# Radio communications



## Mr7Sega0 (May 22, 2012)

Might be off topic for this forum but has anyone put any serious thought into what to do about radio communication?
I think it's an essential part of a prep plan especially if we have to go out of our BOL for water/hunting or whatever. My wife would probably stay and defend the home while I went out and it would be nice to know we have a line of communication should anything happen to either of us.
Right now we have 8 FRS/GMRS radios with varying power ratings, 2 Wouxun KG-UV3D handheld VHF/UHF (hacked to open all available Drequencies) with AA battery packs and a Yaesu FT-7900R VHF/UHF for base station/mobile setup. I also have a laminated sheet with various govm't frequencies, NATO phonetic alphabet and 10- codes as memory can be cloudy under extreme stress.
I'm also looking into a digital trunking scanner but they get kinda pricey and I'd rather have $800 worth of food than a fancy scanner.

Has anyone else put that type of gear in their stash? Any suggestions on modestly priced encrypted or secured communication methods and equipment if the grid fails?


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

Very good thread! I know zilch about radios. Looking to learn here from others input. Thanks for starting this.


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## C5GUY (Mar 22, 2012)

I keep one vintage but still usable radio that has the old AM/FM and shortwave capability that can be powered with D batteries which I store anyway. I have owned it since the 70's and it has always worked great due to the old adage...they don't make them like they use to. Motorola, make in AMerica.


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## ZGF (May 25, 2012)

My uncle is really into ham radios; I'm hoping that he'll teach me about them someday, as I would love to have my own. But right now, it's difficult, as I don't have the space or money, and he's very far away. (Another reason to get a radio setup!) I'd love any advice on basics I should look into.


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## El Chorizo (Jun 6, 2012)

If most of the communications network gets knocked out, a pretty decent HAM radio / short wave radio setup will be able to get around the world with the right conditions. Hell, my father used to tell me that when he was a kid they would sometimes pick up broadcasts from around the world on their old radios... this was before the airwaves were flooded and they would travel for thousands of miles.

Pretty neat to think about that stuff.


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## Leon (Jan 30, 2012)




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## Xplorer (May 8, 2012)

I am currenty studying up to get a Ham license. My Dad has had a license for 40 yrs or so.


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## socom8721 (Sep 20, 2012)

Getting your HAM Tech License is easy and can be done in one weekend through your local ham group if they are good and active! GMRS radios are commonly available and now reasonably priced, but they are so common that many people have them, will be on your freq or monitoring for your traffic. I have them but for monitoring only.

Ham Bands are plentiful, allow you to switch or crossband so that you can somewhat secure your traffic. Also, you can set up packet nets and have email over radio freqs...

Ham radios can be expensive but there are many that are not. There are national and international nets that practice weekly and monthly in regards to our interests.

My cache(s) include all spectrum of communications including field phones, microwave and satcom. We have a small group that sticks together in the area and I provide a secure wide area repeater for communications that includes a VOIP phone patch. If the SHTF we are prepared for that too.

If you have questions or if I can help you in anyway... let me know.


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## Lucky Jim (Sep 2, 2012)

Another good thread about radio comms here- 
http://www.prepperforums.net/forum/strictly-bug-out-vehicles/731-fj-cruiser-cb-radio-placement.html

My main concern would be whether the bad guys could use radio direction finders to home in on our transmissions and make a beeline for us to pinch our candy bars and potato chips..


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## socom8721 (Sep 20, 2012)

lol... yep that could happen very easily... I have a RDF that I use myself


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## KR0SIV (Oct 28, 2012)

socom8721 said:


> Getting your HAM Tech License is easy and can be done in one weekend through your local ham group if they are good and active! GMRS radios are commonly available and now reasonably priced, but they are so common that many people have them, will be on your freq or monitoring for your traffic. I have them but for monitoring only.
> 
> Ham Bands are plentiful, allow you to switch or crossband so that you can somewhat secure your traffic. Also, you can set up packet nets and have email over radio freqs...
> 
> ...


Indeed,

I run dual band 2m/70cm radios. If you just need a cheap handheld/HT grab a Baofeng UV-5R they are about $50 and put out 4 or 5 watts depending on the model.
The radio is also very hackable and can do FRS/GMRS/etc


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## KR0SIV (Oct 28, 2012)

Lucky Jim said:


> Another good thread about radio comms here-
> http://www.prepperforums.net/forum/strictly-bug-out-vehicles/731-fj-cruiser-cb-radio-placement.html
> 
> My main concern would be whether the bad guys could use radio direction finders to home in on our transmissions and make a beeline for us to pinch our candy bars and potato chips..


That is of course an issue, with things like Fox Hunting (radio direction finding) a well technically apt group could easily find you, part of the reason to have a scanner.. You should always know whats going on around you.


