Community Comms: Jungle Telegraph Part One

communications tradecraft ^ | May 8, 2015 | dialtoneblog

[OK Sun]

When an event occurs that disrupts everyday life and your trusty smart phone becomes a brick, don’t be left deaf, dumb and speechless. If you don’t think the cell phone networks are fragile then you need to think again. We have become so dependent on communication that without it, most level-headed people would lose their minds. As commo people, we need to think of ways to keep our team on the up and up. Not all of us are radio nerds so we also have to think of the “other guys”.

REQUIREMENTS:

• You need short-range communications (around town/neighborhood) FRS is not going to get it.
• It needs to be cheap and readily available.
• It needs to run off 12 volts.
• It needs to be easy to operate.
• No license.

SOLUTION: Citizen Band Radio (Jungle Telegraph)

Now, before some of you roll your eyes..... Yes, CB is the answer. ...

[OK Sun]

As an aside, in the days before cell phones, the phone companies did not run wires everywhere. My brother, for a number of years, depended on his CB base station to reach relatives who had phones.

[BenLurkin]

ping

[Kartographer]

Preppers’ PING!!

Hat tip to BenLurkin for the heads up!

[Godzilla]

I’m building a family coms system using CBs - particularly those with SSB capability since they can transmit farther than standard CB’s. this is integrated into my 2m ham and FRS/GMRS comms.

[Terry L Smith]

I can’t wait, to see the mental meltdown of all these 20 year olds, who don’t care: to talk; to use anything but their thumbs as a scripting device; to look at anything produced in printed media that is NOT on an electronic screen; or, to do any sort of commerce, where they have to use cash - and calculate if they are getting correct change.

CB radio is a great idea, and to really mess with the heads of those to be messed with, use number codes that historically exist, or a myriad of history and combinations and how to alert only those who need to know or spoken morse code.

[RikaStrom]

Ping

[Old Sarge]

We here at Casa de Cuckoo have used a variety of radio devices to keep things going - CB, GMRS/FRS, and we have had great success with all of them.

My summer project is an attempt to get my HAM cert done finaly - money and time being what they are...

[Noumenon]

One the kids looked at my ham rig and said, “What do you need that for?”

I responded with, “See that nice little iPhone you’ve got there? It depends upon billions of dollars of interlinked infrastructure.”

I then pointed to the ham rig (Kenwood TS-450SAT / Solarcon IMAX 2000, btw) and said, “This IS my infrastructure.”

He got thoughtful after that.

[Noumenon]

Technician class is easy-peasy. Get these two books:

Technician Class 2014-18 FCC Element 2 Radio License Preparation and The ARRL Ham Radio License Manual

Both are excellent, and Gordon West is the man when it comes to all things amateur radio. Note: I aced my Technician class exam and was offered the General class exam right there. Did not pass that one. There's a big leap from Tech to General, but it's not insurmountable. The reward is more available bands.

[Lurker]

Thanks for the info. Been putting that off. No excuse now. LOL

[DCBryan1]

Just saw twin 10 year olds get tech and general. One of my most fun VE sessions. Have yet to see a Tech to extra in one try though, but it happens. Only a few dozen VE sessions though

[TEXOKIE]

Dear Sarge, I’m familiar with CB and ham, but please tell me what is GMRS/FRS?

[Old Sarge]

FRS is Family radio Service, basically the walkie-talkies you see that yuppie families will use to find their kids in the department stores. Limited range, but reception is good.

GMRS (and I have a brain-cramp on the acronym) is kind of FRS on ‘roids. More powerful radios, different frequencies, but the MAIN difference is, the GMRS freqs are more regulated and require licenses - the FRS radios do not.

You can jibber-jabber on FRS to your hearts’ content, but GMRS requires a licensure.

[TEXOKIE]

LOL! Ahhhhh! That helps! I think Darlin got us some FRS units a few years ago. (Gotta excavate!) Need to look into GMRS. THANKS!

[Terry L Smith]

dear nou,

Great answer!

Also, as you noted, the kids were parroting their lovely parents ... “what do you NEED that for?”

[bgill]

10-4, good buddy.

[RKBA Democrat]

Are the sidebanders still out there?

[KC Burke]

Still have one in a box somewhere. May get it out. It was a mobile unit that was reliable for about 40 miles and often 60. It had been tinkered with.

[LadyBuck]

As I tell anyone who will listen - garage sale season is upon us.

Now’s a good time to pick up a few CB’s (and other second-hand gear for backups) dirt cheap.

[RKBA Democrat]

I remember some years ago that trying to pick people up on the skip was very interesting.