you don't even need repeaters with a decent radio set, HF band with a properly rigged antenna you can get atmospheric bounce to New Brunswick, i know someone that caught a channel in the atmosphere that allowed them to talk to a guy in Texas from Kingston, although this is rare you should be 97% reliable for anywhere in Ontario with an antenna you can make at home and 100 bucks on an amplifier, just make sure you can get a license to use that freq
Hey beaver, im from Sudbury here, but if you are looking for a CB, go to ebay, pretty much any cobra unit you find will be good to get yourself started. You mentioned you wanted a "home" or "base" setup. I havent done that myself but what might work for you is a handheld cb radio (I am picking one up from Crappy Tire to supplement the one in the Jeep). They go for about $100 but the nice thing is they come with everything you need to get started, it would be a great way to get a feel for radio. That (and offroading) is the reason I went with a CB. I plan to get my HAM license now that I know that I enjoy it. As far as HAM's go I cant help yet but good luck, and if you are ever up in Sudbury, shoot me a PM we can have coffee.
Question, can I get a ham radio and just lesson , do you only need the license if your talking on air. I was thinking just buy the unit, until all hell brakes loose, then who going to come around and enforce the rule, no one.
Question, can I get a ham radio and just lesson , do you only need the license if your talking on air. I was thinking just buy the unit, until all hell brakes loose, then who going to come around and enforce the rule, no one.
http://www.advancedspecialties.net/ham-radio-faq.htm
i got curious about that to...
you could just buy a police scanner, between that and a little solar radio you wouldn't have to much trouble figuring out whats going on but you would not be able to broadcast, it would not be hard to lengthen the antennas on both for better reception,
Dont get me wrong, I certainly wont be advertising my home address. I was just wondering ...say I need something that I dont have stored. I will need to reach out when there is chaos. Somehow I may need to find someone that has what i dont have. Can anybody point me in the right direction for a person I can meet to buy a middle of the road kit. Ask some questions etc? I understand the idea of keeping this prepping quiet. Im doing that as best I can. Just looking for some guidance from someone that knows.
On a different note. I've always been a big believer in communication. I've been pretty dissapointed in the response (volume that is) as I thought this would generate some big discussion or provide me with some assistance for a good retailer. If anyone has a good place you can PM me.
Thanks The Beav.
The "when SHTF" part is why I didn't give it much of a look.
Question, can I get a ham radio and just lesson , do you only need the license if your talking on air. I was thinking just buy the unit, until all hell brakes loose, then who going to come around and enforce the rule, no one.
http://www.advancedspecialties.net/ham-radio-faq.htm
i got curious about that to...
you could just buy a police scanner, between that and a little solar radio you wouldn't have to much trouble figuring out whats going on but you would not be able to broadcast, it would not be hard to lengthen the antennas on both for better reception,
During the ice storm of 98 and our power went out for weeks, for the first 3 or 4 days we had know idea how big the ice storm covered, until the guy up the road came over with a small radio. After that we bough the small solar radio from lee valley. and its still going strong. we just leave it in the window always charging.
Yes, Beth, us too during the '98 ice storm. It was kinda eerie for the first few days, not knowing what was going on.....just kept the fires going and everyone fed.....then, after a few days when the power still didn't come back on, went into the nearest small town to get the scoop. I also now have a wind-up radio (got free from an eco-fair), but have always wanted one of those solar radios from Lee Valley Tools.... being informed is SO important!
Question, can I get a ham radio and just lesson , do you only need the license if your talking on air. I was thinking just buy the unit, until all hell brakes loose, then who going to come around and enforce the rule, no one.
http://www.advancedspecialties.net/ham-radio-faq.htm
i got curious about that to...
you could just buy a police scanner, between that and a little solar radio you wouldn't have to much trouble figuring out whats going on but you would not be able to broadcast, it would not be hard to lengthen the antennas on both for better reception,
anyone can own a radio of any type, you're not breaking the law until you broadcast on it.
police scanners can listen to just about anything a bigger radio can, but the frequencies have to be typed it, with a HAM radio, you can just tune them in. if you type in 146.530 on a police scanner and listen you may not hear anything . . . but someone could be talking on 146.570 and you won't know.
on the other hand if you typed in only repeater freq. on your scanner you have a better chance of hearing things. . . but PSHTF, i'm going to be using only simplex to talk. . . less chance of being heard. but monitor repeaters, CB, FRS/GMRS/MURS etc.
but if you were listening in on a radio that was meant for both listening/broadcasting, you could tune in the freq like you work Q107 (greatest rock station of all times!) or if you prefer Rock95 barries rock station! it's that simple. (well ok there are 10 billion more freq then on your car radio but.. .)
