Galt's Gulch
11

Communications In Dark Times, by J.B.

Posted by XenokRoy 9 years, 7 months ago to Technology
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I thought some of you may also find this article interesting to read.
SOURCE URL: http://survivalblog.com/communications-in-dark-times-by-j-b/

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  • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 7 months ago
    Too think that during the 70s I drove from Alabama to California's coast twice before there were cell phones or GPS devices.
    I didn't even have a then available and very popular CB, shrugging it off like I now scorn such things as Facebook.
    Do you know how one feels way out in the middle of a flat desert when you're used to the shady comfort of trees? It's like you're a little speck of nothing!
    I knew what to expect before I took the second round trip but I took it anyway.
    How crazy could a young dino be?
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    • Posted by $ Thoritsu 9 years, 7 months ago
      So amazing to look back behavior before present technology!
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      • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 7 months ago
        Sometimes I'll tell a kid at a cash register that when I was his or her age I had to know how to count back change or that I never imagined a debit card.
        Sometimes I'll tell a kid with a laptop that a computer filled an entire room when I was his age and I never imagined carrying one around.
        On, the other hand, I have also told kids that when I was their age I thought that before now we'd have cities on the Moon and Mars under huge transparent domes. I recall such speculative art as far back as the 60s.
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        • Posted by $ Thoritsu 9 years, 7 months ago
          I have my buddy's Carter AVS from a '72 Road Runner with a 440 on my desk at work.

          So many young engineers have walked by and asked what it is that I put a sign on it saying "This is an analog air fuel mixing device". How can a mechanical engineer not know what a carburetor is? Oh yeah, not one car today uses them! Kind of fun getting old and sarcastic!
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        • Posted by term2 9 years, 7 months ago
          I have noted that a lot of modern movies and TV series project an post apocalyptic future - walking dead for example- rather than the constantly improving future I remember as a kid. Walking dead isn't ABOUT zombies but is really about how civilization would restart after a major disruption. Also JERICHO in Netflix ( TV series). People "know" instinctively we are on an unsustainable path right now
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          • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 7 months ago
            I'm a fan of The Walking Dead and I agree with your statement.
            Its seasons explore different scenarios about how people try to adapt.
            Jericho I ignored when it was on TV.
            I just went to my Netflix in my email to check it out.
            The first two pages of reviews were almost all favorable.
            One 2-star person complained that it was a soap opera but my grown son said that about The Walking Dead and his remark was an uncomplaining fan's observation.
            Think I'll try the first disk of Jericho out.
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            • Posted by term2 9 years, 7 months ago
              I found it instructive to substitute currency collapse for nuclear attack as a more likely scenario. But the writers depiction of what people would do was very interesting and informative
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              • Posted by $ allosaur 9 years, 7 months ago
                That sort of reminds me when I worked for the Alabama DOC.
                State inmates are not allowed to have cash, though certain inmate jobs as well as relatives can have money "placed on the books" for canteen purchases.
                Inmate currency is cigarettes. You don't even have to smoke to trade in cigarettes.
                For example, Inmate A gets cigarettes for giving Inmate B an illegal tattoo.
                Since Inmate A lost 30 days canteen privileges after having his tattoo machine confiscated before he constructed another, he can go to Inmate C and buy some canteen cookies.
                Of course, inmates illegally gamble for cigarettes and illegally whore themselves for therm as well.
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  • Posted by Poplicola 9 years, 7 months ago
    This is a fascinating piece, but I see two flaws in assuming Ham Radio would be a viable medium.

    First, a disaster might take the form of a Solar Flare that could fry most radios and generators.

    Second, if Civil Authorities determined that Terrorists might use the HAM Band to set off bombs during a crisis, they could reasonably be expected to immediately suspend or terminate all Radio Licenses making the use of radio communication illegal.

    In short, if things were to get *really* dark you'd have to fall back to some form of Sneaker Net and rely on networks of physical, in person, human curriers or carrier pigeons to relay messages over long distances.
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    • Posted by $ jlc 9 years, 7 months ago
      How easy is it to locate where a ham signal originates?

      Jan
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      • Posted by xthinker88 9 years, 7 months ago
        I think it's pretty easy for modern triangulation equipment.

