radio/k/ Let's talk radios bois

>>34186046
you have sex with men

>>34186046
I'm actually interested in this topic but have no knowledge to impart, sooo

Bump

Generally helps if people start out the thread with some questions. Anyone got something they're interested in?

>>34186590
yes. sex with men

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>>34186596
it starts out just like normal sex but then you WHIP OUT YOUR MOTOROLA and when stuff starts to get funky you SHOVE THE ANTENNA DOWN YOUR URETHRA and it feels nice and cold, just like you know it feels like in some corner of Schaumburg Illinois where Motorola keeps the master radio tech who runs a MOTOROLA BDSM CULT through the Batlabs forums. Then you take an entire Motorola Saber of a H42 variant (66-99MHz so you got that LONG antenna), along with the extended 2700mAh battery and use it as a TWO WAY DILDO to share in the pleasure of the Motorola. When it's all send and done, you get out your KVL-3000 key loader and proceed to use it as a FLESHLIGHT to beat YOUR KEY and when both of you finish you STICK IT IN and unload your KEY FILL into each other's CORE.

Why do I need a radio? What radio should I get? How do I use it?

>>34186046
>study comms technology for years
>buy radios and build shit
>nobody to talk to
Hams are dicks. The only chill ham I ever exchanged data with was some Algerian guy I contacted with pskr.

Some body post the infographic.

I wanna have a pair just for use during situations where splitting up is necessary, how do i get the most range for my buck with a fukheug radio.

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-BF-F8HP-Two-Way-136-174MHz-400-520MHz/dp/B00MAULSOK/ref=dp_ob_title_wld

or

https://www.amazon.com/BaoFeng-UV-5R-Dual-Radio-Black/dp/B007H4VT7A

>>34186695
*without

>>34186737
probably this>>34186736

>>34186736
Thanks! What should one take into consideration when looking for a raido? range? encryption? channel types?

>>34186752
I have no idea, I'm in the same boat as you.

What do I need to fuck with a drive-thru from five miles away
Preferably with a Line In for soundboards

>>34186805
this is the one thing a baofeng would be good for.

>>34186752
Real output power and receiver sensitivity are probably the most important things to take into account. Those are difficult to measure without expensive equipment,so there's a lot of chink bullshit. I once stumbled upon a "1Watt" radio that actually only emitted 80mW. Baofengs are by far the best cheap radios on the market. But,if you want something extremely rugged for cheap,you should get motorola p210.

>>34186833
christ man, why would you buy anything older that the jedi series? HT1000s so much easier to find, and there are still accessories and shit around for them.

>>34186851
You can buy p210 for about 30$ though.
A new battery costs about the same,so you get the whole package for 60$.

>>34186887
Oh shit I just looked up ht1000 on ebay. It's even cheaper. Forget I said anything.

>>34186887
>>34186905
Yeah I was just gonna say I bought 3 HT1000s for $25 shipped once. The accessories, programming shit, and batteries are much easier to find for jedi stuff, and they're generally in decent shape.

>>34186671
>>34186690
pls halp

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>>34186928
Whatcha looking for?

>>34186981
Baofeng radio infographic from /gq/

Has anyone ever built a raspberry pi scanner? I presume you'd have to use rtl-sdr with some sort of program.

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>>34186991
this?

>>34187006
Raspberry pis are pretty shit for large volume dsp like that. Hams mostly use them for echolink nodes and shit like that, or as a server to just pass sdr data to a more suitable computer.

>>34187057
There is another baofeng infographic out there.

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>>34187083
that's all I've got on bingchongs.

>>34186046
Buying a fancy radio is only part of the overall cost of running it. You'll need software and interface cables to program them (motorola programming shit is rare and expensive). This is why cheap ham shit gets recommended. Keep in mind that the average reader here has no radio knowledge or any idea what even VFO stands for.

>>34187157
What does VFO stand for?

I always see stuff about baofengs but what about CB's? They have decent range and don't require all kinds of retarded programming. There are also plenty of quality handheld versions available. Is there a way to get a baofeng to talk to a CB?

>>34187309

I don't believe so because the frequency range on baofengs does not go to CB frequencies. I find baofengs to be easy to program especially using CHIRP.

>>34187157
You can get a ribless cable for like $15 and nobody buys the software legit software anyways, since everything's on one of two russian websites

>>34187214
Variable Frequency Oscillator
what actually sets and controls the frequency of operation

>>34187371
>russian websites
>great let me download every zip file
>why is my computer acting funny

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>>34187610
Well I've got half a dozen types of CPS and RSS for all my radio shit and they all work fine. That sounds like a personal problem; I'm gonna have to ask you to go blog it

>>34187309

Hamfag here, I can answer a few questions if you need.

>Is there a way to get a baofeng to talk to a CB?

Officially, BaoFeng radios are commercial rated handheld transceivers that also transmit on the 2m and 70cm Ham bands. It can also transmit on public use frequencies (MURS, FRS GMRS) but are not technically legal to do so.

You can transmit on the aforementioned Ham bands on them (assuming you are licensed to do so) because Hams have much more leniency with regard to FCC laws.

I own two UV-5R handhelds for Ham use, as well as monitoring weather, police, etc in case of emergencies.

It's a great, cheap radio that you have to be VERY careful using, as its very easy to transmit on an unapproved band.

CB radio operates on the 11m band, and is limited in transmit power. Typically the only non CB radios you'll see with 11m capability is a Ham transceiver that's been modified. Hams have use of the 10m and 12m bands, so modding a rig to operate slightly out of band into CB territory isn't difficult (though still technically illegal).

>>34187818
post your radios

>>34187829
So do you need a license to transmit with a baofeng or are there bands for unlicensed public use?

Do you know of any good websites or forums where I can learn more about how to use these radios?

>>34187875
public or private*

if that's even possible

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>>34187830
That's all my commercial stuff plus an MD-380. Not pictured are an ft-817 and other ham HTs.

inb4 you blow me away with some APX series shit

Looking for suggestions
For my job I'm often in the woods or away from support vehicle a few miles out and no cell coverage and need something to communicate with my coworker
Walkies work sometimes but I'd like more range.
Should I get one of the radios ITT?
What frequency should I use to keep the convos secure as possible? Can you encrypt?

>>34187875
Under FCC laws you need to be approved to operate on whatever frequency band you wish to transmit (receive all you want to though).

To transmit on a ham band you need the appropriate license. Doesn't matter if it's on a BaoFeng or anything else that can transmit on a ham band. Low power bands like CB and FRS do not require licenses because their low power typically means low range/less interference with other users of that band.

The other issue is using a radio that is TYPE RATED for that frequency. So, while you can transmit on FRS license free, the radio itself must also be approved for use on FRS, which the BaoFeng is not.

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>>34187830

>>34187932
So me and a buddy can't just go innawoods and dick around with radios unless we are licensed?

