Coms for when the SHTF

[1sirvivor]

What are everybody's thoughts on communications for when it all goes pear shaped?
Here in the UK we don't have the same range of radio equipment readily available. Would radio be the best way? Would it work after an EMP?
There seems to be a lot of conflicting opinions about EMP's anyway, some say it would be short term, others that it would cause long term upheaval.
If it did really hit the fan, would it be safe to broadcast or would you just make yourself a target?
I know there are people here who know a lot more about it than I do, what are your thoughts?

Thanks

[Grizz123]

face to face only

[Lamewolf]

If I'm still alive and need comms, then I have an assortment of amateur radio gear secured in a faraday cage to protect it from emp.

[Rick]

http://www.wilderness-survival.net/f...ighlight=radio

[1sirvivor]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your comments, and thanks for the link Rick. I have read through that post a couple of times before.
One of the things I was interested in was wither or not you would get a signal to transmit after an EMP. I have read various
opinions on that but can't seem to get a proper answer.

Thanks

[kyratshooter]

No reason why not.

Devices in space transmit back to earth while exposed to massive coronal mass ejections as a matter of course.

[Rick]

EMP is probably one of the last problems you need to worry about. Since everything is theoretical/opinion concerning what will and what won't work just flip a coin. It's as good as anything else. They better not mess with my cable thats all I know.

There are just too many variables for anyone to answer.

[hunter63]

Batteries, Batteries....that the rub......Batteries run out, the world stops.

Don't know about cable, but my Satellite went on Dec 20, 2012 at 11:53....Thought "OH SHIP, THE BIG ONE"

Called in, girl says, "No Sir, Thunderstorm in your zip code.....Is there anything I can help you with?"

If'en a true SHTF.....I will be listening, and keeping my mouth shut......

[finallyME]

While we are on the topic.....
This is one area that I am deficient in. I was trained (very briefly) on the singars system in the military. However, I don't remember much about it. I would like to get into Ham....but would like some advice as to the best place to start. I saw a HAM for dummies on Amazon, that might be the best place.

[Rick]

http://www.arrl.org/

http://www.arrl.org/shop/ARRL-Ham-Ra...l-3rd-Edition/

[Auban]

EMP would not stop a radio from functioning so long as it didnt fry any circuits. the part of a transmitter that actually does the work of sending the signal out is not likely to be blown from an EMP, but any microchips might be.

so far as people finding you, there arent a lot of people with direction finding gear laying around. your more likely to get intercepted by people simply tuning into your freq than people actually doing any direction finding. of course, if your in a situation where there ARE people who have DF capabilities, stay off the radio. ANY signal you produce can be DFed.

[Rick]

So....It might not but it might? And if someone can triangulate your location wouldn't your first clue be when they pulled up in front of your house?

[kyratshooter]

My take on this is that if there has been an EMP that fried everything but your radio, or you built a radio post event, and your area was operating on 18th century technology,

And there was someone out there that had the technology to avoid the EMP effects and had a system still sophisticated enough that their directional antennas worked, you are struggling to survive and they are not!

I might put aside the fact that they were from West Virginia and be glad to see rescue arriving. If things are normal somewhere else you need to achieve that state of normalcy.
It is called RESCUE.

If you have a radio and are not broadcasting how do you know it works? Is your desire to actually remain in the stone age?

If other people are broadcasting you need to listen to what they are saying and decide if you want to press the button and open your mount.

When we get off on these tangent fantasy "end of the world" scenarios we lose focus of the mission of this forum.

[hunter63]

.....................so far as people finding you, there arent a lot of people with direction finding gear laying around. your more likely to get intercepted by people simply tuning into your freq than people actually doing any direction finding. of course, if your in a situation where there ARE people who have DF capabilities, stay off the radio. ANY signal you produce can be DFed.

Isn't there an app for that?

[Auban]

So....It might not but it might? And if someone can triangulate your location wouldn't your first clue be when they pulled up in front of your house?

the might not is far more likely. there are some amazing systems out there that can do some pretty cool things, but there arent a lot of them. if the guys who have them are after you, your really in trouble...

[shiftyer1]

When I was a kid we all had cb radios in our vehicles and some of us in the house. We use to play radio tag, basically hide and seek by signal strength and triangulation. So you can be found!

Radios can be a fun hobby and are pretty useful