        Another issue is the license. If you get a license then you are automatically on the list of people that they will want to suppress if the shutdown is intentional. Of course that's the same with a license to carry firearms but there are a lot more of those - and, by definition, those people are armed. :)

        I think I would rather learn ham radio and get some equipment. But no license. Of course i would never use it without a license unless it were an extreme emergency. Never ever. :)
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      • Posted by Technocracy 9 years, 7 months ago
        Depends on a few things, the most important being if direction finding equipment is available when they are transmitting. Second being time on air, third, frequency or frequencies used.

        Ideally 3 or more widely dispersed DF sets plot a bearing and their positions and bearings are plotted on a map. Where the bearing lines cross is the transmitter location. That's the old school way.

        Given today's satellites and what not, it is probably far easier.
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        • Posted by $ blarman 9 years, 7 months ago
          While what most of what you said is accurate, satellites are simply too far away to pick up any but the strongest of signals. Most radio direction finding relies on "old-school" methods and is known as "fox-hunting" for those of us in the amateur radio community.
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          • Posted by $ jlc 9 years, 7 months ago
            Interesting. So it seems to me that a low power portable unit that was just able to reach an amplifier station would be the best entry into this set of skills. If the gov went fox-hunting, they would find the amplifier station. You could move your hand-held unit around from place to place before you broadcast.

            Other than that, brief bursts of transmission seem to be better than long conversations insofar as being a better fox is concerned.

            Jan, thinking
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            • Posted by $ blarman 9 years, 7 months ago
              These are called repeaters. And you are correct in surmising that one can not foxhunt off repeated/rebroadcast signals. The consideration is that repeaters require power to operate. Most of the ones in my area have been converted to use solar power as their primary source and a gas generator as backup if commercial power isn't available. If they want to smoke you out, however, all they have to do is shut down the repeater or require a frequency tone to force all non-authorized users to broadcast openly.
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      • Posted by $ blarman 9 years, 7 months ago
        It takes training (and some basic equipment) to locate a signal and most importantly, the signal has to be stationary and continuously transmitting on the same frequency! Change any of those and it becomes an effort in futility. It also is very helpful to have at least two (three is better) hunters for signal triangulation.

        Hams call this fox-hunting and there are regular contests at local conventions.
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    • Posted by $ blarman 9 years, 7 months ago
      Regarding solar "flares", what you actually need to know about are called coronal mass ejections. This is when a stream of plasma shoots out from the surface of the sun towards the universe in general. These happen quite frequently, and only a very small number ever come close to or brush the Earth. The next thing to be aware of is that the Earth's magnetic field stops all but the very heaviest of these dead in their tracks - shunting off and around the earth the majority of the force. That which does make it through leaks in at the magnetic poles, generating the beautiful auroras that are periodically seen in the far north and far south. (And just as an aside, there are specific amateur radio techniques for bouncing signals off auroras!). Even an extreme CME only results in general disruption to long-distance communications through the atmosphere and last only a few hours. In order for a CME to generate the effects of an EMP, you'd probably also have a particle stream potent enough to generate millions of severe sunburns.

      As to the second idea, what you're proposing is to punish the innocent thinking you'll stop the criminals. Now I know the government isn't particularly bright, but I can tell you as an involved member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) group here locally, there is no outside group of "civilians" more trusted and respected by police, EMS, National Guard, etc. than the Hams. We work with these groups regularly and they actually assign us security details during actual emergencies because we ARE their eyes and ears. Even the bureaucrats in the FCC wouldn't try such nonsense (even under direction from the White House) because it would make them a laughing stock.

      While I understand your concerns, what you are talking about is the .0001% For the rest of the 99%+, the Hams are your go-to communications in the time of an emergency and I'd recommend everyone get at least a Technician license. For the price of a $35 manual (get the ARRL one which has all the actual test questions BTW) and another ~$15 for the testing, you'd be ready to go. And no, you don't have to learn Morse code!
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      • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 7 months ago
        I still think that no code was a mistake. Add Q Signals codes and anything you need to transmit is received in EVERY foreign language and understood. If you are real lazy and don't want to use a code chart or horrors actually memorize something computer programs will do it for you and send the message. To much reliance on systems that are easily halted and no it doesn't take an Electro Magnetic pulse. It takes one technician pushing one button. Consider GPS all owned and operated by Department of Defense. Degrade the signal, cut it off entirely. No problem.

        SSB with a decent antenna like the back stay on a sailboat is a manner of lining the boat up in the proper direction for max range. Code goes further trhan voice Useful for when you need assistance.