>>34187926
Get a ham license.
The lowest if the 3 classes of license is ridiculously easy to get, and you'd be able to transmit over considerable distances using a Ham repeater.

You're not allowed to send coded messages, however.

>>34187983
>not allowed to send coded messages
y tho

Would anyone even be able to tell who is doing it?

>>34187981
Not on a BaoFeng.

Just pick up a pair of FRS/GMRS radios. They're simple (channelized frequencies) compact, and have decent range

>>34187990

Actually yes.

Hams radio is mostly self policing, and they take violations seriously. Many Hams can DF you pretty quickly and aren't shy about reporting violations to the FCC, and they REALLY take violations seriously.

>>34188019
>Many Hams can DF you
What does this mean?

>>34187981

Just do it, no one will know or care.

>>34187983

What resources are there for getting this license?

>>34188033
They'll work together to triangulate your position and steadily become more accurate the more you transmit.

>>34188033
Direction Finding.

Simple technology using a directional antenna. Often used for Search and Rescue operations as well.

Say a ham is at his house, and he hears a violation (a coded message, or someone obviously not licensed operating on the band) he can use an antenna rotator to lock in on your direction, then he can contact any one of other Hams in the area to do the same.

Using two known locations (the Hams houses) they can find your location through triangulation

>>34188046
Get the Technician book online, and find a local testing site.

>>34187894
its all fucking ancient

>>34188019
Hams are fudds in their own way. Bunch of geriatric losers!

>>34188069

Any links to specific books that are the best? I'm finding a few different ones.

>>34187981
>>34187932
>>34187875
>>34187829


>>34187309 here, It's always been my understanding that you can use GMRS and whatever other frequencies on a baofeng without license and still be legal as long as you stay off of the frequencies that require licenses. I know jack shit about radios so I'm not trying to call you out or anything, it's just that this is the first I've ever heard that it's illegal to do so. I'm just trying to gain knowledge. It seems like a lot of people use unlicensed freqs on baofengs without licenses.

>>34188203

I always thought that if you have a radio capable of higher than 2 watts then it is already illegal no matter what frequencies you are on. If it is 2 or less watts then only certain frequencies are allowed.

Each HAM class allows for higher wattage and more frequencies.

why are HAM operators such bootlickers?

>>34188095
>>34188245

It's mostly an unspoken agreement between Hams and the FCC. "We police us so you don't have to"

>>34188146

https://www.amazon.com/ARRL-Ham-Radio-License-Manual/dp/1625950136

Alot of the basics in there, and the back has the entire question and answer bank. If you can answer all of them by memory you'll ace it.

>>34188311

Got it thanks!

>>34188203
>
It's always been my understanding that you can use GMRS and whatever other frequencies on a baofeng without license and still be legal as long as you stay off of the frequencies that require licenses.

There are a ton of forums debating exactly this.

My understanding is the BaoFeng is rated under FCC Part 90 (for commercial frequencies) but does not have certification for Part 95 operation, which includes GMRS FRS etc.

The issue is not the operator not being licensed, but the radio itself not being approved for that use.

>>34188354
Would anybody know if you're using a radio that's not approved for the frequency?

>>34188391
Probably not, unless you do something stupid, like mention what you're transmitting on over the air.

Bear in mind, the UV-5R, as an example, transmits at 1 watt on low power and 4w on high power.

FRS is limited to 0.5 Watts, so someone might catch on if they hear you clearly from a good distance away when they shouldn't.

>>34188318
Do you have any interest in long distance communications, or just local stuff?

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>>34186046
http://www.tmart.com/BaoFeng-BF-888S-5W-400-470MHz-Handheld-Walkie-Talkie-Interphone-Black_p250866.html


what u think? is this band viable?

>>34189273
Viable for what?

>>34189477
is there anybody using this band?

if i buy the radio and if the mercury doesn't give me aids, and if it isn't secretly a chink bomb, will there be anybody to talk to on this band?

It looks like the chart that is already posted in the this thread indicates that some preppers might be using frequencies accessible with this radio, but i don't know much about this

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>>34186046
Has anyone here seen the recent FCC rule changes on FRS and GMRS radios? They also got rid of more CB radio related rules that no one followed and most people probably didn't even know about, max allowed ERP is still the same though.
http://www.arrl.org/news/fcc-personal-radio-service-revisions-will-affect-gmrs-frs-cb-other-part-95-devices
Highlights:
>FRS now includes the previous GMRS only channels 15-22 (still no access to the special GMRS repeater input frequencies though)
>FRS now has an ERP limit of 2 watts (same as MURS, previous FRS ERP was .5 watts) on channels 1-7 along with the previously GMRS exclusive channels of 15-22
>FRS still has a .5 watt ERP limit on channels 8-14
>GMRS standard now includes previous FRS only channels 8-14, though with a .5 watt ERP limit instead of the normal 50 watt GMRS ERP limit
>all current FRS/GMRS dual use radios that have a maximum ERP of 2 watts or less and can't access GMRS repeater frequencies (supposedly most all blister pack radios meet this) will now fall under the FRS standard and be classified as such
>the FCC will no longer allow FRS/GMRS dual use radios to be sold under the new standards
>built in scrambling feature is no longer allowed on any FRS/GMRS/MURS/CB radio
So for all the people who repeatedly broke the previous GMRS rules, congratulations on doing the opposite of ruining things for everyone, this doesn't happen often. And for anyone who wants to use their Baofeng without an amateur radio license, while it isn't technically allowed, you can now set your radio to transmit at under 2 watts and use the FRS frequencies of 1-7 and 15-22 (the 462 MHz range frequencies) and your radio will be indistinguishable from a normal FRS radio just like you can do on the MURS frequencies.

>>34188506
>FRS is limited to 0.5 Watts
That's no longer accurate.

>>34186695
Using a handheld yagi antenna. One that can be assembled and disassembled.

>>34189551
Yes 70cm is probably the most active band for amateur radio operators (you need a license). But for a display-less radio like that you'll need a programming cable and will need to pre-program the frequencies you want. And even after that you'll probably be limited to 16 or so channels (consult specs for specifics).
For a beginner it would be better to get a baofeng with a display and keypad so you can program frequencies on the fly and see what frequency you're on without memorizing channel numbers.

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>>34189551
I suggest you actually do a bit of research instead of just buying the first thing you see you fucktard.

>>34189745
thanks for good intel

>>34189758
oh, wow, like, so cool

we all know im going to stick this thing in a plate carrier i never wear and then proceed to never use it

also, $12 is $12 why do you even care

>>34189777
>we all know im going to stick this thing in a plate carrier i never wear and then proceed to never use it
Then get a used GI Joe walkie talkie from a thrift store, it'll be about as useful if you do want to use it.

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>>34189588
Neat.

