Beginners Guide to Alternative Communication Devices Needed

[5150female]

I am hopeing to tap into the incredible amout of knowledge I know is on this board regarding a "Alternative Commmunication for Dummies" question.

What would you recommend and why for someone who doesn't want to spend a grip of money or have to become certified to use it in the event we didn't have our usual devices? Should I have a C.B. in my truck? Etc?

My grandpa (Big Daddy & Gold Nugget out of Bloomington,Ca.) used to have an entire room devoted to radio equipment in front of a wall sized map of the U.S that he had pins in. He only got around to teaching me the "10 codes" and some radio etiquitte before passed.

All of your input would be greatly appreciated.

[Goldhedge]

I found this to be of some interest...


String Telephone
INTRODUCTION

Besides traveling through air, sound can also travel through solid objects.
String Telephone
MATERIALS

* 2 paper or plastic cups (empty yogurt containers work well)
* 1 piece of string about 2 meters long
* Scissors
* 1 pushpin
* 2 paperclips

WHAT TO DO

1. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup with the pushpin.
2. Thread the string through the holes and tie a paperclip to each end of the string to ensure that it is secured inside the cup.
3. Give one cup to a friend, and take the cups far apart, so that the string is tight. Talk and listen to each other through the string telephone.

QUESTIONS

1. What happens if the string hangs loose?
2. What happens if you hold the string?
3. What happens if you connect three or four string telephones together?

SUMMARY

When you talk into the cup, you cause it to vibrate. This in turn causes the string to vibrate, which causes the cup on the other end of
the string to vibrate. Whoever is listening hears the vibrations caused by your voice after they have traveled through the cups and the string.

http://wow.osu.edu/experiments/sound/stringtele.html

[5150female]

Wow! Who knew my 8 year old was a genius? She did this last week. Ok so she is officially in charge of SHTF Communications. Believe it or not.....I am not real comfortable with that plan.

[Green Light]

In Ancient China, soldiers stationed along the Great Wall would alert each other of impending enemy attack by signaling from tower to tower. In this way, they were able to transmit a message as far away as 480 km (300 miles) in just a few hours.

Polybius, a Greek historian, came up with a more complex system of alphabetical smoke signals around 150 BC. He invented a system of converting Greek alphabetic characters into numeric characters. It was devised to enable messages to be easily signaled by holding sets of torches in pairs. This idea, known as the "Polybius square", also lends itself to cryptography and steganography. This cryptographic concept has been used with Japanese Hiragana and the Germans in the later years of the First World War.

The North American Indians also communicated via smoke signal. Each tribe had their own signaling system and understanding. A signaler started a fire on an elevation typically using damp grass, which would cause a column of smoke to rise. The grass would be taken off as it dried and another bundle would be placed on the fire. Reputedly the location of the smoke along the incline conveyed a meaning. If it came from half way up the hill, this would signify all was well, but from the top of the hill it would signify danger.[citation needed]

Smoke signals are still in use today. In Rome, the College of Cardinals uses smoke signals to indicate the selection of a new Pope. Eligible cardinals conduct a secret ballot until someone receives a vote of two-thirds plus one. The ballots are burned after each vote. Black smoke indicates a failed ballot; white smoke means a new Pope has been elected.

In general smoke signals are used to transmit news, signal danger, or gather people to a common area.
[edit] Examples

[5150female]

Y'all gonna' have me breeding pidgeons in a minute.

[NotTheOne]

Whistles can be heard for miles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistled_language

edit: of course, so can a gunshot.

[Green Light]

How do you get a pigeon to whistle?

[<===Foolsgold]

Hand held walkie talkies are affordable and abundant.

I have a couple (not the model shown) That work well up to a mile or two without obstructions.

I am not recommending this brand or model. It's just a link to get you thinking.

