Satellite Phones or alternative comms

[African]

Starlink hardware is around USD 500 ...... can you post images. No SA company may provide Starlink service still its licensed

I installed mine on Friday.
Runs like a dream.

169 D 13 U 100-ish ping

IT-Lec in Upington supplied it
R15 for kit
R1800 per month.

I have noted that it uses MTN or CellC on the Ookla speedtest.

Not sure if it will trunk via an out of country provider if the grid goes down. I sincerely hope it does.

[KM02]

We also have a repeater for handhelds which runs pretty smooth in our area, problem is that it's only for responders/crime fighters.

I'm talking more about the options for communicating with family members who might not be living close enough to check up on them over a walkie talkie.

[Steven001]

Imagine, 1950s style in person communication in the pending apocalypse, the sweet sounds of the birds chirping, dogs barking and SSG’s being racked, we dont have to imagine for much longer….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sean KZN]

Imagine, 1950s style in person communication in the pending apocalypse, the sweet sounds of the birds chirping, dogs barking and SSG’s being racked, we dont have to imagine for much longer….


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And the aroma of burning shopping mall hanging in the air as you sip that morning coffee.

[KK20]

Everyone should get Amateur Radio license to start .

[BBT]

Everyone should get Amateur Radio license to start .

Please Tell us more

[zs6hdv]

Please Tell us more

Let me try to give an introduction:

Normally, you get a radio licence for a single frequency (sometimes for a set of frequencies). Examples are CB licences (multiple channels), or a 4x4 club (I think Land Cruiser Club has their own frequencies), ORRA (Off-road Radio Association) or security companies. Your radio is licensed much like gun licences.

If you as a person is licensed as an amateur radio operator, you get access to a range of radio frequencies (you can Google "amateur radio band plan" for the frequencies). Amateurs can have unlimited radios. BUT, the amateur licence does not cover, for example, the ORRA frequencies, or the frequencies some farm communities operate on. If I want to legally operate on 4x4 channels, CB and amateur bands, I technically need three different radios in addition to the three licences, because amateur radios is not supposed to work outside the amateur bands.

I have been asked for advice on radio equipment from preparedness-minded friends, and my first question is always: Who do you want to talk to? Because that individual needs to be able to talk on the same frequency as yourself. If you are equipping a group and want to communicate only in that group, it is OK. But if you want to make contact with unknown parties, it is much more difficult. In addition to the frequency, you have different modes, such as FM, AM, Single Side Band (LSB or USB), and then there are the digital modes and CW (Morse code).

Amateur bands include allocations in HF (3MHz - 30MHz), VHF (30MHz - 300MHz) and UHF (300-3000 MHz). The last two are pretty much line-of-sight only, so you're looking at 10km range unless you're on a mountaintop. HF, specifically under about 10MHz, can talk over the horizon. I have made contacts with amateurs 19000km away from my house (using no infrastructure aside from my HF radio and antenna (and the same on his side)).

Long distance comms (i.e. HF) is not plug and play, there is a lot of skill involved (in terms of setting up your antenna and getting it tuned up). Expecting to have an HF radio in a closet and being able to establish communications in an emergency scenario is probably wishful thinking, so getting your licence and getting involved is sensible. It is a rewarding hobby as well as a survival skill.

You do have to pass a technical exam to get licensed. Most towns have amateur radio clubs which could help with classes to pass the Radio Amateur Exam (RAE). The exam is written on two occasions every year, in May (just last week) and in October.

Ask for more information, I don't want to be too long-winded.

P.S. amateur operators have call signs to identify them uniquely. In South Africa, the call sign will be ZS or ZR, followed by a number (identifying the region you are based), and a 1 to 3 letter suffix you can choose yourself. My forum name is my amateur call sign (although I am now ZS1HDV, having relocated from the old Transvaal (Region 6) to the Western Cape (Region 1)). HDV are my initials.

