Amateur radio

[Bill Ryan]

We're in close touch with Henry Deacon (http://projectcamelot.org/livermore_physicist.html) about Amateur Radio and intend to post much more about this on Avalon in due course. There's already an introductory section about Amateur Radio here (http://projectavalon.net/resources.html#amateur_radio).

We're wondering if any other visitors are radio 'hams'. Many people (including us) want to learn. Some may be a little daunted.

What's needed is NOT technical expertise, but patience and an ability to teach and communicate with people who are starting from zero and wno may not be technically minded.

What might be very useful is a whole section of this forum devoted to an Amateur Radio Q+A. Henry Deacon would contribute, but is not in a position to lead or organize this.

Anyone out there?

[Jma]

Why radio?
We are all telepathically linked, the Aboriginals in Australia use it naturally but we have lost the ability surrounded by all these artificial technologies.
Would you believe I had a dream last night in which, everything was set up as one of your typical project camelot interviews featuring Dan Burisch and David Wilcock and no one wanted to talk?

[Olam]

Yes Ham radios will be very useful, especially the old tube ones, they will not be affected by any electromagnetic pulses that we might suffer.
I found a couple on ebay but its difficult to guarantee that they work.
If anyone could point to a good source for working old tube ham tranceivers, that would be awsome.
Also, it would be good to establish some kind of frequency template where we could establish different set "channels" for emergencies and other ones for "situation updates" and general info ect.
Basically make it so that everyone having a radio will easily know what "Channel" to use for a specific purpose.....getting organised in that way will be very important to support the masses and avoid confusion.

JMA....yes I agree, that is the best way to communicate, have people use their souls and spirit guides do the messaging!....the thing is, not every community will have these gifted people around. We need some kind of backup, being very organised and ready with options will be crucial when the serious stuff happends.

We need to be flexible like a cork in a stormy sea......bobble around the waves and still be floating when it calms down.

[JoMo]

The links to the introduction to ham radio from the resources page are no longer available? Strange...

[Trel of Earth]

Im a ham...the tests are not that big a deal...an hour a day of study for a week or so and you can pass it. There are plenty of study resources on the net. they give you all the answers...you simple memorize the correct ones.

[Kate]

We're in close touch with Henry Deacon (http://projectcamelot.org/livermore_physicist.html) about Amateur Radio and intend to post much more about this on Avalon in due course. There's already an introductory section about Amateur Radio here (http://projectavalon.net/resources.html#amateur_radio).

We're wondering if any other visitors are radio 'hams'. Many people (including us) want to learn. Some may be a little daunted.

What's needed is NOT technical expertise, but patience and an ability to teach and communicate with people who are starting from zero and wno may not be technically minded.

What might be very useful is a whole section of this forum devoted to an Amateur Radio Q+A. Henry Deacon would contribute, but is not in a position to lead or organize this.

Anyone out there?



I will go set up a thread now ..this is vitaly important information...:thumb_yello:

[Mizar]

Marine VHS is a good start, lots of cheap transceivers available, but you must have a license, and never use it on dry land.
Good 'ole CB's are good for short distance, and the FRS handhelds are good for short range.
Ham has gone out of style, those who would have done Ham, have now gone to Computers.
I had a Ham ticket, in the past and now may renew.
I have my Marine VHS ticket, that and the boat are our lifelines, everything is on the boat, stored food, Solar and Wind power, fishing equipment, watermaker, etc. and I have renewed my Celestial Navigation ticket, there will be no GPS in a crisis.
Plan B, everybody get to the boat, 6 hour window to get on board, then lights out and out into the Pacific until things calm down
M

[R.Z.]

... How about a large ocean-going sailing vessel for Camelot? ...


This is all I can offer, but she's available for the cause !!
http://www.yaitsme.com/photogallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_100_1543.JPG

(Note: ..."needs work") :winksmiley02:

[Kate]

hiya henry,
wondering if u can either set up a new thread to do with Ham radio....or add to my thread please? doesnt seem to be many people looking in at the moment..i think this is vital info...
all the best to you! ( if u are the 'source' of kerry and bill..many thanks for your insights and sharing!)
namaste

[Kate]

aaww RZ..that is a lovely boat..bles u for being willing to share!
peace to u

[Bill Ryan]

A frequency list sample was already passed to Bill Ryan. Maybe he can post it here.

Hi, Henry : you meant this?

**********

Amateur radio frequencies should be coordinated for us all to meet on.

For each of the following bands:

80 meters (under 1000 miles - nights)
40 meters (1000 miles day/night)
20 meters (primary global should be this one)
15 meters
10 meters (variable accroding to solar activity and time of day.
6 meters (not reliable)
2 meters (short range, satellite, or repeater use) or via radio/internet gateways

Specific frequencies in each band need to be decided and what modes will be used.

for example: 20 meter band: 14210.00 MHz USB (upper sideband voice)

[Mizar]

Thanks Henry, Nice Post, having been out of Ham for 20 years, Mizar has not kept up. There is one Radio shop left in town I will visit this week.
M

[firstfruit]

I will try once again to get my mate in to this with me he is a electrical engineer to component level with a amateur radio ticket.

Once we were all young yes me and my mates are out and about you know what I mean and this one friend was up in this room building a radio receiver. And just last year he had his first date. You seen the film the 40 year old virgin well my mate was 41 lol

true story:mfr_lol:

[Antaletriangle]

Funny this thread was started i used to have a C.B. radio when i was a kid-and was looking on the amateur radio websites 3 months ago,pricing them up etc-valve power is the way in any event of electromagnetic burts. 20 meters for global communication?A decent Di pole/ground plane required.Thanks for posting this-essential info.

[Operator]

Hi,

I will try to compile a few hints to get you going ...

To my opinion there are 3 categories to look at:

1. simple 2 way radio
Handsets that you can buy for personal close range communication. Some of
these sets operate on 430 .. 450 Mhz. I think

2. CB stuff
Nowadays allowed in a lot of countries. Most of the time channels are
overcrowded but that might be less the case after ... you name it.
I think it's capable of extended ranges.

