So I've been feeling the field commo bug for a while now. Two goals I have set. 1st is to design a system that will keep my station in a state of full readiness for extended periods of time.
2nd goal is to not rely upon electric generators because I don't have my own oil well or a refinery to resupply the fuel generators require. So I'm limited to renewal sources of energy to charge a full-time battery powered system.
Now I'm not a selfish type of guy, I'll likely give you the shirt off someone else's back if you need it! Plus I think knowledge IS power and sharing really is caring. So in the spirit of giving and sharing I'll pass this golden nugget on to all of you.
https://youtu.be/8SuvAKZt0Vs
Comms is one of my unfortunate weaknesses. :( I would like to get a hand cranked or bike powered generator setup but I would prefer the hand cranked generators of the WWII era for robustness and portability. :) I am working towards wiring up my BOL and my Alternate up with wired field phones like the TA-312. I prefer to keep radio traffic/signature to a limited if only passive setting. Yeah i know paranoid sounding but not hard to perform direction finding and locate a signal source. Where there is a radio usually equals power and thus supplies to be attractive as a target. I have the tools and other aspects to defend myself and others but the best fight is one avoided. ;)
Depending on who you're hiding from there's different degrees of ability. So long as there's power people WILL be using devices. Just try to keep people off their phone for 2 hours. Government agencies possible to track you fairly easily ... Average Citizens (horde members) not so much. Light and sound discipline would be more of a concern than a radio signal..just my 2¢
@Patriotic Trucker
I agree and that is why we practice those as well. I have black out curtains on all windows and am installing shutters as well. On the day I intend to add curtains to the door ways. Light discipline is a big issue. I also limit smoke and smells; especially that of cooking food.
All my animals and assets are each night brought into a consolidated and secured night perimeter that both is patrolled by us and my dogs.
Never can be too safe with the attracting of "unwanted visitors"
@curlessfamily you're absolutely on the right path in regards to the wired field telephones and Probably still the second most secure means of communication between fixed locations. Couple of things, not to bust or rain, just something to think about. Popular Communications seem to be very much along the lines of a Beofang radio in VHF/UHF for the multiple services available to us civies. Ham, MURS, GMRS, FRS, FRS is very inexpensive, not so powerful as to broadcast your location much farther than say a mile depending on your terrain at least who is holding down the fort while you're out doing perimeter security has a way to alert you when you're between wired check in locations?? A typical police scanner and shortwave receiver if not already on hand should also be able to alert you of any low level communications in your area. I'd program the FRS/GMRS and MURS channels in the first few memories. The reason is so you know what you're listening to, second, unmodified handheld radios in these services tend to be two watts or less, they don't broadcast very far and if you're picking them up they are in your "backyard'. So any signal in the first memory channels on the scanner is an alert, any signal on memories 40-45 could be city, town, county emergency services (ems police fire etc) memories 50-100 could be known prepping/militia frequencies. 101+ air ports, control centers (like Chicago Center, LA Center,) and CAP channels. Most military units use Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System (SINCGARS) which is an encrypted and trunked system. Police departments have also been switching to encryption for some if not all of their radio Communications. If you're thinking of utilizing a scanner, don't skimp on price, many areas are using digital voice instead of analog and just like cable or satellite TV the analog scanner can't decode the digital signals. I highly suggest a digital scanner capable of trunking, P25 phase 2, as well as the VHF AM airband. Hopefully this helps.
O.K. I just wanted to post it here. I ran a little experiment last night while doing a weekly Monday night ham radio emergency net. Every Monday night we check in to the net to check the operation of our radios, procedures, and power equipment. Lately with the Public Safety power Shutoffs here in California there has been a decided shift to power our gear with solar, batteries, or generators. I decided that I wanted to try something very different since I had the equipment. And I believe I may have achieved a world's first: I bring you: "The Wood Fired Ham Radio" and "Part 2: Wood Powered Ham Radio"
I filmed it, explained how it works, and uploaded it to Youtube. I apologize at the video quality, it was impromptu and also surprisingly difficult to hold onto my phone that was filming and operate the radio at the same time.
100% solar powered shack home page Ak4FU QRZ.Com simple it has been tested through three hurricanes, We run or Ares nets during the storm and after.