Thursday, April 18th, 2024, is World Amateur Radio Day. Amateur Radio is an important part of disaster response and preparedness, as well as having positive impacts on scientific and diplomatic efforts.
Today, amateur radio is more popular than ever, with more than 3,000,000 licensed operators around the world. Notably, ITU has recognized the IARU as representing the interests of amateur radio services and licensees.
In nearly a century of engagement, IARU has helped to grow the amateur services into a well-recognized partner in global communications. Our forthcoming centenary is an opportunity to celebrate these achievements.
On 18 April each year, operators around the world take part in World Amateur Radio Day. This is a day when IARU member-societies can show their capabilities to the public and enjoy friendships with other amateurs worldwide.
We proudly share the good work done by amateur radio operators, their innovations in the science of communications, and what we do for the global community.
While these services have been in operation for over a century, 1924 was the first year that intercontinental amateur communications became commonplace. The field has witnessed unparalleled technological advances since then – part of the reason amateur radio is so crucial for global communications and timely emergency response today…”
Iran reportedly carried out the first direct air strikes against Israel this evening, from Iranian soil using drones and long-range cruise missiles. Israel missile defense systems, along with Air Force aircraft joined by a coalition of U.S., U.K., Jordanian, and other nations, intercepted hundreds of incoming missiles and drones.
Russia is threatening to intervene if the U.S. directly strikes Iran.
Israel is preparing for a sophisticated and powerful precision response on Iranian targets in Syria and Iran in the coming hours and days.
GPS disruptions have been reported, complicating navigation for aircraft and maritime ships. We should anticipate cyber attacks as another method of warfare against (and from) all parties involved.
AmRRON will be at AmCON-2, effective 20240414-0400Z, in anticipation of anticipated/expected disruptions to conventional telecommunications and/or internet services.
Go to the AmCON Pagefor details and additional instructions.
It appears an entire cottage industry has emerged in which various vendors sell ham radio, GMRS, and similar resources as a preparedness tool. Search YouTube using terms such as “prepper” and “communications” and one will find hundreds, if not thousands of videos that promote various communications solutions, many of which focus on ham radio. Unfortunately, one can argue that many of these videos and sales pitches amount to the proverbial “blind leading the blind.”
There is much to be said for establishing communications alternatives that support neighborhood and community preparedness. Prepper groups are fond of the term “MAG,” which translates to mutual assistance group. Having a “MAG” composed of like minded and equally dedicated and prepared people can be a very good thing, particularly if the participants are all level-headed and equally dedicated to preparedness. We won’t digress further into that subject except to assert that developing the ability to communicate in the event of disruptions to the cellular grid and local/regional Internet connectivity is a prudent preparedness step. Therefore, let’s examine the realistic communications requirements for one’s preparedness program.
Most communications are local:
This assertion should not come as a surprise. It’s been proven through 175 years of telecommunications history. The volume of communications traffic on local networks is typically higher than that on long-haul circuits. It’s simply a reflection of the nature of social hierarchy. In a SHTF situation, circumstances usually dictate that local issues are addressed first. For example, if summoning assistance, the person from whom you request assistance must be close enough to provide the needed aid. As a result, most members of one’s prepper “tribe” do not need to be ham radio operators. Common resources such as FRS/GMRS (interoperable), CB radio, or MURS are often more than adequate for covering local terrain. Even hard-wire resources such as field phones can be pressed into service between closely located homes or facilities.
The gateway process as force multiplier:
If a MAG establishes a local communications network using commonly available, inexpensive technology, messages leaving the local network can be transferred to national/international infrastructure by “gateway” operators with long-haul capabilities. One to three operators (for redundancy) in a group that have the necessary license, training, and equipment to communicate over longer distances can move message traffic between the local network and long-haul infrastructure services. For example, if someone in your prepper group needs to send a message to a relative 1000 miles away, he simply formats a radiogram, transmits it to the gateway operator, and the latter individual injects it into the long-haul network.
The gateway function is a simple force multiplier process, which allows everyone in a group to send and receive medium/long-haul messages even if they do not have an interest in communications systems as a technological hobby or avocation. The process is also not economically regressive. After all, there’s a big difference between the cost of a new or used CB or GMRS radio and a modern ham radio transceiver and associated equipment.