>>34187981
There are probably hundreds of thousands of airsoftfags playing with baofengs on illegal bands. Nobody cares what you do as long as you don't interfere with police or emergency channels. I am in a 3rd world country and even hams break the rules constantly. There are old morons in my neighborhood that have licenses but their radios are so old and faulty that they interfere with everything from 400 to 500MHz whenever they speak. There is an agency that's supposed to regulate rf shit,but they're so underfunded and uninterested that they do nothing at all.

>>34188019
Not as easy as it sounds. DF can locate rf sources in seconds only in ideal conditions. There's a reason df competitions are held in rural areas.

>>34187964
Are the PRC-152 replicas worth it?

>>34190327
>PRC-152 replicas
You mean FRS radios in oversized cases for LARP purposes?

>>34190426
Yes.

>>34190452
Why would you want one? That's worse than airshit, because at least airshit is practical in its own way. An FRS radio in an fake PRC-152 is just taking something that was practical and making it significantly less practical.

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>>34190164
Baofeng. Do this. Don't interfere with aircraft, public safety, hams. Remember that there are no "secure" or private channels, and that when you're transmitting, you're broadcasting.

Keep these things in mind and no one will care what you do on the radio.

>>34189588
Have the rules actually been changed, or is this still in the works?

>>34191455
First of all, what radio frequencies are used for what varies per country, MURS is just a US thing. Second of all, for people in the US that picture is out of date as there are now 15 more frequencies that you can use, see >>34189588.

>>34191485
This document is marked as adopted May 18, 2017, so yes:
https://apps.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-17-57A1.pdf

>>34191257
Strictly for LARPing.

>>34186590
>>34186833
>>34186851
>>34187057
I selected these digits because I need some technical expertise regarding a fiction story, I hope you guys can help.

Scenario is a bunch of survivors at an abandoned rural location gain access to a few two-way radios of various types. They hear other people out there talking, some good, some bad.

Here is the equipment:
>two-way radios, similar to Baofeng-UV-5R
>a radio that would normally be found in a truck and for communicating with central station (delivery truck communicating with warehouse)
>dedicated base station unit, like a ham radio or something
>higher-end commercial drone
>cellphones, some working, some not
>electronic scraps
>a working laptop computer
>soldering kit

My question is how do they determine who's good and who's bad out in the world? I want to know if it's possible to use the drone somehow. Perhaps to fly out with radio encryption codes taped on a note, and then when a friendly location identifies it, then the drone lands and deposits the codes and they use the direction of travel and time of flight to determine that site's location. Could both sites then use radio timestamps (no idea if handheld sets log that) to identify when a third site is transmitting and use that data to triangulate it?

I know next to nothing about radios. Help me, please.

>>34188245
Yeah I know, they don't want people turning HAM frequencies into the stupidness that CB is, and radio frequencies are finite so if some turd blathers on a repeater, he's messing up a public resource, like blocking traffic with a car. The other part is getting the educated so you understand some of the science behind radio. It makes you able to make good antennas for home or quick and simple in the field, so you can use your radio effectively. Get that license, it's not too hard and you will meet people that will want to help you stay connected. Imagine a cell network going down in a crisis and being able to communicate by radio. A lot of guys are doing this now.

>>34192265
Or just stick to license-free bands.
My problem with the ham system is the fact that your info goes public for no justifiable reason. Setting some rules regarding bandwidth and power makes sense,but the whole license thing looks like a scheme to keep track of people and get money.

>>34191716
someone who lives outside the US should get on making a chart like that one then

Whats a good online resource to learn about general radio stuff. Im not so interested in the fcc test but in how and why they work.

>>34192418
Do you not understand that it varies per country? You'd need to make a large list with every major country and their corresponding frequencies they have available (some of which don't even use frequencies that the UV5R can tune to).

Is there a convenient list of open bands and what rules apply to them in burgerland? I want to try to use some of those neat new LoRa modules that are appearing on eBay, but I want to make sure I won't get fucko'ed by some pissed off ham.

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Shameless bump since apparently that's a thing we do on this board now.

>>34192256
>cellphones
useless without infrastructure, might as well throw them away if they arent smartphones with other abilities
>electronic scraps, soldering kit
not useful for laptops and phones (tech too small), maybe on large radio units but only with the exact right parts available
>working laptop
unless the electronic scraps included a programmable DSP board and the laptop has the software to use it, they're not going to be getting much done with it regarding radios
they might use it to encrypt data and transmit it themselves enigma-style
>triangulate using timestamps
they'd need to be accurate to the microsecond to be traceable within a few kilometers, so not really useful even if they were present in radio transmissions (they aren't)
they could use directional receivers to find out the direction it's coming from at both locations and use that
their best bet for locating people might be using this method, sending a team out a few km away and having both groups record times and directions of transmissions, then reuniting and triangulating with those directions
keep in mind that just as they're able to trace broadcasts, by transmitting they're revealing themselves to everyone, so it might not be a good idea to do that unless they know it's safe. this means they can't really use the radios themselves unless they're willing to take that risk.

>>34191716
>OK, then: Baofeng. Do this. Don't interfere with aircraft, public safety, hams. Remember that there are no "secure" or private channels, and that when you're transmitting, you're broadcasting.
>Keep these things in mind and no one will care what you do on the radio.

>>34192727
>Do you not understand that it varies per country? You'd need to make a large list with every major country and their corresponding frequencies they have available (some of which don't even use frequencies that the UV5R can tune to).

Great. Get on it for your country then. You'll be providing a much-needed service.

Does anyone here have any experience with Baofeng's 25 watt and 50 watt mobile radios?
https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MOBILE-UV-50X2-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XK83VRV/
https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-MINI-UV-25X2-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XD3CQ6H/
https://www.amazon.com/BTECH-UV-25X4-Tri-band-Mobile-Radio/dp/B06XCDWT6V/

>>34195710
>useless without infrastructure
I already had them tear apart a few for the batteries, a handful are time detonators using a calendar app and the vibrate function.

I think you're stuck thinking inside a small box on this one.
>maybe on large radio units
They're trying to revive an old ATC radio from the 40's by essentially rebuilding it

>directional receivers
Okay, I've never built one of these, could you do it with scrap metal?

>sending a team out
Fallout is still too thick on the ground at this stage, they don't have enough NBC gear to equip more than one person. They're still in the "huddling in the center of a concrete building" period where everyone's trying to limit exposure as much as possible.

>transmitting they're revealing themselves to everyone
At this point I think that ship has sailed. They've transmitted enough that if anyone was going to track them they would have been able to do so given that it's been three days of constant transmission to other survivors and the FEMA-like agency's personnel.

Could the radios, even handheld sets, send encrypted traffic for (relatively) secure communication? So site A and B can communicate the direction of their antennas in secret, so nobody knows precisely what they're doing.

