Posted on 03/22/2013 12:36:02 PM PDT by Kartographer
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You charge it and keep it charged. It has a overcharge preventer built in.
That is an interesting little radio. From the specs listed it seems like it’s unlocked to transmit out-of=band. I wonder if it would tx on FRS/GMRS frequencies...
When cell phone towers get overloaded, sometimes the phone company will just shut down the area code. Emergency responders have cell phones with a different area code than the local one. Those get through.
In practical terms, walkie talkies are fine, as it is unlikely that in an emergency, you would not want to chat with people further than 30 miles away.
However, much more important is Communications Security, aka COMSEC. If you are communicating, there is a good chance that you don’t want eavesdroppers nor jammers to mess with you. So it’s important to obey a few rules.
1) Keep it short and in code. Use random written down three alphanumeric characters instead of whole words or sentences “in the clear”. “Zulu Bravo Two” could mean anything. Use new codes every 24 hours.
2) Change frequencies and times for routine contact. For example, at 3:47pm, use channel 31. Then as soon as you have had your say, both users automatically switch to channel 17, for the next communication at 8:02pm.
3) If possible, the majority of the data should be sent by someone who is moving, with just a brief acknowledgement at the beginning and the end by the receiver. If you have good communications, at near that location, and nobody has fouled up, you might even skip the ‘ack’. If somebody misses a scheduled communication, their ‘ack’ at the start of the next traffic should be the code for “retransmit previous message”.
4) Don’t become over reliant on electronics. Signal flags and hand mirrors can be seen from far away, most of the time, and they attract little notice.
ping
According to some of the comments, yes.
4) Don’t become over reliant on electronics. Signal flags and hand mirrors can be seen from far away, most of the time, and they attract little notice.
Implied again, this time the knowledge of Morse Code. There was a movie called "Cheaper by the Dozen" (household of 12 kids) and one thing the father did was put up a Morse Code chart in the bathroom to memorize while answering the call of Mother Nature.
Hmmm, bwahahahaha ... can ya just put an “o” where that missplaced “a” is? LOL
I would think it would be prudent to have a scanner to monitor police calls to see if the bad guys were headed your way - and just to keep on top of things in general.
“Re: cell phones, switch to text messages. they are smaller in size and more likely to get through an overloaded system than trying to contact by voice.”
You are correct on text messages. Here in Houston, during the Hurricane Rita evacuation in 2005, text messages got through, but cell phones were useless. I agree...the text messages use much less bandwidth and also can be sent at will (within reason)...whereas a phone discussion requires a very costly open line of communication.
I use VOIP (Vonage) and make the settings to call forward all calls after 15 secs of ringing. It will also forward all calls to a phone number of your choice in case the Internet is down. These are permanent settings until you change them.
I have these set to call my cell phone.
Yep. we default program our commercial customers to cell phones, other/ locations and even home lines in the event of disaster.
Cell phones are not our primary advice as the towers rely on electric and cells are quickly overwhelmed by traffic when SHTF.
I have a general class license and have been a HAM operator for 6 years. I’m sorry if you understood my comment as meaning that I did not.
Excellent choice of topic this week, Kart!
I am enjoying the suggestions for new stuff, as well as reaffirming things I already knew.
The deal about text-vs-voice on cel phones I had learned. I also learned about finding out how robust your cel grid is. Here in FL, for instance, all cel towers are required to have a 24-hour UPS backup; in case of storms and a drop off of the grid, the cel network will still function, at a low level, until power can be restored.
LOVE the comments about radios! We have identified this as a weak spot in our current preps. We have monitoring capability for SW, HAM, weather, and some emergency channels. Transmitting is another story. We are electing to go the poor man’s route, with CB (already have the rig), and FRS radios for local comms.
Most of the Ham operators I have had the misfortune to meet have been arrogant, snotty, and condescending. “What, you don’t have $5K to spend? Shoot, son, don’ wanna talk to ya!” Those comments are usually followed by threats to send radiation over the airwaves that will fry your radio, cook your eardrums, make you have three-headed kids, and help keep America from winning the war.
That being said, there are alternatives all over the place. And keeping in mind that, post-event, the last thing on Fedzilla’s mind is beating someone up for misuse of the airwaves.
I have that model and it works very well.
VOIP is Voice Over Internet Protocol, Vonage is an example. POTS is Plain Old Telephone Service.
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