Motorola Talkabout MR350R FRS/GMRS 22-channel Two-way radio - pack of 2 from Motorola in Two-Way Radios $50

Motorola Talkabout MR350R walkie talkies are an easy and economical way for active families and friends to stay connected on the go. While fun and handy, they can also play an important role in your family's emergency preparedness plan. With a range of up to approx. 35 miles (bull$hit), the rechargeable MR350R two-way radios use both Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Services (GMRS) frequencies for more channel combinations and better connections. The large buttons make the MR350R easy to operate with your gloves on. Among its many features: 20 unique call tones, access to government weather and emergency alert channels; flexible charging options; hands-free operation; built-in LED flashlight; and push-to-talk power boost. Just like all Motorola products, these rugged two-way radios are designed for years of reliable service. And with Motorola walkie talkies there are no dropped calls, no roaming charges and never a monthly bill. « less… more »
http://www.google.com/products/catal...d=0CDUQ8wIwBA#

[Golddust]

I found this to be of some interest...


String Telephone
INTRODUCTION

Besides traveling through air, sound can also travel through solid objects.
String Telephone
MATERIALS

* 2 paper or plastic cups (empty yogurt containers work well)
* 1 piece of string about 2 meters long
* Scissors
* 1 pushpin
* 2 paperclips

WHAT TO DO

1. Poke a small hole in the bottom of each cup with the pushpin.
2. Thread the string through the holes and tie a paperclip to each end of the string to ensure that it is secured inside the cup.
3. Give one cup to a friend, and take the cups far apart, so that the string is tight. Talk and listen to each other through the string telephone.

QUESTIONS

1. What happens if the string hangs loose?
2. What happens if you hold the string?
3. What happens if you connect three or four string telephones together?

SUMMARY

When you talk into the cup, you cause it to vibrate. This in turn causes the string to vibrate, which causes the cup on the other end of
the string to vibrate. Whoever is listening hears the vibrations caused by your voice after they have traveled through the cups and the string.

http://wow.osu.edu/experiments/sound/stringtele.html

Dude you are killing me...LMAO


All good things sorry to say take cash...

There are a bunch of ham radio operators on this site..


The c.b. option is good for short range (very short) If things go to hell in a hand basket
then ham gear would be the best choice. for short and international ranges..

But the thing is you could not use unless you take the simple steps of getting a license for use in
normal times..

If used without a license you Will be tracked down..


If used in abnormal times and the **** has hit the fan ...Cool....

Depends on what you want to do and who and where you want to
talk to..

The used equipment market for ham gear is the way to go..new rigs
do cost bucks,, but used equipment does hold its value almost for ever.
depends on the condition. and having a box and manual..Grin.....!

There is really no good and cheap ways to communicate over a long distance
unless you are prepared to spend for it..for less than 300-700 bucks depending
you can find some great equipment..
Just saying..

[Goldhedge]

Then there is Yaesu who makes a quality hand held radio.

Several members here have them.

http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd...5&isArchived=0

[5150female]

How do you get a pigeon to whistle?

That will be my next post question

[Golddust]

That will be my next post question

The thingy about feather types is getting them back and forth ..they are only good
one way...!

[Golddust]

Then there is Yaesu who makes a quality hand held radio.

Several members here have them.

http://www.yaesu.com/indexVS.cfm?cmd...5&isArchived=0

I have the vx-7r and in my opinion is the best over all h/t ever..For its class.

[5150female]

I have the vx-7r and in my opinion is the best over all h/t ever..For its class.

Ok. That is good to know. Excellent. So with these, I could say communicate with someone in another state ?

[5150female]

The thingy about feather types is getting them back and forth ..they are only good
one way...!

and because if everything ever does go FUBAR they will be a food source.

[5150female]

Can Ham radio communications be shut down with an abundance of "white noise" say from something like the FCC or similiar?

[<===Foolsgold]

Well this whole thread has awoken my interest and I will be attending a local ham radio club's "field day" tomorrow and I bought "ham radio for dummies" which is a highly rated book for beginners.

[minimus]

[Lt Dan]

I vote for getting your ham license. Got mine last year and even though I don't talk much with local hams I listen in to them when ever I'm at my desk or driving down the road. I'm wanting to buy an Icom D-Star duel band for my van. My other two radios are Yaesu an HT and a hf/vhf/uhf all mode transceiver. The HT I carry in the van now or move it to the truck depending on which wheels I'm going to be driving. The all mode is at the desk and on 24-7 unless I disconnect for a thunder shower.

