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Thread: What's the best way to listen?

  1. #21
    Anti-social Behavior Slippy's Avatar
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    Mountain Girl, we bought our setup from the clowns at Ham Radio Outlet. (see link below)

    Most of the folk there were great at explaining the differences in various models and helping us with our needs. Mrs S has her license and did the research on our setup. I really don't know shit about the whole HAM thing so I can't help you much.

    We don't use our radio as much as we thought we would but we have it in case we need it. So there's that...

    Good luck and tell Tom, Slippy says Hey!

    https://www.hamradio.com/locations.cfm?storeid=8

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  3. #22
    I Never Log Off! OSFG's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slippy View Post
    Mountain Girl, we bought our setup from the clowns at Ham Radio Outlet. (see link below)

    Most of the folk there were great at explaining the differences in various models and helping us with our needs. Mrs S has her license and did the research on our setup. I really don't know shit about the whole HAM thing so I can't help you much.

    We don't use our radio as much as we thought we would but we have it in case we need it. So there's that...

    Good luck and tell Tom, Slippy says Hey!

    https://www.hamradio.com/locations.cfm?storeid=8
    This is probably way more helpful to you than what I said....My info is confusing and based more on a dumbass like me being stuck somewhere with what I got on my back...probably not what your looking for.... Good luck Mountain Girl

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  5. #23
    Dinky Dau azrancher's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MountainGirl View Post
    We do not want or need to transmit, only listen to the mayhem post SHTF, on as many frequencies as might be out there.
    Quote Originally Posted by MountainGirl View Post
    No need. We're an army of two; hunkered, self-sustaining & very remote. Knowing whats happening would be entertaining at the least; wouldn't rely on the validity of anything we heard
    I'm going to play the devils advocate here... If you are an army of two and you don't need help from anyone else, and you are completely self sufficient, then you don't need to know what is happening anywhere else.

    OK, you don't need to talk, so you listen, perhaps you here a "CQ KH1BBQ listening", and that's all you hear, and he/she keeps transmitting that same series of letters and number... what did he/she say, was it important, where was he/she, and again. Why do you care?

    See, you probably won't be hearing news reports, and hopefully not CNN, you will be hearing Hams trying to make contact, and if it's a widespread disaster, there may not be much out there, wouldn't you like to respond to him/her, and ask WTF just happened?

    Just my $0.02

    Rancher

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  7. #24
    VIP Member! MountainGirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OSFG View Post
    One thing to keep in mind is Line loss. Most cable, even the best cable can lose close to 3 dB over 100 foot run (For transmitting that is a reduction by half of your radiated power. For recieve it equals about a 1/4 reduction in range/quality). Line loss can be recovered by a Low Noise Amplifier (LNA).

    Going up the hill depends on where you expect to receive from. Obviously higher usually means better as far as line of sight comms, But will not help greatly if your listening to skywave signals, unless the mountain/hill is in the direction of the distant station.
    From up the hill, behind the mountain behind us, is wilderness for miles and miles, and then Canada, lol. Our line of sight looking E,S,W is unlimited. From the cabin, there is no line of sight.

    Quote Originally Posted by OSFG View Post
    This is probably way more helpful to you than what I said....My info is confusing and based more on a dumbass like me being stuck somewhere with what I got on my back...probably not what your looking for.... Good luck Mountain Girl
    I've been the dumbass, stuck with what I'm carrying. This is different for me, having one place like this, and everything I learn is useful...as I find out what will work and what wont. I appreciate your input, Sir.

  8. #25
    VIP Member! MountainGirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by azrancher View Post
    I'm going to play the devils advocate here... If you are an army of two and you don't need help from anyone else, and you are completely self sufficient, then you don't need to know what is happening anywhere else.

    OK, you don't need to talk, so you listen, perhaps you here a "CQ KH1BBQ listening", and that's all you hear, and he/she keeps transmitting that same series of letters and number... what did he/she say, was it important, where was he/she, and again. Why do you care?

