(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)
Antenna Selection Advntages
For COMSEC, it is always the best policy to use the lowest power setting that still allows reliable communication. Using the best antenna for a particular situation is often overlooked as it is much more convenient to increase the power until we can be heard. If our equipment is low power then we can use a high-gain directional, or omnidirectional antenna to compensate. And using a better antenna to listen to weak signals increases our effectiveness.
In a communication circuit using common 1/4-watt FRS transceivers, I can reliably communicate up to 4 miles in my terrain using these very low power transceivers by using one high gain directional antenna, and a scanner, or a modified FRS transceiver as receiver. Normally, the range might be only 500 yards. The range can be greatly increased if both stations used receivers connected to high-gain directional antennas. As a receive-only antenna, it does not need to be tuned using an SWR meter, but only cut to the approximate length. Common 59-Ohm coaxial cable from a satellite television system can be used. This antenna can be constructed with minimal amount of effort, materials, and skill. Yet it will greatly improve our communications. We could lose most of our equipment, yet find the material just about anywhere, and get back on air. Perhaps I’ll discuss how, in the future. Using common off-the-shelf equipment, and our knowledge and skills makes us more effective as “Indians”, and more resilient.Continue reading“Communications For a Dystopian Future – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit”
