Communication 101 for

Preppers & Survivalists

About Me:• Amateur (Ham) Radio Operator – call sign WF5U

• U S Navy Electronics Technician 1st Class (ret)

• Seabee / Viet Nam & Desert Storm Vet

• Engineer (BSEE ‘UMR) & MO Registered PE

• Survivalist / Prepper since early 1980’s

What is Communication?

Imparting or Exchanging

INFORMATION

Most Forms of Modern Communication Need

“The Grid”

Attributes

• Communication can be 1-way or 2-way • It can be in “Real-Time” or Delayed• It must be Understandable (by the intended recipients)• It must be Detectable (by the intended recipients)• It can be Verbal – sound (ears)• It can be Written / Depicted / Displayed – sight

(eyes) • It can be Physical – (touch / smell / taste) • It can be Wireless• It can be Wired • It can be Hand-delivered

Methods

• Broadcast radio & TV, cable TV • Cellphone – voice / texting / twitter, etc.• Telephone – regular conversations / computer calling, etc.• Internet – E-mail / website / Yahoo Group / blog / podcast /

YouTube / Peer-Peer / Face Book, etc• Newspapers, books, magazines, posters, graffiti• NOAA Weather Radio• Monitoring “Public Service” radio (scanning)• Personal Radio: CB, FRS/GMRS, Marine, MURS, Ham • USPS, FedEx/UPS, telegram • Messenger / Courier / Carrier Pigeon

Normal vs Emergency Communication

• Normal: Infrastructure is intact – especially the electrical grid

• Emergency: Normal communication has been disrupted – for whatever reason

• Potential causes for disruption – most likely power (electrical) outage – “The Grid” goes down– Ice storm, tornado, earthquake, hurricane– System overload – excessive heat or cold– Equipment or operator malfunction– Vandalism / Terrorism / War– Government (Internet “Kill Switch”, etc)

Why

Communication

is

Essential

for

Preppers & Survivalists

Maintain Situational Awareness(Know what’s going on)

Keeping tabs on things – monitoring: Local / Regional / National / Global

• What’s the weather forecast?

• Where’s the tornado – what direction is it heading?

• Where’s the brush/forest fire – what direction is it heading?

• Where’s the HAZMAT spill – is the wind blowing it my way?

• When will power be restored in my neighborhood?

• How soon will snow plows get to my neighborhood?

• Where’s the SWAT team deployed for a home invasion gone bad?

• Where’s the riot – is it likely to come to my neighborhood?

• What areas are quarantined by FEMA / DHS due to the pandemic?

• How bad is the economic situation – is it likely to impact my AO?

Maintain Contact with VIP’sFamily – Friends – MAG – Survival Group

(2-way comms)

• Did grandma get home OK after having dinner with us?

• Where is (mom / dad / son / daughter, etc) – they should have been here by now?

• CP: “All stations report-in”

• RP-1: “All Secure”

• LOP-3: “Armed looters at gate 2 – send

reinforcements NOW !”

Notify Authorities (911 call most likely)

• There’s been an injury accident in the EB lane of I-44 @ MM-87 – sedan & 18-wheeler – sedan on fire.

• My (mom / dad / son / daughter, etc) is having ( xxxxx ) – please send an ambulance.

• Report a fire / possible burglary / suspicious activity, etc.

Inform Others (broadcasting or 1-way transmissions)

• Blog / e-m distribution list / podcast, etc

• Low Power FM re-broadcast of USA Prepares Radio Show, Survival Podcast, etc.

• Situation Report (SITREP) to affiliated individuals or groups

Security Considerations

• Public – intended for anyone to hear – generally commercial broadcast: radio, TV, Blog, etc.

• Private – intended for limited distribution, but no special security measures involved – normal phone calls, mail, etc.

• Secure – info could do harm if it fell into the wrong hands – generally encrypted / scrambled, etc.

Different types of Comms

Capabilities Equipment Needed Costs Training Licensing

FRS (Family Radio Service)

• No License• 14 Channels in 462-467 MHz• ½ W max power output• Handheld only • No external antennas• Range < 1 mi

GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service)

• License required *• 23 Channels in 462-467 MHz

(some shared w/FRS)• 50 W max power output on

GMRS only frequencies, (5 W max on freqs shared w/FRS)

• Handheld or base stations• External antenna OK• Range up to 25 mi base to base• More if operating thru a repeater

MURS (Multi-Use Radio Service)

• No license required

• 5 Channels in 151-154 MHz

• 2 W max power output

• Wireless alarms & other alerting devices available

• Range up to 10 mi (w/outside antenna)