When traveling I also carry a hand held CB to listen in on the truckers. Not much else going on with CB anymore.

[5150female]

I vote for getting your ham license. Got mine last year and even though I don't talk much with local hams I listen in to them when ever I'm at my desk or driving down the road. I'm wanting to buy an Icom D-Star duel band for my van. My other two radios are Yaesu an HT and a hf/vhf/uhf all mode transceiver. The HT I carry in the van now or move it to the truck depending on which wheels I'm going to be driving. The all mode is at the desk and on 24-7 unless I disconnect for a thunder shower.

When traveling I also carry a hand held CB to listen in on the truckers. Not much else going on with CB anymore.

I appreciate that very much. I ask again can it be inundated with targeted "white noise" and taken off line?

I don't know if it would help me but I have "radio commications" experience. I was in charge of the Emergency Operations Center in the LAPD sub-station of the Northridge Mall. I handled all of the radio traffic, dispatch etc. ( left 3 weeks before it was totaled in the Northridge quake.) Would that help?

[Goldhedge]

I appreciate that very much. I ask again can it be inundated with targeted "white noise" and taken off line?

Would that be 'squelch' you are defining? If so, CB's have a knob that you can turn (at least they used to) to get rid of it.

I don't know if it would help me but I have "radio commications" experience. I was in charge of the
Emergency Operations Center in the LAPD sub-station of the Northridge Mall. I handled all of the
radio traffic, dispatch etc. ( left 3 weeks before it was totaled in the Northridge quake.) Would that help?

Sure, any experience is good. I'd love to hear you talk about your experiences in that position sometime.

[Goldhedge]

I'm wanting to buy an Icom D-Star duel band for my van.

Lt Dan, do you have any reason to get the Icom? What are the benifits?

My other two radios are Yaesu an HT and a hf/vhf/uhf all mode transceiver.

Can you explain where you would use the Yaesu vs the HT etc. Is one an overall better unit
useful in all situations? Which one would fit that bill?

I'm looking to lighten my load and you seem to have several choices....

[Lt Dan]

Couple of websites you can check out for more details on ham radio.

http://www.qrz.com/index.html

http://www.arrl.org/home

The QRZ website has online quiz tests you can take for practice. They helped me get ready for my exams, both tech and general. I didn't get my extra license - yet.

As for your question about "white noise" I suppose it could be done, no experience with having the issue. 2 meter normal operation for 2-way and repeater use is FM and usually quite clear depending on where the rigs are located, etc. The HF bands can get noisy as well as drifting due to long range sky waves - sort of like listening to a short wave radio. As much experience as you have with radios, I'd say you understand more than most people and probably as much as a lot of hams about radio operation in general, the difference being hams have to be licensed.

[Lt Dan]

Lt Dan, do you have any reason to get the Icom? What are the benifits?


Can you explain where you would use the Yaesu vs the HT etc. Is one an overall better unit
useful in all situations? Which one would fit that bill?

I'm looking to lighten my load and you seem to have several choices....

The Icom is the only ham rig that comes with D-Star as an option. D-Star, a bit like skype only requires a ham radio, (google it), makes it possible to talk as far aways as the Internet with a 2 meter or 440 Handy Talky - (HT) or in the case with the radio I'm wanting a mobile rig. One of the guys at the club gave me a demonstration on his and while we just listened I heard a guy talking from Texas on 2 meter (normally line of sight) and we are in Ohio. The signal sounded like he was local. L-O-S as you know is like 6-10 miles, more if your antenna is higher up. So we normally use a repeater to talk further, just not to the range of Texas, that would take an HF (high frequency) radio.

My two radios are both made by Yaesu. The HT stands for handy talky and is 2 meter only, and the all mode lets me talk or listen in to all the ham bands, well except for D-Star and there are a couple other bands that it doesn't cover. But, I can listen in on the shortwave bands as well, why that radio is at my desk.