3. HAM radio
In most countries you need a license and you will probably not be able to buy
equipment without a license. To get a license may technically be easy (requires
a short simple study) but in some countries you can only participate an exam
twice a year. A disadvantage may be that in a government controlled environment
HAM radio operators are registered and thus known to those who want to control

If you DO already have the equipment available it's important not to lose it due to EMP
(either man-made or natural). It's important to keep it stored in a
metal container (all necessary parts incl. power supply etc.). isolated from the
container itself. Also important not to have antenna's or other cabling connected
otherwise it will still 'suck in' the EMP ...
(By the way it's useful to keep a spare watch EMP safe as well to track time/date)

Ok in order to organize upfront and improve your chances to contact others in (maybe)
a sea of silence indeed you need more info:

SSB modes:
LSB (lower sideband) is used most under 10 Mhz
USB (upper sideband) is used on frequencies above 10 Mhz
It's no strict rule however ...

Now you already gave a table of the most important HF bands. And in order to keep
things simple you need simple rules.

E.g. extend the 14.210 Mhz. rule to all bands i.e.
Make the base of the band + 210 Khz. the frequency to use ...

This will work for most bands .... so for 80 meters the result will be:

3.5 + 0.210 = 3.710 Mhz which is a sound frequency to use phone (LSB) contact

The same could apply to CW (Morse code) e.g. base + 100 Khz.

Ok, for shorter range FM modulation is used. Most of the time for VHF
(2 meter band 144 .. 148 Mhz.) But on the 10 meter band FM is used also.
I know that in the US even repeaters are used ... Some CB (11 meter band)
sets can be modified to operate on 10 meter band. So you will have a cheap set
but avoid the crowded CB channels.

Ok, to technically make things work you need knowledge about how antenna's work.
If you use wrongly sized antenna's it's possible that you won't get
any power transmitted but reflected back to your set which may even cause
to damage your set.

Ok, if everything is technically working you might need a bit more knowledge about
operating procedures:

- in the USA 10-10 codes are use
- Q codes are international
- NATO spelling alphabet
- learn about prefixes in call signs to establish a country (or maybe even an area)
where the signal is coming from

Please be also aware that the world is divided in ITU regions and that usage of bands
differ a little from region to region.

Ok here are some links to speed up your searches:

http://www4.plala.or.jp/nomrax/ITU_Reg.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ten-code

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

http://www.arrl.org/awards/dxcc/itucalls.html

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

Good luck to all of you, success and keep the positive flux going !

[scottyd]

If anyone is really serious about learning how this works, the very, very best thing to do first is to get a radio that covers the frequencies and modes of interest, and learn how to use it. You don't need a license (in the US) to buy equipment, only to TRANSMIT A SIGNAL. You can, and should, listen, listen, and listen some more to the existing activity to familiarize yourself with "how the whole thing works." It won't take long before some of the mystery disappears. There is no substitute for "hands-on" LISTENING.


-scottyd

[Operator]

Hi scottyd,

You're absolutely right of course !
You don't need any license to listen to radio signals, so you don't need anything to buy equipment for these purposes.

And you're also very right that one should get experience by LISTENING first !
It will get hands-on experience indeed.

However one-way communication will not help in difficult times if there's nobody transmitting ... So for this purpose the ultimate goal people seek is 2-way communication ...

To affirm again how right you are let me add 2 rules (out of 7) that most effective
people seem to follow:

1. Begin with the end goal in mind but ....
2. First seek to understand before being understood

And this applies of course to all topics in this forum.

Cheers

[goldtree]

I'm interested in learning basic ham radio and think it sounds good to start by just listening.

Scottyd, what kind of radio would you recommend to a beginner? A so called "world band radio"?

[scottyd]

Hi goldtree.

A "world band" radio is a good start, as long as it can receive "Single Sideband" (SSB) signals. Some of the older/cheaper ones can't. 99.9% of all amateur voice transmissions (in the HF or "shortwave" bands) are SSB. This is a different type of signal than BBC, Deutche Welle, etc. and requires different circuitry to hear correctly.

-scottyd

[Norval]

Hello all, been into radio since I was a kid back in the 50's.

Have sent a few this way to get their basics and information.

Good work everyone.

[Senior Survivor]

We're in close touch with Henry Deacon (http://projectcamelot.org/livermore_physicist.html) about Amateur Radio and intend to post much more about this on Avalon in due course. There's already an introductory section about Amateur Radio here (http://projectavalon.net/resources.html#amateur_radio).

We're wondering if any other visitors are radio 'hams'. Many people (including us) want to learn. Some may be a little daunted.

What's needed is NOT technical expertise, but patience and an ability to teach and communicate with people who are starting from zero and who may not be technically minded.

What might be very useful is a whole section of this forum devoted to an Amateur Radio Q+A. Henry Deacon would contribute, but is not in a position to lead or organize this.

Anyone out there?

I've had CB Radios for around 40 years, and they are more for LOCAL Area than Long Distance like Ham Radios, and much Cheaper. If you can find a Base Rig, 40 channels or even the old 23 channels, get it. It is easy to LISTEN to various people by using a piece of wire about 18 feet long hooked over a curtain rod. But DON'T Key (press) The Microphone or you will Blow the Final Transistors. For Listening the piece of any wire, even speaker or lamp wire, cut to length will let you hear people within a few miles.

You could get a BASE "CB Antenna" and put that on a 5 ft piece of pipe in a Tree (above the Branches- the higher the better RANGE for Hearing and Transmitting) and have about 50 -75 feet of Coax Cable with a connector on the end to plug into where the Antenna screws in.. It is important to find a radio Shack, and ask If they Know of any cb'ers who could give them advice, or go to a truckstop and ask the people selling CB's about Base Units and Base Antennas.

You can operate a Mobile CB SET in the house or building using a power supply. Thee can be found doing a Google for "CB Radios". If you have a Mobile CB in the Car, and a CB Antenna (magnet or stationary, you can sit in the car, and listen to traffic on Ch 19 or other channels, but be careful the Battery in your vehicle does not go dead.. Start the vehicle after about 10 minutes or IF your talking , have the vehicle running... But the Radio ...in any case... should be MATCHED to The CB ANTENNA For Safe Receive and Transmit Performance.

You can find a HAM Operator (or CB Operator) usually by the BIG Antenna located near a house or barn. Hope this helps..