PSHTF there is not going to be an IC gov't branch monitoring radio freq for illegal broadcasts. (and i do believe ANYONE can use a radio to transmit in an emergency) so having one and NOT using it unless you were in an emergency would be prudent prepping.
me and another long time HAM friend wanted to make contact. (if you can't do it now you won't PSHTF) we were on a special chat program on the Internet so we could pick the freq and if we had trouble we could still chat. couldn't hear him, we met on ONTARS, he could hear it loud and clear, but i was getting a lot of static. . . he called me, he could hear what i was hearing but he was loud and clear. . . my SFR was fine, my antenna was tuned correctly (he did it) and everything was hooked up correctly, but we COULDN"T hear each other.
my Cat5 cable for the internet was putting static into my radio. . .i moved my computer and voices started coming up clear. . . we were able to chat. he's been doing this longer then i've been a live and never came across this problem. i tried different cables, different distances from the turbo hub etc. . . but couldn't have the computer (or Cat5 cable) near the radio set up. . . PSHTF when my radio was to be shitting next to my computer, this could of killed all my Comms. . . this was a GREAT lesson to leave before there is a problem. (assuming my internet be working at that time)
point is, if you have a radio to listen on, you're ahead of the game, but without practicing you are not doing great. . .
take a course, get your ticket, buy the radio, get on air and PRACTICE!
(something i need more time to do too!!!)
adsum. . . aut viam inveniam aut faciam
I think I read the same thing about the ham thing. Completely legal to own & listen, and in an emergency anyone can broadcast. However, I believe that is limited to being in immediate danger...not sure, I would have to double check.
Sorry but this is not quite true.
During the FLQ crisis in Quebec Mr Trudeau invoked the War Measures Act. Part of this law made it illegal for any unlicensed person to own receiving equipment capable of receiving signals higher in frequency then the standard FM commercial broadcast band.
This portion of the law was never repealed when the War Measures Act was discontinued. There was a lot of noise made by the amateurs at the time to no avail. I was involved.
That is the law they use to charge tow truck drivers and others for using scanners etc. It may get you a slap on the wrist but the law is still on the books.
BTW it is also Illegal for any person to own transmitting equipment for which they are not licensed. That is why the ham radio stores ask for your call before selling you equipment. The key word in the link below is "FCC" they are in the U.S.A. A call to Ottawa will confirm this.
Question, can I get a ham radio and just lesson , do you only need the license if your talking on air. I was thinking just buy the unit, until all hell brakes loose, then who going to come around and enforce the rule, no one.
http://www.advancedspecialties.net/ham-radio-faq.htm
i got curious about that to...
you could just buy a police scanner, between that and a little solar radio you wouldn't have to much trouble figuring out whats going on but you would not be able to broadcast, it would not be hard to lengthen the antennas on both for better reception,
anyone can own a radio of any type, you're not breaking the law until you broadcast on it.
police scanners can listen to just about anything a bigger radio can, but the frequencies have to be typed it, with a HAM radio, you can just tune them in. if you type in 146.530 on a police scanner and listen you may not hear anything . . . but someone could be talking on 146.570 and you won't know.on the other hand if you typed in only repeater freq. on your scanner you have a better chance of hearing things. . . but PSHTF, i'm going to be using only simplex to talk. . . less chance of being heard. but monitor repeaters, CB, FRS/GMRS/MURS etc.
but if you were listening in on a radio that was meant for both listening/broadcasting, you could tune in the freq like you work Q107 (greatest rock station of all times!) or if you prefer Rock95 barries rock station! it's that simple. (well ok there are 10 billion more freq then on your car radio but.. .)
PSHTF there is not going to be an IC gov't branch monitoring radio freq for illegal broadcasts. (and i do believe ANYONE can use a radio to transmit in an emergency) so having one and NOT using it unless you were in an emergency would be prudent prepping.
me and another long time HAM friend wanted to make contact. (if you can't do it now you won't PSHTF) we were on a special chat program on the Internet so we could pick the freq and if we had trouble we could still chat. couldn't hear him, we met on ONTARS, he could hear it loud and clear, but i was getting a lot of static. . . he called me, he could hear what i was hearing but he was loud and clear. . . my SFR was fine, my antenna was tuned correctly (he did it) and everything was hooked up correctly, but we COULDN"T hear each other.
my Cat5 cable for the internet was putting static into my radio. . .i moved my computer and voices started coming up clear. . . we were able to chat. he's been doing this longer then i've been a live and never came across this problem. i tried different cables, different distances from the turbo hub etc. . . but couldn't have the computer (or Cat5 cable) near the radio set up. . . PSHTF when my radio was to be shitting next to my computer, this could of killed all my Comms. . . this was a GREAT lesson to leave before there is a problem. (assuming my internet be working at that time)
point is, if you have a radio to listen on, you're ahead of the game, but without practicing you are not doing great. . .
take a course, get your ticket, buy the radio, get on air and PRACTICE!(something i need more time to do too!!!)
Now you see me, Now you don't!
I tried to find a police/fire scanner a year ago, and the shop owner told me not to bother because most emergency response frequencies are security scrambled.
"We 'Prep.' to live after a downfall, Not just to survive."
Anonymity is a precious thing in this day and age. The sad thing is that most of the information out there about is is WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN THEM through social media. If you don't want to be searched successfully then don't provide the info. It's generally as simple as that. They can't cross reference what doesn't exist. I am not saying to be paranoid but as it has been said... "Just because you are paranoid does NOT mean that something isn't wrong".