Really, I am very basic on ham equipment, the sky is the limit as they say, if I was more into it I could really have a lot of money tied up it the hobby. I have so many other interests that funnel away time and money into, that for now, have to take their place. Glad to answer any questions I can, on the one hand on the other....

[Goldhedge]

So, would you say the ICOM is better than the Yaesu?

this is interesting and future sighted:


Icom America, Inc. and PerCon Corporation announce a new website for your scanning enjoyment! Icomreceivers.com is the site you want to go to download the memory channels for your ICOM computer programmable receiver. The IC-PCR100, IC-PCR1000, IC-R2, IC-R3, IC-R10, IC-R8500, and IC-R75 are supported on the site. Future ICOM radios will be added as well.

Traveling in the US, just specify the database parameters of one or more of the following: zip code, city, county, state, radio service, frequency range, company, and many other combinations for the frequency information you want. The site will process specific requests and create an ICOM ICF file in a correct format for a chosen receiver. The user can download the file to his or her own computer and then, with the ICOM programming software, will be able to clone the data to an ICOM receiver. Online database has a huge number of frequencies sorted by many different parameters, most importantly by geographic location, frequency range and type of radio service.

Next time you are on the road don't waste time scanning for activity. Travel prepared with channels preprogrammed in your ICOM receiver! Visit PerCon's Frequency Database today!

[Golddust]

The Icom is the only ham rig that comes with D-Star as an option. D-Star, a bit like skype only requires a ham radio, (google it), makes it possible to talk as far aways as the Internet with a 2 meter or 440 Handy Talky - (HT) or in the case with the radio I'm wanting a mobile rig. One of the guys at the club gave me a demonstration on his and while we just listened I heard a guy talking from Texas on 2 meter (normally line of sight) and we are in Ohio. The signal sounded like he was local. L-O-S as you know is like 6-10 miles, more if your antenna is higher up. So we normally use a repeater to talk further, just not to the range of Texas, that would take an HF (high frequency) radio.

My two radios are both made by Yaesu. The HT stands for handy talky and is 2 meter only, and the all mode lets me talk or listen in to all the ham bands, well except for D-Star and there are a couple other bands that it doesn't cover. But, I can listen in on the shortwave bands as well, why that radio is at my desk.

Really, I am very basic on ham equipment, the sky is the limit as they say, if I was more into it I could really have a lot of money tied up it the hobby. I have so many other interests that funnel away time and money into, that for now, have to take their place. Glad to answer any questions I can, on the one hand on the other....

only in major city's if in the boon docks wtf??

for real .

just saying ..suckers

[Lt Dan]

only in major city's if in the boon docks wtf??

for real .

just saying ..suckers

Well, yes, just saying.... In the boondocks cell phones don't work either. But D-Star is new technology that is coming to a small town near you. I was impressed because our club house is over 40 miles to the nearest large city, but there are now repeaters within range of the club house. Of course location is everything with just about anything radio related. Then to, I have talked on the normal 2 meter band through a repeater to people in the nearest city 40 miles or more away. What D-Star does is link to the Internet to extend the range to other D-Star users. But then you probably know more about ham radio than I do, being how new I am to the hobby. Read more on D-Star at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-STAR

[Golddust]

Ok. That is good to know. Excellent. So with these, I could say communicate with someone in another state ?

No..This hand held is vhf 145mhz and uhf 440mhz line of sight only..
to do communications statewide , or international one needs to do hf , high frequency..starting at 160 meters , (just above the am broadcast band)
to 30mhz , a tad above the cb band 27mhz and the 10 meter ham band..

And again will say d star. is great but in the booddocks not so much ...Hell in this area 144mhz rules...some have tryed to get 440mhz going here several times
and the repeaters that are put up and users , over a amazing short time always go away..go figure..?

[Lt Dan]

I have the vx-7r and in my opinion is the best over all h/t ever..For its class.

