Radio Comms.

[Guest]

EDIT

[sam_uk]

If you are interested in such things the license does not look that hard

Test paper here
http://www.rsgb.org/tutors/foundation/pdf/sample.pdf

And it looks like it is only £27.50 http://www.rsgb.org/arls/foundation_licence.php

It would mean you could play around with this stuff http://www.winlink.org/

Which looks interesting.

I might do it myself..

[adam2]

The better types of 2 way hand held radio have suprising range, and only require grid or 12 volt power for charging the batteries.
The ones I use at work have a stated range of about half a mile in a built up area, but much greater in good conditions.

A practical test showed that they work across the Bristol channel from Minehead to Wales.
In London a reliable signal is achieved over many miles from rooftop to rooftop, but far less indoors or at ground level.

In the event of any sudden crash or disaster I might borrow several.

[Guest]

EDIT

[tattercoats]

Sam_uk, we have a PO-aware RSGB member in the household - pm if you want putting in touch!

I believe there's quite an awareness of PO etc among such folk.

[JohnB]

Isn't it a solution that would only work for a fairly small number of people? Rather like everyone buying wood stoves, and there not being enough trees. Surely there's a limit to the number of frequencies, and it wouldn't take long for it to be unworkable due to interference, especially as it wouldn't be properly regulated.

[Guest]

EDIT

[clv101]

Isn't it a solution that would only work for a fairly small number of people? Rather like everyone buying wood stoves, and there not being enough trees. Surely there's a limit to the number of frequencies, and it wouldn't take long for it to be unworkable due to interference, especially as it wouldn't be properly regulated.

If everyone want to use it - use GSM or UMTS. The existing radio comms systems work just fine. It's also perfectly reasonable to use this technology in a collapse scenario. A lot of this kind of telecoms infrastructure is being deployed 'off-grid' in rural Africa and India. It works with a perfectly reasonable amount of renewable electricity generation at the cell phone sites and handsets can be charged from local renewables.

[Guest]

EDIT

[clv101]

They can use satellite 'back haul' from the cell phone tower. There are some relatively cheap IP-only solutions now. Or they can use point-to-point microwave back haul to the switching centre.

Also interesting are 'local switching' solutions. Here you could have a single stand alone off-grid cell phone tower, providing coverage for maybe 35km radius. It wouldn't be connected to ANYTHING except a local PC. Normal cellphones would be able to make and receive calls only within that cell

[sam_uk]

It's also perfectly reasonable to use this technology in a collapse scenario.

Depends what kind of scenario you imagine. If people are still getting paid, then yes they will maintain the infrastructure. It needs people to maintain it otherwise it will stop working pretty quickly. I know that some base stations run on renewables, however many more do not.


Troubled times:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellular_n ... ne_network

[clv101]

It's also perfectly reasonable to use this technology in a collapse scenario.

Depends what kind of scenario you imagine. If people are still getting paid, then yes they will maintain the infrastructure. I needs people to maintain it otherwise it will stop working pretty quickly. I know that some base stations run on renewables, however many more do not.

Sure - as things stand today the networks in the UK are utterly dependent on grid electricity (well, there's a few hours/days backup in batteries and diesel generators). I was thinking more long term - it is possible to maintain a ~national radio comms network 'off-grid' with the current infrastructure. Back to John's point about mass use of two way radios not working in the future - mass use of conventional telecoms could work.

The manufacture of components is another issues - however, there are 'software radios' now that mean you can run a whole GSM base stations on a PC - you just need the RF amplifier and radios.

In short - if we physically have computers and enough electricity to run them, we'll be able to maintain communication networks.

[Catweazle]

I'd steer clear of anything involving repeater stations and also avoid the more modern CB sets using lots of VLSI custom IC's and surface mount technology. They will be difficult to repair.

It's a long time since I used a CB radio, but the Superstar 360 had a good reputation and a lot of channels, it is also easy to customise to add extra, more private channels. If you could get a few from the USA that would be a good start, they're very old now but were very popular so there must be a few knocking about.

I should add, the Superstar 360 you want is the pre-1981 American spec, not the UK FM model which was castrated to comply with UK regs, you won't be able to licence a US model.

[sam_uk]

I was thinking more long term - it is possible to maintain a ~national radio comms network 'off-grid' with the current infrastructure.

Fair enough, however I don't imagine that there is going to be a big push to move the mobile networks to a resilient off grid system in the next couple of years. I agree it is possible, but I don't think it is likely.

In short - if we physically have computers and enough electricity to run them, we'll be able to maintain communication networks.

I basically agree, however I think it is likely to be the radio hams networks that prove most resilient.

Up until the point of collapse you have the licensing restrictions, which restricts the amount of hardware out there.

Post collapse these people have the skills to connect up some batteries to power their kit.

This thread has got me interested in packet radio http://www.gb7imk.co.uk/pktfaq

Further research has shown that with a £30 ham license, and a £300 hand held radio https://www.radioworld.co.uk/catalog/ya ... -5973.html

You can send text messages via satellite
http://www.aprs.org/sset.html

to and from normal email
http://www.aprs.org/aprs-messaging.html

or to other radio hams via the UK network of repeater stations http://www.ukrepeater.net/channels/maps/2m-hi.jpg

Or use it as a last mile VOIP solution
http://www.vxstd.com/en/wiresinfo-en/

[woodburner]

That will be ok as long as the collapse doesn't involve EMP. If it does, valve equipment will probably work, everything else will be toast.