Gateway requirements:
While impressive and elegant, HF radio and similar resources, with their ability to communicate over long distances, are of little value if communications with distant points are established randomly. In other words, even with survivable HF radio capabilities, some type of standardized infrastructure designed to efficiently relay and route messages to their destination is required. For this purpose, one might use Winlink (radio email), the RRI Digital Traffic Network, or manual mode traffic networks using CW, SSB, or various narrowband digital methods. Each method will offer both advantages and disadvantages depending on circumstances and operational requirements. These pros and cons are outside the scope of this article but suffice to say that the ability to exchange signal reports with random stations around the country is NOT the same as rapidly and accurately transmitting record message traffic to a third party 200 or 2000 miles away. For that, one needs not only infrastructure, but one also needs training, which brings us to our final point……
Connectivity is NOT the same as communications:
The prepper community, and even some Amateur Radio emergency communications volunteers, tend to perceive disaster communications in a “break glass in time of emergency” fashion. Using a bit of imagery, the “ham radio” is an object similar to a fire extinguisher in a public space. The “ham radio” (noun) sits in a red box labeled “break glass in case of emergency.” In the mental fantasy of the prepper, he will simply break the glass, turn on the radio, and start communicating. Unfortunately, “reality bites.” One can guarantee that 100-percent of the time, prepper communications will suffer in myriad ways. Messages will arrive garbled, content will be missing, assumptions regarding content will be made, and fatal errors in messages, tactical or record message, will hamper organizational response. In other words:
THE ABILITY TO ESTABLISH CONNECTIVITY IS NOT THE SAME AS THE ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE! (article continues)
Increased likelihood of a disrupting event which could result in loss of conventional telecommunications and other services.
Due to numerous corroborating news and intelligence outlets, there is a significantly increased risk of social unrest between pro Israeli and pro Palestinian demonstrations, especially within the major cities of US and Europe. Additionally, this call to action by the terrorist organization, Hamas, could incite lone wolf or sleeper cells to become operational. Intelligence indicates that at the very least, Jewish personnel and their businesses and places of worship may be targets of terrorist attacks.SOURCE: Forward Observer
HAMAS LEADER CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL “DAY OF RAGE”: Head of the Hamas Diaspora Office and founding member Khaled Mashal called for Muslims across the globe to “be martyrs for al-Aqsa” in “the Friday of al-Aqsa Flood” on 20 October.
Why It Matters: Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iranian intelligence services have a presence in the U.S., and more “illegals” have very likely crossed the southern border into the U.S. with the potential to act as sleeper cells. Hezbollah is involved in the narcotics trade in Latin America, ranging from the tri-border area between Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay to Mexico. If Hamas and Hezbollah seek to draw the U.S. into war in the Levant, they could conduct an attack against U.S. personnel and American tourists in Europe or the Middle East. Amid already high domestic tensions between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel political factions, Hamas militants could potentially conduct attacks within the United States. – R.C.
Local and federal law enforcement agencies across the US are increasing patrols after a former Hamas leader called on supporters to unleash chaos in what is being called a ‘day of rage.’
In New York City, Morgan Stanley employees were allowed to remote work today as an “All Out For Palestine” rally in Times Square, near the bank’s headquarters, presents security risks, according to Bloomberg.
Google parent Alphabet Inc. employees in NYC were told they could stay home today, while a Jewish school in Queens instructed parents it would close today due to security risks.
NBC News said the New York Police Department ordered all officers to be on patrol today while providing enhanced security at cultural sites and houses of worship. Additional officers will be deployed to protest areas.
“New York City will do whatever it takes to keep our people safe,” New York Mayor Eric Adams (D) told reporters at a Thursday evening press conference.
Outside of Israel, NYC has the largest Jewish population, and already, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D) Democratic Socialists of America have held pro-Palestinian rallies in Times Square.
I really really hate political posting, but the absolute irony and hypocrisy of hard left Dem groups like NY DSA flashing swastikas today, after years of casually throwing out terms like racist and nazi at all critics, is too much not call out pic.twitter.com/LT8H6QzPR1
AOC has made an effort, optically, of course, to denounce DSA’s explosive anti-Israel rhetoric: “(The rally) did not speak for the thousands of New Yorkers who are capable of rejecting both Hamas’ horrifying attacks against innocent civilians as well as the grave injustices and violence Palestinians face under occupation.”