[BBT]

Let me try to give an introduction:

Normally, you get a radio licence for a single frequency (sometimes for a set of frequencies). Examples are CB licences (multiple channels), or a 4x4 club (I think Land Cruiser Club has their own frequencies), ORRA (Off-road Radio Association) or security companies. Your radio is licensed much like gun licences.

If you as a person is licensed as an amateur radio operator, you get access to a range of radio frequencies (you can Google "amateur radio band plan" for the frequencies). Amateurs can have unlimited radios. BUT, the amateur licence does not cover, for example, the ORRA frequencies, or the frequencies some farm communities operate on. If I want to legally operate on 4x4 channels, CB and amateur bands, I technically need three different radios in addition to the three licences, because amateur radios is not supposed to work outside the amateur bands.

I have been asked for advice on radio equipment from preparedness-minded friends, and my first question is always: Who do you want to talk to? Because that individual needs to be able to talk on the same frequency as yourself. If you are equipping a group and want to communicate only in that group, it is OK. But if you want to make contact with unknown parties, it is much more difficult. In addition to the frequency, you have different modes, such as FM, AM, Single Side Band (LSB or USB), and then there are the digital modes and CW (Morse code).

Amateur bands include allocations in HF (3MHz - 30MHz), VHF (30MHz - 300MHz) and UHF (300-3000 MHz). The last two are pretty much line-of-sight only, so you're looking at 10km range unless you're on a mountaintop. HF, specifically under about 10MHz, can talk over the horizon. I have made contacts with amateurs 19000km away from my house (using no infrastructure aside from my HF radio and antenna (and the same on his side)).

Long distance comms (i.e. HF) is not plug and play, there is a lot of skill involved (in terms of setting up your antenna and getting it tuned up). Expecting to have an HF radio in a closet and being able to establish communications in an emergency scenario is probably wishful thinking, so getting your licence and getting involved is sensible. It is a rewarding hobby as well as a survival skill.

You do have to pass a technical exam to get licensed. Most towns have amateur radio clubs which could help with classes to pass the Radio Amateur Exam (RAE). The exam is written on two occasions every year, in May (just last week) and in October.

Ask for more information, I don't want to be too long-winded.

P.S. amateur operators have call signs to identify them uniquely. In South Africa, the call sign will be ZS or ZR, followed by a number (identifying the region you are based), and a 1 to 3 letter suffix you can choose yourself. My forum name is my amateur call sign (although I am now ZS1HDV, having relocated from the old Transvaal (Region 6) to the Western Cape (Region 1)). HDV are my initials.

Thanks for the explanation.
I live on a small holding with 4 houses close by, we are currently using baofeng 2 way radios and have settled on a channel to use. It only has a range of about 5kms so we can reach our other neighbors, the only problem is that they are sometimes on a different channel to us. Apparently the farm watch in our area, uses I think UHF and the one guy is charging them R80 per month license fees. We get by just fine with our small walkie talkies, but I wanted to get something with more range in a SHTF scenario

[zguy]

Thanks for the explanation.
I live on a small holding with 4 houses close by, we are currently using baofeng 2 way radios and have settled on a channel to use. It only has a range of about 5kms so we can reach our other neighbors, the only problem is that they are sometimes on a different channel to us. Apparently the farm watch in our area, uses I think UHF and the one guy is charging them R80 per month license fees. We get by just fine with our small walkie talkies, but I wanted to get something with more range in a SHTF scenario

On a license free channel, can you not install a vehicle setup / base station to work as a repeater? you will get much better coverage

[Adoons]

In our farming community we have a decent radio network. Few comments:
1. Handheld will never be as effective as base/mobile (vehicle mounted) radios. 5 w vs 20 w output about.
2. If setting up from scratch, go digital, not analog.
3. It is possible to communicate very far by using “human repeaters” in a real SHTF situation by having people on the outskirts of your “bubble” with a channel set up for the neighbouring bubble and form a chain. Not for relating biscuit recipes, but emergency info can be sended in this way.