Practical Comms For Preppers | Why we do what we do
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- Опубликовано: 15 фев 2024
- Simple and practical comms plans every family should and could implement today. Also, I'm calling out the Instagram operator types for something they should know better. Is GMRS usful? How good is the Baofeng? What advantages are there with a $400 radio? All this and more.
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Please help me out and give this video a thumbs up and a comment. The crazy left is trying to crush my channel for telling the truth. -de K6UDA
Great video! Always enjoyed the channel but I'm really enjoying the prepper coms videos.
Thanks.
Great thinking IMO!
Just subscribed to your channel and gave this one a thumbs up! Thank you!
For local (< 10 mile radius), sending messages via APRS on 1.25m or 440 is a great option. Rotate the frequency based on a predetermined basis and have a set of locations specified by a custom grid square system.
going to 1.296ghz SSB and a directional antenna makes it VERY hard to intercept... but requires both parties have a preset time for contacts
Nice to see an accurate video for preppers.
There’s a lot of bad information out there coming from our peers.
Comm’s are cheap compared to guns overall.
I will present a potential plan here for newbie:
Ok, so here are the important bands you’ll want:
AM broadcast
FM broadcast
CB
FRS
GMRS.
70cm
2m
NOAA
Why?
AM and FM broadcast means commercial radio.
The national alert system is tied to these broadcasters .
CB is the most prevalent band in the country. It is all around you. This is because most semi trucks, delivery trucks, tow trucks, etc. have CB’s installed. It is the radio you can most quickly find if you don’t have a radio. It has the longest range nationally.
What?
Yeah…CB is designed to go about a mile but the millions of trucks it resides in go for thousands of miles.
The best source of information about “what happened in Maine?” may be from the guy who drive through Maine 4 days ago….especially in an emergency capacity.
FRS is to hand out when you never expect to see the radio again. Get them at Walmart, get them cheap.
GMRS for all intents and purposes is part of the UHF amateur band. Technically it isn’t but it’s right there. It is basically a gift from the sad hams to those who want higher power and repeater capability without having to learn radio.
It’s kind of the HAM trash band….do as you like.
70cm and 2m are the entry level ham (amateur) bands.
You need a license to play here except in emergencies.
These bands are where you will find the bulk of repeaters and emergency groups. There are accepted nationwide emergency response groups as well as local, which are known as “nets”
Often they are hosted by response agencies such as fire departments or city disaster response teams.
You are expected to know what you are doing here although some nets have a separate session for GMRS to include those folks. Some…but still a lot less.
It is important to consider about these bands that even though they aren’t for communication over the horizon, the people monitoring them may have other equipment that is.
It’s a lot cheaper and easier to contact a local ham than it is to buy the equipment and get licensed for that capability yourself.
NOAA is of course the weather band, but NOAA is constantly transmitting so it’s a good place to make sure your radio works and this system also coordinates with the emergency alert system (i.e. the weather will stop if warheads are inbound).
With me so far?
Ok, well how do we get here quickly and without breaking the bank?
You really only need two radios to do this but three is ideal.
You will want a portable CB. Not a bad thing to have in your trunk anyway as the truckers are actually listening if you have a roadside emergency.
Second…find yourself a handheld radio that comes in both GMRS and HAM versions and get both.
There are many examples of this but as of this writing the Wouxun Q10G and Q10H come to mind as good radios around $200 each.
The CB will probably land around $100 so that’s $500.
….the price of a mediocre 9mm…
With these three radios you should be able to reach all the bands in the list above.
Now, send off for your GMRS license.
While you are waiting for it to process, unlock and learn to program your ham radio…just don’t transmit on it.
The first thing you will want to program is your GMRS frequencies into your ham radio…naming them as such. This is now your primary SHTF radio although you cannot transmit on it unless it is an emergency. You can listen all you want though.
Now that your GMRS license has arrived, find some local repeaters and nets. Be patient, there’s not a lot.
You’ll have to learn how to access a repeater but the bright side is that it’s going to be almost the same setup on your ham…just for ham repeaters instead. Program those too, but don’t transmit there.
So what did you end up with?
Well CB obviously, plus your unlocked Ham radio can communicate with your GMRS so you have a set (that probably shares most accessories) and you can go practice being on the GMRS repeaters and decide if it interests you enough to pursue a ham license.
If not, you can still get in those ham bands (where the action is) during emergencies so….box checked.
For what it’s worth, it is against FCC rules to transmit from your ham set to your GMRS set but nobody can tell you are. You’ll have GMRS license anyway…with a legit call sign.
The nets will care that you have a call sign for the service you are using, and they will check. After that, they will welcome you.
Person to person they don’t really care much.
Ham….yeah, they care and they are monitoring so have a license if you transmit there.
But, that’s the good thing about ham and SHTF… there are people serious about it enough to be monitoring and that could save your life.
