A Survival Thread

[guohua]

My husband just bought a new CB for our truck, the other old one stopped working after 15 years.

 It is a Road King 4Watt unit.

You really have to be patient to contact anyone on the CB anymore, the Older truckers still listen and respond.

Yes, people need to learn the use of Ham Radios and CB's again, The Shit May Hit The Fan!

I bought 4 of those hand-held radios back in 1999 when people thought the grid was going to go down at midnight before 2000. I still have them packed away somewhere. Question is... Where?  I'm going to have to dig them out. I know I gave one to my daughter, and one to my sister. Still have two here packed up for me and hubby.

That is GREAT!
But before you use them, be sure they are tuned to your antennas.
Use the SWR that is built into the CB like the one above or purchase one or go to a Truck Stop garage.
If the CB is not tuned, you'll destroy the radio.
Now, I'll return you to my wife.

[Mystic Wanderer]

My husband just bought a new CB for our truck, the other old one stopped working after 15 years.

 It is a Road King 4Watt unit.

You really have to be patient to contact anyone on the CB anymore, the Older truckers still listen and respond.

Yes, people need to learn the use of Ham Radios and CB's again, The Shit May Hit The Fan!

I bought 4 of those hand-held radios back in 1999 when people thought the grid was going to go down at midnight before 2000. I still have them packed away somewhere. Question is... Where?  I'm going to have to dig them out. I know I gave one to my daughter, and one to my sister. Still have two here packed up for me and hubby.

That is GREAT!
But before you use them, be sure they are tuned to your antennas.
Use the SWR that is built into the CB like the one above or purchase one or go to a Truck Stop garage.
If the CB is not tuned, you'll destroy the radio.
Now, I'll return you to my wife.

Thanks Mr. G.  Now, please talk to me like a 5 year old and tell me how to do that.  I have no idea what SWR stands for, or anything about "tuning".  It worked when I bought it and is supposed to reach a 10 mile range.  I'll have to read up on it when I find the make/model, that is, if I can find them now.

[Ninurta]

I have a couple of the radios we used to use to communicate at work, I have gas heat for backup if the 'lectric goes out, and woods all around me if the gas goes out. I have a few weeks worth of canned meat (bought it up for travel rations for when the war kicks into high gear) - all I need now is to run out and buy a 50 pound bag of rice, and I'm set!

.

[guohua]

My husband just bought a new CB for our truck, the other old one stopped working after 15 years.

 It is a Road King 4Watt unit.

You really have to be patient to contact anyone on the CB anymore, the Older truckers still listen and respond.

Yes, people need to learn the use of Ham Radios and CB's again, The Shit May Hit The Fan!

I bought 4 of those hand-held radios back in 1999 when people thought the grid was going to go down at midnight before 2000. I still have them packed away somewhere. Question is... Where?  I'm going to have to dig them out. I know I gave one to my daughter, and one to my sister. Still have two here packed up for me and hubby.

That is GREAT!
But before you use them, be sure they are tuned to your antennas.
Use the SWR that is built into the CB like the one above or purchase one or go to a Truck Stop garage.
If the CB is not tuned, you'll destroy the radio.
Now, I'll return you to my wife.

Thanks Mr. G.  Now, please talk to me like a 5 year old and tell me how to do that.  I have no idea what SWR stands for, or anything about "tuning".  It worked when I bought it and is supposed to reach a 10 mile range.  I'll have to read up on it when I find the make/model, that is, if I can find them now.

If we are talking about CB radios, SWR or Standing Wave Ratio.

 


All of these videos are really good and should help you.

[Mystic Wanderer]

Thank you Mr. G.     


I'm thinking they are more like long range walkie talkies. I don't know what to call them.

They look similar to this:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/...lsrc=3p.ds

Are those different that what you're showing me?

[guohua]

Thank you Mr. G.     


I'm thinking they are more like long range walkie talkies. I don't know what to call them.

They look similar to this:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/...lsrc=3p.ds

Are those different that what you're showing me?

If that is what you have, the there is No Need To Calibrate.
Those are not CB's or Ham Radios.
They are good for flat areas, terrible in Hills and the City with all building.

[Ninurta]

Thank you Mr. G.     


I'm thinking they are more like long range walkie talkies. I don't know what to call them.

They look similar to this:

https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/...lsrc=3p.ds

Are those different that what you're showing me?

Those are called "FRS radios", which I believe means something like "Family Radios Service". The packaging usually claims a very long range for them, up to, in some cases, around 30 miles, but I've never known one to reach that far even under the best conditions. They are generally line-of-sight ("LOS") radios, and the signal will be blocked or seriously attenuated by mountains, buildings, etc. Hunters use them a lot in the woods to keep track of one another so that no one shoots anyone else.

I had some that were billed at a 16 mile range, but around here the best they would do was about a mile.

