Helpful Info. Bugout Bag Radio

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Clyde

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What radio(s) do you use?



For me at the moment I am using an Icom IC-7200 with Goal Zero solar generator for power. I know it won't exactly fit in a bug out bag.
 
I would think one of those handheld Beofang ones would be good.
But I also want to have my little hand crank weather radio/flashlight/cell charger gadget too....
 
We all have a Baofeng UV5RC Ham radio with Nagoya NA771 Antenna and 3200 Ma Battery upgrade. As it stands it does 70cm and 11 Mhz and the 440Mhz range and an FM radio reciever (88fmto 108FM in Europe dunno bout the US . In my case not wanting to be on a list with my address available to anyone to look up I dont have a Ham licence ( like that will matter after TSHTF) . My UV5Rcs are all reprogrammed using CHIRP to ONLY operate on the UK / EUs PMR and Digital PMR frequencies around 446Mhz, plus I believe the Marine Channel 16 frequency. SO I get intergroup comms that are reasonably secure because almost no one uses PMRs now over here and ever fewer the digital PMR channels, but if needed I can easily add any ham channels. For other stuff I use CB radio but only away from home so we cannot be triangulted.
 
just need that weekend off,next time maybe in september,july goes with 3 days off,working the rest.
 
got it,if I wouldn't be sitting,I would be on the floor now ;)
 
Silent Earth, how does a dual band operate on digital modes? I have a lic and my address is a POB in another town. No excuse for not getting one. I'd have no clue how to operate HF I SHTF if I had not been experimenting with NVIS the past year with a license and reverse beacon


- Jim
 
Ah, the FT-817. I've had mine since 2002, but I almost never used it.

They're extremely strong, very portable, etc, etc. For a bugout bag radio, not a bad choice. I mean, yes, there are a few limitations - namely, power output. But it's going to be the most capable radio for its size, that's for sure. If I was going to do a project with an 817, I'd include at least a miniature amp for VHF, so you're sure to get repeaters if you need one. If you plan on using HF for long distance, get yourself an excellent portable antenna.
 
Silent Earth, how does a dual band operate on digital modes? I have a lic and my address is a POB in another town. No excuse for not getting one. I'd have no clue how to operate HF I SHTF if I had not been experimenting with NVIS the past year with a license and reverse beacon


- Jim

Jim I dont think they do operate on Digital, you need seperate gear for Digital comms.
 
I can recommend the Chameleon Hybrid-Mini MPAS as a great system.

SSB 2M will reach out , but you need (2) 817s to use it.

I check into nets 100-800 miles away on 5W all the time.

It's the antenna not the power.

My current system..


- Jim
 
Good read, I didn't know preppers where using CBs again. Limited ability though, at least have a shortwave to listen to regional news on the normal ham bands.

Before I got my license I thought I would just "learn" how to use ham radio and do it in SHTF. Today I can tell you flat out that unless you have been practicing (meaning checking into nets legitimately) under all kinds of propagation conditions , you will not likely succeed when it's go time.

Get a tech license and do it right! Assign it to a POB. You don't even need to change it for 10years so a lookup only shows where you lived when you got it.

NVIS is the hardest method to track and you need 80/40M to use it.


- Jim
 
Good read, I didn't know preppers where using CBs again. Limited ability though, at least have a shortwave to listen to regional news on the normal ham bands.

- Jim

Jim what preppers and survivalist are doing is often taking a belt and braces approach to radio comms, many get HAM licences and 10 meter rigs that will cover 11 meter CB. others are unlicenced preppers getting 11 meter CBs than can operate in 10 meter ham bands in a crisis. Quite a few preppers so value their privacy they dont want to go on Ham licence registers. So stuff like the Grant 2 Premium will do AM and FM CB on 4 watts plus SSB on12 watts and if necc the illegal FREEBANDS and into the 10 meter ham band.
 
Ha ha. The "free band". It's been a while since I've heard that term. You can hear the chaos up on "triple nickel" around sunset, each day. I'm sure they're all sterile with the power they're cranking out.
 

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