Category: Communications & Receivers

Letter Re: Cuban Spy Ring Arrests Raises Concern of Ham Radio Restrictions

Jim: This article concerns me: Cuban spies’ shortwave radios go undetected: Low-tech transmissions no big deal for U.S. intelligence. The journalist mentions: “The International Amateur Radio Union said there are more than 700,000 amateur radio operators in the United States.” I hope the governmental paranoia does not try to constrain the best method of rural emergency communications. – KAF JWR Replies: Without mentioning anything classified, I can safely say that they are describing clandestine operatives in in the US. receiving the old-fashioned HF “Numbers” broadcasts from Cuba. These are typically code groups of five numbers, read aloud by a woman, …


Two Letters Re: Protection from EMP Effects for Photovoltaic Panels and Communication Gear

Jim, I’m not very certain Solar Panels or photovoltaic (PV) Modules if you prefer) are up to surviving electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Solar Panel manufacture is akin to basically creating large scale photosensitive semiconductors and few manufacturers will quote even static electricity resistance, much less EMP resistance. Additionally, most PV modules have bypass diodes to protect cells. Some designs put these diodes in the junction boxes, while others incorporate them more integrally in the PV assembly. Obviously the controllers are at great risk, but the modules themselves are not free from risk. About the only references to PV and EMP you …


Snippets From the SurvivalBlog Archives: Communications and Monitoring Advice

Plunging into the world of two-way radio communications and monitoring can seem daunting for newbie preppers. It is a technical field that has more than its share of jargon and acronyms. I suggest that you team up with someone that is a licensed amateur “ham” operator, and have them walk you through the basics of the frequency bands, radio wave propagation, the various equipment, and the legalities. Yes, there are plenty of legalities. Stay legal! A ham who mentors new hams is called an “Elmer”. You can find an Elmer through your local ham radio cub. They are almost always …


Old Frontier Forts as Alternative Bug Out Locations?, by R.D. in Wyoming

I wish to present an alternative prep situation that I have not really seen talked about on your blog and at other other sites. First a small bit of biographical background and anecdotes to explain my reasons for what I (now recently we) are doing. Ten years ago, I retired from the military (26+ years, Life Scout (in a younger form) and an ex-scout leader (both Boy and Girl Scouts), fixed income with a part time job, never lived at one address longer than three years (requirement of military lifestyle), hobbies oriented to colonial/fur trade eras (see anecdote), recent earnest …


Two Letters Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm–A Natural EMP Equivalent

Jim, When looking for places to store sensitive electronics, consider the old-fashioned galvanized steel garbage can. For about a buck a gallon, you can store just about any and all electronics a household might have, safety protected against EPM and other damaging fields. – Jake Stafford, publisher of the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course and loyal SurvivalBlog reader   Sir: Here is another perspective on the problems associated with a Carrington event [, from the Mostly Cajun blog]. Sol assaults Mother Gaia – for real? Regards, – Hunter in Alaska


Letter Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm–A Natural EMP Equivalent

Jim- New Scientist magazine article recently published an important article titled “Space storm alert: 90 seconds from catastrophe.” The article outlines possible scenarios for the risk of solar storms that could severely damage national grids and vital electrical and electronic systems. The effects would be catastrophic and devolve societies into a desperate survival situation for individuals. One quote from the article: “Over the last few decades, western civilisations have busily sown the seeds of their own destruction. Our modern way of life, with its reliance on technology, has unwittingly exposed us to an extraordinary danger: plasma balls spewed from the …


Letter Re: Military Surplus Field Telephone Commo Wire Variants

Dear JWR: In the 19 March Odds ‘n Sods you noted that: Ready Made Resources just got in another small batch of 1000-foot long rolls of WF-16/U (2-pair) commo wire.This type of wire is fairly scarce on the surplus market. It can be used with TA-1s, TA-312s, and the newer TA-1042 (DNVT) digital field telephones. Just so, and WF-16/U works as well with the older and long-standard pre-WWII through Vietnam era EE-8 “bag phones”.which my maternal grandparent helped develop while a Signal Corps officer at Ft. Monmouth.The old double-E-Eight is also compatible with the TA-1 and TA-312, though I’ve never …


Cold and Dark–An Account of an Ice Storm, by Steve S.