    See, you probably won't be hearing news reports, and hopefully not CNN, you will be hearing Hams trying to make contact, and if it's a widespread disaster, there may not be much out there, wouldn't you like to respond to him/her, and ask WTF just happened?

    Just my $0.02

    Rancher
    $0.02 well spent, thanks.

    And you are right, in what you describe we won't "need" to know, nor will we really care...well, that's not quite it; we 'care' about humanity as any human would, but as to how what unfolds directly affects us, it wont - with a few exceptions.

    If there is a CME or EMP event that knocks out most everything - as your post describes - then the random surviving "CQ KH1BBQ listening" might bring more melancholy than hearing nothing, so at that point there'd be no reason to even listen; we'd know WTF happened.

    BUT - If the SHTF is one of a widespread event, societal collapse, civil war, revolution, UN troops on US soil (lol), then there should be a lot to 'listen' to - and, again, we would not transmit. Especially then. It would be more of a curiosity for us...to hear gov propaganda, or Jedi out there fighting the Empire (lol) even though we'd not have their frequencies... my words are playful, my intent is serious.

    AND - If SHTF never happens, it would be nice to have a good radio/receiver up here now; there are some regional stations relatively close that I'd enjoy listening to...and though I can through their websites I dont like being online to do it.

    Thanks again, Rancher. I don't mind at all when my ideas are challenged. That's usually when I learn most.

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  10. #26
    VIP Member! MountainGirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Slippy View Post
    Mountain Girl, we bought our setup from the clowns at Ham Radio Outlet. (see link below)

    Most of the folk there were great at explaining the differences in various models and helping us with our needs. Mrs S has her license and did the research on our setup. I really don't know shit about the whole HAM thing so I can't help you much.

    We don't use our radio as much as we thought we would but we have it in case we need it. So there's that...

    Good luck and tell Tom, Slippy says Hey!

    https://www.hamradio.com/locations.cfm?storeid=8
    Thanks Slippy! I might try and find us a used Ham something (your Ham skills exceed mine, lol); I wouldn't be doing any licensing etc...but I bet I can listen undetected.

    Tom says Hey back!

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  12. #27
    I Never Log Off! OSFG's Avatar
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    Many folks do worry about transmitting during SHTF situations, especially when its Government run amuck/crack down types of SHTF situations.

    Direction finding is far more difficult than some realize and easier than many realize depending on where you live.

    I could go into this in detail but I don't want to derail MG's thread.

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  14. #28
    VIP Member! MountainGirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by OSFG View Post
    Many folks do worry about transmitting during SHTF situations, especially when its Government run amuck/crack down types of SHTF situations.

    Direction finding is far more difficult than some realize and easier than many realize depending on where you live.

    I could go into this in detail but I don't want to derail MG's thread.
    Please do, OSFG; your words and experience are beyond measure - and this would be very much on topic, imo.

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  16. #29
    Dinky Dau azrancher's Avatar
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    MG, one more thing, you don't need to get to the top of the hill near you to hook up a HF radio and antenna that will transmit, and receive from far away places depending on the atmospheric conditions, Line of Sight is only for VHF and more for UHF reception and transmission, so find a good HF receiver and try it out, for receiving just about any wire strung up thru the trees will get you reception. HF is 3 - 30 MHz.

    Rancher

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  18. #30
    VIP Member! MountainGirl's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by azrancher View Post
    MG, one more thing, you don't need to get to the top of the hill near you to hook up a HF radio and antenna that will transmit, and receive from far away places depending on the atmospheric conditions, Line of Sight is only for VHF and more for UHF reception and transmission, so find a good HF receiver and try it out, for receiving just about any wire strung up thru the trees will get you reception. HF is 3 - 30 MHz.

    Rancher
    Thanks, Rancher, that's a good idea to try. Does wire size make any difference?

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