etc.
Do people broadcast in English here in France?
We use PMR radios on our own property for keeping in touch with each other, I have an old CB radio that I have dug out and also a Baofeng radio which I use just for listening!
Please excuse me if I come here and ask stupid questions, I haven't used radio since I was in the Air Cadets many years ago.
I would like to get into it a bit more but fear the language might be a road block for me here in France.
Hello Ben. Where are you located? Where are you from?
Plenty of people do speak English on the radio, though the French have a horrendous accent, sorry to say. Just get your CB installed and listen to the locals. Then make contact. Don't worry about language problems. If you don't speak fluently after twelve years, that means you have been worrying about it way too much... Ask people to correct your mistakes, insist on it. That's how I learned. It will be very frustrating in the beginning but soon, after being corrected so many times, you won't make those mistakes again.
The amateur radio licence in France is a nightmare to get, or rather, get information about... You might want to check if your country of origin has an agreement for equivalency that would grant you a French call-sign from your foreign licence...
The only stupid questions are those never asked...
Welcome aboard :-)
Gil.
Hi Gil, Thanks for the welcome. I live quite close to Limoges, but I'm from the UK originally. Is it possible to get a UK license whilst not living there? I'll have to do some more searching. French for me is really quite hard, I did start learning Italian once and found that much easier. I'll try to get setup and start listening to what is going on. Thanks.
Hello, well, you might have to schedule a little trip back home for the test, if you aren't wanted there ;-)
Gil.
I don't think I am a wanted man! Well not now anyway. I have been in contact with them in the UK and it turns out I can do the tests online, using a friend or family members address, and then apply for a reciprocal license here in France. So I will make a start on reading what I have to.
Awesome, The French government would never allow something like that, LOL.
Gil.
Hello,
I am from France and my experience of using CB is realy poor, I used a president jimmy and JFK a lot of years ago on 4WD runs with friends, that is all.
The reason I decide to dust off my radios is that I know for sure that the day the wind will turn we will only have CB or Ham to cummunicate.
I ask myself for years if I begin to prepare ham license or not and I think I will do it in a few weeks or less.
I discovered you Gil on youtube and learn you have created this forum.
As I know I will have to wait to have this license, I will try to set a fixe installation at home and a mobile instalation in one of my cars to learn how to use radio and to evaluate the range I can hope to communicate.
One of my problem is taht I will need a discret antenna for the house ans to find witch wire will match witn the pods I have how to set and weld coax ...
I hope my english will not scratch your eyes. I hope it will improve fast by practising.
Thanks for reading me.
Bienvenue à bord :-)
Gil.
Merci et surtout merci pour ce forum et tes vidéos 😉
Hello to everybody!
Very interesting forum, I'll learn a lot by this forum.
I hope to contact with you through js8 from EA8 or EA4
73 EA8CAY/P
Welcome aboard :-) keep an ear out for me on week-ends!
Gil.
Hi Gil,
ok I'll try to be QRV on weekends (but more noisy due to contest an other sport radio activities )
73 de EA8CAY/P
Hello everyone
Name is Bill, new here and call sign id K8OB.I have participated in the radio prepper net hosted by shawn dunbar in the past. Been a ham since 2019,currently hold an extra class license and have ran a prepper net group here in MI on 2m and on 75m called The Great Lakes Preparedness Net (formerly Rust Belt Net). Looking to stay in contact with other like minded individuals.
73
K8OB
Welcome, we're a slow, but steady, group. I've moved recently, and need to get an antennae in the air. The good news is I'm hundreds of feet higher in elevation, so my DX should improve considerably.
Hello,
Indeed it has been slow.. I think also that the "unread posts" feature doesn't always work for some reason.. I have clearly missed posts I had not read yet..
Gil.
Hello my name is Steve and I'm an addict. I started with a Baofengs and over the years I have progressed to the hardcore stuff, Elecraft. My radio of choice though is the Yaesu FT-817nd withe a Buddistick vertical. I found the YouTube channel that led me here. Thanks Gil for hosting this forum.
Thank you Steve for signing on!
Gil.
Hi Gil and all members. Greetings from Arizona. Thank you, Gil, for doing what needed to be done, creating community. We have our societies in various countries, but real community is hard to find. It is especially critical now, as there are signs that we are all soon to live in a world torn apart by war. In any kind of such crisis, Ham radio has been vital for the preservation of community, and even for the functioning of society. I was involved years ago in disaster relief, mostly in Central America (Nicaragua and Guatemala) where earthquakes devastated large areas and the basic infrastructure of the society was impaired or destroyed. I was part of a relief team from the USA and we could only communicate with our HQ in the US by using local Ham operators. It was that experience that inspired me to become a Ham. So your group here is especially meaningful to me, as I believe we may be forced to rely on radio for basic communications. Thank you also for the videos on the 49:1 EFHW antennas. I just received a toroid and will build one. Perhaps we meet on the air using them.
Thanks Marjamada.
Unfortunately the forum has fallen into disuse.
Hopefully that will change. Thank you for your post.
Gil.
I just joined.
Was it just me, it took me 10 attempts to pass the catchpa. I listened to it in the end and the audio only reads out the first 4 letters, so mine was WRVM PH. I had to employ online Catchpa solver in Korea!.
Bit about me.
I'm a UK (GB) HAM since 1977 and like QRP/ELP radio especially LoRa / Meshtastic.
I'll share more details later.
If I can pass the CATCHPA on this page EVWBAC
Hello, welcome aboard!
Unfortunately I have no control over the CATCHPA..
Gil.