Setting up "The Net"

[Brownwater Riverrat 13]

How many on board have their license,ticket, whatever for short wave radio? OK, how many own SW radios within the colony and are willing to set up "The Net" I'm not talking about a little Ham club with coffee and dognuts. I'm talking a network of comms for the colony. No BS, just getting this thing going, how far can we stretch this thing? I think it would be worth our efforts. Especially in times of trouble, or road trips, or if natural disaster.

I'd like to get a head count and location of those willing to participate.

No call signs due to OPSEC as far as I'm concerned. of course all that shit goes out the window when the SHTF.............Thanks

[Fidel MD]

Got the gear, the antenna farm, and the knowledge. When the time comes, I will have a Winlink node up and running. In the mean time, Im just a ham operator.

BTW, there are frequencies/channels out there besides those allocated to HAM radio. I don't buy a piece of radio equipment that cannot be used on other frequencies.

[The Stig]

I think this is a great idea and encourage the ants to participate. Go slow because I know people have all sorts of PERSEC issues but in general I think linking together different parts of the country provides a great way to keep lines of communication open should the internets stop working.

This is almost tempting me to get my ticket and join in the fun.

[izzyscout21]

IN

[bacpacker]

Me to. Gotta get off my ass and get the HF antenna built and mounted.

Fidel is your Winlink node HF? I ran 2m w2k here for a while. Wouldn't take much to get it back up and running.

[Fidel MD]

Yes, and when the time comes I'll be beaconing the frequencies. I also keep a download of (most of) wikipedia and have a server running it, which will be accessible, along with other information.

Sort of a 21st century Canticle for Leibowitz, while the lights are still on. I have the books for the 15th century Canticle as well.

[ElevenBravo]

Im a big fan of 40m, works day & night, winter & summer... for the most part, all around.

EB

[bacpacker]

Yes, and when the time comes I'll be beaconing the frequencies. I also keep a download of (most of) wikipedia and have a server running it, which will be accessible, along with other information.

Sort of a 21st century Canticle for Leibowitz, while the lights are still on. I have the books for the 15th century Canticle as well.

What HF antenna's do you use? Which are used for your W2K?

My plan is to put together either a Carolina Windom or fan dipole. Possibly both at some point.

[Fidel MD]

Right now I have a log-periodic 2-24Mhz on a rotator at 150' (mil surplus) , and three half-dipoles with a tuner. My HF rig is a Motorola Micom 500 for digital, and an Icom 700 Pro for voice.

The antennas are all connected via polyphasers for lightning/EMP protection.

I also have a home-built NVIS antenna out there, and the tower has 2 meter, 440, VHF-AM and UHF-AM aircraft antennas (again, mil surplus) and a discone for monitoring pretty much anything I want 20-1200 MHz.

The Bug-Out Truck has a Yaesu 857 with LDG tuner, an 18' folded whip, a G5RV coiled up for emergencies, a dual band on an NMO mount for V/UHF and an antenna for VHF-AM Aircraft, using an Icom A-110.

I also have a couple of handhelds in the vehicle - dual band Vx7's.

[bacpacker]

Holy crap MD, you got the gamut covered I think. A buddy of mine has one of the Log Periodic's at his place. He's big into MARS and works with the State EmComm regularly. He sings that antenna's praises. Polyphazers are the shit for lightning protection. I don't don't keep my radio's hooked up, but will get the poly's when I go that route. I also run a LDG tuner, the Z-100 IIRC. The only HF rig I have is a IC-706 icom. It works well mobile and is a decent home set up. The 857 is what I have my eye on for down the road. I don't have a tower so i'm more limited as to what I can get up and operational.
Thanks for the update. Nice station you have.