[elijah_house]

We have drake 3 transceivers and hallicrafter model S382 transceiver, we are still looking for dc power supplies for the drake (we have a DC 3 and TR 3). Most of our stuff is tube because it is impervious to the electromatic pulse of nuclear bombs. My husband was in the coast guard for 14 years active duty and 3 years reserve, the field he worked in was electronics/communications.
We also have a Ham Radio and Morse Code software course and exams which we have not completed yet. We also have schematics for almost all the tube radios out there on CD's. We also have antennas.
Does anyone know of a source for dc power supplies?
We have a lot of other miscellaneous radio equipment, always had the intention of getting Ham radio operator license. So now may be the time to get going on this project. I spent some time in Ecuador with some Christinan Missionaries and he was a Ham Operator, this is of course how he communicated with friends and families in the states. This is what sparked my interest in this area and because of my husband 's background in the coast guard in electronics/communications, he will be working on the technical part of repairing the old equipment.
elijah_housee

[ingalls]

Hey scottyd and all other knowlegdable HAMs out there. i appreciate your posts. I understand we want a EMP resistant unit. Can you recommend a specific make and model receiver and transmitter with antenna arrangement and where to acquire. Approximate cost would be helpful too. I am completely lost on this but realize the necessity of having this equipment for potential hard times ahead. I'll learn on the go.

[Charlie]

Might I suggest a QRP radio transmitter with a separate receiver. I think most of us may have the need to operate covertly when the stuff hits the fan. QRP is generally 5 watts or less. Detectable but not an overtly profound signal.

[Operator]

Hi,

Maybe must explain QRP to our new friends: low power

Ok, adjustable power will do as well. Then you have a choice to use more power when needed.
But considering that you may have to power it from batteries probably low power is what you're looking for.

About EMP resistance equipment: as far as my knowledge goes that would mean expensive military stuff.
The 'amateur' related equipment is not hardened specifically. However often it has a metal casing which could work as a Faraday cage.

But ... if the circuitry is connected to this casing (often used as common or ground) it does NOT protect for EMP.
I am not an expert but really grounding the case might work.

My guess is that affordable stuff is not EMP protected and you have to keep it in an EMP safe place till you need it. Don't connect antennas or other cabling to it unless it's all within the Faraday cage (but that makes no sense).

Cheers

[resonance]

As great as the info is, I don't think we have time to educate ourselves. Can someone just put some workable model numbers on the thread. I can learn later, now is a time for collecting and prep.
As an aside, I do find it meditative to be in the groove here, but ...still a lot of crap floating around though!
Namaste'
Find the Light!

[Wormhole]

Human Becoming a HAM. Reading The Radio Amateur's Handbook, very old edition, but I think that the information is still relevant, I hope. Thanks for sending me here Norval!

Peace of Mind,
Wormhole

[scottyd]

Hello ingalls & others.

Regarding equipment selection, my personal opinion is this: Stay away from the old tube-type radios and stick with modern solid-state one-piece transceivers.

Rationale:

1. There haven't been any tube-type radios made since the 1970s.
If you do manage to find one, it will probably be in poor condition,
requiring extensive renovation. Most experienced hams, let alone
newbies, are ill-equipped to find the spare parts, tubes, and
handle the repairs.

2. Tube-type rigs require re-adjustment of the transmitting circuit
("tuning up") every time you change frequency. Failure to perform
those adjustments properly can lead to equipment damage.

3. They require radio-specific high-voltage power supplies to
operate, and are extremely energy-inefficient.

On the other hand, modern solid-state transceivers --

1. Are easier to find in good condition on the used market, and are
more reliable.

2. Are much easier to set up and operate.

3. Operate on 12 volts DC -- i.e. a car battery or any other
readily available source, and do not waste a lot of power lighting
tube filaments.

I know some people are worried about the possible damaging effects of an EMP pulse, and it is true that tube-type radios are less susceptible in that area, but in my opinion the negatives far outweigh the positives. It is possible to shield your equipment adequately (GOOGLE EMP amateur radio), or -- buy two and bury one!

As for specific model numbers, here's a list off the top of my head -- there are TONS of different models, but generally, you want a "100W SSB HF transceiver" that runs off of 12 volts DC.

Some current (new) entry-level models:

ICOM IC-718 ~US$629
YAESU FT-450AT ~US$749
YAESU FT-857D ~US$699
YAESU FT-897D ~US$799

On the used market, may of the "big 3" (ICOM, KENWOOD, YAESU) fit the bill, i.e.

ICOM IC707 IC735 IC737 IC738 IC706 etc.
KENWOOD TS430S, TS440S, TS450S, TS690S, TS850S etc.
YAESU FT747 FT757 FT840 etc.

A good place to go to *see* all these and read user reviews is:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/14

A couple of reputable dealers are:

http://www.hamradio.com/

http://www.aesham.com/

-scottyd

[Saico]

If you are a newbie like me.

A good antenna is the MOST important component.
Never forget this.

[Henry Deacon]

how about meeting at:

28.400 Mhz USB
14.292 Mhz USB
7.245 Mhz LSB

all plus/minus noise, etc

( 10Khz +/- )

ALSO THE International Space Station can be used to relay info:
Using your simple hand-held handie-talkies VHF

VX-7R Yaesu is a good buy and covers a wide freq range; is water proof; and has an optional AA battery pack, etc.

ISS Ref: http://www.issfanclub.com/frequencies

SUGGESTIONS ASAP PLEASE

[scottyd]

A good antenna is the MOST important component.
Never forget this.
Properly tuned to the operating frequencies (resonant)...
and
As high up in the air as you can string it.


That's right.

The neat thing is, a good antenna is cheap and easy to build:


http://www.arrl.org/tis/info/pdf/9106023.pdf


-scottyd

[Norval]

When it comes to having a "license" to operate anything, like a HAM radio station, it
does not make you a professional. Experience and practice does. Learning to do anything often requires you to get a "license" to prove you can. While this is a good thing in most circumstances, we are entering into a time when I don't want the "record" of what I am truly capable of doing being on record.

Most all drivers of vehicles have driver licenses. Just because someone does not have a
license does not mean that they don't know how. Keep this in mind if you want to learn
how to do something that requires you to get a license. I myself do not want the powers that be to "know" my level of expertise in operating aircraft. (As an example.) So I don't have a pilots license. When it hits the fan, if needed, I can "acquire" an aircraft and fly it.

I do recommend ones that are getting radios, get a good easy to use Morse Code
handbook, as mentioned this Continuos Wave (CW) type of radio goes the greatest
distances.

Just thinking, , ,

[scottyd]

BINGO, Norval.

In a state of anarchy, there will be no "enforcement," but there could be "tracking."

