Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #11
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    (Lebanon County)
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Quote Originally Posted by Gripsafety View Post
    A few of us across the state have been able to chat on 80 when it's right. It's iffy when the band goes long at night. I haven't done well with the guys across the state on 40M.

    VHF FM and digital repeater networks work when the internet works, but I would not hang my hat on that. I would not even rely on a local repeater. In a SHTF scenario, you rely on what YOU have and and look for other like minded people out there within simplex range. In this state, I consider 80M SSB and 2M FM to be the minimum capabilities for intrastate comms. 2M simplex might get you to someone who can relay if needed.
    you took the words out of my mouth. Another issue, many Hams (including and especially Extras) have never operated outside of a shack, all their equipment and antennas are bought not made, and they don't know how to maintain them, including basic fixes. Field comms for them is annual field day, where the county EMA trailer is brought out, a few people will try go kits but mostly prefabbed, then "how many points can we get".

    Lancaster and Lebanon Sky Warn team has been running simplex tests in case the primary repeater that is linked to State College goes down, Their Net Control folks have Lancaster broke down to 4 regions (N,S,E,W) very organized and has helped many people in the surrounding counties (York, Dauphin, Chester, Berks) to calibrate their home and mobile stations for simplex operations as well as identifying comms holes.

  2. #12
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Quote Originally Posted by justsayno View Post
    3. An amateur radio (or just a shortwave radio receiver) and a fairly simple indoor or outdoor wire antenna can get you "ears" that can listen all over the world. Just listening, they draw very little power. This is a great option for those who want to hear global radio and hear amateurs talking, but don't want to get licensed to transmit. If the SHTF, rules will be out the window and at that point there will be many transmitting without a license (makes me cringe, but I would do same in that situation). Ham radios can be had for a couple hundred dollars to thousands of dollars. If you're just listening, an old sideband rig with most of the bands can be had for cheap. If you don't plan on transmitting, you can buy one that the transmitter is toast in for next to nothing.
    I started out like you did, the guy who convinced me to get me my license asked some simple questions. 1) when SHTF who are you going to talk to, how do you know you can trust them, do you think others will trust a random voice on the radio? Can you USE the radio, not just turn it on, but troubleshoot it, operate it like it was intended, maintain it?

    Your radio can be a two edged sword, you can dull one of those edges by getting a license and creating a network now, while things are relatively safe, you can meet people and learn things. Once you do that you become an asset to your neighbors who will help watch out for you as the local guy with the news.

  3. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2010
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    Levittown, Pennsylvania
    (Bucks County)
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Radio can attract a certain maladjusted personality that can be bazaar, such as the guy in Texas presumably shooting CB skip into Pennsylvania with an incredibly powerful gain, hours on end and drowning out channel 19. How come he didn't get nailed by FCC, or, if he did, what took them so long.

    Years ago I flew into a fly-in on a field that had no tower. Someone in charge was communicating on 122.8 to aid in separation. Don'tcha know, some idiot was preaching over the freq, his message more important than our safety.
    There are two kinds of guns. Those I have acquired, and those I hope to.

  4. #14
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    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Grove, Pennsylvania
    (York County)
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Quote Originally Posted by theshadow View Post
    Little surprising. Don't know he's a member here (doubt it), but Ralph is a Your County fixture. Provides many of the HAM boot Camps, involved with many York County Clubs, and the Amateur Radio Working group. Also Loves to Rag Chew

    I'd love to do that, I've got a bunch here in Lebanon and Lancaster hooking up with AMARON, and local SAR teams (where even Techs can get plenty of practice in the field). The down side to 80M is we'd leave out a bunch of Tech Class folks.
    Most of the locals I know are with the Penn Mar Radio Club, I know there's a bunch in York, but I'm on the West side of the county and am more of a country boy

  5. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Spring Grove, Pennsylvania
    (York County)
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    From what I can see, it's all there

    Quote Originally Posted by Hoppy View Post
    What happened to your whole message? I was in the middle of reading it and it refreshed and I can*t see most of it. Pretty good list of radios you have.