I have a Yaesu VX-170 now (2 meter only) It's rugged and rather beefy, but works well. I like the VX-7R, what do you think of the VX-8R? I thought of buying one instead of a mobile rig. I use a mag mount external antenna in the van with the HT and 12v power supply pluged in for full power. The VX-8R has a lot of appeal for the price, (an extra $70 or so over the VX-7R). the Icom D-Star is right around $500, but has more power and can be used on the 2m/440 bands. If I spent more time on the road, I could see going with a mobile rig, but I spend most of my road time on short shopping trips. OTT, I do travel a couple times of year for vacations. There is also the option of an Icom HT duel band that is D-Star ready. So many options....

[Golddust]

I have a Yaesu VX-170 now (2 meter only) It's rugged and rather beefy, but works well. I like the VX-7R, what do you think of the VX-8R? I thought of buying one instead of a mobile rig. I use a mag mount external antenna in the van with the HT and 12v power supply pluged in for full power. The VX-8R has a lot of appeal for the price, (an extra $70 or so over the VX-7R). the Icom D-Star is right around $500, but has more power and can be used on the 2m/440 bands. If I spent more time on the road, I could see going with a mobile rig, but I spend most of my road time on short shopping trips. OTT, I do travel a couple times of year for vacations. There is also the option of an Icom HT duel band that is D-Star ready. So many options....

Have no experience with the 8...so can not commit about it.

Yaesu from what I have seen and experienced plus from others that have owned and used their equipment ,

they make some good stuff , more bang for your buck so to speak...

IMO

[Golddust]

Dammit...for some reason..remember


Who has done signal flags?? Semaphore

http://www.google.com/images?hl=en&q...d=0CDoQsAQwAw/




Learned in the boy scouts and that is one means of

Alternative communication that most may have forgot! it works
plus signal mirrors, the
Heliograph


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heliograph

If you know morse code a lazer pointer wired to a key would be
good for point to point..

Just saying..

[Goldhedge]

And again will say d star. is great but in the booddocks not so much ...Hell in this area 144mhz rules...some have tryed to get 440mhz going here several times
and the repeaters that are put up and users , over a amazing short time always go away..go figure..?

What is the reason? Lack of interest among the users, or some nefarious government plot???

What would be a good 144mHz HT to get??

[Golddust]

What is the reason? Lack of interest among the users, or some nefarious government plot???

What would be a good 144mHz HT to get??

Sir if I could answer that question I would be as rich as bill gates..

It has been this way in my part of texas for the last 20+ years..

and on a good ht..I have already stated my feelings in the above posts..

The only thingy is the battery life and output power here in the boondocks..have to
use a good power source to do the 5 watt thing..

But with all ht's the week link is the battery..

So nothing new..


Also 144 mhz does have a better range compared to 440 mhz thinking it is the longer wavelength..IMHO

Both are good line of sight...but

Will leave it at that..

[Lt Dan]

What is the reason? Lack of interest among the users, or some nefarious government plot???

What would be a good 144mHz HT to get??

I can't speak for Golddust on why 144 (2 Meter) works best in his area, but most of the local hams use the one repeater on that band. Our club has two 2 meter, a 6 meter and a 70 cm (440) repeater. Because the one 2 meter is such a high profile repeater it get used almost exclusively over the others. The others work just fine, but tryng to use them is like talking to yourself. My first radio was or is a 2m. If I had it to do over, I'd probably have bought a VX-7R or the VX-8R Yaesu radio. Hard to go wrong with either, IMO. My HT, is the Yaesu VX-170, 2m only and around here it is fine for what I use it for.

I'm only looking at D-Star because it's just caught my interest.

[<===Foolsgold]

I can't speak for Golddust on why 144 (2 Meter) works best in his area, but most of the local hams use the one repeater on that band. Our club has two 2 meter, a 6 meter and a 70 cm (440) repeater. Because the one 2 meter is such a high profile repeater it get used almost exclusively over the others. The others work just fine, but tryng to use them is like talking to yourself. My first radio was or is a 2m. If I had it to do over, I'd probably have bought a VX-7R or the VX-8R Yaesu radio. Hard to go wrong with either, IMO. My HT, is the Yaesu VX-170, 2m only and around here it is fine for what I use it for.

I'm only looking at D-Star because it's just caught my interest.

