# Young Prepper and Cross Country Communication



## KingdomKey54 (Mar 26, 2014)

Hi! I'm a new prepper in this community. I have two questions for more experienced preppers.

First, I'm under 18, so I have a hard time getting some of the supplies I need or would like to have. I believe in an economic collapse leading to anarchy, possibly followed by bomb or nuclear strike. What would you recommend I do to get these supplies, or to make my own?

Second, I recently moved to the West Coast and my best friend lives on the East Coast still. How could I communicate with him after SHTF? We have a plan to create a kind of... country (I like politics).

Thanks, and I really appreciate any answer.


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## PaulS (Mar 11, 2013)

In the event of a communication and/or electrical blackout there are very few ways to communicate over a distance of a thousand miles. You are going to have to form a network of folks that can and will assist you in your communications.


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## KingdomKey54 (Mar 26, 2014)

Thank you for the reply. That will be a bit complicated to do, given the fact I'm under 18. Is there possibly a battery or crank powered radio system? Super-Advanced Walkie-Talkies?


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Ham Radio might be your answer. We've got some folks that know a heck of a lot about Ham Radio so maybe they will chime in.

Welcome and good luck!


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## KingdomKey54 (Mar 26, 2014)

Thanks! I actually remember Ham Radios from Fallout: NV (A video game). Any idea on cost? I'll google it.

Update: Looked it up. Seems like just what I'm looking for! Thank you very much, Slippy!


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## PrepperLite (May 8, 2013)

KingdomKey54 said:


> Thanks! I actually remember Ham Radios from Fallout: NV (A video game). Any idea on cost? I'll google it.
> 
> Update: Looked it up. Seems like just what I'm looking for! Thank you very much, Slippy!


I would Google around and find some clubs in your area. When i went to the first meeting at the local club it was .. interesting... 24 years old standing in a room full of 60+ year old men. Don't get discouraged on your first visit because there is a TON of knowledge there and maybe even some that will let you borrow some gear or mentor you (or depending on population there are probably other clubs in the area). If you are lucky the club may have its own equipment that members can use.

Oh and welcome. Glad you are getting into it at such a young age... if i knew then what i know now.....



Slippy said:


> Ham Radio might be your answer. We've got some folks that know a heck of a lot about Ham Radio so maybe they will chime in.
> 
> Welcome and good luck!


Aye, I 2nd that, Ham Radio is the way to go.


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## Will2 (Mar 20, 2013)

Hmm it just sort of clicked today that RACES the replacement for WERS might blackout longrange communications in SHTF the radio equivolent of flights being grounded.

Now bear in mind the internet WAS designed to withstand nuclear war.

If ground systems go you may still have access to satphones but that ain't cheap.

The real answer will be to set up a relay. Coast to coast communications will take the pony express.

It is two to three days by car from coast to coast.

Bottom line here is that short of lettermail... and if lettermail is broke.. and the internet is nonfunctional.

you should just set up a meeting place if that is the plan.

other than point of presence and EM transferance.. not many other options other than a really really loud sound such as transoceanic sonar or earth based directed ultrasonics. However that is really complex and requires really really really low siesmic waveforms.

So no there will be no legal way of communicating when things getlocked down.

WROL however you could use ham radio, is it cheap not really but you could learn to build your own sets and get certified.

You of course will also need to getoff grid power, a transmission tower etc..

There are other options.

I think a lot of people may not understand what it would take to knock down the internet on a large or extended scale.

CB with poweramplifiers seems tobe the cheapest

raspberry pi also has wrps service which is a low data rate long distance transmiter for under $20
meanwhile you can use a $10 SDR dongle to receive.

some knowledge and antennas may need apply.
$30

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

illegalshortwave may work for some transmissions but it ain't too legal.

If you are both feds you may be able to use the gov backbone to communicate but no guarantees.

