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What is the best way to get information in the event that we have and EMP event or the grid goes down for whatever reason or there is an attack on our satellite networks. For any reason, but whot would be the best way to monitor the airwaves in the event that some sort of helpful broadcast going on?
Are ham radio operators making some sort of plans?
I need recommendations for a good radio, preferably with solar capacity or pluggable to a generator.
I checked into what I would need to get in touch with my brother that lives about 20 miles on a HAM radio forum and there was not much. The largest HAM radio group in Arkansas is in NW Arkansas. I got discouraged when reading about classes and test taking.
FWIW, I put my dynamo powered SW and AM/FM radios into the EMP bag, along with a CB & FRS radios and a solar battery charger (for the CB & FRS radios which require batteries). I think the solar panel also has USB output, so can be used to charge up anything else, like phones & tablets (assuming an EMP didn't fry them).
Didn't put a lot of thought into it - I already had those as part of the emergency supplies, and decided to toss them in there (the EMP bag).
For listening you'll need a multi-band shortwave radio. Don't skimp. Get a Sony or equivalent brand. Also, learn how to use it. Generally you'll get more channels in the evening, but exactly when the sweet spot is depends on where exactly you are on the planet. And the weather. Virtually all these types of radios also get regular bands like AM/FM, NOAA weather alerts etc, but not all AM/FM NOAA weather alert radios get shortwave.
For 2-way communication you'll want to learn how to use HAM repeaters if you want to cover any distance more than a few miles. You don't need a license to learn how to use them (this will require you to know how to program your radio), but you need a HAM license to actually use them. Unless there is an emergency. Of course in the case of an emergency, the repeaters may go down.
I have an old Radio Shack CB radio that my dad had? I need to check to see if it will still work to use in case of an emergency. I could even put up a taller antenna on my OTA antenna pole if they will not interfere with each other.
I thought the OP was implying monitoring/listening (e.g. whatever news is available) more than broadcasting. For myself, that's my primary concern as well, with a short-term natural disaster as the most likely scenario to be planned for, secondarily a possibility of the grid going down for whatever reason (aforementioned natural disaster or due to humans doing something intentionally or not).
It's also a good idea to get an external antenna for your TV. We had a bad wind storm here and it knocked out half the broadcast channels, but in most of the affected neighborhood, it knocked out EVERYTHING ELSE. No cable TV, internet, etc. People who were too cheap to pay for cable were the only ones getting any TV channels, even if it was only half they were accustomed to.
It's also a good idea to get an external antenna for your TV. We had a bad wind storm here and it knocked out half the broadcast channels, but in most of the affected neighborhood, it knocked out EVERYTHING ELSE. No cable TV, internet, etc. People who were too cheap to pay for cable were the only ones getting any TV channels, even if it was only half they were accustomed to.
During the Southwest Blackout of 2011 (no power in San Diego for around 12 hours), the first thing I did was turn to a portable television I had, plugged into an external 12V powerpack; for myself the internal antenna worked well enough to get two local stations, but I also have a larger antenna feeding into the coax outlets around the house and could have tapped into that if I felt the need. I also made use of an AM/FM pocket radio, running off the AA batteries I had laying around. At the time, just being able to get news (to find out what was going on) was a huge thing...from what I recall, the neighbors around me had no means to do so (once the cellphones and electricity were gone, they may as well had been a 19th century family stuck out in the wilderness).
I thought the OP was implying monitoring/listening (e.g. whatever news is available) more than broadcasting. For myself, that's my primary concern as well, with a short-term natural disaster as the most likely scenario to be planned for, secondarily a possibility of the grid going down for whatever reason (aforementioned natural disaster or due to humans doing something intentionally or not).
"communicating" seemed to imply a 2 way conversation.
I wont be communicating with anyone, I will be keeping a low profile.
in any disaster, short term or otherwise I am so far away from any govt help that any help will either come too late-which is the normal state of affairs- or wont come at all.
self reliance here is the only way to survive.
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