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Ham Radio | How to Get Your License

December 19, 2013 by

This article was written by my friend Pj and posted on her blog Survival For Blondes, and you can find the original article here, and is being posted with her permission.  I don’t have  my HAM but want to eventually use this info to get it.  This is the one medium of communication that can’t be completely controlled.

 

Ham Radio | How to Get Your License
 
Ham radio is trending … and Preppers know why. During a disaster, normal communications can fail and cellphone towers may get jammed. Your ham radio will keep you in contact with ham operators all over the world, even with astronauts in space.

But before you delve into the world of handhelds, transceivers, amplifiers, and antennas … you need a license. Technically, you don’t need one to listen, and in an emergency who’s gonna check your license, but you might as well do it right.

The FCC license is free, with about a $15 fee to take the exam. Your own budget will determine how much you spend on online courses, books & study aids.

 

Here’s how to get ready for the exam:

1) Get a book from the library | We love Technician Class by Gordon West. The ARRL (Amateur Radio Relay League) recommends The Ham Radio License Manual. Both are available on Amazon if you want your own.

2) Pick a study method (included in each of the above books) | There are only 35 questions on the exam; you must get 26 of them right. But there’s a pool of 394 questions, so plan on doing some studying.

3) Find An Exam Session on the ARRL website

4) Take the exam | Worst case is you don’t pass and you have to take it again.

5) Join a Local Radio Club | Once you have your license, you’ll have lots of questions. This is the place to start asking them.

 

For more information:

The Survival Mom on Getting Licensed

Ham Test Online

Free Ham Study Tools

One of things that helped us alot was a free iPhone/iPad app called Ham Radio Exam – Tech. It works like interactive flashcards. This one was of several ham radio study apps, so see if there’s one you ilke better.

We also lucked out and found a great online course taught by Mitch Stern – HamClass.net – and followed it up with Mitch’s all-day study session and exam in New Hampshire. Check online to see if there’s anything like this in your area. You might start with your local ham radio club.

Amateur radio operators are some of the friendliest, and most helpful, folks you’ll ever meet. If you still have questions, ask if you can attend one of their meetings.

We can’t even begin to describe the sense of accomplishment we felt upon seeing our call sign in the FCC database. And in the Prepper World … it’s good to have skills!!

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Communicating During an Emergency

November 8, 2013 by

Today’s article was guest written by Lee Flynn.

 

Communicating During an Emergency

Whether it is a big natural disaster, or a terrorist attack, or even something that is not of national significance, the chances are that we will all face some kind of serious emergency at some point in our lifetimes. And in recent years, it seems as though such occurrences are becoming more and more likely. One of the biggest problems that people face, when hit with such emergencies, is that it becomes difficult to contact the people who they love. Whenever there is a disaster, such as the tornado in Oklahoma, or the bombings at the Boston marathon, cell phone service is often jammed, due to the sheer amount of people who are trying to contact their loved ones. And that is if you are lucky enough to even have a phone still intact, with which you can call people. For this reason, there are special preparations that need to be made in the case of an emergency. Here is a guide to communicating during an emergency.

 

General Tips

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has put together some guidelines to follow when trying to communicate during an emergency. Some of the most important tips are as follows:

  • Limit your phone calls, especially non-emergency ones, to free up space on the network and conserve battery power.
  • When you do call, keep it brief.
  • Try texting rather than calling, you may find that it goes through more easily.
  • Try other messaging services, such as email.
  • Keep your phone well charged, and keep back-up batteries if necessary.
  • Try to stay in the same place while you are placing a phone call.
  • Listen for emergency alerts on a radio if the power is out.
  • Designate a person who is out of the area to be your family’s emergency contact, so that everyone in your family knows who to contact should you get separated.

 

Making Emergency Calls

You may be injured, trapped, or witness other kinds of emergencies that require assistance from emergency services. The FCC also has instructions for making such phone calls. Some suggestions include having a backup form of communication in case the power is out, and listening for emergency alerts on the radio and on television. It also offers instructions for calling 911 in emergency situations. Authorities often learn about big emergencies through 911 calls, so don’t hesitate to call, even if you think that many other people might be doing the same.