For those looking to find used equipment, here are 2 more resource suggestions --

1. Find a "hamfest" or "swap meet" in your area. US/Canada listings here:

http://www.arrl.org/hamfests.html

2. Online classified ads here:

http://swap.qth.com/

-scottyd

[utopiated]

-
When it comes to having a "license" to operate anything, like a HAM radio station, it
does not make you a professional. Experience and practice does. Learning to do anything often requires you to get a "license" to prove you can. While this is a good thing in most circumstances, we are entering into a time when I don't want the "record" of what I am truly capable of doing being on record.


Good topic area.

As another UK citizen who just about remembers CB Radio moving from illegal AM to licensed FM only [with sidebands still though used I recall!] in the mid/late 80s I have always been interested in Ham radio. It now looks like a good option for near and distant communication should current mechanisms get disrupted.

My question - How is the license issue enforced? If people just listened and learned for a while and then began transmitting - how would others know the user had *not* passed the appropriate level exams?

I presume there are slight differences in this between the UK and US? I certainly cannot recall anyone getting "busted" for having no CB license when legal FM came in... but I realise HAM radio is somewhat stricter and more closely monitored maybe.
-

[angelite]

If you decide to put together a list of Hams count me in KB7JOR
I got my license years ago knowing it is the only thing that will work in times of emergency

[skyking]

An extremely portable and reliable antenna for most frequencies is the Buddipole. Expensive, but you get what you pay for. Yaesu FT-897 for desktop and portable use (runs on 12vdc) and Yaesu FT-8900 for the car with Maldol EX-510 antenna gives you 3 bands including the 6M band. Our club has a 6M repeater and we reach all over New England. A little handheld like the Yaesu FT-60 gives you UHF/VHF. Icom and Kenwood are the other big players in Amateur Radio.

You can buy a computerized study guide (basically memorize the answers to the questions) and take your Technician and General tests (usually given at a local HAM Club on the weekend) and easily pass. You need General License to operate on the lower frequencies. Your license from the FCC is good for 10 years and for $11 you can get a 'vanity' callsign.

Amateur Radio Operators are typically the main mode of communication in disaster areas and local clubs participate in ARES which is an Emergency Services volunteer program.

K1NRG

[Waterman]

How about kicking around a meet up on the ol' radios and that would give the new folks a hand. You know the usual chat about rigs, antenna systems.

And others could listen in.

In the meantime I have not seen this mentioned, but to broadcast a signal when property or person is in jeopardy is not against the law.

[Soul Sequence]

Hey scottyd and all other knowlegdable HAMs out there. i appreciate your posts. I understand we want a EMP resistant unit. Can you recommend a specific make and model receiver and transmitter with antenna arrangement and where to acquire. Approximate cost would be helpful too. I am completely lost on this but realize the necessity of having this equipment for potential hard times ahead. I'll learn on the go.

I am in the same "boat" (no pun, ...well, maybe a little, intended).....I have before coming to Avalon, in my scouring of info, looked into HAM, but again, am lost with where to start. I ask the same questions as ingalls...Any help is appreciated.

Regards and Blessings,
Soul Sequence

[skyking]

Might I suggest we attempt to set up a 'net'? For newcomers that is a pre determined time and frequency that people can 'check in' and conduct a round robin discussion of sorts. I suggest we start with Henry's idea of 28.400 as the 10M band is a good place to start, and if there is interference or lack of skip we could after 10 minutes switch to 14.292 on the 20M band. We should pick a UTC coordinated time so those in Europe can join in at a reasonable time (like when Bill is in Switzerland).

K1NRG

[Waterman]

Sounds good,

Let me see if I have this correct.

First: Attempt contact on 28.40 for 10 mins if no contact then, 14.292 USB. On 14.292 USB attempt contact for minimum of 15 mins.

As soon as possible after contact/no contact period, publish report here in the forum.

Time: Is GMT 9:00PM (21:00) which is 2pm Pacific, 3pm Mountain, 4pm Central, 5pm Eastern on Saturday 27th ok?

Can everyone be ready by then?

[THE eXchanger]

right now, i wish i had a radio :mfr_lol:

something attacked my computer ?

is this possible ?

it seems to have mucked up
all the programs,
related to my sound card

(i can't figure this out)

i am operating on xp windows dell

i did check to make sure / it wasn't muted anywhere

any suggestions

telepath me ...thank you

susan
the eXchanger

[Waterman]

Should there be a separate thread for notice of this event?

[THE eXchanger]

Should there be a separate thread for notice of this event?

whatever this was, it has almost Killed my computer :(

i am stuck on this page...
and, when i reboot, i did that,
it comes back to this page ?

now i can't get off this page...but, i can edit the message on this page

that was odd to, because i could NOT get to a thread starter

and, my computer shows---aol NOT responding


love/
susan
the eXchanger

[Steve_A]

Hi Bill,

Wow. You just brought me back to my young adult life when everybody had a CB radio! It's when I learned the phonetic alphabet. :)

I would imagine that a CB radio would be sufficient for communication in the event of any major world disaster as speaking to somebody on the oter side of a screwed up world would not be very useful. No British Airways to fly you there.

Of course there would be the problem of radio inteception by unwanted ears and tracking.

I suppose that all those old 'straight 40s' will be taken out of mothballs and put back on the market.

So although my reply may well be tongue in cheek I would advise that long distance radio communication in that context would not be ver useful and that short distance 'good buddy' truckers type radios would be the way to go to start up smaller communities.

After a while, if there would be a need to expand the survivors would figure out how to broaden their scope.

Best regards,

Steve



We're in close touch with Henry Deacon (http://projectcamelot.org/livermore_physicist.html) about Amateur Radio and intend to post much more about this on Avalon in due course. There's already an introductory section about Amateur Radio here (http://projectavalon.net/resources.html#amateur_radio).

We're wondering if any other visitors are radio 'hams'. Many people (including us) want to learn. Some may be a little daunted.

What's needed is NOT technical expertise, but patience and an ability to teach and communicate with people who are starting from zero and wno may not be technically minded.

What might be very useful is a whole section of this forum devoted to an Amateur Radio Q+A. Henry Deacon would contribute, but is not in a position to lead or organize this.

Anyone out there?

[Operator]

Hi OMs,

I will be ready to listen in ....
Currently I am not allowed to use the equipment to transmit. Local regulation requires me to have it all checked first.

Haven't done that yet since I moved to my 'radiant zone' (a little less than 5 years ago).

I will have to hurry up this a little (although I guess I will use it anyway in case of emergency :wink2:)

I will have to construct an antenna as well ... enough space here. I think I am going to construct a half wave dipole (for 20 meters) aiming for the US.