ETA: Here is a wiki link regarding FRS - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Radio_Service 


They are similar to GMRS radios, but of lower power, range, and slightly different frequencies. You don't need a license any more to operate FRS, but you do need one to operate FMRS. I either have or had an FCC radiotelephone Operator's Permit that was issued for life, but I don't know if it's still valid or not because I can't find the card any more. I don't think that would have permitted me to operate a GMRS radio, even though I operated a 1500 watt radio station that would reach far farther than any GMRS radio in existence.

Silly gummint!

.

[guohua]

@"Ninurta" 
Yes you are Absolutely Correct.
I have never use one, in the Old Days if I needed to contact My Three Letter Agency, I just used my Shoe Phone  Per the Old tried and True Suitcase Radio  

Here was mine still works.

[Mystic Wanderer]

Thanks y'all for the information.  Guess I need to look into buying a CB radio.   Sigh.  

[Ninurta]

@"Ninurta" 
Yes you are Absolutely Correct.
I have never use one, in the Old Days if I needed to contact My Three Letter Agency, I just used my Shoe Phone  Per the Old tried and True Suitcase Radio  

Here was mine still works.

Oooh! I can't see that last image - classified, eh?

I've found over time that smoke signals work pretty well for me, too - if folks see a big column of black smoke rising into the sky from a target location, they know where I've been! LOL!

.

[Ninurta]

Thanks y'all for the information.  Guess I need to look into buying a CB radio.   Sigh.  

Depends on far far out the folks are whom you might want to communicate with. FRS is fine for fairly short distances, under a mile or so. The lower channels, 1-7, will reach further, and the upper channels 15-22 will reach further, but channels 8-14 are strictly for VERY short range.

CB's will reach out there better, and under some conditions called "skips", will reach a LONG way. I used one to communicate up to 1200 miles away when a skip was on. "Skips" are some sort of atmospheric temperature inversion that causes the signal to bounce off of an air layer back to the ground, and then bounce around back and forth like pool balls on a break. It'll really reach out there then!

I used an 8 foot omnidirectional antenna on a mast, and may have... MAY have... overamped the power to the radio just a touch...

Also, with separate (not "built-in") antennas, different lengths of antenna work better with different frequencies than others. It has to do with the radio wavelength that you are propagating vs. the length of the antenna, and each frequency has a different wavelength. That's why antennae have to be tuned to freq.

Rangers and Special Forces will teach you how to operate some seriously long range stuff, but most of it is line-of-sight. FM ("Frequency Modulated") radio is line of sight as well, which is why it doesn't reach very far but uses massive amounts of power to reach as far as it does. AM ("Amplitude Modulated") radio is not line of sight, so you can reach farther per watt than you can with FM.

Me knowing stuff like this is why Franklin Horton gave "Hugh" a background in radio in his "Borrowed World" series. That, and the fact that when I met him, Franklin and I both worked at a radio station... He has one of those permanent RTO licenses, too.

I'd like to get hold of one of those fancy little satellite radios that work off an ear-bud. I knew a fine young man that was in Kuwait City and was talking to folks in DC in real-time, instant communication, over one, half way around the friggin' world - and no one knew he was even talking, much less who to!

.

[guohua]

Thanks y'all for the information.  Guess I need to look into buying a CB radio.   Sigh.  

That depends if you are going to be Mobile or at your Bug-Out Location.
A small Ham Radio is best for stationary listening or broadcasting. 
Now a CB can be used as a base station (ham radio) but you might want to boost the watts and have a tall antenna. 
Remember a car CB is a 12 volt car battery system, batteries are heavy to move, so I would buy a 12 volt 80Ah to 100Ah Lithium Iron or Ion Phosphate battery, Very, Very small and light.

[senona]

Hopefully, nothing will happen. And things will half-way get back to normal ......whatever the hell that is. 



Having said that, I still have a stockpile of TP/PT and water. 

Doubled up on my vitamin C/D/E/Zinc etc etc -- in case a shortage kicks in again.



Where I am, I doubt any bad shit will happen, but we are only 30 miles north of New Orleans (across the lake) and well, we know how shit can spread. 
But the N.O.P.D. is quick to respond and they do not mess around (Baton Rouge too) 



Our CB went with our Blazer when we sold it, haven't had one since.

And those hand held radios are only good for a couple of miles, despite them stating otherwise, trust me. Jim and I used them when traveling and if he got too far in front of me with obstacles (trucks/buildings) in between, they were useless. 




I would like to look into either a CB or ham radio tho. Not sure of their prices, but maybe one day I can see about getting one or the other.


Hmmmm, I bet the guys at the Gun & Ammo shop know all about both. I might have to take a trip, get some more 9mm, and ask them about it. Hahaha
It's a bunch of Vietnam Vets and they are a blast to talk to (where I got my C&C)

[Chiefsmom]

Hopefully, nothing will happen. And things will half-way get back to normal ......whatever the hell that is. 



Having said that, I still have a stockpile of TP/PT and water. 

Doubled up on my vitamin C/D/E/Zinc etc etc -- in case a shortage kicks in again.



Where I am, I doubt any bad shit will happen, but we are only 30 miles north of New Orleans (across the lake) and well, we know how shit can spread. 
But the N.O.P.D. is quick to respond and they do not mess around (Baton Rouge too) 



Our CB went with our Blazer when we sold it, haven't had one since.