From coast to coast, police departments said they plan to increase patrols after Khaled Mashal, the former leader and founding member of Hamas, called on Muslims earlier this week to unleash a ‘Day of Rage‘ on Friday.
Due to the escalating situation involving the war in Israel, and the potential for expanding regionally and beyond, the AmRRON Readiness Condition Level is now at Level 4 (Incident Possible).
There are numerous factors which could lead to regional expansion of the conflict between Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah, especially as it relates to their supporting nation states (such as Iran).
Additionally, large demonstrations in western cities (including the U.S.) in support of “Palestine” could embolden jihadi fighters in the U.S. (including those who have infiltrated our southern border) to carry out terror attacks in western nations similar to what we saw in southern Israel this past weekend.
The unrest and division could also be exploited by Chinese operatives who (according to multiple intelligence reports) are affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), and who have infiltrated into the U.S., and pose a significant risk through sabotage operations. This could lead to disruptions (either kinetic physical action or cyber attacks) against our telecommunications, transportation, navigation, and fiber optic internet infrastructures.
AmRRON operators should take the following actions:
Inspect, functions check, and/or repair communications equipment, including alternative power
Charge batteries and increase fuel supply
Test your family, group, and community emergency communications plan
Discuss communications and other emergency response plans with same
Ensure your software is updated and tested
Submit a test STATREP (preferably using Commstat) in the next 24 hours
Check the website and this AmCON page for any updates.
NC Scout of Brushbeater takes a look at a sometimes overlooked radio option for radio communication – Citizens’ Band (CB) radio. He talks about the benefits of the CB frequency spectrum and takes a look at a particular piece of CB equipment.
Most, myself included, dismissed CB a long time back as little more than a relic of generations gone by. A fun throwback to the 70s and 80s, with more practical and capable equipment options coming into the market it quickly started looking obsolete. Older CB radios left much to be desired in terms of practicality for much else that being mounted on a dashboard. And, to be fair, they were built for their primary purpose.
The fact remains that CB radio itself actually has a ton of utility. From 26-27mHz, its nestled right in the upper end of the HF radio range, behaving much like VHF locally but having the capability of transmitting incredibly long distances with a little original thinking and application of antenna theory. It remains the strongest option, at least frequency wise, for rural applications due to its ability to cover long distances while experiencing lower signal loss due to vegetation. In a nutshell, the lower in frequency you go, the less signal strength you lose to vegetation according to the PRC-64 tests in Vietnam.Growing up on the tailend of the CB heyday, many of the handhelds we used in our hunting clubs left much to be desired and usually wouldn’t last more than one season. Truck mounted units were fine, but there was no real field worthy option and the handhelds were pricey to be an essentially one time use item. This led to the rise in popularity of the Motorola FRS Talkbouts, even though they were limited both in terms of range and capability. Once the Baofeng radios hit the market it really became a game changer for a lot of reasons and at least around here a revolution coupled with the utility of the license free MURS frequencies. CB became mostly viewed as obsolete. But one huge thing of note – it remains the option of choice for Spanish speakers to communicate off grid at least in rural NC. Do not let that data point be overlooked…it works for a reason for them and does for you as well.
That brings us to the intersection of two issues; a lack of decent equipment options for field applications and a social aversion due to the opinion of it being obsolete. Fortunately a solution is here and I think its a revolution to CB radio. The CB-58 caught my eye after the FCC made the use of FM legal on CB (previously it was limited to AM only). Having a rechargeable battery as well as a AA battery box is a massive tool in terms of utility in the field. And its build quality is reminiscent of the old Bendix King wild land firefighter radios if they had had an LCD screen, even featuring the rugged BNC antenna connector that is my personal choice in the field.
In the last RTO Course I ran an experiment on the students during the final two days (Signals Intelligence) having two groups rig jungle antennas for the CB band and move to transmitter sites, while not informing the students tasked with SIGINT that another tool was in play. They were intercepting the signals on their spectrum analyzers and scanners, but ignoring them completely. “That’s just CB from the highway” I heard one of them say. And when I dropped a hint, they still couldn’t intercept the traffic on FM because their equipment would only tune AM. Not too shabby. The point here is there’s a huge advantage to the high end of HF where CB resides – its hiding in plain site. By the time the SIGINT team got a bearing, the transmissions were sent and there wasn’t anything to exploit. Kind reminds me of something Lawrence Myers covered using CB radio handhelds in his classic, SpyCom.