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## survival (Sep 26, 2011)

KR0SIV said:


> That is of course an issue, with things like Fox Hunting (radio direction finding) a well technically apt group could easily find you, part of the reason to have a scanner.. You should always know whats going on around you.


Some things to note folks that some states have it illegal to have scanners in your vehicle unless you hold a license from the FCC. Kentucky has a get caught and destroy on site policy if you don't have one.


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## WoadWarrior (Oct 10, 2012)

Time to build in that hidden dash door...


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## usmamg (Nov 8, 2012)

FRS radios are unreliable with very short ranges. May be ok around your bug out site (short distances). HAM is the way to go--2m/70cm HTs.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

I have a general class ham license, have had it for decades.
I run military grc-106's, prc-77's, yaesu 890 with an ameritron 2kw amp. All my equipment is set up for either packet or rtty.
The shack is located in a military comm shelter which is a Faraday cage. All antenna inputs are grounded until needed.
Also have 2mtr mobile rigs and base. 2mtr handsets are also in the inventory. All are opened up. 
there are 5 repeaters available in the area for usage. In a shtf scenario i do not think any will be operating, my focus is on point to point comm.
Use the 6mtr rigs the most for ground ops, best suited for the local terrain. 
Have a yaesu frg 100 rcvr next to my bed for swl'ing, it is hooked up to a 800 amp car battery, will run for a month without recharging.


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## Buff Driver (Jan 19, 2013)

Get your ham license first and the knowledge you gain will help you set up a system for your needs. GMRS may not be your best first option because a lot of people have these and everyone is going to be talking. After a week or two, all of the people that don't have a lot of batteries or a solar charger will be out of business and the GMRSs will be more useable I have a Wouxun KG-UV3D and you can modify them to the GMRS freqs also. Effective communications is going to be critical for survival. A good comm plan will be very important.


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## Wquon (May 9, 2013)

i dont know anything about radios & with all the variations & types of freqs you may as well be speaking latin to me. i know it plays a big part when other coms go offline. for a good value i have found the Baofeng UV5RA Ham Two Way Radio 136-174/400-480 MHz Dual-Band Transceiver, you can also get an extended battery pack for it. as far as a "home base" radio goes... again im lost. i do know operating on some freqs are prohibited &/or illegal & it will be a few years before i start looking at a HAM lic. (just the way my prep priorities are at moment) so if anyone had some good BASIC info for me, that would be awsome.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

I would like to get a good receiver but I don't want to transmit.
Just turn it on for five minutes each hour on the emergency channels and then maybe find some locals HAMs that I can get the latest news from.


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## budgetprepp-n (Apr 7, 2013)

I really think that the old school standard CB radio will be a very useful radio to have even if all you want to do is listen.
There is already a bunch of them out there in use. They will be easy to get even after TSHTF. All you need to run one is a car battery.
And they are like a AM station at night the signal from them will "skip" for hundreds of miles. (listen to a standard am radio at night) 
I think a lot of people will be on them looking for help. That will let you know what's going on.
I have a Cobra 29 with a RFX75 (booster) installed the output is 105 watts I can get out a long ways if I need to.
But I can also turn it down to about 4 watts if I want to for local conversions. And I have 3 hand held radios that will work with the 
CB. I only have about $200 in everything. If all you want to do is listen you can get setup for under $75 
I have a short wave that I can listen on but not broadcast on I never played with it yet I guess you can pick up signals
from all over the world. But I think I'm really going to want to know what's happening within a hundred miles of my location.


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## exmilitary (Jun 17, 2013)

I also have two hacked ham radios. I keep mine stowed away so when shtf they are ready for use. 
I do have a radio licence, but I am going to take my ham licence.


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## Tundra Dweller (May 18, 2013)

The shelve above those yellow bins.. on the left side.. Are those antenna mounts?? Do they work for CB and or a Ham radio? Nice gear ...



socom8721 said:


> Getting your HAM Tech License is easy and can be done in one weekend through your local ham group if they are good and active! GMRS radios are commonly available and now reasonably priced, but they are so common that many people have them, will be on your freq or monitoring for your traffic. I have them but for monitoring only.
> 
> Ham Bands are plentiful, allow you to switch or crossband so that you can somewhat secure your traffic. Also, you can set up packet nets and have email over radio freqs...
> 
> ...


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## calliecat (Apr 16, 2013)

I am new to all of this. How do I learn about field phones and all of the things you guys are talking about. Any resources you recommend?
Thanks


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

If you're interested in ham radio, here is a really good source to get started.

ARRL | Licensing, Education & Training | Getting on the Air


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## calliecat (Apr 16, 2013)

Thank You


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