And those hand held radios are only good for a couple of miles, despite them stating otherwise, trust me. Jim and I used them when traveling and if he got too far in front of me with obstacles (trucks/buildings) in between, they were useless. 




I would like to look into either a CB or ham radio tho. Not sure of their prices, but maybe one day I can see about getting one or the other.


Hmmmm, I bet the guys at the Gun & Ammo shop know all about both. I might have to take a trip, get some more 9mm, and ask them about it. Hahaha
It's a bunch of Vietnam Vets and they are a blast to talk to (where I got my C&C)

Hey!  Hubby was just down in NO working in some oil bottling place (?) on the conveyor belts!  He said there was some bridge down there, super long, they accidently got onto, and luckily there were turnarounds?
Anyway,  LOL
We do have a CB, out in the garage, so I'm going to have to have him watch those videos.
And for just around here, if we needed to hunt or something, we have these kids walkie talkies, that actually work from the house, to the back of the Christmas tree farm behind the house.  They are the grandsons, so of course we had to test them.  Be good in an emergency back there.

With all the canning I do, the shelves are stocked for the winter, and if I get desperate, there are a few chickens, and the male duck, that would get eaten first.

[Ninurta]

Another thing to consider is that if you only want news of the outside world, and don't care to talk two-way, you can always get a portable shortwave radio to  keep up on events with. Shortwave nets go all around the world, and you can get SW receivers that have built in generator cranks, for those special occasions when you can't charge a battery.

And, if you get bored, I think the "Russian woodpecker" is still going that you can listen to until you're mesmerized, and even "numbers stations" may still be in existence, or make a comeback...

.

[guohua]

Another thing to consider is that if you only want news of the outside world, and don't care to talk two-way, you can always get a portable shortwave radio to  keep up on events with. Shortwave nets go all around the world, and you can get SW receivers that have built in generator cranks, for those special occasions when you can't charge a battery.

And, if you get bored, I think the "Russian woodpecker" is still going that you can listen to until you're mesmerized, and even "numbers stations" may still be in existence, or make a comeback...

.

Right Mr. Ninurta.
Back in the days of Radio Shack, (the Terrorist Store for all things that go Boom) they had a very good selection of shortwave radios and you could easily build yourself a unit that could pick up Australia.

Art Bell on Cost to Cost use to sell a nice one you cranked up to power.

[Ninurta]

Thanks y'all for the information.  Guess I need to look into buying a CB radio.   Sigh.  

That depends if you are going to be Mobile or at your Bug-Out Location.
A small Ham Radio is best for stationary listening or broadcasting. 
Now a CB can be used as a base station (ham radio) but you might want to boost the watts and have a tall antenna. 
Remember a car CB is a 12 volt car battery system, batteries are heavy to move, so I would buy a 12 volt 80Ah to 100Ah Lithium Iron or Ion Phosphate battery, Very, Very small and light.

You'll want that antenna either mobile or well hidden, to keep the occasional pesky drone from pulling your ears off. I used to make them by stringing a wire up between insulators mounted high in trees but still under the canopy to keep them hidden, and made sure they were disconnected from the set when not in use so they couldn't be triangulated and found.

And if you're transmitting, don't do it on a regular schedule. Change it up, keep it random looking, so they don't know when to try to triangulate. 

Boosting wattage may raise the ire of the FCC - or more nefarious folks - so randomness of transmissions is a must.

.

[Ninurta]

Right Mr. Ninurta.
Back in the days of Radio Shack, (the Terrorist Store for all things that go Boom) they had a very good selection of shortwave radios and you could easily build yourself a unit that could pick up Australia.

Art Bell on Cost to Cost use to sell a nice one you cranked up to power.

Yup. Here is one that is dirt cheap, but you can get them up to a couple hundred dollars.

This one has a built in solar power panel in case you get tired of churning the hand crank.

.

[Mystic Wanderer]

Right Mr. Ninurta.
Back in the days of Radio Shack, (the Terrorist Store for all things that go Boom) they had a very good selection of shortwave radios and you could easily build yourself a unit that could pick up Australia.

Art Bell on Cost to Cost use to sell a nice one you cranked up to power.

Yup. Here is one that is dirt cheap, but you can get them up to a couple hundred dollars.

.

Dang it! I had one like that, but somehow, someway, the plastic over the dial melted, so now I can't turn the dial because the little red thing gets stuck on the plastic. 

$25 isn't that bad. I guess I can afford that.

[senona]

Right Mr. Ninurta.
Back in the days of Radio Shack, (the Terrorist Store for all things that go Boom) they had a very good selection of shortwave radios and you could easily build yourself a unit that could pick up Australia.

Art Bell on Cost to Cost use to sell a nice one you cranked up to power.

Yup. Here is one that is dirt cheap, but you can get them up to a couple hundred dollars.

This one has a built in solar power panel in case you get tired of churning the hand crank.

.

I like the solar one, will definitely add that to my Amazon 'shopping list' -- might be my Christmas present to myself