If you search the Para Set, you’ll find an incredibly neat piece of history from the genesis of the clack and dagger era: WWII and the early part of the Cold War. Spies relied upon one way messages transmitted via Shortwave (HF Radio) and encrypted with One Time Pads that also had the ability to transmit should the need arise. For that reason they required a simple, self contained, low power radio that met the needs. What they got was known as the Para Set.
Having a receive and transmit coverage between 3 and 7.6mHz or so in two selectable bands, we’d come to know this in later years as the Amateur 80m (3.5-4mHz) and 40m (7-7.3mhz) bands for Night and Day use, respectively. And while these weren’t meant for civilian use, some inevitably did find their way into civilian hands in later years with Hams even creating reproduction kits.But the Para Set was really a special tool beyond the novelty of its history. It was a compact, self contained tool. No cables necessary for a separate tuner – an antenna matching unit was built in, as was the power source. This made for a radio that could also easily be hidden and otherwise camoflaged. Rather than the large capacity base stations pumping out thousands of watts safe from the Radio Direction Finding (RDF) hunter killer teams of the Gestapo and Waffen SS, the Para Set maintained a diminutive 5 watts maximum output – enough for a quick burst of CW Morse code.
These days I get a lot of questions from radio operators and guys looking to develop their communications capability past the Sustainment and Tactical or Inter-team roles into the Clandestine end of things, meaning HF. Much of my early work focused on HF as a means to communicate over long distances coordinating different groups, and in particular, utilizing Near Vertical Incidence Skywave (NVIS) as a technique for reliability and mitigating the RDF threat. Those early articles are all found in the Guerrilla Dispatch Volumes 1 and 2, including some excellent work by my close friend Historian on antenna design and a Master Class on NVIS propagation and RF theory. Don’t worry…I wrote a lengthy layman’s piece on it as well in Volume 1.With that said and going back to the question above, most broach the topic asking what to buy before they ask the how. I totally get it, and I’m doing what I can to supply that option. The Xiegu X6100 is in many ways the modern incarnation of that same Para Set from eras gone by. Small, self contained, with a large display screen and extremely simple user interface. Perhaps the best feature is the large waterfall display which allows the operator to see signals the same way they would on a panadapter of an SDR. I’ve found this reduces the learning curve for newer radio operators. The radio features 5 watts maximum output and can work in all modes – including SSB voice (often referred to as ‘phone’ by Hams) and CW. In particular its become a very popular option for the Summits on the Air (SOTA) crowd and the FT8 family of digital modes. For that reason it was a natural addition to the Brushbeater Store.
Chris Warren at Off Grid Ham talks about Cheap & Easy Portable Antenna Hacks in the article below. When I run off battery power or away from home, I tend to use a Buddipole portable antenna system. The first time I set it up, I was able to tune into a pileup on an operator in Ukraine, and I’ve been pretty happy with it since then. However, you need to think about how and why you’ll be using your radio off grid. My Buddipole antenna is portable, but not so portable that I’d want to backpack it in somewhere with my radio and camping gear. Additionally, unless you are most worried about an EMP taking out North America, in most situations you don’t need to be able to talk halfway around the world.
Wire and wire dipole antennas can be cheap and light. If you only want to talk to radio operators in your state or couple of hundred mile around, you don’t need to mount the antenna very high. And if you only want to listen, you can lay your wire right on the ground. There is also a ton of information on the internet about building wire antennas. I’ll put a YouTube video at the bottom.
It’s a little unclear the way Chris wrote about baluns and ununs, but the need for either is based on both the feedline to the antenna system and the antenna itself. Chris is writing about using coaxial cable as the feedline, which is unbalanced. If you were using ladder line, that would be a balanced line. So feeding a dipole, which is balanced, from Coax, which is unbalanced, would be aided by a balun (balanced to unbalanced). Feeding dipole, again balanced, using ladder line, which is balanced would not need either. Feeding a random wire, which would be unbalanced, using coax, which is unbalanced, could use an unun (unbalanced to unbalanced). And feeding an unbalanced random wire antenna with balanced ladder line could be aided by a balun.
