Cellular Communications Issues

Discussion in 'Survival Communications' started by Yard Dart, Feb 5, 2014.


Tags:
?
  1. Yes, I have short range radios for the family.

    5 vote(s)
    31.3%
  2. Yes, I have short range and long range communications prepared.

    9 vote(s)
    56.3%
  3. I am a communications guru and have this all sorted out... ask me for help if needed.

    2 vote(s)
    12.5%
  1. Yard Dart

    Yard Dart Vigilant Monkey Moderator

    Today we had our celebratory parade congratulating the Seahawks on the great season and Superbowl win. We had about 700K to 1 million in the streets of Seattle (they expected about 250 to 300 K to show)- what a parade. Go Hawks!!

    I have to say I was very amused while listening to the local radio broadcast when they made the following announcement:
    "The city of Seattle has asked us to please request the revelers in Seattle to limit use of the cell phones. There are many 911 calls not reaching dispatcher's due to the current volume". I had to laugh at that, so many folks just crashing the cell network. If we had a major earthquake or other type of event, the cell network would be the first to go down leaving many without any means of comm's, and the sheeple just don't get it. Most people now days solely rely on cell service and don't even have a hard line into the home anymore.

    Verizon had flooded the area doing emergency upgrades to the cell towers and other infrastructure the last few days with midnight last night as there due date. The local electrical distributors were being swamped with techs looking for parts & supplies. Evidently the upgrades were not enough...haha.

    What have you done for comm's and what kind of plan's do you have to avoid this kind of communications down-fall when the grid crashes?
    [shtf]
     
    Last edited: Mar 15, 2014
    Mike, stg58 and swampbilly like this.
  2. techsar

    techsar Monkey+++

    Got a few radios and antennas set up and used on a regular basis. Non grid-based power for all units...although I do need to see how the hf amp works on a generator ;)
     
    swampbilly and Yard Dart like this.
  3. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    I started reading this forum..
    All the info I had gathered focused on CB's and short range, unsecured comm's. And was from the 70's to the 90's.. I realized that longer range comm would be required and that led me back to something that I had wanted to do from childhood, Ham radio.. Read the ARRL hand book and picked up books on antenna's and now it's time to look to the test..
    Then focus on computer/radio interfaces and the transfers of files via radio..
     
    Yard Dart and swampbilly like this.
  4. techsar

    techsar Monkey+++

    @ Dont - When you think you are read to take the test, keep in mind that there are several sites that have practice tests available, using the real questions you are likely to see. This will give you a reasonable idea of how well you may perform on test day. Also keep in mind that additional tests (provided you pass the first one) don't cost any more money in the same testing session, so there is no reason to not try the next higher class while you're there.

    ...and good luck on your exam!
     
    swampbilly likes this.
  5. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Welcome to the Communications Community, @Dont .... when your ready to try a Practice Test either Ghrit, or I can steer you to a Prep'er Ham radio site that will help get ready to go take the test. We both are members of that site, and they really have Helping folks to get ready for the tests, Down Pat.... Once you get Licensed, there a number of Hams here on the Monkey that can help you get "On the Air"... ......
     
    swampbilly likes this.
  6. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    @Dont - techsar, BT and I are only 3 of the monkey hams, there are a number of others. Chances are pretty good one or another will chime in with an answer to any given question. Jump in, the propagation is fine (sometimes.)

    @Yard Dart - Thought provoking poll --
     
    Yard Dart and swampbilly like this.
  7. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    @Dont - Welcome to the wide world of tweaking, tuning and being at the Sun's mercy. :) My biggest issue is getting a decent HF antenna and being able to reach out a little more than I can right now.
     
    swampbilly likes this.
  8. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    Have some more money to spend else where but will get started real soon..
     
  9. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    Beans and fuel are priority, of course, but the test is 15 frns and a cheap handheld for (say) 50 isn't too costly to taste the ham.
     
    swampbilly likes this.
  10. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    The surgian and the physical therapy guys want to be paid...
     
    kellory and swampbilly like this.
  11. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    Have an icom ic730 I picked up years ago, of course have not used it to transmit. And seeing how it covers the amateur spectrum well I'll will need to go for the higher class license..
     
  12. kckndrgn

    kckndrgn Monkey+++ Moderator Emeritus Founding Member

    During any major event cell lines are jammed/overloaded. Usually, but not always, if the towers are still up and working then using SMS (Texting) is a better option.