Hope this helps
Great job as usual Bob! Agree 100%
BUT if you have the ability to keep it charged a cell phone has its place. Download a first aid manual up to minor surgery, download recipe books for preppers, download calculators for various things like unit conversions.... use it as the TOOL it is! Carrying a paper first aid book is HEAVY, a cell phone is ounces... and the cell phone can replace many books and takes up a hell of a lot less space.
I have 6 Baofengs in the EMP proof gun/electronics safe, and a Xeigu G90 that I tested and put away in case my ham rigs do not survive. Along with 2 100 watt solar panels, a charge controller, and an inverter.
Great video. Thanks for the quality content.
I have cb radios, GMRS radios and ham radios. Each serves a purpose.
You said some very important stuff. It's mandantory to understand and learn how the radio works and this is by far not as easy as many people think, specially if you use the Anytone, a Yaesu handheld or whatever.
The Baofeng has a feature to scan/detect the correct CTS/CTSS codes if there is a talk going on (many people do not know this). There are some other interesting things about this radio that no one is speaking about in public, buying them is no bad idea but also buy a bandpass filter.
Another radio. If you are in the wrong VFO band (top/down), you might wonder why the APRS is not sending anything at all. Maybe you pressed the wrong key and the band changes during walking around. There are so many scenarios unexpected.
Some say, make a notebook about the device for specific scenarios and test them / simulate them. It's very important not to rely on theory, the reality is always different and surprisingly not as expected if you evaluate your scenario in a testing scenario.
I hope that we will never ever get into a situation no one wants these days.
Thanks for doing videos like this. Not enough radio prepping channels on YT that provide good info. If any prepping channel does have a comms video, it's almost always "get a Baofeng UV 5R."
I would argue that before getting any gear, a person prepares mentally and physically. If a person's health, both mental and physical, is poor, then they're severely limiting their chances for survival. A person can have all the gear in the world, but if they're to unhealthy to move during a gun fight or too panicked due to stress, they're going to choke. That does not mean they should not buy preps, but I put it priority #1. I know too many preppers who are obese and think their stores of corn, rice, and guns will save them if a major crisis does happen, all the while being on tons of medications (including opiates), cannot walk down their hallway without being winded, and have panic attacks on the daily.
Thanks.
Good video Bob!!!! I have GMRS Radio License. I want to get a Ham Licence so I can learn how to use a Ham Radio before SHTF. I do have Baofeng Gm-15 Pro GMRS Radios and they work good 4- 5 mile range. They will work good to talk to neighbors and do patrols if that is needed. I want to get Ham Radios because I want to be able to communicate locally, regional and nationwide. If SHTF repeaters will be down and GMRS will not work.
Great video! I try to catch your weekly net unless I' otherwise busy (like practicing with my Kimber Ultra Carry in .45).😁
Right on
Also take the next step and upgrade your Amateur radio license and be able to use the HF frequencies.
Do you have recommendations on what to program into your HT. For example, how many simplex channels, how many repeaters. Anything else , etc. ?
I have our local club repeater frequency and a linked repeater frequency on my kenwood thd74 radio. I’m in Tennessee. So the 147.015 and the 145.370 frequencies. But I manually program mine so I can change the frequencies when needed.
A search of repeater frequencies in your state will give you an idea of what is best for your circumstances. RepeaterBook is also good to use.
KO4ESA/WRJR757
+@Ron-xn4wf program every repeater in your area. Id say a 50 mile radius. Then, I’d program the 2m calling frequency 146.520, the 70cm calling frequency, the adventure frequency, the aprs frequency, the local police, fire, municipal utilities, airports and highway patrol. That should be a good start.
For the rythm...
Hello 73 de N1AD
First!!
It would be helpful if in the video you would specify the exact radio you are speaking/referring to instead of saying “this” radio. I’m trying to figure out the best radio to go with and weigh all options. Thanks
If you could only buy one handled radio today. What would it be?
+@jcrosby735 that would depend on where I lived. Back in Kalifornia, I had a group that decided on DStar about 12 years ago. Here at the southern Idaho command, C4FM or Fusion is king. Realistically, if I had to choose, I’d say my FT5.
"Some People" has spoken.
“Some people” who know what they are talking about always piss off those who don’t.
@@audiomaker1Yeah, I have no idea what I'm talking about. True. Just love that notarubicon guy. He's funny as heck. And that phrase came to mind, no offense meant. Thanks for the informative video. Some good info. Like you said, spend that kind of money and to skimp with a baofeng just aint right. Edit Sorry, I thought this was the guy who made the video, Nobody pissed here unless you are. its all good.
@@bettinanstevens9259 Yep, all good, and I wasn’t speaking about you.
I like Randy too, but I think he dismisses what matters to other people too quickly.
It’s funny though, I admit.