The goal is to go out and get the isolated pockets of friendly survivors and leave the ravenous rape gangs alone, so the number of not-crazy people is concentrated in one area. It's clear that alone they'll be slowly eliminated one by one, so it's decided early on that strength in numbers is vital.

Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate the help.

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All I know about military radios is from Arma 2/3 mods.

>>34186686
Yeah. Bullshit. Get licensed, so you have a real callsign and are using the right power and bandwidth on the right frequencies, and they'll talk to you all day. Hams just got tired of CB'ers deciding to shit up the airwaves without following any rules or having any knowledge of proper use of power, bandwidth, frequencies, propagation, antenna theory, etc. Hams put a lot into having a good setup with minimal power to achieve the best signal for a given frequency and range. It's like going fly fishing in a quiet stream when some idiot with a bullhorn runs up screaming "WHATCHA DOIN? FISHIN'? I HEAR YA, MAN!! FISHIN' IS COOL! I AIN'T GOT NO FISHIN' POLE OR FISHIN' LICENSE, BUT IMMA CATCH A BUNCHA TROUT WITH THIS HERE GRENADE! HEY, YOU AIN'T TALKIN' TO A FELLOW FISHERMAN? KIND OF AN ASSHOLE, AIN'T YA?"

>>34188033
Direction finding is actually a fun thing that hams use to find the location of a transmitter. Practically, it's used to find equipment that is operating out of band, unlicensed, stuck on an open mic, or in some other way causing a nuisance.

The fun part is "foxhunts" - one ham sets up a transmitter on a particular frequency, maybe transmitting a morse message or just a tone or open key, and a bunch of other hams try to zero in on it and find it. You'd be surprised how quickly almost any transmitter can be triangulated.

>>34198328
I'm not him, I'm the writefag asking for advice, but your analogy was funny and the big reason why I've never gotten into radios. I simply don't know what the hell I'm doing and I don't want to shit everything up for everyone else and especially for people who have a passion for it.

I don't like people like that and I wouldn't want to be that man.

>>34188095
Whatever. We're geriatric losers, young nerds, middle aged geeks, MIT grads, homeschooled kids, preppers, you name it.

Getting licensed isn't terribly difficult, but it's almost impossible to do it without learning some cool stuff that would be useful in SHTF. The losers are the ones who won't bother to learn anything about what they're doing, won't get licensed, and will broadcast over everyone because they can't figure out how to transmit and receive anything without just amping up their power to shit on everything in a 50 mile radius. No finesse. Hams can transmit and receive across the world on a radio built inside an Altoids tin with a 9v battery, using a long piece of wire for an antenna.
But yeah, the same losers who call hams losers (for following some rules that radio operators agreed on for damn good reasons) are the equivalent of the guy at the range who buys an AR-15 with no optics, walks up with no earpro or glasses, and proceeds to shoot everyone else's targets downrange, then pretends not to hear when someone calls "cold range." You know, the "muh I'm a rebel I don't have to listen to anybody's rules and you're all pussies anyway" guy.

>>34198495
Dude... don't let my analogy be what keeps you from doing it! Just that it's easy to do right, and the people who don't even try to follow some basic rules or courtesy screw it up for everybody.

You should definitely check out the app "Ham Test Prep" by iversoft. It's free, and it is completely awesome. Has the entire pool of test questions for Technician Class, General Class, and even Extra Class. You practice with the actual test questions until you've hit the level of proficiency you want, and then you go take the test nearest you and you're licensed.
By that time, you'll know enough to know what you want to do (long distance or local repeater, etc.), what kind of setup you might consider using, and how to set it up right.
You don't have to know Morse anymore to get licensed, but there are a lot of ham bands where Morse is used because it's low bandwidth and you can send and receive messages around the world on tiny amounts of power and with simple antennas. A good starting app for learning Morse is "Morse Toad."
Good luck.

>think HF sound cool and want to try it
>live in an apartment
>cheapest low power HF setup capable of covering at least 1 whole band would cost me a few hundred for the transceiver, antenna tuner, and a homemade antenna
>don't know how well that would work inside the restrictions of an apartment due to the larger antenna requirements and need for higher power
I guess I can just get a shortwave radio and listen instead.

Questions for radio heads.

Is there a cheap way to send imagery/data over shortwave

>>34198708
Packet radio.

>>34198609
I might at some point, but I already have enough expensive hobbies right now. Plus a bunch that take up most of my time, like my writing, and some that aren't hobbies anymore like my hydroponics garden.

Since you do know a thing or two about radios, could you answer my questions in >>34198105 if you have time? I'd greatly appreciate it, I want to get this right.

>>34198731
Can I purchase one?

>>34198708
Packet radio protocols such as AX.25 and high speed multimedia radio for general data, SSTV for images, APRS for location data, and PSK31 for point to point text only transmissions.

I just want to listen to emergency services without the chance of hot micing by accident. Should i be looking at scanners? any recommendations?

>>34198826
I have been using my uv5r for a long time, just listening to the police. Get a simple radio, whip antenna, and set it up on "lock" mode, so you don't accidentally change channels. I've never hot-miced

>>34198826
I'm pretty sure most emergency services have moved to trunked radio systems, so you may need a scanner.

>>34198894
You can also scan with a Motorola two-way if you know how to program it properly to not TX.

>>34198495
I should have added (yes, generalizations) - there are 3 classes of license that roughly correspond to what you want to do with your license. Certain bands (groups of frequencies) travel better locally in a broad circular radius (like a light bulb), while others travel better at long distances and directionally (like a laser pointer).

Technician Class- most of the frequencies/power you can use are best suited to local communications (within your state or a 5-50 mile radius, depending on equipment. Handhelds don't go far). Like those frequencies the Baofeng UV-R radios use. There are also repeaters all over the place, run by hams for free, that will pick up your signal and fling it farther. Also the frequencies the International Space Station ham radio uses; they will actually talk to you if you transmit to them when they're flying over. You get access to a few frequencies in bands that go farther but you have restrictions on transmitting power.

General Class - you get all the rights of Technician class, plus more frequencies and bands, and a bit more power, that make longer distances an option (maybe you're in Georgia and you want to chat with folks in Arizona.)

Extra Class - you can transmit on any band authorized to amateur radio, using voice, teletype, morse code, packet radio, repeaters, satellite, bouncing signals off the moon, and computer datastream transmissions, whatever, and can use the maximum power allowed on any of those bands. Talk to Tokyo if you like.

I'd guess that a fairly smart person could study the Ham Test Prep app, and do a little reading for free to understand radio theory (instead of just memorizing answers; the theory is easier so you can figure out any answer) and be prepared to take the Technician test with maybe 20 hours of prep time or less. If you're willing to read a little more, and maybe put in 50 or 60 hours of study, you can take the Technician, General, and Extra test all in the same day, for one exam fee.

>>34198826
Doesn't matter, you can get scanners cheaper than transmitters/transcievers if all you want to do is listen, and you can legally listen to anything you can pick up. (BUT...be aware that some states have statutes that say no radio that can receive law enforcement communications can be possessed in a vehicle without a ham radio license.)

