12 thoughts on “The SpearHead Transmission-2FEB17”

  3. Interesting discussion. Having been in the hobby for many decades, it is informative to get another perspective from younger folks.

    What I took away from that interview was the need for some really basic definition of what a radio is supposed to do…..

    1. Yep…which I tried, somewhat, to do. The real key is first conveying that ‘yeah, all that stuff your phone does, what if it no longer did it?’ and then, ‘there’s a way to network on your own’.

      For me at least, the ability to communicate (or do anything else) independent of infrastructure is the heart of self sustainment.

      1. Agreed WRT communication capability as a key to self reliance . I also agree that there is a lot that can be done lawfully without a license for local comms. MURS, FRS, the 900 mHz band and CB all have a place. For local comms. But there is a limit to what local comms can give you.

        Regional comms is where the gaps start to show between licensed and unlicensed operators. NVIS is key for lower tech regional comm with LPDF. Satellite comms can fill a part of that same role, but are more vulnerable to being disrupted. Here, money can at least partially fill this gap, but this is where it starts to get expensive. Satellite cell phones can be had, but the purchase price is about the same as a midrange HF transceiver, over $1000, they are still dependent on a complex infrastructure which can be relatively easily disrupted, and the monthly cost for access is significant.

        Long distance communication outside of the present telecomm network is not possible without HF operation. You can listen without a license, and that is a big help, but being able to send information is a potentially life-saving ability that you will not have without a license.

      2. I don’t even consider SAT phones as part of a preparedness plan.

        For all those reading- yes, a couple other big-name prepper writers have and do. But with a flick of a switch or a stroke of a pen, that capability goes away, at least domestically. And you have no control over it.

        Second, Iridium places a higher premium on .gov interests than yours, provided you can afford it. It’s HEAVILY MONITORED as well. I know, I’ve been there, done that, on the taxpayer dime. And it’s still not reliable even in .gov hands.

        The network infrastructure YOU CREATE and CONTROL is the only one you can really count on. And for that reason, really, you should at least be familiar with the concepts KP and I write about.

    1. It just depends on what one is trying to do. Like I pointed out (or, I think I did) is that an out-of-the-box thinker could for sure use unlicensed gear in innovative ways.

      But then again, that idea would come from knowledge of how said gear works, which would probably lead one to get licensed if interested, which would further that knowledge base.

Comments are closed.