Any Ham Radio Ops going to be at Freedom Expo 2010

[Tx2Wy]

Hello All,
Just checking to see if any other Hams are going to be at the at the Freedom Expo this June? I am interested to see if anybody else has been working on hardening their equipment for disaster preparedness.

Bill

[wyoprairielady]

I will be there.  I am relatively new to the Ham game, but am learning. 

[Seniortech]

Bill: I am a ham and I will be there, and I expect some others will be there too.  I have made no particular effort to harden my gear for emergency preparedness, but I would very much like to discuss it.

For the past two years we have set up a portable ham station at the camp out.  Had a lot of help from some of the younger guys (non hams) with setting up the rig, tables, stringing antennas and such.  We have made contacts with hams in far places,  handed out information, answered a few questions from interested folks and encouraged them to become hams.  I know of several hams in FSW, and in other threads on this forum we have encouraged participation in an HF net for FSW hams and others who might be interested.   I regret to say that there hasn't been much interest.  (I don't mean you Grant.  And Felicia, Dolen, Jamie, I have not forgotten your interest and the good discussions we had.)  But so far this has been mostly a one-old-man effort.

I'm wondering if it is worthwhile to cart the gear to the camp site, string the antenna and get on the air.  Anyone interested in trying to make some contacts from a portable station in the Wyoming outback?  It might be better to just set up a card table, hand out some flyers and answer questions.   Who wants to man the table for a spell?   

What do y'all think?

John

[Tx2Wy]

Greetings WYPrairieLady and John.
I have a Kenwood TS-930 with a built-in antenna tuner I will have with me.

As far as preparedness, I believe that ham radio will be one of the only communication channels available for ordinary people in a disaster. The Federal Government has hardened equipment so they will have communication as well as some state but small local government might not.

Bill

[TexasGirl]

As far as preparedness, I believe that ham radio will be one of the only communication channels available for ordinary people in a disaster. The Federal Government has hardened equipment so they will have communication as well as some state but small local government might not.

Hey Bill,

Wouldn't that depend on who makes the disaster?  Ham can be jammed too, there's just more spectrum to hit.

~TG

[Tx2Wy]

As far as preparedness, I believe that ham radio will be one of the only communication channels available for ordinary people in a disaster. The Federal Government has hardened equipment so they will have communication as well as some state but small local government might not.

Hey Bill,

Wouldn't that depend on who makes the disaster?  Ham can be jammed too, there's just more spectrum to hit.

~TG

Hey Karen,

Jamming is not a concern. I will not go into the technical aspects here but to say they will not jam themselves. Jamming and hardening are not associated. An EMP device exploding 200 miles above the earth is why you want hardened equipment.

Bill

[Sisyphus]

Tx2Wy,

Have you seen this?>>

www.empcommission.org/docs/empc_exec_rpt.pdf

Probably if you have read One Second After....

Are you getting at coming up with a mobile Faraday cage?

Some useful info here:

http://www.lbagroup.com/technology/faraday-cages.php

and here:

http://www.unitedstatesaction.com/emp_and_faraday_cages.htm

[redtailhawk]

All,

I'm in.  Let me know what you want to do or try and we'll go from there.  I'm going to be traveling for the next month, but I'm rigging my mobile  unit this weekend (hamfest...yehaa!) to pack in a pelican briefcase, so if any want to try some long shots or bounces across the rockies, drop me a pm.

What bands can everyone work on?  If we can come up with a common HF band, then I think a weekly or monthly net would be a good thing...quick 15min net with a net control station and check-ins just to test equipment.  For those locals, a common VHF/UHF freq that's monitored would open another means of communications.

Jamming?...I'm not worried...its too time-intensive for the digital minded geek and the skills are all but lost

Hardening?...I'd worry more about a consistent, reliable power source off the grid and replacement/backup parts

73,

[Seniortech]

Good ideas there Redtailhawk.  I hope you can make it to the Marmalade.

I can work HF 80 thru 10, SB or CW, 6m and 2m.  I really like the idea of a net control station w/checkins, short and sweet, and rag chewing after the net.

73,
John

[Tx2Wy]

Tx2Wy,

Have you seen this?>>

www.empcommission.org/docs/empc_exec_rpt.pdf

Probably if you have read One Second After....

Are you getting at coming up with a mobile Faraday cage?

Thanks for the links MNicho.

Faraday shields are easy to construct. I have built many especially for testing R.F devices. As far as mobile hardening that is more of an issue. the only way to really be hardened mobile, is to build a comm trailer.

I am very familiar with the report of the EMP Commission Thanks for the link. . That is why the Federal Government will have communications. I was working on EMP hardening of military equipment the the early 80's and I know what the Govt's technology was then so I can only surmise that it is even more hardened now.

Bill

[Tx2Wy]

Redtailhawk and Seniortech.

My HF station is down currently packed due to the more to Clark, Wy in May/June.

I operate 160m-70cm. My VHF/UHF preference is 220mHz. Reason it is the least used. Not much high power RF around 220 spectrum. I believe we need to still be proficient in CW because you can punch a CW signal through noise better than voice. The FCC knew what they were doing when they changed the regulations that it is no longer necessary to learn code for a license. But enough for my conspiracy theory ramblings.

A local net would be something we could come up with for HF. Are either of you familiar with NVIS (Near Vertical Incident Skywave)?  US Army is big in using this mode. http://www.txarmymars.org/downloads/NVIS-Theory-and-Practice.pdf.

Another link you might find interesting. http://www.milaircomms.com/

73
Bill
 

[Tx2Wy]

This is a really great link: www.shareshf.net/ArmyMARS/Gen-Mil.../OPCON_HFRADIO_BCT.PDF

Bill

[Tx2Wy]

This is a really great link: www.shareshf.net/ArmyMARS/Gen-Mil.../OPCON_HFRADIO_BCT.PDF

Bill

Sorry bad url link above
http://www.shareshf.net/ArmyMARS/Gen-Mil-Info/Resources/Dave-Fiedler/OPCON_HFRADIO_BCT.PDF

Bill

[redtailhawk]

Tx2Wy,

Thx for the links.

Quite familiar with the NVIS and am building another one.  I did MARS for a long time and some pretty remote communications over the years.  I'm always open to CW and Seniortech and I have talked about brushing the cobwebs off the keys, so the more, the merrier!  Let us know when you're back up on the air.

Seniortech's in WY and I'm stuck out here with the tofu-fartin', kurt cobain worshippin', luxury tax on chewing gum mentality People's Republic of Washington, but moving soon!

Its good to see more hams!
73, Grant
AA4VB

[Tx2Wy]

Tx2Wy,

Seniortech's in WY and I'm stuck out here with the tofu-fartin', kurt cobain worshippin', luxury tax on chewing gum mentality People's Republic of Washington, but moving soon!

Its good to see more hams!
73, Grant
AA4VB

Hey Grant, Well my son lives in Seabeck Washington and I will be there for my grandaughter's HS Graduation. Then I'm going to the Freedom Expo B4 heading back to Clark, Wy.  Where in 4land are you from?

73
Bill
WB4QKZ