@@bettinanstevens9259 Baofengs are my hand out radios... I have an older Yaesu handheld(new battery pack!) plus the ability to do FM on my IC-9700s(2 of them) or the FT-991... or jump in the car and use the FT-7900... OPTIONS and backup for the backup!
Interestingly, last I checked GMRS license numbers in the US were only about 50k shy of the number of US Ham technician licensees and gaining fast. Vast majority of Ham techs are not that much different from GMRS: 5w HT's and 50w Mobiles for FM voice only, simplex and duplex. Techs doing SSB, CW, etc on VHF/UHF are not the norm. For the vast majority of folks, GMRS is the easiest, best-bang-for-the-buck. Simply pick a channel, push the button and talk. If they want to get nerdier with radios, ham is always an option. For SHTF minded folks, are they aware there are quite affordable options for a DMR radio with AES-256 encryption? That's an attractive SHTF option for a "Break-Glass-In-Case-Of-Apocalypse" radio. Pre-SHTF, no license is required to buy them, learn them and program them. A license is only needed to press the magic "PTT" button. Post-SHTF, will there even be an FCC to worry about?
If you drive a car, you need a license. If you drive a truck, you need a license. If you drive a bicycle, you do not need a license. Your smaller radios are like bicycles. There is so much to learn and understand if you use a professional radio. The door opens if you have a HAM license, otherwise you might even not see it, it's hidden. Some topics you will get no answer in the public, to protect the radio vendors by the ham operators. Even if you buy some ham radios as a listener, the real magic comes weeks/month after the license.
@@xitec75 The complexity, experimentation and range of options with amateur radio is what draws folks to study for the test and get licensed.
While on the other hand, the complexity, experimentation and range of options with amateur radio is what leads other folks to get a simple GMRS license, in their pajamas, without a test.
As a ham, I enjoy spinning the dial through the bands, tinkering with gear and building a succession of antennas. Folks who like GMRS want nothing to do with that and prefer the simplicity of "select channel, push button and talk".
The good news is that there's plenty of room for both types of people.
Personally, I tend to think that more hams should get on GMRS. It's a no-brainer for Hams and as easy as breathing. Trying to convince more GMRS folks to take the tests and get licensed as an amature when GMRS fills their needs seems a harder row to hoe. Some will, but most won't. So if Mohammed won't go to the mountain, then bring the mountain to Mohammed (or something like that).
But SSB on 2 meters has a range of 100+ miles. With my antenna array 300+ miles is the norm most days... heck if needed I can pass a message via moonbounce! A typical setup with a single antenna and 100 watts and a 13 element beam is reliable at 100 miles, about 75% of the time to 150 miles and 50% of the time to 200 miles... beyond that requires bigger antennas(or multiple, I have four 12 element on a 20' boom) and more power(I can run up to 1,000 watts).
An amazing band that I love is 902mhz SSB... with 3 watts I made contacts 500 miles away during a tropo opening, easy to 200 miles during normal band conditions... granted I have a BIG antenna for that band at 15 feet long and 42 elements/21dbi gain...
@@MaryBrownForFreedom All well and fine for those who are into it, and not saying there's a single thing wrong with that. I think it's cool and interesting. But my point was that if you lined up 100 Tech class hams and asked for a show of hands for those who work SSB on VHF/UHF at more than 50 watts, you might get 10 that raise their hands and probably 6 of those will be lying. And the vast majority of GMRS folks have no need or interest in anything other than FM voice, perhaps over a repeater. So I think it would be easier to get more hams on GMRS than to convince GMRS folks to study for the ham test (no matter how easy it is). And with the rapidly growing increase in GMRS licensees, it just stands to reason.
Having had to learn and do to pass Extra - I can't fathom any dumb$hit that says they don't need a license to know how to use their comms gear. There's so much to know to use this stuff and I cringe every time I hear "I don't need a license for my rights!" LOL. Same guys that buy the GD Baofangs and think they're good.
Flip side of the coin, Bob. Either you should know how to scan on multiple radios, or you should have a fast scanner to set them up for all.
If I hear radio traffic, that's probably someplace with supplies that can looted. Or joined for protection.
As to USING radios? Maintaining radio silence can be valuable protection. Equal problems to consider.
Which also begs the obvious: Shouldn't there be a way to use microburst mode, to pass short data messages in on fast "pip" on civilian radio? In order to keep it harder to find?
+@lyfandeth there’s a group of us working on that microburst type of stuff on Amcon. Right now we’re using Js8call but working on other modes and solutions.
back in the day we used high speed CW and sending at 1000+ letters per minute via computer. Incoming signal is recorded and played back at a much slower speed thru an audio converter to bring the tone back up to normal... ruclips.net/video/EQeVfp__XHY/видео.html
@@K6UDA high speed CW up to 10,000 character per minute! OLD mode we used for meteor scatter on the VHF bands
Great video, as always. KN6PWH..73