 

Make a Plan

The Federal Emergency Management Association also offers emergency preparation advice, through its website ready.gov. On here, they stress the importance of making a plan that all of your family can learn and follow. This includes an emergency communication plan, and a meeting point for if you get separated. This should allow for emergencies that may occur when you are all at home, as well as emergencies that might happen when you are in different places, such as school, work, daycare, sporting events, commuting, or faith organizations. Ready.gov has a downloadable plan on its website, and recommends that you send it to all of your family and friends, keep a copy in your car and with your food storage, and practice a few times until you all know it well.

 
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Presenting the Preparedness Club Giveaway

May 1, 2013 by

One of the added benefits of joining the Preparedness Club is that each month, every member is automatically entered into a contest for a giveaway. To keep things fair, members will only be eligible for one prize per year. I will send the winner an email each month to get their mailing address.

Some of the prizes have been donated by some generous companies. I will be buying other prizes myself. Here are some of the prizes that have already been donated:

  • Midland Weather Alert Radio
  • Multiple copies of Total Home Prep Now DVD
  • Multiple books from Paladin Press
  • Multiple 100ft hanks of paracord from Paracord City
  • A copy of Making the Best of Basics
  • An exclusive (banned) pressure canner (haha) and a canning kit
  • A Bucket of Wise Food from Best Price Storable Food
  • And more

This Month, Midland Radio has been kind enough to donate a WR120
Desktop Weather Alert Radio


Radio Features are listed below.

  • SAME Localized Reception
  • Continuous Backlighting Option- Keeps the LCD on
  • 25 Programmable Counties
  • Color Coded Alert Indicators
  • Alert Override automatically switches over to warn you of impending danger
  • Alarm Clock with Snooze
  • Silent programming
  • Single, Multiple, or Any S.A.M.E program settings
  • User Selectable Warning System -Voice, Display, or Tone alert types
  • 10 Reviewable Alerts
  • 7 Preset Weather Channels
  • Public Alert Certified
  • Receives over 60 Alerts
  • Uses 3AA Alkaline batteries for emergency power back-up
  • All Hazards Alert – In addition to important weather announcements your radio will also receive other emergency announcements such as:
    • Child Abduction Emergency (Amber Alert)
    • Nuclear Power Plant Warning
    • Biological Hazard Warning
    • Civil Emergency Message
    • Fire Warning
    • Landslide Warning

Here is a video that walks you through programming the radio.

 

My Take:

I like the features on this weather radio. It’s easy to distinguish between watches and warnings, simply by the tones and colors of the alert indicators. I also like that you can program different alert types. The combination of the monthly siren tests and our weather radio monthly test gets the dogs howling. While funny, it isn’t always welcomed.

The Preparedness Club costs $40 a year and this radio from Midway is a $50 value!

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Alternate Ways to Communicate

February 8, 2013 by

I have a couple notes before the article; first up I have a prayer request.  I have recently been asked to do two radio interviews on Christian radio stations.  While I am very excited about these huge opportunities to share preparedness with other believers, I am 36 shades of nervous! LOL.  I don’t do well in the spotlight and can get frazzled easily.  Yes, even on the radio!  I found that out the hard way, quite embarrassingly, many years ago.  You could say I went to the Moses School of Public Speaking.

If you wouldn’t mind praying for God to just speak through me, and let my nerves be calm, to let Him use me to bring this message to those He wants to hear it, and to do it justice.  I believe both interviews will be available for download, and if I manage not to run out of the room screaming, I will put a link on the blog later.

Thank you all in advance!

 

Secondly, you’re probably aware that the forum was launched last week.  So far there are just over 100 of you signed up! It is my prayer that this forum be a place for those the Lord has called to prepare to share and have community with one another.  I invite those who aren’t registered to do so.  If you have questions, this is a safe place to ask them.  If you have been prepping for a while, please share your knowledge with the rest of us!

 

Alternate Ways to Communicate

Margaret recently sent me an email about an article that she found explaining what to do if the DNS (Domain Name System) goes down.  I thought this was a good opportunity to explain some alternative ways to communicate in case the normal ways are not available.

 

Domain Name System

DNS basically translates the name of a website that you are familiar with into the IP address that the Internet uses to communicate.  For example when you want to go to Google, you type in Google in your search tab.  Your browser then goes to the DNS server which translates http://google.com into 74.125.224.72.

There are different things that can shut down DNS.  The article Margaret sent me called How to stay connected when Internet service goes down mentions that many users in Southern Ontario were without Internet service for a few hours, due to a DNS outage.

