Have a question??

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Alpha Dog, Aug 13, 2011.


  1. Alpha Dog

    Alpha Dog survival of the breed

    For a while now I've been thinking about getting my HAM Radio permit so I would have some type of communication when TSHTF a friend of mine has been doing it for year's and told me yesterday he could help get my permit for about $15.00 and set me up with a new portable for about for 150.00 TO $200.00. I was just wanting to know would it be a smart thing to do or should I be looking into something else for communication's.
     
  2. STANGF150

    STANGF150 Knowledge Seeker

    Depends on if SHTF you'd rather be isolated & not have a clue whats going on anywhere else, or not
     
  3. Alpha Dog

    Alpha Dog survival of the breed

    I'll take that as a yes. I called a few mins ago to get him to order my radio and got the study info sent to me. Im going to get a new portable and he said he knew where there was a used base station and antenna that had been used very little and I could get cheap. I've never delt with them but he said most of the time they made our radio's in the crusier look like walkie-talkie's for kids when it came to reaching out and communicating.
     
  4. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    What brand and model are you getting? Which bands can it operate in? I'm not too far away from doing something in the way of two way comms beyond walkie talkies.
     
  5. Alpha Dog

    Alpha Dog survival of the breed

    Im going to meet him in the morn on my way to work and he is going to give me all the details. He said the portable was a good name brand for about $150.00 new. The base was a good name and The guy would sell it ,antenna and some other stuff for $300.00. The guy thats helping me has worked on our patrol radio's for years and is a 911 dispatcher. When I get the details I'll post them in the morn. Like I said Im new to these radio's and have no idea.
     
  6. CATO

    CATO Monkey+++

    There's a section in Patriots where Rawles covers comms. I recall it being very complicated (at least to me). Comms are one thing, but secure comms and not being traceable are an entirely different beast.

    Also, in his book 'Life after TEOTWAWKI' he covers some of this.

    One thing you may want to think of is having a CB in addition to HAM. It will be an easy way to get info if phones are down. These are also a bit of an enigma to me. There are some that you can do semi-secure comms (read: other CBs won't pick it up) with side-bands. Only certain radios have this and I they're old (i.e., not new fancy contraptions). I bought a hand-held CB that you link to a larger antenna when in your vehicle. It's basically worthless without the larger antenna and you have to "tune" the antenna to your rig, so, they're not as easy as walki-talkies.

    Lots of reading in your future!
     
  7. Alpha Dog

    Alpha Dog survival of the breed

    I know Ive been looking over some of the info and I think some of it's going to be over this Ol country boy's head. I have a Cobra Classic CB in my vehicle thats been worked with a Wilson antenna for emergencies on the road.
     
  8. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Hey AlphaDog, Go for it... We need a few more Ham Monkeys around here. Comms is my thing, and I have made a Career out of this for the last 5 decades. I have written a Blog here on the Monkey titled Alaska Wilderness Communications - Survival Monkey Forums that covers this subject from my specific viewpoint, but the basic FACTS discussed are relevant for everywhere. Being a LEO, you are an effective Radio Communicator, already, but in the HAM world, that can expand world wide. SECURE Comms is a very "Nitch Field" but we have a few Monkeys working on proving out a System, for local AoO SECURE Comms, this summer. I am now drafting a White Paper, for a "MonkeyNet" which I hope to publish in October. The Ham tests can be handled by 10 year olds and all it takes is a bit of time, and a fair memory. NO Morse Code, REQUIRED. So, again GO FOR IT.... and let us know how you are doing.....
     
  9. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    Alpha,
    What band (frequency) does the portable operate on? For shtf/disaster I have a HF transceiver which covers all HF Ham bands and is also a general coverage receiver. Capable of world wide communications depending on propagation and solar condx.
     
  10. fedorthedog

    fedorthedog Monkey+++

    Go to QRZ on line it will walk you thru the tests if you dont want to take a class. You an take as many tests as you can pass in one sitting for 15 bucks. I just got my tech license (bottom end license) a month ago. Found a lot of preppers in the class including the instructors.
     
  11. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Way to go, Fedorthedog.... Welcome to the Ham Comms community.... Hope to hear you on the HF Bands in the future.... Tikka is a CW only Kind of Guy, so if you care to, maybe you could work him on HF, as a Tech...
     
  12. Tikka

    Tikka Monkey+++

    Actually I'm a rehabilitated CW DX'er who is starting to fall off the wagon. :D
     
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