RACES-ares mars etc.. is based upon premembership to event. so you need to be in before it hits to be in.
it is a little like ARK2

https://www.google.com/?tbm=pts#q=communciation++through+the+earth&tbm=pts


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## jro1 (Mar 3, 2014)

KingdomKey54 said:


> Hi! I'm a new prepper in this community. I have two questions for more experienced preppers.
> 
> First, I'm under 18, so I have a hard time getting some of the supplies I need or would like to have. I believe in an economic collapse leading to anarchy, possibly followed by bomb or nuclear strike. What would you recommend I do to get these supplies, or to make my own?
> 
> ...


Get a HAM radio, $10 to take the amateur course!


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## pheniox17 (Dec 12, 2013)

KingdomKey54 said:


> 1. Hi! I'm a new prepper in this community. I have two questions for more experienced preppers.
> 
> 2. First, I'm under 18, so I have a hard time getting some of the supplies I need or would like to have. I believe in an economic collapse leading to anarchy, possibly followed by bomb or nuclear strike. What would you recommend I do to get these supplies, or to make my own?
> 
> ...


1. welcome from down under (actually the top it the world  )

2. under 18 finances are nightmarish, gettin enough spare funds and all, I suggest you concentrate on the bug out bag topics and suck as much info as you can, to the topic of nuclear strike, there is lots of info on the interwebs about it. if your still going to school, try and get into a modern history class.. or attempt to have debates/conversations with a modern history teacher you can respect.. very important in filtering nuclear information from misinformation, and if you can handle a bruising, and find something you want to question, start a new topic and ask.

recommendations after reading the bug out bags, design and make one, I'm sure you can work it out with advice already here

3. politics is the route to all evil, almost worse than lawyers  but long range coms, I doubt it's possible over such long distances, ham is good with relaying info but you need a network, best bet is have a set plan with your mate and plan meeting up, but this will be super dangerous....

4. good luck... and kiss (keep it simple stupid)


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## Rigged for Quiet (Mar 3, 2013)

In a situation of grid down or infratsucture failure HAM is likely going to be the only means of long distance comms. A 12V solar set up and a car battery is all that is needed to power up a mobil unit and hand helds can run off of a battery pack. Distance is the challenge due the our uncertainty of repeaters being on line. This can be over come with numbers of operators workiing together though.

Finding a HAM club in your area is simple, just type in your city and amamtuer radio club into google and you will have your starting point. Being under 18, you will likely be as much as 2 generations behind a lot of members but that just means you will have a wealth of information and experience at your disposal. Most clubs will go out their way to help a new person get their license, especially when they are your age. It's insurance for the life of the hobby!

You can also access all of the study material you need online and also find practice tests that are drawn form the actual question pool used to make up the tests. It costs $14.00 to take the test and get your Technician license. After that you can get your General license and then you are into the HF band which is best suited for long distance comms.

If you find a club and actively participate it's not unusual for the older members to help out with gear by either selling old stuff they don't use anymore or at the very least helping you get the most out of what have. There are hand held radios out there for under $50 new, and when comined with a regular antenna can really boost your distance. These set ups can be had for under $120 if you go that route.

It's a great hobby and I strongly encourage you check it out. You will a life long affliction that has a lot to offer.


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## James m (Mar 11, 2014)

Beofongs are 36$ online im going to order one soon.
I would listen to ham on my scanner for a while. But you can go online theres an app called scanner radio its free to listen it uses data though. 
There are sometimes some strange people on there. Ive heard everything from people talking about letter bombs to lonely people wanting to talk about thier rabbit.


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## pharmer14 (Oct 27, 2012)

Honestly if S ever HTF, you won't be too focused on asking your buddy 20 states a way how their day was...

If you really want to know the day-to-day of your friends, I'd find a way to move back east as soon as you can... Otherwise, I'd find new friends on the west coast...


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I would think that Ham operators would be the only trustworthy source of real news. I feel the gov would sanitize and shield us from the bad news (You know, propaganda) so that we would willing comply with their orders. As far as the Baofeng radios, they're *great* for the money but very limited range unless you're on a repeater. I'd probably guess repeaters would be out, one way or another. for any long distance comm, you'd need a few more watts and a nice antenna, could be just a wire dipole, horizontally polarized. For some real long distant comm, you'd need a 10m radio (I think)


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