It is possible to change your DNS server, that way you can still surf the web.  The process of changing your DNS is going to be different depending on what operating system you have.  For this reason I’m going to link to OpenNIC, a website that has instructions for multiple operating systems.  You can also find your closest OpenNIC DNS server.

This is something you’ll want to have a hard copy of.  You might even want to do it now so you understand the process.

 

Cell Service

During large emergencies, cell towers are often so congested that you are unable to place a call.  There are a few options available if this should happen.  If you can find a landline, you might be able to get out, but they are often congested as well.  I have heard that sometimes you might be able to make a long distance call as it is only the local lines that are clogged.  I don’t know if this is true, but I thought it was worth mentioning.

 

Texting

Sending a text requires significantly less bandwidth and does not require a constant connection.

 

Push to Talk

If you have a smart phone, there are some apps you can purchase.  I haven’t used any of them, but as they use a different medium to transmit, they should work just fine. You will, of course, need whomever you want to communicate with to have the same app installed.  All three apps are free.  Their names are Zello, HeyTell and Voxer..

 

Thanks, Margaret, for the article idea!

 

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Sign of Distress; Signaling For Help

November 14, 2012 by

Have you ever thought about what you might do if you were lost or stranded and needed help?  Here are some different ways you can let others know you are in distress and need help.  There are different ways and some will work better in certain situations.  Knowing multiple ways to signal for help is a good idea.

 

Upside down American Flag

This isn’t necessarily a sign of disrespect.  According to Section 8a of the United States Flag Code, which states;

“The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.”

 

Three Shots Fired

Three shots fired in quick succession should draw immediate attention.  This is one well known to hunters, but one everyone should know.  You might be tempted to fire three shots, wait a few seconds and fire three more, but conserve your ammo.  You may need to fire three more later to help searchers get a fix on your position, or you might need it for protection.  Remember to fire into the ground, not into the air.  What goes up must come down.

 

Three Stones

Finding three stones placed one atop the other is unnatural and should be heeded as a call for help.  This would be one to use for marking your path, so rescuers can follow your track more easily.

 

Three Sticks in the Ground

Like three stones, finding three sticks near each other, all stuck in the ground and pointing straight up is unnatural and should be heeded as a call for help.  This would also be a good way to mark your trail.

 

Three Fires

At night when it’s too dark to see other signals, three fires close to each other will stand out and be viewed as a call for help.  To make them stand out more, place them in a triangle or other pattern.  This will stand out more than three in a straight line.

 

Three Debris Piles

If you don’t have a fire, you can make three piles of debris that are a contrast in color to your surroundings.  For example, if your boat capsizes and you make it to the sandy shore, you could write SOS in 3-5’ letters and 2” deep, filling the letters with leaves, rock or ash from a fire.

 

Signal Mirror

The reflection of a signal mirror can be seen much further than any of the other signals of distress.  To use it, make a V with two fingers, and hold your hand in front of you, placing the object of your signal between your fingertips.  Now flash the reflection at the object.  Doing so repeatedly in 3 quick signals will standout more than one constant.

 

Do you have any other ways to signal for help when you’re in distress?

 

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Prepared Christian Gear Review: Motorola T5320 FRS Radio

March 1, 2012 by



The Motorola TalkAbout T5320
are one of the models of Motorola’s FRS (Family Service Radio) radios.

The technical details are:

  • 14-channel FRS 2-way radio
  • up to 2-mile range
  • 5 audible call tones; talk confirmation tone
  • Battery meter indicator with audible low battery alert; backlit LCD
  •  Removable faceplate; removable swivel belt clip; single-pin audio accessory connector
  • Rechargeable capable with optional accessory upgrade kit

Most FRS radios claim far more range than they actually get. In my experience, these are no different. If the land was flat, with not so much as a gnat in between, they might have the two mile range.

We used them when the kids were younger and went out to play. This way we could keep in contact if needed and they could radio to let us know if they were going somewhere other than where they had originally told us.

When the kids were a little older we let them go about a mile away with friends to McDonalds. We asked them to radio when they got there and again before they left. Our radio keyed up when they got there, but we couldn’t understand a word they said, and they said they radioed before they left, but we didn’t hear a chirp.

Because they worked for the main reason we purchased them, I am giving them three stars. If you need something with longer range than a few blocks, I would suggest looking at another radio.

 
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