Most law enforcement and "fun to listen to" channels are "trunked," which basically scrambles the communications among different frequencies so you can't listen in unless you have a system that is on the same "network."

A quick Google search can usually give you current frequencies of emergency services or other transmitters in your area, or you can just scan until something sounds interesting. That's part of the fun.

>>34198945
>You get access to a few frequencies in bands that go farther but you have restrictions on transmitting power.
The 200 watt transmitting power limit (vs the normal 1500 watt limit) shouldn't be too bad. The bigger restriction is that you can only use morse code on those lower frequencies.

>>34199012
>scrambles the communications among different frequencies so you can't listen in unless you have a system that is on the same "network."
That's a terrible description of trunking. A trunked system consists of multiple channels and talkgroups. One of the channels is the control channel and sends information to allow the users' radios to know which channel to TX or listen on.
Think of a talkgroup as a logical channel, it can be assigned to any of the real channels and may switch in the middle of a conversation. This allows better usage of limited radio resources; you can have more talkgroups than channels and can only need some channel to be free when someone needs to talk.
If a trunking system isn't very busy you can simply enter all the frequencies (minus the control channel) into a radio's memory and scan them all. This will do a decent job but isn't as ideal as a trunking scanner which will let you follow a specific talkgroup (and show you what talkgroup you are listening to).

>>34197958
If the handhelds are any indication, they're subject to A LOT of interference from other radio & non-radio sources. If you're in a medium to large-sized city, and plan on using the radio in your car, I'd steer clear of the cheapie radio.

>>34198766
I'll try.

Scenario: survivors in rural location, access to two-ways, hear comms, how do they determine good/bad guys and communicate with the good without bad overhearing...

Well, that's complicated. With handhelds like the Baofeng, you're probably only going to get 3-5 miles transmitting without a repeater (a big antenna another ham has set up to grab your signal and send it along), though you might get a little farther reception if the other station is using more than handheld-level power. So, if you're hearing decent signal on transmissions, it's likely they aren't all that far, so they're already a risk to you just like if you light up a smoky fire or fire a gun - they could zero in on you.

BUT - it isn't so easy to triangulate the kind or power of signals a Baofeng would put out (not a great band for directional location). You can of course boost your output with a better antenna, but it will have to be one of the right length (Baofeng's primary band I believe is the 2m band, so a relatively "perfect" antenna would be around 2 meters long, and it's usually used with a vertically polarized signal, meaning you want the antenna going straight up and down for transmission/reception.) Not much magical about antennas, except getting the length just right. You need to know the frequency you're using, and there's a formula you can Google, or you can use this calculator:
https://www.easycalculation.com/physics/electromagnetism/antenna-wavelength.php

The antenna will need to be either "full wave" - the exact wavelength (something near 2 meters) or half wave (something near 1 meter), 1/4 wave, 1/8 wave, etc. The closer to full wave, the more efficient the antenna.

(2/3)
If you wanted to triangulate by radio, you'd need to have a directional antenna - one you can point in a direction and see if the signal gets stronger or weaker - then draw a line on a map of where you are representing the direction the antenna is pointing and do the same thing from a second location to figure out where two imaginary lines from your antenna would cross.That's the source of the signals you're receiving.

Building a directional antenna isn't hard, but getting it tuned right to be very accurate can be clunky. Look up "yagi antennas" for some idea.

The commercial frequency truck unit may well transmit on Baofeng's frequencies, but may be chipped to only one or two specific frequencies.
The ham radio likely could have similar capability for 2m (some are dedicated only to certain bands, so a 10m ham radio may not have any 2m capability like the Baofengs or delivery truck). The cellphones are probably a complete loss, except that if they get any signal at all they may be useful in contacting what's left of a 911 system. I can't think of much use for the laptop right away, but the electronics scraps and soldering kit could be useful in antenna construction.
Figuring out who's a friendly party is of course only possible by listening and guessing based on what you hear. Of course, if they are blabbering a lot on the radio and there's an aggressive third party nearby, they might not be a very secure group who you want to join up with. If you can find them, so can anyone else.

Once you find a party you think is friendly, as far as "encryption codes" to use between you and to exclude a third party listener - probably not an easy possibility.

(3/3)
You could avoid being tracked by a third party for a while by having an arranged set of frequencies to swap between and call them "channels" where channel 1 = 146.25 mhz, channel 2 = 146.55 mhz, etc., and a code word that would signal both of you to move to the next channel in the series after a short while, with channel 1 being the "check in" if you get lost - but eventually someone with a scanner would get enough to zero in on you or them. Once you've established contact, and know what frequencies they have available, the drone could be used to agree on some "channels" and times of communication.

If you were able to meet up with the group, or agree by drone (if you trust them without meeting them), you could devise a series of codes just like if you were using carrier pigeons - "meet at location X at noon" (where you've already agreed on what location X is) or "execute plan B".

Basically, you're going to need to use a combination of high-tech and low-tech skills to get this accomplished, and the less time you spend on the radio, the better, unless you make the radio chatter basically incomprehensible to a potential hostile party, and vary your frequencies and limit the time spent on those frequencies to minimize the risk they'll ever be monitoring at the same time you're transmitting. Scanners are pretty quick in a limited frequency range. It would also help to vary your actual base location. It's hard to triangulate someone's position if the transmitter is in a different location at the time a second measurement is taken with a directional antenna. The mobile unit (truck) may be useful for this, but then again the truck itself may be spotted and followed.

Given all that, I think the best option for contact is to determine their frequency, and assuming it won't match the truck's frequency (small chance it would), use the base station or Baofengs in the truck and drive to a separate, secure location for any contact. Then return to base and listen only.

>>34199103
It was, admittedly, a terrible description of trunking. It gives the basic idea, though. Note that i didn't say it scrambles the signal, just that it scrambles the communications - I just meant to say that it mixes them among different frequencies so that a static listener on one frequency doesn't get much if any useful data. And the talkgroup acts as a network of sorts, so perhaps I deserve at least partial credit for a simplistic explanation.

>>34199509
>scrambles the communications among different frequencies so you can't listen in unless you have a system that is on the same "network."
>so
This implies the *purpose* is making it harder to listen to. It's not. The purpose is to improve capacity of the system and to utilize spectrum more efficiently.

> it mixes them among different frequencies so that a static listener on one frequency doesn't get much if any useful data
I wouldn't use the word "mixes". The conversation is only on one frequency at any point of time. It just switches occasionally. And a static listener on one frequency may end up hearing a lot on a system that isn't very busy.
It's typically not going to switch in the middle of one transmission but may switch in between two user's transmissions on the same talkgroup.

>>34186046
i just inherited a cb radio
what the fuck do i do with it

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>>34187106
Any recommendations for HAM info. Looking to get back into it before my licence expires.