CB (Citizens Band)

• No license required

• 40 Channels in 27 MHz

• 4 W max power output

• Range up to 10+ miles (w/outside antenna)

VHF Marine Band• No license required, but legal

only from boats while on the water

• 59+ Channels in 151-154 MHz

• 1 or 25 W

• Relatively inexpensive

Amateur Radio (Ham)• License required (Morse code

no longer required)

• Bands from “DC to Daylight”

• 1500 W max power output

• Many modes

• Global range

MonitoringSWL (Short Wave Listening) or Scanning

• No license required

• Inconspicuous

• Good way to gain familiarity

Part II

Recommendations

It’s far better to possess a tool now for which the need has yet to arise, and the mastery of which has yet to be accomplished – than to find out later that it’s desperately needed, but no longer obtainable!

“Tools”1. Dual-Band (2M/440) Handheld FM Transceiver

2. 2M/440 Mag-Mount Mobile Antenna w/adapter

3. 2M/440 Base Antenna w/Mast & Feedline

4. Scanner

5. Portable Shortwave Receiver

6. Backup Power Source

7. Battery-Powered Portable TV

8. 2M Mobile Transceiver

9. Multi-Mode HF Mobile Transceiver + Tuner & Antenna

2M/440 Ham Dual-Band Handheld

• 136-174/400-480 MHz Transmit• 4 Watts Power Output• Excellent Speaker Audio• 128 Memories • FM Broadcast Band Receive • 1800 mAH Li-ion Battery• Drop-in Charger

Baofeng UV-5RA ($32 @ Amazon)

2M/440 Ham Dual-Band Handheld

• 144/220/440 MHz with 5W on all 3 bands • 4 Selectable Transmit Power Levels• FM/FM – W/FM – N/AM + USB & LSB / CW• 0.01~ 1300 MHz RX (widest transceiver in the industry)• 435 PC Programmable Memories in 8 groups of 50 channels per memory bank• Dual Channel Receive – even on same band / AM Aircraft Receive• Built-in Ferrite Bar antenna for AM receive (0.1 ~ 7 MHz)• 3 Call Channels plus 20 for programmable scan• MIL-STD 810 for vibration, shock and light rain• Built-in CTCSS Encode/Decode / DCS Digital Coded Squelch• 1200/9600 bps TNC ready (no adapter required)• TOT Time Out Timer & APO Auto Power Off• Built-in VOX• Special (10) Channel Weather station mode• 2000 mAh Li-Ion battery • Battery Voltage Level Indicator & built-in battery charging during DC operation• Automatic Simplex Checker• Wireless Remote Control

Kenwood TH-F6A ($280)

2M/440 Mobile Antenna

2M/440 Base Antenna

• UVS-300 2M/440 base antenna ($90)• 21’ stick of chain link fence top rail ( $30) • 50’ of ½” low-loss coax w/PL-259

connectors ( $60)

Scanner

The BCD996XT comes equipped with Uniden exclusive features like Advanced Dynamic Memory System, Close Call™ RF Capture Technology, and GPS compatibility.

Uniden Bearcat BCD996XT ($435)

• TrunkTracker IV (Motorola APCO 25 Digital, Motorola, EDACS, LTR)

• 25000 Dynamically Allocated Channels • Close Call® RF Capture Technology • Location-Based Scanning • Fire Tone-Out • Multi-Colored Display Backlight • Alpha Tagging • 100 Quick Key System Access • Band Scope • Continuous Band Coverage* • Audio AGC

• Automatic Digital Threshold Adjustment • Temporary Lockout • Search with Scan • NAC Decoding • DCS/CTCSS Rapid Decode • S.A.M.E. Weather Alert • PC Programming/Control • Public Safety Scanner • System / Channel Number Tagging • Compatible with BC-RH96 Remote Head • Individual Channel Volume Offset • Priority ID Scan on trunked systems

Portable SW Receiver Tecsun PL-660 ($115)

Portable SW Receiver

The Kaito KA1103 is a dual conversion portable radio covering AM, FM, & Shortwave w/SSB

Kaito KA-1103 ($55)

• AM & FM broadcast band coverage

• Shortwave coverage from 3.2 – 21.9 MHz

• Single side band (SSB) receive capability

• 268 memories with 190 dynamic memories in 19 banks.