    I have a kenwood ts-520, can run on 120ac or 12vdc.
    A 40m qcx cw transceiver
    A yaesu ft70 digital handheld
    A yaesu ft2980 2m

    Antennas are fan dipole outside up in a tree for 20, 40, 80m
    Attic dipole for 40m
    Vertical dipole for 10m in a tree
    2m ground plane in the attic.

  6. #16
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Grove, Pennsylvania
    (York County)
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Yeah I know 80 would exclude Techs, which I would not want to do, but digtial repeaters and internet aren't really SHTF type setups. 80 or even 160 would probably be the best for statewide comms, using NVIS antennas.

    In reality a General Class upgrade isn't much harder than a Tech exam.

    Quote Originally Posted by Gripsafety View Post
    A few of us across the state have been able to chat on 80 when it's right. It's iffy when the band goes long at night. I haven't done well with the guys across the state on 40M.

    VHF FM and digital repeater networks work when the internet works, but I would not hang my hat on that. I would not even rely on a local repeater. In a SHTF scenario, you rely on what YOU have and and look for other like minded people out there within simplex range. In this state, I consider 80M SSB and 2M FM to be the minimum capabilities for intrastate comms. 2M simplex might get you to someone who can relay if needed.

  7. #17
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Grove, Pennsylvania
    (York County)
    Posts
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Quote Originally Posted by theshadow View Post
    you took the words out of my mouth. Another issue, many Hams (including and especially Extras) have never operated outside of a shack, all their equipment and antennas are bought not made, and they don't know how to maintain them, including basic fixes. Field comms for them is annual field day, where the county EMA trailer is brought out, a few people will try go kits but mostly prefabbed, then "how many points can we get".

    Lancaster and Lebanon Sky Warn team has been running simplex tests in case the primary repeater that is linked to State College goes down, Their Net Control folks have Lancaster broke down to 4 regions (N,S,E,W) very organized and has helped many people in the surrounding counties (York, Dauphin, Chester, Berks) to calibrate their home and mobile stations for simplex operations as well as identifying comms holes.
    PENNMAR and ACARS clubs have done that as well. I have home built more than half of my antennas and theyre the best performers

  8. #18
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    Pennsylvania
    (Lebanon County)
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Quote Originally Posted by Bang View Post
    Radio can attract a certain maladjusted personality that can be bazaar, such as the guy in Texas presumably shooting CB skip into Pennsylvania with an incredibly powerful gain, hours on end and drowning out channel 19. How come he didn't get nailed by FCC, or, if he did, what took them so long.

    Years ago I flew into a fly-in on a field that had no tower. Someone in charge was communicating on 122.8 to aid in separation. Don'tcha know, some idiot was preaching over the freq, his message more important than our safety.
    same can be said about firearms and some other activities. There will ALWAYS be rule breakers and malcontents. A local repeater has been having problems with some idiot leaving VOX (voice activated) on and when they are away you hear a dog barking often. We've been trying to triangulate, just because it does annoy the legitimate users. While I'm no frequency police, the Guy that was preaching on 122.8 should have been reported to the FCC. They do follow-up and have had success prosecuting people, like the ham in New Jersey who was disturbing police and other emergency responder frequencies. I also know a disgruntled former employee reported a local traffic control company for using FRS bands and Baoefengs on FRS, so just because you don't hear about enforcement don't mean it isn't happening.

  9. #19
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    Quote Originally Posted by TwistedCopper View Post
    PENNMAR and ACARS clubs have done that as well. I have home built more than half of my antennas and theyre the best performers
    Totally agree, the only things I don't build are for the handhelds, or mobile. they're cheaper to buy than build. People would be amazed what they can do with a single long wire and a good tuner. I need to learn code so I can start playing the QRP (low power) game they claim 5w power and a long wire talking around the world. that sounds like a challenge to me.

  10. #20
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
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    Lancaster, Pennsylvania
    (Lancaster County)
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    Default Re: Radio communication as part of preparedness

    I*d like or get a tech. license for emergency communications. Can anyone recommend a good book or study guide? I*m brand new to amateur radio and the amount of information out there is mind boggling. Thanks in advance

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