>>34199711
CB is pretty much dead anymore unless you live in the deep south. Hook up an antenna and see if Cletus or Jose is yucking it up.

>>34199366
>>34199384
>>34199452
Thank you! This is exactly what I was looking for, I'll see what I have to revise and resist the urge to try and cram all that information into the story.

Using the truck unit in a truck really isn't a possibility, both for environmental reasons and because it's currently being powered by a generator. (things of that nature in this universe tend to run off of 24V DC) They do have the antenna though, which is how they're hearing the transmissions that are 20-30km away at the furthest. (antenna is on top of an old control tower and I know that a clear line of sight helps) So it sounds like their best bet is to build a directional antenna and then operate from there, which would also put the radio operators far enough away from the ground and rooftop fallout.

Could they use a handheld taped to the drone as a repeater to hide the base location? Maybe use the directional antenna in a known clear vector to "bounce" off the drone's handheld?

I think a benefit in this situation is that the obvious bad guys are almost constantly transmitting, they can't leave their hideouts either and are just taunting everyone they can. There's a few stupid enough to go driving around, but it's clear that besides robotic vehicles delivering supplies there's nobody on the road that's interested in living.

Oh, and cellphones in the universe can tune into the emergency broadcast system. (while it still works) You can set it to broadcast an SOS and get picked up by somebody's self-driving car or a city bus that's been pressed into service. A lot of people have survived the initial panic because the federal disaster agency has essentially commandeered every robotic thing and is using everything from delivery drones (little robo-scooters) to garbage trucks to move people into shelters. When this scenario takes place everyone's hunkered down and avoiding the fallout, the government has pretty much been decapitated and everything that's happening is run by AI.

>>34186046
We use Harris and Motorolas. I think they're fine, but the way our repeaters are set up is pants on head retarded.

>>34199711
If it's a handheld, you're going to have to be pretty close to an interstate (a couple of miles at most) to get much chatter, and even then transmitting will be poor. Worse if you use it from inside a vehicle. You could rig an external antenna and do better.

If it's a mobile unit, rig it into your car's electrical (choose a fuse/wire that is built to handle decent amps and as isolated as you can get from other components). Run an antenna coaxial cable out the back of the vehicle and to an external antenna (mag mount is simplest, whip is most efficient if you have a place to mount it well).

If it's a base unit, plug it into the wall (and an external speaker if needed) and run the antenna cable out your window to a good mounting spot and hook up a good antenna.

Best external antenna for a CB is a 1/4 wave whip, 102" long, unless you're going with some kind of monster half wave at 204". All the fancy schmancy antennas in the world won't beat a basic 102" whip, but it may not be practical for your purposes.

You can get some cool "skip" transmissions from pretty far away, but may not be able to communicate back. With a decent base unit and antenna, you may get 10 or even 20 miles depending on location and antenna type/height.

All this is assuming it's the standard 4-watt transmitter, which is what's legal and usually available. One reason CB sucks is that a ton of people use huge power amplifiers and basically shit all over everything, so you'll hear a one-sided conversation from some guy three counties over stepping all over the signal from the guy just down the road.

>>34198941
Yeah, scanning is an afterthought on Motorola rigs. The scan rate is S-L-O-W & they don' hae the features of most modern scanners. Those things, plus why would you spend Motorola money on something that will serve the same purpose for 1/10th the cost, and you don't have to dick around with pricier Motorola software, cables, etc.?

>>34200137
Got it. I didn't understand that the truck unit didn't come with an actual truck.

Handheld taped to a drone used as a repeater (I know you really want to use the drone) would have a ton of logistical complexities. You'd need 2 handhelds, one to transmit and one to receive, a controller to make them work together, and a duplexer to isolate the transmitter from the receiver but allow them to use the same signal path. Read these:

http://www.eham.net/ehamforum/smf/index.php?topic=26566.5;wap2

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duplexer

First problem is, duplexers are generally huge (especially anything you can rig together). A "cavity" duplexer can be made out of anything from coffee cans to steel drums. There are special (but usually less effective) small ones but they don't work so well for 2m transmissions that most handhelds would have.

If you could find a way to get your hands on a sufficiently small controller and duplexer, you're still going to have to have an antenna on the drone, maybe hanging straight down, and it will need to be some even division of the 2m wavelength (so either 1m or 0.5m or 0.25m) - or more specifically an exact division of the wavelength of the frequency you're using, which might be 2.05m, for example.

All this is a lot of stuff on a drone.

Now add to all this that usually the repeater is the STRONGER transmitter, in this case it would be weaker. So using the repeater wouldn't be hiding the transmission you're sending from the tower, unless you got a really good directional antenna to transmit to the drone but not pointed in the direction (assuming you know it) of any hostile party. Now you've got the problem that the teeny drone antenna and power of the handhelds isn't going to transmit very far, and you're having to fly them left or right of your position if facing the hostiles or they'll be in line of your transmissions from the tower, defeating the purpose.

Could all be done, but would take a fair amount of wrangling.

>>34200863
I meant just have the handset taped to the thing and fly it in a direction and hover at 100m, (I do want to use the drone) can't a handset repeat? What about two taped 69? One to transmit on the target frequency, one to receive on the carrier from the directional antenna. (northwest there is nothing and it would be safe)

Still, if the base can't be hidden then it's not so bad since it just spices things up later on. There's a running gun battle that happens later during the rescue phase and the survivors cling to an old autotruck as it happily rumbles along. They manage to shoot down the cannibal men running after them on foot, but it's close. At least they save some cool rural folks and more guns from the ordeal, along with the boatload of undelivered snack foods from a warehouse. They stay put after that and mostly listen because the country's going to hell as winter comes, a lot of the raiders gravitate toward the cities and larger towns and they're mostly left alone.

They do square off against the Red Front insurgents in the area later on, maybe the constant back and forth transmissions could play a part in that.

>>34201198
Yeah you can fly a repeater made out of handhelds. My friend actually build one for repeating data signals used for tracking experimental rocket payloads for when they return in the ground and they don't have the height needed to get there signal out and be heard by the tracking team.

>>34201284
So fly a repeater away from the base and transmit slightly closer to the target area, (as the crow flies) all the while using the base's directional antenna and the friendly site's directional antenna to pinpoint people's locations.

This is a pretty hefty drone by the way, it's meant to carry small packages and stuff (it was being used as an automatic camera platform) so two handhelds is nothing.

So running with that if I had five repeater units floating out (on balloons?) could I saturate an area with a signal that makes direction-finding difficult? Or if I had a guy with a very, very weak transmitter, could I use the small swarm of repeaters to carry his signal further while keeping him relatively safe from detection?

>>34201359
Yup, a small signal being directed straight up would be able to go up to the repeaters and get rather far with a relatively low probability of detection

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>>34201401
Neat, thanks for the help!