73, dah-di-dah !

[Operator]

If you decide to put together a list of Hams count me in KB7JOR
I got my license years ago knowing it is the only thing that will work in times of emergency

Would be a good point ... however is it safe to share call signs here on the forum ?

I am outside the US and probably ok. But how about all the US OMs ?
Same applies of course when meeting on the 'net' ...

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
-------------------------- \ / --------------------------

[djpablo]

Im relying on some walkie talkies with rechargable battries ..and a 15 mile range ..to keep my lil survival group going ..if the grid goes down on my island Jamaica.

[brightstar]

Yes, for local CB's would work good indeed. I still have all of my old equipment, just not an antenna now. But one can also usually, depending upon the radio, have some lower or higher channels added also. I did this with my base, and during times that skip worked could talk way off indeed, Jamica, Wyoming, etc. from the east coast. I also have a set of crank powered walkie talkies and some battery powered walkie talkies. Will look into this HAM radio stuff though and see what my budget might allow.


brightstar

[Steve_A]

Hi utopiated,

I'm sure that if anything Apocalyptical should happen, the BBC or the detector van will not be looking for your license. It could be however that your enemy (whomever) that might be will be looking for you.

Keep your head low and on the move.

Best regards,

Steve


-


Good topic area.

As another UK citizen who just about remembers CB Radio moving from illegal AM to licensed FM only [with sidebands still though used I recall!] in the mid/late 80s I have always been interested in Ham radio. It now looks like a good option for near and distant communication should current mechanisms get disrupted.

My question - How is the license issue enforced? If people just listened and learned for a while and then began transmitting - how would others know the user had *not* passed the appropriate level exams?

I presume there are slight differences in this between the UK and US? I certainly cannot recall anyone getting "busted" for having no CB license when legal FM came in... but I realise HAM radio is somewhat stricter and more closely monitored maybe.
-

[Apollo]

A nice little article today from my local paper about a Montana Ham Radio Operator and a hiker in need of rescue in Washington.



Hiker rescued with help of local ham radio operator


EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — A series of dots and dashes bouncing off the ionosphere Sunday helped save a hiker stranded on Buck Creek Pass east of Glacier Peak.
The hiker who broke his leg used a low-voltage portable radio and Morse code to send out a call to help.
Six hundred miles away in Bozeman, Robert Williams was testing his ham radio Sunday when he heard the call signal, “W-7-A-U.”
Williams replied and quickly learned, in the dashes and dots, that he was talking with a 62-yearold Corvallis, Ore., man, who had slipped and hurt himself in the high Cascades of Western Washington.

the rest here ...
http://pioneer.olivesoftware.com/Daily/Skins/BDChronicle/navigator.asp?skin=BDChronicle

[spaceman44]

Does anyone know the difference between CB and HAM radio, and which is the better one to buy?

[Operator]

Does anyone know the difference between CB and HAM radio, and which is the better one to buy?

CB is shorthand for Citizen Band and is meant for general public to use. Truckers e.g. use this a lot to keep in touch while on the road.

HAM radio is more for individuals who are in the experimental and learning branch of this doing it as a hobby.
Experimental may extend to a lot of things: self building electronics, experiment with antennas, studying propagation of radio waves etc.
It's also not limited to 'radio'. Sometimes it's about data or telex transmissions or even television etc.

This is the basic difference. Most of the times CB channels are more crowded. It may depend on your local situation.
In HAM radio more frequency bands can be used all having different characteristics.

How to get into this and where to buy is a local matter, I can't advise you on this.

Success !

[Waterman]

Here is some information that might help those trying to find radios.
I have picked out two models. One is more portable than the other,
and I picked Yaesu brand as an example.

Make sure you view the video links they give a really good feel for
what to expect. These are not tube types but can be up
and running faster that the tube types.

Consider getting one of these to operate now and then learn how to
protect them from EMP which is an inexpensive endeavor.

Remember you do not need a license to get a radi

Here is a link for a Yaesu FT-897D (D means deluxe an update to the
original by adding the 60 meter band)
A nice feature about this one is that there is space internally for
optional battery power. For not just one but two internal batteries.
Each battery is about $125...
http://www.universal-radio.com/CATALOG/hamhf/1897.html
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=gYKLWDz9neM

Here is a link for purchasing a Yaesu FT-847:
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/135F.
It is HF (which means high frequency that can communicate worldwide)
+ 2M, 6M, and 70cm Transceiver

This site has a nice picture of the Yaesu FT-847 front with easily
readable controls.
http://www.rigpix.com/yaesu/ft847.htm

Here is a YouTube video of the rig in operation....
This rig may look intimidating but is easy to use.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LS6weQiHmRQ

Here are some videos showing a more portable radio, the Yaesu 857D.

Here they are talking on 3.685.00 you can see the frequency displayed
in the video
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=YNDwEOncc74&NR=1

Some folks are wondering what it might look like to set up and have a
mobile unit. Here is a mobile setup not exactly a cross country lightweight
backpacking setup and remember the music is optional lolol.
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=WjEZAauilxA&feature=related

Many have an interest in being able to carry in a backpack a way
of communicating worldwide so here is how you would set up for
backpack use.
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=cV9iJIa5feo&feature=related

One thing I would have added to this backpack for long term use is a roll
up solar battery charger. Some portable solar chargers like the one you
will see here is not a roll up.
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=nHbx_Qhc8mU&NR=1
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=TdMIeABaH7Q&NR=1

The FT857D can be obtained brand new for $719.95 at this link
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/1857.html
It is 160 meters through 6 meters with FM ability on 2meter and 440Mhz

Here is demo of the FT-857
http://de.youtube.com/watch?v=eDbfzldRCY0&NR=1
In the demo they are operating on frequency 14.261

As you can see the 857 is very mobile, and compact.

[Tyler Macmillan]

Hooray! My first Avalon post. As many of you may agree, this is all important stuff.

Here's another consideration - not sure if it's been discussed yet. There are groups of hams that already have the HF gear in your local communities. RACES and ARES are emergency communication groups have organization by county and state. Here in CO these groups can be tapped to augment state emergency services. Now I haven't been directly involved with RACES or ARES, but I do know they practice their emergency nets (discussed in this thread) and adhere to some standard protocols for message traffic. That is to say, a Ground Crew member could hand a written message to a local ham operator who could transmit it to the Project Avalon 10m or 20m net, etc.