    I have thought about getting my ham, but kids, wife, work, etc. are all competing for my time. Every now and then I'll take a practice test for the heck of it, just did now. Missed passing by 2 questions. Maybe with a little study I'd have it down. Need to see where the ham club in my area meets and go join 'em I guess.
     
    Mike and Yard Dart like this.
  13. ghrit

    ghrit Bad company Administrator Founding Member

    If it has 6M 2M and 70cm bands (and limited 10M), you will be able to use it with a tech ticket.
     
  14. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    I believe that it has.. Will have to make some antenna's and I am looking to up the license so I will be able to use the higher bands..
     
  15. DarkLight

    DarkLight Live Long and Prosper - On Hiatus

    If you're looking at HF, the General is definitely within reach for one testing period (Tech & General). The Extra was a ball breaker, for me at least, mostly because I don't have a background in Electronics, Electronic or Electrical Engineering or Radio theory. I passed first time but it was after...probably 6 months of study and I still learn not just something, but a LOT every time I go back to that book.

    I ended up really knuckling down and, in some cases, memorizing questions near the end because I didn't want to have to restart my studying when the new questions were released. I ended up taking my Extra on the last possible day before the old pool was retired. I passed by a fairly wide margin but while maybe 70% of the question topics (and a full 20% of the actual questions) were the same between General and Extra, there was just so much in there that was theory and stuff I flat didn't know before I started studying that it was tougher than I had figured it would be.

    All in all, I'm glad I've got it.
     
    Yard Dart and swampbilly like this.
  16. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Ok, @Dont The Icom-730 Is an HF ONLY Ham Transceiver. So No Vhf or Uhf is available in that Box. I have the Service Manual for that Unit, in .PDF format.
     
    swampbilly likes this.
  17. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    Have long reasoned that when SHTF we will all need to have knowledge at hand that will allow us to not only rub two sticks together for fire, but to also repair that that has broken..
    Was asked once, what does a preper need to know how to do? My respones was everything! One can not count on having the supplies nor the knowledge on hand to do everything.. However, along with the beans and bullets it would be prudent to learn as much as you can and stock the supplies to use.. Encourage others in your group to seek out knowledge as well and to help others learn.. I am sorry to have to confess that I am a math idiot.. However my interest in machining and other subjects requires a higher level of math.. I know someone who tutors math.. Seek out knowledge and be far better prepared..
     
    kellory and swampbilly like this.
  18. Dont

    Dont Just another old gray Jarhead Monkey

    You are correct.. Just looked at a picture of the unit.. Just goes to show that I have not used this rig much..
     

    Attached Files:

    • 730.jpg
      730.jpg
      File size:
      17.2 KB
      Views:
      0
  19. swampbilly

    swampbilly Gone Galt

    Worked during Katrina, 90% of the time.
     
  20. BTPost

    BTPost Stumpy Old Fart,Deadman Walking, Snow Monkey Moderator

    Speaking of "Math Idiot" When I was in college, (4 Decades ago) I took College Calculus (Required Course for Graduation) every Semester, for all four years. I applied myself, had Tutors, spent LONG Hours with my Profs, and my Brain just couldn't wrap itself around the Higher Math Concepts. Just before the end of my last Semester, the Department Chair called me into his Office. He Said "Mr Gordon, We here in the Math Department KNOW you have worked HARD, and done everything we have asked of you, and yet we just can NOT seem to be able to teach you, Calculus. Therefor we have a proposal for you. If you PROMISE, NEVER to grace the Halls of an Institution of Higher Education, in Mathematics, We will pass you this semester with a D- Grade." I accepted his offer and never Looked Back. In High School I always wanted to study Physics, but the Math was my stumbling Block, even then. So I switched to Chemistry, where you only needed to be able to, Add, Subtract, Multiply, and Divide, and do Trigonometry. My Brain is just not Wired for Calculus..... YMMV.....
     
    Last edited: Feb 6, 2014
    kellory, DarkLight and swampbilly like this.
  1. JA40
  2. ED GEiN
  3. Southbound
  4. hitchcock4
  5. Bandit99
  6. Garand69
  7. Bandit99
  8. DKR
  9. DKR
  10. BTPost
  11. scpn
  12. Hanzo
  13. DKR
  14. Asia-Off-Grid
  15. ED GEiN
  16. hitchcock4
  17. 3M-TA3
  18. 3M-TA3
  19. AD1
  20. hitchcock4
survivalmonkey SSL seal        survivalmonkey.com warrant canary
17282WuJHksJ9798f34razfKbPATqTq9E7