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chamberc wrote: ↑Thu Jan 14, 2021 7:52 pm

Paladin wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 11:42 pm

Charles L. Cotton wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 5:48 pm

Ruark wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:13 pm All they need to shut down ham radio is some kind of precipitating event to use as an excuse. For example, somebody sets off a bomb, and investigators find out they planned it using ham radio. Pow, it'd be shut down in a heartbeat.

Shutting down ham radio would not be easy at all. Hundreds of thousands of transceivers exist and they don't have to operate at fixed locations. If we ever get to that stage, the entire country would be at war anyway.

Chas.

Agreed. And add to that the impossibility of locating and confiscating countless receivers... many of which only cost $25-40.

POW Canteen Radios were a real thing in WW2

You don't have to... signals warfare is far more sophisticated than needing to track down users. You simply block the spectrum... easy to do in broad geographical areas.

This is a fact.

chamberc wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:33 am

Paladin wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:24 am

Dave2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:25 am Has anyone actually threatened to shut down ham radios, or is this all hypothetical?

There are actually legal workarounds even if they did. Per international agreements, if you have dual citizenship and a listed foreign amateur radio license, the US has to let you use it here:

Operation in the US by Foreign Amateurs

Truthfully, even the Soviet Union had ham operators. Its how the Soviet's got contact with the outside world.

They can track down any stationary HAM user any time they want pretty easily... fox and hound exercises show it doesn't take much. You operate at their pleasure. Same goes for any technology even E2E encrypted...

With satellite technology a transmitter can be pin pointed in seconds if they wish. Radar (another form of radio) emitters are pin pointed from aircraft all the time. A single ham operator with a mobile very directional antenna would need several minutes to triangulate a general vicinity of a local transmitter if it was continually or regularly transmitting. Cell phone towers locate the general vicinity of phones continually.

I know all this stretching the original topic of alternate coms, but if anyone is planning on these things they need to know all the details. There are faults in all systems. Runners/messengers are slow, mail is unreliable, smoke signals, flashlight morse code, and flags have be in visual range. Where does it end?

Paladin wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 9:24 am

Dave2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:25 am Has anyone actually threatened to shut down ham radios, or is this all hypothetical?

There are actually legal workarounds even if they did. Per international agreements, if you have dual citizenship and a listed foreign amateur radio license, the US has to let you use it here:

Operation in the US by Foreign Amateurs

Truthfully, even the Soviet Union had ham operators. Its how the Soviet's got contact with the outside world.

I can guarantee you that those licensed operators had to be members of the communist party and in very good standing with political leadership. Comparatively to the US they were very few in number.

Side note: When I was in the Air Force with a high security clearance I was required to report all/each radio contacts with Soviets and Eastern Bloc countries to my local OSI office.

Dave2 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 13, 2021 4:25 am Has anyone actually threatened to shut down ham radios, or is this all hypothetical?

No , so far it's not mentioned. But in the discussion of alternate comms we have to consider the possibility. Most of the politicians have no idea about ham radio. Ignoring real problems and knee jerk reactions to non existent problems are their forte'. In watching current events one has to wonder how long it will take. All it will take is some bozos utilizing radios to coordinate a perceived nefarious event to get that knee jerk.

Soccerdad1995 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:56 am

Grayling813 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:09 am

2farnorth wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 10:35 am The Feds can eliminate legal Amateur Radio any time they want too. All it would take is an edict from Biden/Harris. Just like Hitler did. There is no constitutional protection for us. But anyway, the constitution doesn't matter anymore to the usurpers. It's being stomped on every day.

N5PNZ

The new federal authority can eliminate anything that is now legal. The question is what are Americans going to do about it? Comply or resist tyranny?

It is normal and natural for people to have differences of opinion / values. Ideally we talk through these differences and come to a peaceful resolution. But when talk doesn't work, or in this case, when one side shuts out any differing opinions, we are left with much less desirable ways to settle our differences.

Shutting down debate inevitably leads to bloodshed. I pray that we find a way to reverse that course in our present case.

By the way, I'm not a technician, but I'm not sure the government can easily "shut down" radio frequencies. They can revoke licenses to use radio frequencies, but I believe the equipment people currently have would still work to broadcast and receive transmissions. I may be wrong about this.

Yes, the equipment will still work. They may confiscate. During WWII armature radio was shut down. I don't know if they confiscated any equipment though. The government/military now have massive jamming capabilities if they deem it necessary. They can block huge ranges of frequencies. It can be ground or airborne based. They also have capabilities to trace transmitters down to a few feet of the transmitting antenna.
So radio may not be dependable if the government becomes more oppressive.

Soccerdad1995 wrote: ↑Tue Jan 12, 2021 11:49 am

Paladin wrote: ↑Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:08 pm Facebook has announced that it will remove all content that mentions “Stop the Steal,”

Like a lot of folks on the forum, I've got a HAM radio license as well. We're definitely gonna need alternate comms.

I got my Technician license back in August, but have been delaying getting a "real" HAM radio. I do have a couple handheld Baofeng's, but haven't really tried using them. With the attack on free speech that is underway I think I need to get serious about this.

What is a good "beginner" HAM radio set-up? I'm looking for something that balances cost and effectiveness.

Thanks in advance.

Look for used older radios but just be sure it is fully functional. I paid $300 for an Icom 725 a few years ago and recently got a Kenwood TS430S for $275. Both transceivers were built in the 80's but are fully functional with the basic SSb/CW modes putting out 100 watts.
You can build wire antennas. Just have to learn how to tune them to specific frequency ranges and match them to the transceiver. (not hard)

Go to QRZ.com, eham.net, and look at their classifieds (may have to become a (free) member). Join FB Amature radio groups, There's always stuff for sale. Much of it local area. Check for a local ham club and see if any them have anything for sale. BUT.... use common sense. Take someone knowledgeable with you to check it out before you put your money down. There are crooks every where.

N5PNZ

The Feds can eliminate legal Amateur Radio any time they want too. All it would take is an edict from Biden/Harris. Just like Hitler did. There is no constitutional protection for us. But anyway, the constitution doesn't matter anymore to the usurpers. It's being stomped on every day.

N5PNZ