Well I attended the first meeting at my local club last night and two guys came to present DStar technology. The had a couple Icom HT's and a wide assortment of "stuff".
The demostrated a DStar dongle, D-RATS and a proprietary board which is capable of turning some stardard
radio equipment into a DStar repeater.
Prior to this meeting I was ready to buy the Yaesu FT-857D (mobile base station) but now I am thinking about the ICom 92AD (handheld)
Too many radios not enough time.
I am a rank amature and don't even have my license, but it seems I have the ham radio bug.

[Lt Dan]

Well I attended the first meeting at my local club last night and two guys came to present DStar technology. The had a couple Icom HT's and a wide assortment of "stuff".
The demostrated a DStar dongle, D-RATS and a proprietary board which is capable of turning some stardard
radio equipment into a DStar repeater.
Prior to this meeting I was ready to buy the Yaesu FT-857D (mobile base station) but now I am thinking about the ICom 92AD (handheld)
Too many radios not enough time.
I am a rank amature and don't even have my license, but it seems I have the ham radio bug.

If D-Star works in your area, that seems like a good option. I know it works around here, right now, but will probably even get better with time as more hams catch on to it. Don't know about the boondocks of Texas as Golddust said not there yet. Your statement about, "Too many radios not enough time" could be changed to add, "so little money!" I was or am looking at the ID-880H Icom radio as it costs less than the IC-92AD and has 50 watts instead of 5 watts. that is quite a difference for reaching out there. Also, one of the hams at the club recommended the mobile over the HT for that very reason, price and watts out.

One reason I got an HT for my first radio was the idea of it being self-contained, more or less. I did find I had to have a mag-mount antenna for it to use it inside the car. I also found, I really didn't use it as a walk around radio, so I ended up buying a base for the home shack and have not bought a mobile rig yet, just listen in mostly with the HT and mag-mount in the car. Since I spend very little time driving anywhere, getting a mobile rig has not been a big priority item for me. I will eventually get one, but have time to be a bit selective.

Once you get your ticket and radio, some of the local hams will jump right in and help you get it programed for D-Star and repeater use, I'm sure. They offered to help me do it. Once in a while you will run into a ham that is not helpful, but for the most part they are friendly and helpful.

[BUZ]

Go to ebay and buy a couple puxing PX-777 radios, if things got really bad and I need to contact fire-police or just use it as a handheld ham radio I could. Many will say don't dare get one unless you have a ham license as it's required. If things get bad enough where I need to use it then a ham license will not matter anyway. I have on mine (printed on a little piece of paper and taped to the back) a list of all local emergency freq.

If you get the px-777 make sure it's has the FCC cert. sticker. They are legal to own, can legally listen to transmissions and from what I was told a license is not needed to transmit on them if you are reporting an emergency.

[Lt Dan]

Go to ebay and buy a couple puxing PX-777 radios, if things got really bad and I need to contact fire-police or just use it as a handheld ham radio I could. Many will say don't dare get one unless you have a ham license as it's required. If things get bad enough where I need to use it then a ham license will not matter anyway. I have on mine (printed on a little piece of paper and taped to the back) a list of all local emergency freq.

If you get the px-777 make sure it's has the FCC cert. sticker. They are legal to own, can legally listen to transmissions and from what I was told a license is not needed to transmit on them if you are reporting an emergency.

Puxing PX-777 Be aware of the quote from this website:

This product is for use by licensed operators only. When ordering, please provide your callsign or other evidence of license.

Sure you can buy stuff on ebay that you are not authorized to use, but this forum does not recommend illegal or unauthorized activity.

[BUZ]

Puxing PX-777 Be aware of the quote from this website: Sure you can buy stuff on ebay that you are not authorized to use, but this forum does not recommend illegal or unauthorized activity.

From some random site?

Is it legal to own without a license? (YES) Is it legal to listen to transmissions without a license? (YES) Is it legal to use to report an emergency (life or death situation where you have no other means of communication)? (YES).

If I am wrong please advise.



.