All that said, if your radio itself isn’t putting out balanced output, then a balun or unun may still improve things for you. Additionally, just because you’re going from coax to a dipole doesn’t mean that you have to have a balun to talk to anyone. Having a balun may reduce noise and keep unwanted RF out of your operating shack (if you’re using one), but not having one may not impede your ability to communicate as needed. These kinds of things are part of the reason why people who use radios a lot continually tell preppers not to just buy a radio thinking that they’ll be able to unbox it and use it perfectly when the emergency happens. Yes, you may be able to unpack your Baofeng HT, and it may work properly out of the box, but it may not perform the way you need it to if you haven’t tested it and made adjustments.
I don’t do a lot of antenna articles because there is already so much information in circulation I can’t see much ground left to cover, at least that’s what I thought until new Off Grid Ham reader Rick sent a nice email that inspired this article. What are some cheap and easy ideas to make a portable antenna better, from an off grid perspective?
The off grid niche. portable antenna
To rehash the obvious, running off grid radio does not require a “special” antenna. Whatever works for conventionally-powered stations will also work off grid. However, off gridders tend to have different needs and operating goals. Some antennas fit these needs and goals better than others. portable antenna
I know from my own operating experience, running this blog for over seven years, and talking with other hams, that off grid amateurs disproportionally use QRP, lean towards portable operations (outdoors), and are less focused on having a big signal for the purpose of DX, contests, & awards. They also, by a very large margin, are involved with the survivalist/prepper movement and/or EMCOMM on some level.
If you are into amateur radio in whole or in part because you want communications when SHTF, then your equipment choices are going to be different from the guy who is a contester, DXer, or thinks it’s just a fun hobby. An analysis of those two demographics might itself be worthy of an entire Off Grid Ham article.
From the abstract to the real.
Now that we’ve lightly touched on the sociology and psychology of why operators may choose different equipment, the next question is “what are my options?” Your options as an off gridder are are for the most part the same as they are for everyone else. You’ll just have to make a few adaptations. As we have discussed many, many times on this blog, there will be tradeoffs and compromises. Here are a few ideas with a “cheap & easy” goal in mind:
The wire antenna. portable antenna
Perhaps the most fundamental of all antennas, the dipole has been around almost as long as radio itself. There are a few things an operator can do to make it more off-grid friendly. These ideas can apply to all other wire antennas too:
Lose some weight!
If you are running QRP power levels, there is no compelling reason to have a dipole with heavy gauge (16 or less) wire. Wire sizes between 18-22 gauge are perfectly acceptable for QRP. It’s less expensive, easy to work with, and coils nicely for easy transport.
Speaker wire is a popular material for light weight antennas. It’s easy to find and not particularly expensive. It would be a great choice. But there is something better. Much better.
The “holy grail” of off grid antenna wire.
The top of the QRP antenna wire pyramid is 22 gauge central office frame wire (sometimes referred to as cross connect wire). CO frame wire is incredibly strong for its size and does not easily stretch. It comes in a twisted pair. There is no need to separate the pair. Simply strip the insulation and terminate the bare wires together at each end. This turns the twisted pair into what is effectively one single conductor. The twist will have no meaningful effect on your send or receive signal.
Unfortunately, CO frame wire is used only by the telecommunications industry and is very hard to find for sale to the public. It can occasionally be found at swap meets. I was able to source this wire through my professional affiliations and can confirm that it makes a fantastic light weight antenna material.
The photo below is a 20 meter central office frame wire dipole with balun, rolled up for transport. It weighs 9.6 ounces (0.272 kg) including the balun and fits in a plastic sandwich bag.
Many hams work for the phone company, or have connections. Ask around. If all else fails, you’ve got nothing to lose by knocking on the door of your local central office and simply asking the tech if you can have some frame wire. He/she will know what you are talking about. Every year they pay contractors to haul away thousands of feet of the stuff to the scrap yard, so it’s not a big deal to give some away. Many telephone central offices are not manned full time so you may have to make a few attempts to catch someone while they are there. Since techs set aside unwanted wire for recycling, “dumpster diving” will not likely produce any results. In any case, it will be well worth your effort if you can find some.