Right now I've been focusing on 2m (VHF) and 440mhz (UHF) for local communication, and have not focused as much on HF, primarily because I only hold a Technician license from years past. I have a 2m/440 Icom mobile rig (intented for a vehicle), and plan to install in the basement for local communications. Hard to say how local VHF/UHF repeaters will will handle EMP or solar spikes.

Timeout here for some basics, if needed:

* The lower the frequency, the longer the wavelegth. Longer waves can bend more, so to speak. Think of a sine wave... if it's 10 meters long, the peaks and valleys are not as 'bunched up' compared to a wave where peaks are 70 cm apart (UHF).

* Longer waves can curve around the earth, etc. But shorter waves can cut through buildings and stuff, although they have to be straight. Think cell phones and portable radios like half-watt FRS units commonly available.


I'm gonna stop and just post this for now. I'm a ham but no expert, certainly not on HF topics. I'm really trying to consider the audience and share/ask on what is most needed, so i'll try to keep following this thread. I also emailed Bill and Kerry a couple months ago with some decent info about radios and EMP I found in a field manual - fm3-3-1 I believe

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/

[Operator]

RACES and ARES are emergency communication groups have organization by county and state. Here in CO these groups can be tapped to augment state emergency services.

Hi Tyler,

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the added info. I am not familiar with the way those groups are organized but depending on the kind of circumstances
it may be a disadvantage that they are 'known' to state officials.

1. Abuse of such a network to deliberate distribute (unnoticed) dis-info
2. Take it out before it's effective

So be careful an let us be aware of who are to be trusted ... difficult task in difficult times ... :wink2:

73

[Operator]

almost 9pm GMT ... somebody ready to rock 'n' roll ?

[Powerinourhandsl]

Hi everyone , i got my ham licence when i was 16 , a long time ago lol. I went into Ham radio because i started with CB, and caught the bug. I am an expat englishman and have not really set a station up down here in the canaries due to spanish paper work involved in changing the licence. But i have all the gear , hf up to 2 meters, and did operate for a short time here using my uk call sign with spanish prefix , None of the locals had a problem with that although you are not supposed to use a prefix forever lol. The radio autorities here are non existant, and practically every taxi driver uses 145.500 as a local chat channel with is completely against the rules. So i don´t see a problem firing it all up again. The last time was 3 years ago. Since i lived in a small apt at the time i built a small magnetic loop antenna for 20m and 15m. That was only 5ft in diameter and worked surprisingly well. It is also a great hidden antenna if you want to be clandestine.

But it might be worth researching packet radio and internet gateways, that way you could send a packet signal on hf half way accross the world , or to another country where the internet has not been closed down. Thus you could still send and recieve emails ( within reason , no 2 meg files here )

The international space station also has repeater facilities i believe , and ( its been a long time ) there were some ham satelites around that you could connect to .

One of the last big fads was 2m internet repeaters where you can dial in using a tone mic to a particular output repeater on the other side of the planet. So converting a walkie talkie in a long distance comunicator , but this system assumes that you have a working gateway in operation. If the internet has been taken down for what ever reason , your handheld will be limited to standard local communications. someone might be more in touch with what is avalible nowadays. I will have a surf and see what is practical

[Powerinourhandsl]

http://www.echolink.org/

A system where you don´t need a radio to talk on the radio , Basically you can use you pc as you transmitter , your voice travels over the internet then is broadcast at the gatway to a recieving station. Again , problem is the avalibility of the internet at the recieving end etc. but this would work crossboarder i imagine. Think no internet in the usa but access in mexico. Anyone along the mexican boarder could use a handheld to connect to an access point in mexico a few miles away, then dial in the where they want to come out.

There are handeld radios out there that are licence free the PMR446 band comes to mind but these are basically toys, and range is limited to a mile at most.
http://www.licencefree.com/

Here is a ham emergency network

http://www.iresc.org/

and this system , but would they switch the servers off? http://www.winlink.org/node/12

The Winlink 2000 system is a "star" based network containing 3 mirror image, redundant COMMON MESSAGE SERVERS (CMS), one in San Diego, one in Detroit and one in Perth, Australia. These ensure that the system will remain in operation should any chunk of the Internet become inoperative. Each Radio Message Server node (RMS) is tied together as would be the ends of a spoke on a wheel with the hubbing being done by the Common Message Servers. Traffic goes in and out between the CMS and the Internet email recipient, and between the end users and the Radio Message Server gateways. Multiple Radio-to-Radio addresses may be mixed with radio-to-internet e-mail addresses, allowing complete flexibility.

[Waterman]

Yes internet communications is really fun.

But isn't practical in an emergency.

Ham radios are good because the power, receive, and transmit capability are under the control of the ham operator. There is no middleman.

Waterman

[Powerinourhandsl]

how about meeting at:

28.400 Mhz USB
14.292 Mhz USB
7.245 Mhz LSB

all plus/minus noise, etc

( 10Khz +/- )

ALSO THE International Space Station can be used to relay info:
Using your simple hand-held handie-talkies VHF

VX-7R Yaesu is a good buy and covers a wide freq range; is water proof; and has an optional AA battery pack, etc.

ISS Ref: http://www.issfanclub.com/frequencies

SUGGESTIONS ASAP PLEASE

The Problem with the ISS is that you really need a pc running to tell you when the iss is overhead to comunicate to. There also exists the possibilty that it could be turned off. Looks like its down to old hf for reasonable comms between stations.

[skyking]

The first 'net' session last night was a bust. I started at 9pm GMT transmitting on 28.400 every minute for 10 minutes with no responses. Then, I switched to the secondary frequency of 14.292 for another 10 minutes. Global transmissions are very weak these days because there are no sunspots, but we should be getting to somewhere even regionally. Let's try again tonight, same time.

[Operator]

Let's try again tonight, same time.

Ok SkyKing,

I will be listening again (cannot use my tranmitter yet) ... My 10 mtr band is as good as dead here ...
So it will be 20 mtr where I might pick it up .... yesterday I heard a quite long conversation on 14.292 Mhz in Spanish so I
tried +/- 10 Khz to find something else .... at 14.300 Mhz. there was a Florida maritime station with some official business I think ...

73

[Waterman]

Let's keep tying to put this together.

It might take a while for folks to catch on.

We might also do some type of general post or have Bill post a sticky witht the schedule.

waterman

[R.Z.]

Yes folks - try to keep this alive!

