More transmitters, and more men to guard those transmitters.
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Google HSMM MESH. Its ham radio internet. We gave streamed full pbx voip systems, video, web server, email.... Etc.
It depends on your communications needs. Are you trying to communicate a block over? The next county? The other side of the world?
Ham radio is your best bet - with the right equipment and some learning on your part you can send text & data over ham. Aside from ham, though, you do have some options for a more localized effort - FRS/GMRS radios, CB radio, and Marine radio are all options to look into.
Some good resources:
American Preppers Network Radio Net - The "communications arm" of the American Preppers Network. Some good information, more prep-oriented than your regular Ham enthusiast site.
Amateur Radio Relay League - Founded in 1914, the American Radio Relay League is the national association for amateur radio in the USA. Today, with more than 158,000 members, ARRL is the largest organization of radio amateurs in the United States. Lots of good technical information.
General information on Packet Radio (being able to pass digital data packets over analog radio): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Packet_radio Also has links to other packet technologies, like D-STAR. BBS systems, e-mail, text chat, small file transfers, and more can be done over ham.
For more localized communications, FRS/GMRS radios and CB radio is a safe bet. CB is fine in the car or as a base station, and there are some fine handheld units. Other than that, Garmin actually makes a GPS/2-way radio (FRS/GMRS), digital camera/NOAA weather alert radio combination, their Rino 655t. The topo 100k maps are esily replaced with the (much better) topo 26k maps. If you have multiple Garmin Rino's, you can see each other on your map, making keeping track of friends/family easy. They have lower models, as well. I work as a Satellite technician in Afghanistan right now, and we use the Garmin Rino 110's for the digital compass and exact LAT/LONG when putting up dishes.
If you're concerned about batteries, get the Midland XT511. It combines a 2-way radio (FRS/GMRS), AM/FM radio, NOAA weather radio, flashlight, and USB charge port in a portable package. Comes with rechargeable batteries, and can be recharged via built-in hand crank dynamo. 90 second of cranking provides roughly one hour of continuous-use power.
Oh, and as for jamming radio communications? The military has got you on that one - they have a fleet of jammers that have been used in OIF and OEF to effectively neuter radio-controlled IED's, and they are perfectly good at knocking out all legitimate comms as well. It's a common problem over here in Afghanistan - the Army with leave their Dukes (a type of jammer) on when they drive into the FOB and knock out all comms not in it's exclude list -mostly military frequencies.
Here's a system that the USMC uses: http://www.marcorsyscom.usmc.mil/sit...CHAMELEON.html
Here's a great series of articles about IED's, and the Jammers the military is using against them. Note the things they can jam (key fobs, cell phone, frs radio, etc.): http://www.barthworks.com/military/ied02.htm
What about this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRLP
Matt - I can tell you from personal experience that if they want to drop the comms out in a 1km radius, they can. And they can do it even further than that when they crank the power. And yes, if they want to block out a spectrum (HF, VHF, UHF, etc.) they can. All of it. Goodbye HAM, cell phones, FRS/GMRS, Wifi/Wimax, CB, AM/FM. Incredibly easy to do.
Like I said, I'm a satcom engineer here in Afghanistan - I also manage the data network (including around 30-35 wireless shots) and manage the VHF radios we use (mostly motorola GP360's) and yes, the Army can drop our comms easily. The Marines at least remember to turn off their Dukes/Chameleons/THOR/etc. before they come back on the base.
In NH, a whole bunch of people have radios. The number keeps growing. A guy buys them wholesale from China and sells them for $40 cash. He even has the equipment to program them for you at no extra charge. They only reach a couple miles but you can ad on something that extends the range a little. I'd guess, in a few years, a lot more folks will have radios.
There is also pirate radio up here. Oh, and some people made sure the police scanner in several of the cities (including Keene and Manchester) are public. Plus other stuff I'd rather not say.
According to Animal Planet and Nat Geo, bigfoots use wood knocking, and the sound travels for miles on a calm night.:eek:
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Some good info in this thread. BTW, there have been other threads on this forum about the same question.
klamath - so you know exactly what I am talking about.
Wanted to get a ham radio...but the whole fcc thing is throwing me off. I think im just goingto get a cb for now.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNhToGB9O7c
Better start learning, eh?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WEALBg_Qtqs
I wasn't thrilled with the licensing aspect either.
I got my handy talkie and used it only for monitoring for six or so months before I even took the test/got licensed.
Being able to monitor other stations/operators gave me a pretty good idea of what the licensed hams in my community are thinking. From my monitoring experience there are hams that I would network with and there are some that I would totally avoid (FCC rule nazis).
At this time in our county my ham radio also allows me to scan police/emergency frequencies on the go from my vehicle.
I monitor way more than I transmit. Being licensed and 'legally' able to transmit gives me a sense of what my equipment can do and if it's operational. Also, in my area, a licensed operator is more likely to get a ton more help from others. <-- Learned that by monitoring. ;) Know your neighbors!
I can monitor CB frequencies with my handy talkie radio but can't transmit on those bands at this time -I'd have to mod my radio. In my area there is a whole lot more to monitor on the ham bands/emergency bands than the CB band.
This is the handheld radio I went with after a crash course learnin' myself about 'em:
http://www.yaesu.com/indexvs.cfm?cmd...5&isArchived=0
There are some cons to this particular model but overall I've been pretty satisfied with it. It has a nice balance of a lot of things for such a small package.
If I had it to do over, I'd go with a cheaper handheld and spend the saved money on a 6 -160 meter portable HF transceiver & accessories.
License or no license, the equipment is there for all to purchase. :)
Gun fire is all the communication we need.
Quote:
Gun fire is all the communication we need.
This is both false and reckless.
Sooo, does communication equipment WORK the same with or without licensing/permission?
Bearing the publication of gun owner addresses in mind, can "Authorities" more easily bushwhack licensed/ALLOWED communication equipment? Or does "unauthorized" transmission point a neon arrow at a readily findable Disobeyer?
Does that mean NOTHING works, not even walkie-talkies such as kids and skiers use?
Let's play PRETEND...exactly what you describe HAPPENS. Does it become the "ground type of thing" mentioned elsewhere in this thread...or is the ground game foiled by generalized wreckage, and are people too busy keeping the roof/food thing together to be bothered with trying to say whassup to other people in the exact same predicament?
What did that thing set you back?
This one looks pretty sweet, for a throw away.. ($42)
http://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-...I1KTHFLOJP18QM
-t