If you cannot source central office frame wire, light gauge speaker or doorbell wire will work just fine but will not be as strong and stretch resistant.
Baluns and ununs.
Almost any antenna fed by coax can be improved by adding a balun or a unun. These devices are essentially transformers that manage the impedance difference between your feedline and the antenna and prevent common mode current. Common mode current is undesirable RF energy that flows along the outer braid or shield of the coax; it contributes to inefficiency and poor antenna performance.
A balun is used on antennas where all elements are the same length, such as a dipole. A unun is used on antennas where the elements are not the same length, such as a random long wire…(article continues)
And here’s a video on building a 20m dipole antenna.
Radio Free Redoubt: Episode 22-41 When Ham Radio is Banned and Non-Permissive Comms Environments Part-4
This discussion is focused on a future potential scenario when operators must use tactics, techniques, and procedures, which might not be within current FCC regulations. AmRRON policy is clear that all its members operate on the airwaves in a lawful manner. We do not use encryption or otherwise intentionally obscure transmissions over the amateur radio bands. If you see it, report it: johnjacob at amrron dot com. It would be easy, and conceivable, for a malicious actor to ‘spoof’ a ham radio operator’s callsign and transmit illegally in order to bring scrutiny against an individual ham operator, whatever the motive might be. This is why we emphasize and practice authentication measures.
More on Direction Finding and other Considerations (radio fingerprinting) TTPs — Making it difficult for the bad guys TTPs — When you are being hunted Minimize Positive Identity Avoid predictability Use digital modes as opposed to voice, when it’s practical or feasible. DMR two-way radios: Digital Mobile Radio for local tactical comms (digitalized voice, with encryption options) ALT METHODS OF COMMUNICATING (LOCALLY) GMRS Gotenna/Beartooth Meshtastic LoRa devices for mesh networking, Texting (Android/iOS), etc. Wifi/Broadband Mesh networks (and intranet): Ubiquity BRIDGE (up to 10 miles)
REMOTE OPERATIONS: DON’T STAND THERE. Minimize getting vaporized — Don’t be standing at the same place your signal is emitting from. In extreme danger tactical environments, wherever your radio and antenna is… don’t be there.
NC Scout of Brushbeater has written The Guerrilla’s Guide to the Baofeng which is now available on Amazon. It’s an 8″x10″ paperback with 156 pages. If you are interested in the austere use of radio communications or you purchased an inexpensive Baofeng radio in order to be prepared and are wondering how to use it, then add this to your Christmas list.
Its been a long time in the making, but the book is finally out. With chapters on communications planning, improvised antennas, operational considerations for sustainment, tactical and clandestine purposes, digital operations and yes, encryption, this book is an easy to follow how-to manual taking you from whatever your knowledge base may be and takes it to the next level.
From the blurb on Amazon:
The Guerrilla’s Guide To The Baofeng Radio is a handbook for those finding themselves in an austere environment, an underground resistance, or going into harm’s way with one of the most common pieces of communications equipment in the world. Going far beyond simple programming or what’s written from the Amateur Radio perspective, this manual goes in-depth on how to communicate, creating a communications plan, improvised wire antennas, digital operations and encryption in an easy to follow, step-by-step format based on combat proven methods. Whether you’ve just invested in a few of the inexpensive radios for an uncertain future or find yourself in rough corners of the world, this manual covers how to create communications where there otherwise would be none.
And the author info on Amazon:
NC Scout is the pseudonym of a former member of one of the US Army’s premier special reconnaissance units with two combat deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan. He runs Brushbeater Training and Consulting, which teaches courses on small unit tactics, communications and survival based on skills he learned while serving to prepare people for uncertain times ahead. He is the owner and senior editor of American Partisan, and can be found on his podcast, Radio Contra.
The following recording is from Radio Free Redoubt Episode 22-40 When Ham Radio is Banned and Non-Permissive Comms Environments Part-3.
Assessing Communications goals
HF Renaissance in the US Army (Review)
Introduction to NVIS for HF
Antennas and Learning Your Footprint (are you meeting your goals?)
