Patriot Emergency Communications System Needed

[MayflowerMadam]

“You can communicate with just about everyone through blackberries as well.”

Aren’t Blackberries dependent on cell towers? I think “they” can knock out cell communications, too, according to the Bill.

[Charlespg]

Agree. I was thinking that HAM radio might be the way to go, too. I think it’s simple to simply receive. To transmit, you need a license. True

Yes I might look into this as well

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

[Zeppo]

And ALL of them can be listened to or jammed, or DF’d.

Maybe not... (hint: spread spectrum communication)

[DelaWhere]

>>>The trick would be establishing peer to peer wireless connections that cover the distances.<<<

Rural areas would be the hardest, but urban and suburban should be easy.

[MV=PY]

Yep, if SHTF you can’t rely on cell phones, Internet, or even landlines. This throws out cell phones, blackberries, telephone, and your computer.

HAM & CB radio are all that’s left (not counting the USPS, word of mouth, messengers, carrier pigeons and smoke signals).

[usconservative]

Almost all survivalists and disaster planners encourage people to get HAM licenses. There are MANY data systems floating in the air that have nothing to do with terrestrial internet.

The base for my 60' tower went in today, took 5 and a half yards of concrete, but it's done. Packet Switch radio is one of the things I'm looking forward to getting into.

You want communications, get a ham license, no doubt.

(Licensed General since Feb. 09, testing for my Extra next month.)

[MayflowerMadam]

“Has anybody really considered what would really happen if the entire Internet shut down?”

I don’t think Hussein would ever shut down the “entire Internet”; it’ll be cherry-picked and only certain people and groups will be impacted. We should plan on being one of those groups.

[exit82]

One if by land, two if by sea.......

[MayflowerMadam]

Maybe we’ll be back to Pony Express, Paul Revere, etc.

[Traveler59]

I guess we'll just have to go back to the old local BBS (bulletin board services)we used to use before the internet came to be.

Let's see, I have an old copy of Wildcat, Bluewave and some other BBS software. Trying to remember how to set up the mail tosser, need nodes/zones to put the packets through. Make local BBS dial ups with appropriate message forums. Figure out how to create and disseminate the phone numbers. Most new computers have built in modems, but the client software (I prefer Telemate) can be daunting for the new user. Could be done but there would be some 'growing pains'.

- Traveler

[meowmeow]

We should plan on being one of those groups.

Maybe we should all get DU accounts and if FR gets shut down, we just go over to DU and talk to each other - it would be like trying to carry on a conversation with your friends in a really crowded, loud, obnoxious bar, but it could work in a pinch :)

[ctdonath2]

Yes.

Or just yours. Not difficult.

[WhirlwindAttack]

When the TV goes off and the radio goes off and the internet goes off, step outside and listen, if you hear gunfire go toward it. it’ll be Concord2. That will be your signal.

Sadly I had a dream like this. But comes the day we need to ride toward the gunfire. Trust in God and don't fear man, they can't take your soul.

Is it sad that I ache for a good fight?

[DelaWhere]

>>>Just what would you suggest for an average person that knows little about all this complicated sounding packet switching stuff?<<<

This is why I suggest a group of knowledgeable Patriots get together and organize it.

The equipment is mostly straight ‘off the shelf’ for wireless connections peer to peer. If we had someone put together the packet software to match (all it does is listen then when clear it sends it’s packet - same way internet works). All this happens without you actually seeing it - just like now, you don’t see the hops that your internet connection takes to get around the world, but the software handles it with the packet ID’s.

Should be no more difficult once the components are picked and the software adapted than say hooking up a second computer as an internal network and plugging in the antenna and wireless box.

The beauty is that as mentioned by another above is the ability to encrypt (which computers can do very well), and the low power would be hard to intercept particularly if they had to sort out wireless printers, wifi’s at every Starbucks, hotel, along with your kids WII or even DS, etc.

[Eye of Unk]

http://cbradiomagazine.com/Feb%202007/Breaking%20the%20rules.htm

Breaking the rules

What do you think of when you imagine a criminal? Do you imagine someone who carries a gun and robs people, or maybe a guy trying to hotwire a car? Maybe you imagine a white collar criminal who is stealing thousands of dollars everyday from his work. Do you think of yourself as a criminal? You might laugh, but the truth may be closer than you believe.

Imagine the following scenario that took place on channel 19 on a Sunday evening

“Break Channel”

“Go ahead breaker.”

“Yeah I just picked up a new radio and was looking for a radio check”

“Roger that, your new radio is sounding good here in downtown Spokane, what’s your 10-20?”

“Spokane? Wow, I’m over here in Seattle, there must be some good skip conditions today.”

“Yeah I guess skip is rolling, I thought you were a local station here in Spokane. My handle is (Redbelly), how’s the weather over there in Seattle?”

“Hey (Redbelly), handle on this side is (Billy Jack), we’re getting rain right now, but looks like it’s starting to clear up, how bout on your side?”

“We’ve had snow the last couple of days and tonight we’re going to have freezing rain.”

“10-4, well I appreciate the radio check, never talked to anyone in Spokane before on the radio. Best wishes (Redbelly), have a good weekend!”

“No Problem, you take care and try to stay dry, we’ll be on the side.”
From the point in this conversation where the CB operators realized their relative locations to each other to the end of the QSO they were violating the law because they were in direct violation of federal FCC rules.
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)Part 95 - Subpart D - Rules for CB Service Citizens Band (CB) Radio Service Rule 13 section 9 states that it is illegal to do the following :

[9] to communicate with, or ATTEMPT to communicate with, any CB station more than 155.3 miles (250 kilometers) away.

The two stations in question were approximately 280.00 miles away from each other and therefore this was a clear violation of the FCC rules regarding CB radio transmissions. The FCC has the right to fine you up to $5,000 if they can prove that you WILLFULLY and REPEATEDLY violated the communications act or FCC rules.

[Eye of Unk]

Doesn’t some of us do that anyway?

Excellent idea, especially sending private messages.

[MayflowerMadam]

Join DU — great idea.

[coydog]

It might be prudent to pre-arrange a “rally point” at what seems to be an innocuous site (like a fan site for a TV show or movie) and there PM each other and get into political discussion. Start political threads at other (friendly) forums. Have back-up sites handy to that one in case TPTB get wise to it again. One step ahead of the sheriff!

[coydog]

So why is this such a grave offense in the eyes of the FCC? Any good technical reason?

[MayflowerMadam]

“Have back-up sites handy to that one in case TPTB get wise to it again.”

Also have a backup laptop with an entirely different ISP connected with it. Use it for all non-political stuff so it won’t be identified or targeted by the Brown Shirts. Then when the SHTF, move to that one and the innocuous chat sites to communicate.