Preparations In January, 2008, the outlook for people in the United States appeared bleak. I told my wife that we needed to stock-up on food because I felt that the supply lines were thin and vulnerable. I began my preparations by Internet search. I found JWR’s SurvivalBlog and I bought a copy of his novel. In the meantime, I started buying cases of canned goods. I bought food that we generally ate. I looked at the expiration dates of every purchase. I tried to buy what would last through 2011. Not much would, so I bought with the idea of …


Three Letters Re: The Feeding Frenzy Continues–Gun Store Shelves are Depleted

JWR: I saw the article on how Cabela’s shares surged based on gun sales. Let me tell you, we are in the midst of a feeding frenzy here in Colorado. First, its not just guns, its all of the accessories as well. I had to return some items from Christmas to Sportsman’s Warehouse and found that the whole gun department was basically empty. They only had some black powder firearms and a couple of shotguns. Nothing else. I had run into this before Christmas when I bought my two oldest boys new elk rifles – and got the last .308 …


Letter Re: eXRS Radios and Texting in the Field

James:| A current discussion forum thread {at AR15.com] on eXRS two-way radios is worthy of mention. Also see this description. In searching the SurvivalBlog archives, I only found one post mentioning eXRS Radios. Here is a description of test by a paintball team. What are your thoughts for secure short range comm? Text messaging could have some uses for silent comm. – Craig W. JWR Replies: The eXRS radios are fine in the voice mode, but I am very dubious of the tactical practicality of text messaging, at least once the lead starts flying. Who in their right mind is …


Letter Re: Buying Kindle Reader for Accessing Survival References?

Mr. Rawles; Given that even the smallest of windmills driving an automobile alternator can keep a 12 volt DC battery charged, and from that you can run a myriad of small devices, what is your opinion of Amazon’s Kindle [mobile book reading screen] for keeping all the documents you might need, like the entire archives of SurvivalBlog? Amazon is now offering “Version 2” [of Kindle] , which seems easier to load with personal documents. Is it worth it as a backup library, or is it too fragile? – Sandy W. JWR Replies: Buying a shiny new Kindle for that purpose …


Letter Re: UHF Business Band as Another Option for Retreat Local Two-Way Communications

Sir. Another option for retreat communications is to license your own business frequency with the FCC. That is what we did. Having worked in public safety, both fire and law enforcement for 30 years, I knew what I wanted in a radio system. I wanted to use public safety quality radios and I wanted my own repeater, all in the UHF business band. Our remote area has few UHF frequencies since public safety operates in the VHF band in our area. There are few businesses that use radios. The initial license cost about $400. for ten years because the initial …


Building a Low-Cost, Low-Profile Shortwave Dipole Antenna, by Jerry the Generator Guy

First, you decided to get your own shortwave receiver. You wanted to be able to listen to unfiltered worldwide news. Applause, and a pat on the back, for taking a positive step. However, an unexpected problem may soon surface. Any internal ferrite or wand/rod antenna, like what the radio came with, will only effectively receive strong signals. Unfortunately, it can’t do a good job on weak signals. The obvious solution is to add an external antenna. But it may be spotted by the neighborhood or local “whiners” may complain that your obnoxious visible antenna is interfering with their television or …


Two Letters Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications

Good Morning Jim, First, I definitely concur on a BFO award for the horizontally polarized CB antenna idea. I am a relatively new ham. I got my license two years ago, and can highly recommend that as you say, that everyone [in the US reading this] get their license, because it IS so easy now. One thing that I think needs to be pointed out is that with the removal of the code requirements for any license, a General Class license is really no harder to get than a Technician license. The best way to get your ham license it …


Letter Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications

Jim, CB is potentially a good choice for folks that are not licensed amateur operators if they use directional antennae and phase the antenna for horizontal polarization instead of the normal vertical antenna. I am thinking base to base operations here. Using antenna with horizontal polarization can attenuate signals transmitted by a vertical antenna by 20 dB. Every 3dB of attenuation cuts the signal by 1/2 so that would be 1/64th or slightly less signal power! [JWR Adds: The means very low probability of intercept by anyone outside of your private family or survival group “horizontal antenna network”! That suggestion …