• Auto scan & auto memory

• Clock w/3 alarms & wake to beep or radio

• Large backlit LCD

• Signal strength indicator

• DX-Local, FM Mono-Stereo, Hi-Lo tone, & Wide-Narrow selectivity switches

• Battery power indicator, lock and sleep

• External antenna jack

• Stereo earphone jack

• Line Output jack

Portable TVAxion AXN-8701 ($75)

• 7-Inch widescreen LCD portable handheld TV • Built-in NTSC/ATSC tuner for both analog and digital channels • Built-in antenna allows for easy repositioning for better reception • A/V input for external audio/video sources • Includes AC adaptor, instruction manual, remote control, external antenna, car adapter, and A/V cables

Power Supply

• Continuous power up to 400 W w/800 W surge capacity

• Modified sine wave for up to 87% efficiency

• Heavy duty input cables with alligator clips

• 5 volt, 500 milliamp USB port

• LED indicator light

• Built-in hi/low voltage, hi/low temperature, hi/low current, short circuit & overload protection

12V Marine Battery + Float Charger + 400W Inverter ( $120)

• Three-stage fully automatic charging for extended battery life• Auto on/off trickle charging stage keeps batteries fully charged

without overcharging• Overload, short circuit, & reverse polarity protection• LED charge indicators

Portable 12V & 120V Power

• 22 Ah professional grade, high output AGM Battery, w/Built-in automatic charger

• 400 Watt Inverter w/2 120V outlets

• 12 volt DC power outlet

• Charging & charge status LEDs

• Polypropylene case

Mobile CB Radio

Wilson 1000 Mag-Mount CB Antenna with 62 1/2“ Removable Whip

Midland 1001Z ($32) & Wilson 1000 Mobile Antenna ($70)

• 40-channel, 4-Watt CB radio is perfect for novices and seasoned CB users

• CB/PA switch allows CB to be used as a Public Address System when paired with a PA speaker

• RF Gain adjusts reception sensitivity range for clear communication

• Easily installs in most cars, trucks and RVs • Three-year limited warranty

Ham LicenseHam Test Online (study guide): free – nominal amount

Local VE exam ($14)

HF Station

• Multi-mode HF - UHF Ham Mobile Transceiver – Yaesu FT-857D ($805)

• Automatic Antenna Tuner – LDG YT-100 ($200)• + DIY NVIS/dipole antenna ( $60)• + 75’ of coax ( $50)

Conclusions• Communication is something we all take for granted

during “normal” times.

• During an emergency normal communications may be disrupted

• The inability to communicate can cause great inconvenience – or possibly be life-threatening

• Preparing in advance of emergencies with alternate means of communication is prudent

• Communications preparedness can serve as a useful hobby

Referenceshttp://www.cityfreq.com/mo/springfield

http://www.mokanscan.net/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=167

http://www.grove-ent.com/EXmissouri.html

http://www.springfieldcrimealert.com/police_scanner.php

http://members.tripod.com/speedbird_2/index.html

http://www.trunktracker.com/

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?mid=174

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?sid=2304

http://www.radioreference.com/apps/db/?ctid=1517

http://forums.radioreference.com/missouri-radio-discussion-forum/

http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/Springfield_/_Greene_County_Public_Safety/Services

www.amazon.com/Uniden-Digital-Scanner-Channels-BCD996XT/dp/B002IT30LM/ref=sr_1_25?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1328203993&sr=1-25

http://www.eham.net/reviews/products/25

http://www.mokanscan.net/main/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=167

http://radio-scanner-guide.com/RadioScannerGuidePart6-Category5-DigitalTrunkingScanners.htm

http://www.dxing.com/above30.htm

http://www.dxing.com/selscan.htm

http://www.dxing.com/

http://www.dakotaalert.com/catb2b1/product_info.php?cPath=36_37&products_id=93

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/survivalcomm

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5071

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/8467

http://www.amazon.com/Midland-1001Z-40-Channel-CB-Radio/dp/B00024DIDK/ref=sr_1_29?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1328241821&sr=1-29

http://www.gijoesradioelectronics.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=537

http://www.powerwerx.com/wouxun-radios/?gclid=CJPZh4KAga4CFQpY7AodqEKt3g

http://www.powerwerx.com/wouxun-radios/kg-uv3d-dual-band.html#desc

http://www.aesham.com/photos2/WOUKGUV3D2.jpg

http://store.rlham.com/shop/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=340&products_id=38079

http://www.nixahams.net/2007/07/become-ham.html

http://www.nixahams.net

http://smarc.org/?page_id=31

http://smarc.org

http://www.hamuniverse.com/multidipole.html

http://www.w0ipl.net/ECom/NVIS/nvis.htm

http://www.radiosurvivalist.com/antennas/Near-Vertical-Incident-Skywave.asp

http://www.tactical-link.com/field_deployed_nvis.htm