I have just moved & am trying to get organized, but I pledge to make getting my radio license a top priority! I will do my best to gather the equipment & get myself setup a.s.a.p.

[skyking]

Another attempt yesterday (Sunday) at 9pm GMT yielded no responses on either frequency. I did chat with a regular HAM operator out of Florida for a bit, so I know I'm getting out to the south. I will not be able to try next Saturday, so I will try again next Sunday.

[Operator]

Hi,

I was listening in again. 10 meters is dead as a doornail here ...
Maybe I must improve the antenna or check the receiver.

On 20 there was plenty of action. At 14.300 I heard the Florida base maritime station again. At 14.292 I heard again pretty strong signals in Spanish.
They didn't repeat call-signs that much though ... I guess they are from Latin America.

On other frequencies I hear quite a lot US stations so propagation wise it should be possible.

73, Frank

[DieOnMyFeet]

Why worry about getting a licence, when the **** hits the fan all is fair in Love and WAR... F**K the Licence.

[Pharaoh9969]

Tell you what, I'm sure glad I looked into this forum. I have been looking into the "Ham Radio" stuff and they won't sell me anything. They say I have to get the 1st of three licenses before they can sell to me. Either way I'm going to learn this whole thing as I plan on going on some continental excursions sometime in the near future. Thanks Yall!!!


:trumpet:

[R.Z.]

You're right, D.o.M.F. - I can't argue with that a bit, but -

It seems that we're already having an affect on possible futures & one possibility is that the **** may not hit the fan at all. I know that's a slim chance, but I try to consider all possibilities.
Another consideration is keeping yourself off "their" radar. Some have expressed that can be done by not getting a license, yet knowing how to operate a radio. That's certainly one way to do it, but in that scenario, you run the risk of calling added attention to yourself if you should operate that radio without "authorization" before the chaos breaks out. At least if I'm licensed, I can get hands-on experience without risking "the authorities" trying to track me down (for that, anyway).

It's just one way of going about it ... certainly not the only only way, and maybe even not the best way, but that's how I intend to do it. Heck - if some of the folks here are right, we won't need radio at all, we will eventually just communicate telepathically ... but ya know - I'm studying for a licensing exam in the meantime, anyway.

[skyking]

You do not need a license to purchase ANY radio equipment - not sure who 'they' are that you are talking to. Try http://www.aesham.com for online ordering and look at the Yaesu FT-857D as it's a nice compact lightweight unit if you are going to be moving around a lot. Also look at the Buddipole as a good portable antenna system. These two pieces will cost you $1100USD but are worth the investment. Different equipment is more appropriate if you are setting up a more permanent 'base' station.

[Pharaoh9969]

Skyking,

Appreciate the knowledge, however AES in Orlando are the people who explained to me that I had to go through this process. As I investigate more, everyone is always asking do I have a license? Even after I explained to them that I just want to listen in. Maybe I will try the website you suggested and see if I can order online and cut out the BS. One last ?, why do you recommend this piticular equipment? Just curious as I was looking to buy equip that had the most range as far as bandwidth and also portability is key. Your help is greatly appreciated.


Man Love!

:lmao:

[R.Z.]

For those that know their equipment ... how does this setup look?

Ebay Link (http://cgi.ebay.com/Yaesu-FT-857D-Full-Remote-Operation-Setup-MINT_W0QQitemZ260293867077QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item 260293867077&_trkparms=72%3A1205|39%3A2|66%3A2|65%3A12|240%3A13 18&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14)


I have put together a fully portable radio system that you can take anywhere to operate. The systems includes the following:

* Yaesu FT-857D.
* LDG Z-11 Pro automatic antenna tuner.
* Buddistick deluxe vertical antenna system with optional tripod.
* 25' RG8X coax.
* 2 - Hobbico 12V 7Ah batteries with Voltwatch LED power monitors.
* FT-857D mini manual.
* Wenger Swiss Gear Backpack.

All items fit into the packpack for easy transport to any remote location.

Not that I can afford it right now ($875), but it appears to be a good reference point.

How much operating time and output power would those two batteries afford with that setup?

[Waterman]

That sounds like an excellent setup!

The only thing I would add is a rollup solar panel to recharge the
batteries.

Other than that this is very good.

The life of the batteries depends on how much it is used for
transmitting that is when watts used goes up.

Either way that is why I recommend the flexible rollup solar panel,
which I believe will add about another $125 to that price.

[Pharaoh9969]

Sounds like a good setup for the long haul, RZ & Waterman. Appreciate the input. Will certainly make the selection when I order my setup. Will be meeting with a 74 yr. old vet on Amatuer radio. Will have him review the setup and see what he has to say. Gentlemen, again a million thanks. I can certainly afford that amount. Sounds alot lower then I thought I would be spending.

Way to start this forum Bill. I thought I was the only one going through this mess and did not know who to trust. :sweatdrop:

Love Yall!!!

[R.Z.]

Sounds alot lower then I thought I would be spending.


If you're going by the $875 figure I posted earlier - I have to apologize ... I later went back to see that that particular number was just a starting bid & the seller's reserve had not been met. I should've edited my post to reflect that, but didn't think it had much bearing on the conversation at that point.

Skyking's $1100 figure is probably more realistic.

[Powerinourhandsl]

My old 707,

these go on ebay for 100 to 300 dollars

http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/hamhf/ft707.html

and i sold this radio for 15 meters 2 weeks ago..

http://cgi.ebay.es/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180289993500

[Pharaoh9969]

Appreciate the correction, RZ. I have the $, what I need is the equipment and someoen who can show me the ropes. Hopefully someone in Florida near the Tampa area can help me with this. :trumpet:


Man Love! :lmao:

[R.Z.]

As far as learning the basics (which I'm trying to do, now) ... here's a post I made in another thread on amateur radio:

... here are a couple of useful links to get you started:


National (USA) Association for Amateur Radio (AARL) (http://www.arrl.org/)


Now You're Talking! All You Need to Get Your First Amateur Radio License, Fifth Edition (Amazon.com) (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0872598810)


Apologies for the U.S. slant on these links - but if we're talking basics, the country of origin shouldn't much matter!

[oldpaganfreak]

an equilavent publication aimed at canadian regulations, is RAC Study Guide for the Basic Exam, available through the Radio Amateurs of Canada website.

[Gardavkra]

Hi Bill, I'm also a ham radio operator and also a volunteer examiner. I should be able to answer any question dealing with ham radio. I started another thread about ham radio here and then found this thread that you started. I would be glad to answer any questions, in a non-technical manner, that I can. It's farely easy to get a license now since the requirements have been relaxed over the last few years and Morse code is not required anymore.