        Lazy went too far this time. I use a small weather balloon from Edmunds Scientific and a small cylinder of helium to raise an antenna for both UHF and VHF Omni directional. the whole thing fits in the life raft with a spare VHF and another in the boat.. those that be prepared very often never need to use the gear. Seems like those that rely on GPS and Cell phones .......
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        • Posted by $ blarman 9 years, 7 months ago
          Oh, there is no question that Morse is the most efficient way to use low power over long distance with minimal bandwidth. Those who can use it have a tremendous advantage over those who don't. The one place I can see voice as holding a distinct advantage is in rescue efforts - especially time-critical ones.

          73's
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          • Posted by $ MichaelAarethun 9 years, 7 months ago
            too true. So here we are south of the border where there are no rescue boats but a lot of us keep watch on VHF and three or four times a year go out and render aid. the sole advantages of the morse is that one way of getting help when you don't know the language and can send not only SOS but all the rest in Q Codes.
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    • Posted by $ Thoritsu 9 years, 7 months ago
      The power grid may be affected by solar flares due to issues with the control equipment; however, simple analog home generators are essentially impervious to this electromagnetic field disturbance causing voltage spike in the controls. The imposed voltage is nothing to the generator itself. Having power after such an event is a simple as having the generator and fuel.

      Much more likely the ham equipment could be fried, particularly if the antenna was connected during the event.
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  • Posted by term2 9 years, 7 months ago
    I think if things get bad the biggest danger will be from desperate people wanting to take what you have either in gangs or thru government. Really need encrypted and secure communications. Good part is that the government is primarily interested in protecting itself and staying in power, but that might mean taking your wealth. What they don't know about will be best defense
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  • Posted by $ Thoritsu 9 years, 7 months ago
    I always wanted to get a ham license as a kid, but never invested the time. I used to go to Hamfests and look at all the cool equipment. Somewhere at my mom's house there is probably an old WWII mine detector that I bought at one. Happy to hear the morse code is no longer required.

    For what it is worth, I have a pair of Baofung software-defined radio that are ~4 watts. Very nice, and only ~$35/unit. They work beautifully. Yes, I know they can be used in an illegal manner if transmitting off CB channels, which they are completely capable of doing. They can do, CB, VHF and UHF.
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  • Posted by term2 9 years, 7 months ago
    Maybe line of sight laser communication would be harder for govt to detect, control or monitor .better than nothing
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    • Posted by Technocracy 9 years, 7 months ago
      LOS Laser links have their own sets of issues. Stability of mounting to control the beams path is the biggest one.

      I used to work for a company that produces those for commercial use.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 9 years, 7 months ago
    Ham radios are very valuable in natural disasters, but in a war I expect they would only make you a target.

    In a SHTF situation I would expect what coordination there is, to be done on Internet sites in neutral countries. Leaving the people affected to try to communicate with those sites by sneakernet or any other means available.
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  • Posted by kevinw 9 years, 7 months ago
    The article talks about several different types of radios. Are there any radios available that contain all the different types in one unit. Something that would be switchable between the different bands and wavelengths? Something you would want to put in, say, a "zombie apocalypse" vehicle? Or would you be stuck with multiple radios?
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    • Posted by strugatsky 9 years, 7 months ago
      You can buy a software programmable radio. These cost from $500 to $1K+, depending on options, power output, case and power consumption. Then you'll need to load/program the waveforms. Some are easy/standard, some are proprietary and may not be easily available. If you have the skills, those radios are very good for monitoring other transmissions and for setting up your proprietary nets. All of those options, however, are of limited value in the SHTF situation as the S is likely to come from the government, which will not only quickly know where all the transmitters are, but is likely to jam all or most of the frequencies that are available to civilians. In this case, the software programmable units can allow you to go outside of the jammed frequencies, but you will be discovered and neutralized very quickly anyway. Sneakers and pigeons...
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      • Posted by kevinw 9 years, 7 months ago
        Programmable units make a certain amount of sense but sounds like portability might be an issue. In the SHTF situation you are referring to the ability to scan and monitor might be as much or more vital than distance communication. Unfortunately, regular CB radios are the limit of my knowledge at this point but gotta start somewhere.
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        • Posted by strugatsky 9 years, 7 months ago
          Some of the software radios have very low power consumption, at least in the listen mode. You probably will not be able to listen to proprietary and secure comm links, but even the ability to identify activity is important. With the current state of training of most of the KGB, er, strike that, other 3-letter agencies in the US, I doubt that they will have the training and the foresight to keep their communications truly secure. There's too much arrogance there.
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