[Lt Dan]

The idea of alternative communications is 2-way if you can only talk for emergencies, then it's not really an alternative. Sure what you are suggesting is legal but not much of a 2-way thing. Why not just carry a CB if you want something you can also get 2-way information on from others? There are also many websites that will not sell to you unless you have a license for that model radio. Please do not give out misleading information that could be misunderstood and get someone in trouble. A fine and confiscation of their equipment is possible.

[skyvike]

I appreciate that very much. I ask again can it be inundated with targeted "white noise" and taken off line?

I don't know if it would help me but I have "radio commications" experience. I was in charge of the Emergency Operations Center in the LAPD sub-station of the Northridge Mall. I handled all of the radio traffic, dispatch etc. ( left 3 weeks before it was totaled in the Northridge quake.) Would that help?

5150,

I'm not a Ham operator (yet) but I have plenty of experience in the military and aviation using voice over the radio. The biggest obstacle I see to new radio users is "mike fright" or mistaking the "push-to-talk" button for a "push-to-think" button.

Your dispatch experience will have gotten you over that stage just fine.

As for your "white noise" question, what you are really talking about is "jamming" or the practice of using the signal from one radio to interfere with the reception of the signal from another radio. In it's simplest form, two people are talking on walkie-talkies and a third person keys their mike while one is talking. Assuming they're close by and of similar power output (and on the same frequency), the actual message won't get through.

Usually, the more powerful radio will win these "contests" but you can effectively have more "power" by being closer to the station trying to receive the message.

So to answer your question, YES it is possible to jam signals on any frequency.

What cannot be practically done is to jam signals on all frequecies. The wider a frequency range you want to jam, the less output power will be affecting each "channel" because the total output power must be spread across the entire spectrum you're trying to jam.

In a military sense, smart jammers selectively jam the bad guys when they find them and then they may just try to jam the critical points in communication so it takes longer to figure out they're being jammed and and make it more difficult to find the jammer with direction finding equipment. (a jammer is just another transmitter).

They may be able to shut down FRS or GPRS or CB in limited areas but nationwide on a continuous basis? No. If they are even thinking about that, they'll have a lot bigger fish to fry!

Have a plan that changes frequencies, and preferably bands if you can, so if you lose the ability to use one frequency, you can switch to another.

Seriously, though, you'd have to be a pretty important "target" to get that kind of attention.

[BUZ]

Sure what you are suggesting is legal

THANK YOU!

..........

[<===Foolsgold]

A side effect of Friday nights club meeting occured because the guys that came to present DStar had car trouble and they could not get home so they had to make hasty motel arrangements.
I ended up taking them to their motel and then out for dinner. They were pleased to have a ride and they entertained my rank amature questions. One of the guys and I struck up a fast friendship
and he's coming over to my place Monday to assess my antenna situation. He's gonna help me design and erect two antennas a dipole(HF) and a vertical (UHF/VHF).
I know some of us are a little (paranoid) skeptical of strangers so let me assure you he's has not mentioned selling me anything in fact he has offered to give me a radio he has sitting on a shelf.
I am almost 100% convinced that I will buy a Yaesu 857D, almost everyone I speak to has one. One of the main bitches against the 857D is that the menus are complicated. My new friend told me
to download the free software here http://www.ham-radio-deluxe.com/. This software gives me the all the controls of an expensive base station with the click of a mouse. So programming the 857D will be "easy".
;-)
LtDan I appreciate your input.....don't let the confrontational people get you down.

[Lt Dan]

Thanks Foolsgold, Yes the Yaesu 857D's menu as is my FT-897D menu is a bit on the complicated side. Yaesu also sells a disk for programing their radios. Requires the right disk for your radio. I've seen ham radio deluxe being used only it requires the use of a windows based computer. I use Linux for the most part, so that option is not open for me at this time. I have to read the book and figure out the programing that way.

GIM1 had a very good discussion going on ham radio. I was reviewing it last night and noted how so many users had their license. Users, that for their own reasons have not been active on GIM2. Many, (myself included) also got their license or upgraded during the 15 months or so that the thread stayed alive. Some users that are active, have not contributed much yet on this thread.