[Topper]

xxx

[Gardavkra]

Sorry Topper. I don't know where you got your information from but, ham radio in the U.S. is not illigal, if you have a licence. I know because, I'm a licensed ham. I'm also an examiner for licensing.

I've been reading through some of these posts and have noticed that there is some bad and misleading information. I'm wondering how many people here actually hold a valid license? Some say they have been licensed for years but, a license is only good for ten years and then it has to be renewed. That is free, by the way. There is a grace period but, if you don't renew within that period you have to start all over again.

[R.Z.]

I've been reading through some of these posts and have noticed that there is some bad and misleading information.

Yes G. - unfortunately, there is more than a little disinformation here (the site in general, not just this thread). It is to be expected, due to the potential of the target audience, should they be empowered by actual truth.

Please contribute a little when you can, covering the basics at first - for the benefit of those just getting started. If you feel good about it, as things progress, maybe your contributions can become more advanced.

I'll be going in mid-December to take my technician class licensing test & have to admit I'm finding the study a challenge. Are there any areas that you'd suggest I pay particular attention to?

[Gardavkra]

Hi RZ,
Is there a particular area that you find challenging? I first received my novice license 25 years ago and I can remember how I felt before taking the test. It was much harder then. Of coarse the old dudes before me tell me that if was even harder for them.:sweatdrop: We had five license classes or levels then compared to the three that we have now. We also had to learn CW (Morse code) and be able to copy it with increasing speed as we moved up through the license classes. Dang, I sound like an old fart! I'm mentioning this mainly for the benefit of others that may read this. Every country has slightly different requirements and licenses, by the way. Just about eveything can be found on the internet and I also want to mention that the license is issued by the FCC. The ARRL (Amatuer Radio Relay League is a good place to start if one is interested here in the US. It has already been mentioned by someone else. ARRL.org. I know you know this RZ, I'm just stated it for others.

Good luck on your test. I would just say to study the material everyday and you will do fine. I'm not a technical person myself although I work in a technical world. If I can do it, you won't any problem either.

[Waterman]

The license cost $6 in the states.

There is a 2 year grace period if after it expires you have the option to renew.

In the meantime remember that it isn't illegal to use amatuer radio to render help for someone who's property or life is in peril. There still, so far, exists a few laws of common sense. If you want a hobby get licensed, if you want communications for emergencies don't let a license stop that from happening.

We must remember where the federal government is moving. And it is to centralize control. So anything federal is going to get more and more controlled, but that does not make it right, moral, or constitutional.

In the meantime navigate the landmines and stay in one piece.

73s

[Magus2003]

We're in close touch with Henry Deacon (http://projectcamelot.org/livermore_physicist.html) about Amateur Radio and intend to post much more about this on Avalon in due course. There's already an introductory section about Amateur Radio here (http://projectavalon.net/resources.html#amateur_radio).

We're wondering if any other visitors are radio 'hams'. Many people (including us) want to learn. Some may be a little daunted.

What's needed is NOT technical expertise, but patience and an ability to teach and communicate with people who are starting from zero and wno may not be technically minded.

What might be very useful is a whole section of this forum devoted to an Amateur Radio Q+A. Henry Deacon would contribute, but is not in a position to lead or organize this.

Anyone out there?

Hi Bill,

I am a ham. Have been since 1996 when I got my licence after a 6 month course, but only played around with electronics and radio and not transmitted.
Just actually got back into it again and have purchased a top range transciever an FT-897, that enables me to use all the frequencies from HF to UHF. I am still putting it all together so by the next week or so I should be in the position for transmitting.

I am in the uk, by the way...:thumb_yello:

Paul...
G7NTB

[capreycorn]

that is a challenge using those radios..I still clearly remember how bad our radios worked in the army.these "old" radios would pick up nothing or just garbled rubbish from the police band (we weren`t even close to the police frequency!).we had to use mobile phones during field exercises..heard, that coalition troops sometimes had similar problems.

what are the chances, that satellite communication would still work?

[David]

what are the chances, that satellite communication would still work?

Stick with ham radio. In the event of a war. Satellites are high priority targets.

[Gardavkra]

Hi Waterman,

The test fee is now $14 not $6.

73

[capreycorn]

now, with a possble nuclear war scenario...
won`t a ham radio "go down" like everything else due to EMP?
shielding a device is not that easy...it was a long time ago , but i remember reading, that lots of copper (a net/foil) is needed to shield an electronic device it shall also not touch the device to be shielded and in addition to that, the shield must be very well grounded...
i`m wondering if the soviets have old EMP hardened radios for sale..

plus a good car for the day after EMP would be a old soviet built car ...or the east german (DDR) "trabant" (guess Bono of U2 owns one of those old commie cars)


ps: (DDR formerly also known as "east germany" would have had its national holiday on october 7 - the founding day of the DDR)

[Operator]

now, with a possble nuclear war scenario...
won`t a ham radio "go down" like everything else due to EMP?
shielding a device is not that easy...

Hi capreycorn,

Yes, unprotected a solid state device will likely be non-functional after EMP.
However shielding a device is easy .... it will probably not be easy to foresee the EMP coming ...

If you have a metal file cabinet just put in there ... (mind the isolation from the cabinet !)
Wrap it e.g. in a towel and then in tinfoil ...
If you really are in a hurry ... try the refrigerator !
(I am not sure if the door is electrically connected to the casing but your chances are better than nothing).

Most radio sets are made with a metal casing. If you have everything disconnected (microphone/antenna/power cord)
there might be a fair chance it will be protected by itself. Grounding is not needed and perhaps not even wise since
you connect a cable to it again ...

Cheers

[Topper]

xxx

[capreycorn]

Hi capreycorn,

Grounding is not needed and perhaps not even wise since
you connect a cable to it again ...

Cheers


thanks for the feedback..i like the "fridge idea":thumb_yello:

in one of your first posts (thread page 1) you mention grounding the case could be of help.....

i think that grounding might be good (grounding very deep into the earth) using several cables to ground "the shield" ...

but I`m no expert..
.

i think we need an EMP expert here!

[Magus2003]

Finally got my ham radio set up and going.

If there are any hams here that would like to try a sched at some point on HF, then by all means just ask.

I am in the UK, and use sideband most of the time as I am still learning cw.

Paul.
G7NTB