>>34187894
>APX series shit
MFW when My county SAR team has apx 7500 heads in 1500 ATV's.....

>>34188047
Think of getting v8n'd for keying up on your local repeater too many times.

>>34190200
>SAR avalanche beacon races...

>>34201744
wew

>>34201744
$1500 ATVs..

>>34200819
The thread was about an anon who wants to listen to emergency services which probably is about listening to a trunked system, and probably only one or two systems.

>Yeah, scanning is an afterthought on Motorola rigs. The scan rate is S-L-O-W
NO the type of scanning they're meant for (a few zones) is not an afterthought. The scan rate isn't slow at all on any of the motos I have.

> don' hae the features of most modern scanners
Yes you can only scan a limited system but the conversation wasn't about using them like a dedicated scanner but for using them to listen to a few trunked systems.

> plus why would you spend Motorola money on something that will serve the same purpose for 1/10th the cost

Used motorola radios can be had for very cheap, certainly cheaper than any trunked scanner I've seen. Of course one trunked scanner can typically do more than one band. But on the other hand motorola two ways actually have better sensitivity than just about every scanner and better audio than most.

>>34186046

>a radio thread with no mention of Legal Mumbo Jumbo

I really have gotten old.

>>34202449
>implying oldfag
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgHNtzxO0y8

>>34188019
>aren't shy about reporting violations to the FCC

faggots of the radio world. I had a general class license before I stopped doing HAM stuff. I get the self policing back in the day but it isn't NEARLY as popular as it was pre 80's. All the sniffers act like exactly as you imagine, biggest arrogance I've seen coming from a group that probably thinks they're above anyone else. My advice to anyone in this thread is to get the technician license which will let you do 99% of what you probably have in mind.

>>34187818
>go blog it
>low test passive aggressive fuck off

>>34202187
Don't get me wrong. I have & do use Motos for scanning, certainly far more often than I do for talking, but for the average non-radio-Joe, they're an expensive, PITA. Not only the initial investment, but upkeep, like replacement batteries, accessories, etc.

>>34187818
>AirforceProud Reference

That's a good one SAUCE BOSS.

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>>34191716

>>34186887
I have an entire box full of HT1000s, a SABER, some P110s and some other shit.
100 dollars.

>>34203157
Oh also a HT2000 800mhz

>>34203219
>HT2000
Do you mean MT2000?

Why can't my Cobra 40 channel cb communicate with my Motorola walkabouts? They're both on the same channels.

>>34203224
Yes I do.

>>34203256
>walkabouts
kek. probably because one or both has some sort of PL or DPL code. Assuming they're really on the same frequency

>>34203157
I'd be interested, please email me. [email protected]

>>34203360
I mean that I bought them for 100 dollars, I'm using a fair amount of them now. I'm also not going to have access to them for awhile.

>>34203410
Oh I thought you meant you want to sell them for $100, my bad.

>>34203256
>>34203273
CB and Talkabouts (FRS) are on a totally different set of frequencies. CB is around 27MHz, and FRS is around 470MHz.

>>34198328
I've watched the ham community for quite some time and they're dicks even if you have a callsign. It's the radio version of fudds. I know some cool hams but it's just not an interesting community. I'd much rather play with digital stuff on the unlicenced and cellular spectrum where I can use encryption and develop protocols useful for things other than recording dx in a logbook.

As much as hams like to talk about foxhunting to track down radio shitposters, I've never seen any of them actually do it. I can track a cellphone moving through a building and jam the signal if it misbehaves. I can also swear on my bands. Fuck fuck fuck fuck. See?

>>34203772
Hams can swear per FCC rulings (google 147.435) it's just discouraged.
And it's a small community and writing off everyone because you met some dicks isn't very accurate. Imagine if you lived in a super small blue community and the only guys who shot were a bunch of old fudds.

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Love my vertex standards.

>>34187829

Also, the bowchangs are FM transmit only and CB is AM. Neither can decode the other.

>>34187926

Bowchang don't encrypt

>>34203723

Thanks

>>34187829
>modding a rig to operate slightly out of band into CB territory isn't difficult (though still technically illegal)
You should be very clear here. Modifying a rig you own is NEVER illegal. Using it may be illegal.

>>34203110
That picture is wrong. You don't have to use repeaters on channels 15-22, also channels 15-22 are now under FRS as well now.

>>34198945
I downloaded the app, if id like to shoot for an extra class i should study all of the questions right? How much of it is radio theory vs legal requirments?

>>34186046
Waifu and I turn on internet police scanner.
>hmmm.... lets listen in to the bronx tonight
>cop reports car on fire in utterly bored exasperated voice
>fire department in equally annoyed and bored tones "another one? Whats that make, 3 in a week?"
>cop "yeah, welcome to the bronx"

Dunno why but it made me and my wife laugh pretty hard. Like how much of a shithole does a place gotta be that cars getting torched is a regular occurrence?

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I don't think my original post went through. I use thus radio when I go out and I've grown quite fond of it. I can't seem to find it online just chargers galore. Is there any retailer that sells it and how much is the average price?

>>34189588
See, if you break the rules hard enough, eventually they give in. I think gun owners can learn something from this.

>>34199711
The mist use you can get out of it is listening in on the trucker channel to know what's going on with respect to highway traffic, accidents, police traps, etc.

It's kind if like Waze, only without the moving map and more cursing.

>>34205434
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorola-APX-7000-UHF2-VHF-P25-TDMA-GPS-BT-FPP-/182612173452?hash=item2a8488a28c:g:jrwAAOSw-89ZOTKg

Good luck fag.

>>34206941
>>34205434

WOOPS my b my b man


http://www.ebay.com/itm/Motorola-APX-7000-Xe-P25-TDMA-Digital-radio-VHF-UHF-R1-H49TGD9PW1AN-AES-256-/222540316491?hash=item33d06fbf4b:g:0wIAAOSwHsRYDJSZ

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Can the FCC jews figure out what wattage I'm using on FRS freqs?

1-10 how raped is my asshole if I switch my baofeng to 4W?

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my Maofeng

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>>34207844
And me R105-M

>>34205065
It's about 50/50. I went from zero to general after studying for about 3 days. Basically just memorized the questions. Kinda felt bad for the older guy that failed his second attempt at general and looked dejected. Homeboy was honestly trying to absorb all the material in that thick ass study guide, and didn't even own a smartphone.

>>34205065
The amount of questions from each category is set. Go to http://aa9pw.com/radio/ to take all 3 practice tests with the correct number of questions from each category.
You can definitely go straight to extra; I studied hard to get to General along with some in-person instruction in a class. My pass rate for General was super-high the night before the test so I decided to read a quick study guide for Extra and also carefully study some of the impedance/phase equations. I ended up passing all 3 in one go

>>34209188
So i should just keep taking practice tests until i get a passing score on all of them? Im not too worried about the license but i would like to learn more about radios.