[Aurumag]

Couple of websites you can check out for more details on ham radio.

http://www.qrz.com/index.html

http://www.arrl.org/home

The QRZ website has online quiz tests you can take for practice. They helped me get ready for my exams, both tech and general. I didn't get my extra license - yet.

...

I will 2nd the QRZ.com, as that is how I passed my HAM test.

Here is another good location for practical communications techniques and plenty of "Elmers" who also like guns, preps and liberty.

[AceNZ]

As a ham operator myself, here's my two cents:

-- VHF and UHF hand-helds, including CB radios, 2-meters and 70 cm, are only good for line-of-sight communications, perhaps plus repeaters depending on where you are and if it's a SHTF scenario or not. There are amateur radio satellites that you can reach with an unamplified hand-held radio and a hand-held antenna that will let you talk over the horizon (maybe a thousand miles away or so).
-- All RF equipment is subject to damage from nuclear EMP. If you're planning for a SHTF scenario, you should properly shield the equipment against EMP.
-- You can legally buy and own ham radio equipment without a license; you just can't operate it. Concerns about the FCC or other enforcement agencies may be secondary if TSHTF.
-- For long distance communication, you really need an HF radio, and a decent antenna to go with it. 20 meters is probably the most popular band. For global reach, you will need a power amplifier and a decent amount of technical skill. There are also operators who run with low power ("QRP"), with the right equipment and enough skill, they are able to reach considerable distances.
-- All radio frequencies can be jammed. However, jamming, in general, requires a fair amount of power, so it only works in a limited area. Also, jamming is focused over a particular frequency range (such as cell phones), so being able to transmit on multiple frequencies is a plus. A bigger risk in a clamp-down scenario is direction finding; people transmitting from fixed stations are generally pretty easy to find.
-- In a high noise / low signal strength environment, the best way to get through is with Morse Code. You can operate at a much lower SNR (signal to noise ratio) than with voice. The Morse community is global in size and scope.
-- D-Star is cool, but its best features rely on repeaters; probably not a good idea for a SHTF scenario (although if you know someone else who has a D-Star, you can also use it to exchange digital data with them).
-- There are a number of digital modes, such as RTTY; for long distance work, most are text only, but sending images is also possible. Anything approaching the Internet is pretty much impossible internationally, although email can be made to work with some effort.
-- As far as brands, Yaesu and Icom are great, both for hand-helds and base stations.

As with all survival prep, you first need to really understand what you're preparing for, and how much money and effort you're willing and able to spend.

My suggestions for SHTF prep, in order of importance:

1. A high-quality hand-held or car-mounted 5-watt CB radio with rechargeable batteries, and a solar-powered battery charger.
2. A good quality HF ("short wave") receiver and antenna, to be able to listen to global news if/when local TV/satellite/Internet goes away.
3. A 2-meter / 70 cm hand-held radio with extra batteries.
4. A hand-held satellite antenna
5. Learn Morse Code
6. A 20-meter base station with a portable dipole antenna
7. A large battery bank to power the base station if power goes out
8. A power amplifier for the base station

Each step requires both money and new skills.

[Thornapple]

I got interested in ham radio last year. I started out getting a couple of ham radio magazines at the bookstore which I found helpful in familiarizing myself with various equipment and terms. I picked up the Dummies book as well as the ARRL Ham Radio License Manual, both worth while. I also found HamTestOnline.com which helps you prep for the tests to get your license. If you learn about ham radio, any other radio communications including CB becomes easy to understand as ham is the superset.

[5150female]

BTW Thornapple your avatar is friggin adorable!

[<===Foolsgold]

Here's my favorite site for Ham test help ... http://kb6nu.com/tech-manual/


UPDATE - I bought the ICom-92AD HT and A comet Dual Band Antenna (GP-6)

DStar sites....

http://www.dstarinfo.com/default.aspx

http://www.dstarusers.org/

[Thornapple]

BTW Thornapple your avatar is friggin adorable!

Heh, how could I turn down banjo pig? The only thing that would have been better about it is if he had a wooden peg leg from the old joke.