WSPRNet
PSKReporter
VOACAP
ATAK/CIVTAK battle tracking/incident tracking
Polarization of antennas on VHF (vertical vs horizontal)
Assessing your communications goals. What are you hoping to accomplish?:
In a WROL (Without Rule of Law) environment, what types of communications do you see yourself conducting, out of necessity?
Local:
Voice only, for quick coordination with others? Digital/data mode capabilities for more in-depth intelligence and reports sharing?
Regional (up to 400 miles)
To an individual (family member or friends) just to stay in touch and check on their welfare, or supporting regional operations?
Welfare vs. Operational vs. Strategic communications
Voice vs. Digital modes
Continental (Intermediate to long range / 400 miles and beyond):
To an individual (family member or friends) just to stay in touch and check on their welfare, or supporting regional operations?
Welfare vs. Operational vs. Strategic communications
Voice vs. Digital modes
Why will you be communicating?
You and a family member (you and your brother), or multiple groups of family members or friends?
Mutual support, coordination and sharing of intel and coordination between multiple organizations?
Strategic communications supporting command and control for leadership to coordinate supplies.
Ask yourself, and answer these questions: – Who is it that I intent to communicate with? – What is the purpose for our communicaitons? – Why is this a permissive operating environment?
– Who is establishing the rule that I cannot communicate? – Enforcement. Who can stop me and what are their capabilities? What type of threat do they impose?
Is it a local criminal or revolutionary element that’s forcing hams to work for them, or attempting to locate hams to take their equipment for their own use?
Is it low-intensity conflict, with skirmishes between rival factions with no RDF (radio direction finding) or jamming capabilities?
Is this a civil war, or an invasion, with portions of your country under enemy control?
Are you caught in hostile/occupied territory?
If you are in friendly territory, does your side have air superiority or air defenses? Are you within, or outside of, artillery range (close to a border or forward edge of a battle line) ?
Is the threat/enemy force technologically advanced with RDF, jamming, or guided weapons capabilities?
All these things have to be factored in to your decision making and risk assessment processes.
The following podcast comes from Radio Free Redoubt.
AmRRON POLICY: AmRRON OPERATIONS ARE LEGAL AND LAWFUL, and when using Amateur Radio bands, FCC rules apply.
We don’t use encryption over radio. There’s no need to. There’s no need to use tactical callsigns. But we do practice with it using the internet and other platforms where it’s perfectly legal.
More on authentication
Authentication using PGP key signatures for files
Tactical Callsigns (COMSEC/PERSEC/OPSEC); the alternative to using FCC callsigns when protecting your identity is necessary.
‘Modding’ your radio (aka. Open banding, opening up, MARS modding, your radio to operate outside amateur radio bands)
AUTHENTICATION (TWO-WAY)
THE TEN-LETTER WORD AUTHENTICATION
The following is a visual of the one-way authentication example as used in the podcast:
Figure 1
THE DRYAD
The image below (Figure 2) is an example of a ‘Dryad’, found in military CEOIs, and was used for two-way authentication and enciphering numbers. There is VERY little information available open source (on the internet) discussing or explaining most components of a CEOI. However, American Partisan has a series of articles for the Raspberry Pi enthusiasts, for generating tactical callsigns, dryads, and more. Today, authentication and encryption is loaded into modern military radios, and these soldier comms skills are (were) a dying art. We’re bringing them back.
Figure 2
Instructions on using the dryad will not be covered here, but will be covered in the near future.
The following two links cover NCScout’s postings at AmericanPartisan… an excellent resource for modern patriots, including radio operators.
Note, it is a script for generating dryads, callsigns, etc. on a Raspberry Pi, for those of you savvy with using R-Pi.
Thanks for watching this next episode of How to solar power your portable radio.When talking about manpacks, we normally mean ham or military-style manpack HF VHF or UHF radios. Well, we have taken the military manpack radio concept and applied it to a man-portable manpack portable power system, for civilian communications off-grid. The system includes the battery, dual charge controllers, fused leads, power distribution, and a shooter style manpack pouch to keep things simple and organized. The system was designed in simplifying the build, stopping any unnecessary wire mess, and has an active focus on rapid deployment and portability off-grid. The system can be used to power one or more high-power radios for instant power and comms off grid.
Lower Valley Assembly 