>>34204913
Don't just sit there, man. Create an accurate picture and do the community a service, rather than simply point out errors.

>>34209466
I have better shit to do with my time than making infographics for idiots who can't even do basic research as to what the infographic they're making is about.

>>34209523
Clearly you don't. You're still here yakking about it. ;). it's an old graphic, but for the Joe-I-don't-know-nothing-about-radio, it serves the purpose.

>>34209792
Stop making excuses for people giving bad info. Way too many people on threads like this are giving out fudd-tier bad and lazy info.

>>34204913
No you don't have to use repeaters on channels 15-22, but the graphic is correct in that the inputs are 5MHz higher than the repeater outputs.

>>34210343
If it's enough to get them to casually look at the subject, it's enough.

>>34208750
Pretty much this.

Phone app makes it an easier to pass.

I aced the Tech and General, two wrong on the Extra, by getting REALLY familiar with the questions.

Eventually you'll know the answer as soon as you read the first few words of the question.

Then you can educate yourself about antennas, propagation, equipment, etc at your leisure.

Best thing is, once you're on the air, there are plenty of guys more than willing to share their own knowledge about how to get really set up.

The best radio tricks come from other Hams, not a book.

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John Lovell just made a video about ham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYPZNjhCmGY

>>34203772
You sound like a cool guy. How do I contact you?

Is there any point in getting into HF today? You have to pay hundreds of dollars at least, sometimes thousands, for a not easily movable base station and a large antenna setup, but if you're sitting at home you can just as easily use the internet service that you're already paying for with the computer (or smartphone) that you already own. The only way HF seems like it would be useful over a computer or smartphone is in the event of a major disaster disconnecting everyone in your city or possibly state from every method of accessing the internet for a long period of time but at the same time sparing your large antenna and not doing enough damage to make you want to leave your location.

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So this might be a little late to the party, but I"m looking for some suggestions.

I do quite a bit of Hiking with a group of friends and we've run into the problem lately where basic cell service communication is no longer viable.

We
>Do about 6-13 mile rucks
>Frequent the Sierra Nevada area (NorCal)
>Split into 3-4 groups
>Have a moderate budget ($250ish)

I'm just looking for something fairly light weight with a decent reach, not sure how much encryption we would need or if that's even a concern.

Trying to pick up at least 3 units, but preferably 4

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

>>34215802
>not sure how much encryption we would need or if that's even a concern.
Do you plan on using the radios to discuss private things that you don't want other people knowing or can you avoid doing that?

>>34215813
There might be the need to discuss private matters.

So it would probably be best to error on the side of caution and go with yes

>>34215843
>There might be the need to discuss private matters.
What private matters could you possibly need to discuss while just hiking that wouldn't be able to wait until you can actually talk face to face?

>>34215869
I imagine "hiking" might possibly be... ""hiking"" in this context. I wouldn't expect the anon to confirm or deny that, but they might just be SHTF-minded and are trying to ask without being insulted.

I'm interested as well, but mostly because I'm curious.

File: 20140728_militia4.jpg (288KB, 1705x1136px) Image search: [Google]

288KB, 1705x1136px

>>34215869
>he doesn't maintain HIKESEC
laughingmilitias.jpg

>>34215869
Honestly I couldn't tell you what we would discuss, some people just dont have great radio etiquette. Also gotta watch out for "MUH NSA"

>insert tinfoil hat joke

>>34215948
Thought had occurred that these could be used in such situations also, but I'm not a prepper by any means.

>>34215998
I laughed

I have a motorola gp628 plus but I have no clue how to use it. unsure if I need a licence or anything. am in Australia.

>>34216027
> some people just dont have great radio etiquette
Then I'd recommend you and your friends improve your radio etiquette. The cheapest you can get for decent encrypted comms are Motorola Sabers and Astro Sabers, which cost $100+ used and not necessarily guaranteed to be in working order, don't necessarily have the cypto module, require you to make sure the one you're buying can even transmit on frequencies that you can legally use without considering encryption (such as amateur radio frequencies) without causing trouble, require purchase of a separate key loader (which will set you back a bit more than the radio IIRC) to actually use the encryption, and in the case of the old Motorola Saber (not the Astro Saber) requires an old 386 machine to program your radios without breaking them. If you're lucky you may be able to get a single Astro Saber to split between the 4 of you and key fill device if you expand your budget a bit.

>>34216064
Almost forgot. Many of the old Motorola Sabers (not the Astro Sabers) are also wide band FM only and you have to look out for low power versions as well.

>>34186736
Buy 4 for when they stop working or buy 1 yeasu or 3com

>>34216235
Alternatively, buy the cheaper Baofeng and if you enjoy it invest the money in a Icom/Yaesu/Kenwood when the Baofeng breaks or you want more capabilities.

>>34188286
Most hams are cool unless you're a "The rules dont apply to me' kind of person. For example HT's are shit. They have almost no range no power the antennas that come with then are garbage. Yet every so often someons will argue the mertits of thw yeasu xyz78910 ht that operates on 20 bands out to south america reliably with the rubber duck antenna that comes with it. Why, because they read it on the internet. Sadly just because something looks tech it doesnt change the physics. So we end up arguing with these internet informed noobs and come across as fudds.

All of my local police/emergency have switched over to using "starcom21," which is digital magical bullshit. Is there any way other than a 400 dollar BCD396XT or somesuch scanner to listen in? Ive always been curious about listening into their chatter, picked up a baofag for a /k/ meetup, and hoped to listen local police as a side perk (already knew of starcom) At the least i hoped to listen to car to car chatter and whatnot.

Dec 2603 Hex a2b mode D (digital)
These numbers and strange letters mean nothing to me, is there a guide to learn basics of digital comms as well? I understand standard freqs, 000.000 makes sense, but shit, im lost as far as digital.
Even if I have to buy an expensive scanner, id definitely like to know the crash course in basic digital comms.

>signed, a future radiofag?

Why do radio threads on /k/ always have people going on about how they need encryption for themselves and a few friends? The US Army was still using ICOM F-43s (designated as the Soldier Squad Radio) for intrasquad communication into at least the late 2000s and was using what amounted to glorified blister pack radios from the late 90s to mid 2000s. To my knowledge it wasn't until the JTRS program started that secure intrasquad communication became a wanted feature and the adoption of the PRC-154 that squads actually got secure intrasquad communication.

>>34216450
>starcom21
Do you know how to google?
http://wiki.radioreference.com/index.php/STARCOM21_Statewide_Illinois
Sounds like it's just a P25 Phase 2 system plus some IP features. If it's encrypted you're hosed. If it's not encrypted you can probably listen with any phase 2 compatible scanner.

>>34215482
HF sounds like it would be fun to try, but I always get hung up on how much it costs to get into and how little you can really do on it vs just using the internet.