Communications Preparations

[NYRECONMARINES]

I'm good to go on comms watch your six out there with the zombie looters.

[McSull]

General class amatuer and gmrs licensed.

[Yellowfin]

I'm embarrassed to admit how late I am to the party, but just picked up a couple of Baofengs (UV-5RH) myself to start learning this stuff during this layoff crap. If I can get somewhere with it then I'll upgrade to nicer stuff on opportunity--starting from zero knowledge. Currently studying for ham license whenever the next test might be.

Simple question: how much do I gain from getting a better antenna for these things? I'm thinking of getting some 15-16" antennas to start. How much more than that is useful? It seems like the range on these isn't too good without at least something better than the stock one.

[ehidle]

I've been playing with this lately https://skywavelinux.com/ you do need a 64 bit system, but it makes SDR easy

I used Skywave for a long time before it fell out of maintenance. It is still based on Ubuntu 16.04, the consequence being that if you want to use or even build more recent SDR software, you have to build a lot of underlying things manually (like SoapySDR, etc).

So, I just switched back to regular Ubuntu 18.04 so I don't have to build as much manually.

[theshadow]

I'm embarrassed to admit how late I am to the party, but just picked up a couple of Baofengs (UV-5RH) myself to start learning this stuff during this layoff crap. If I can get somewhere with it then I'll upgrade to nicer stuff on opportunity--starting from zero knowledge. Currently studying for ham license whenever the next test might be.

Simple question: how much do I gain from getting a better antenna for these things? I'm thinking of getting some 15-16" antennas to start. How much more than that is useful? It seems like the range on these isn't too good without at least something better than the stock one.

I was in a conference call with many local club presidents and emergency Coordinators last night. Sadly ALL testing in our area is suspended indefinitely.As right now, the Class at LANCO Tactical (technician level) is still on for the weekend of the 19th of April, but is in danger of cancellation. For study the HAM Test apps on Smart Phones/ tablets are Major help, as is Ham Test Online.

To your question, on receive and transmit, several things improve your ability, power and height. Since you can't squeeze more power out of the handhelds, that gives you height, and the best way is with an antenna mounted high. Short answer, A good antenna improves the equipment capability. I' working with a Local Search and Rescue Team (Lancaster County HQ, seven county response) to teach some of their people how to build Jungle antenna for their field handhelds. At my home I do use a vertical antenna mounted outside (it's the same model I use on my vehicle) for 2M and 70cm, it's not near as good as a directional beam, but I hit all the local repeaters I need as well as good coverage on the simplex (or radio to radio direct) frequencies. Antenna theory is a good area to study and many hams enjoy rolling their own to buying.

[theshadow]

I used Skywave for a long time before it fell out of maintenance. It is still based on Ubuntu 16.04, the consequence being that if you want to use or even build more recent SDR software, you have to build a lot of underlying things manually (like SoapySDR, etc).

So, I just switched back to regular Ubuntu 18.04 so I don't have to build as much manually.

I guess that's where the computer Geek paying job comes in, I enjoy living on the command line, I like the control I have as opposed to the GUI stuff that takes more and more control away from the operator.

[theshadow]

I am DEEPLY disturbed with MANY people in this thread. Better than the cutting the barrel analogy, when someone comes to you asking how to carry with out a license, what is your response? Do you offer to make a home made throwaway holster, or say GET YOUR LICENSE??? Yet that's what you're advocating for and impacting people who leverage these tools in a legal manner. It's incidents like what is being talked about here that have caused this:

http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-cites-b...zed-rf-devices
and
https://www.kb6nu.com/did-the-fcc-ju...ort-answer-no/

I'm imploring you to stop being a hypocrite and help the new guys do it correctly and legally.

thanks

[theshadow]

General class amatuer and gmrs licensed.

glad to have you in the thread, have you joined AmRRON yet? https://amrron.com/

[Berncly]

OP, what are your thoughts on sat phones in the current context?
Do you see any useful application as it relates to a possible SHTF scenario?

[gghbi]

OP, what are your thoughts on sat phones in the current context?
Do you see any useful application as it relates to a possible SHTF scenario?

If the SHTF really happens, who are you going to call?