So now we see here in the USA that our access to social media platforms are being cut off by big tech. If you are not a leftist your voice is getting silenced rapidly. The internet age has allowed us to speak to family and friends world wide easier than ever before but now is quickly being shut down.

I can see this happening soon with cellular phones. I would be pretty easy to shut towers down. Like many, I no longer have a land line in order to rein in costs and also stem the flow of telemarketers. Some of my friends are going to add CB radios. I know there are a lot of people with HAM. I may be relegated to smoke signals soon.

Comments?

It have happened here in Sweden too the telephone wires are taken down so many just have a cellphone. The main problem are the powergrid if the power goes the cellphone net goes down in max 30 minutes. Right now we have a snowfall with a forecast of 20" wet sticky snow in 30 hours. Local rescue advices to prepare for a few days without electric power just in case.

Hope you burn wood!

Yes I have a wood stove with a water radiator system.

Ok now the bad weather are over I have got 18" of snow during 36 hours I have still electrisity. The area have still 1600 houses without electrisity (48h) some of them may be out of power until after the weeekend(6 days) the temperature will fall to -20c. Some areas have got 24" of snow in 24 hours.

That's some rough weather for sure. Hope everyone is safe.

Yes indeed; stay safe!

CB radio in the farm truck. Base Station in the Shop. Two spares on the shelf. Two CB portables.

Two VHF radios in the boat. Works fine when the boat is on the trailer in the barn. At least I can raise the Coast Guard in an emergency.

If you have like minded neighbors, I'd suggest getting your amateur radio licences. Tech class is fairly easy and gives you some 10meter, 6meter, and everything in 2meter and above. 2 meter and higher is line of sight, but with a good antenna up as high as you can get it will give you amazing distance. (50 miles is not uncommon).
Another option is gmrs. Pay the fee with no test and you're in. Again, this is dependent on having neighbors and family willing to make the commitment. Hf (10meters and lower frequencies) is better for long distance, (600- 5000 miles) , but not that useful for local talk.

quote:

Originally posted by 788:
If you have like minded neighbors, I'd suggest getting your amateur radio licences. Tech class is fairly easy and gives you some 10meter, 6meter, and everything in 2meter and above. 2 meter and higher is line of sight, but with a good antenna up as high as you can get it will give you amazing distance. (50 miles is not uncommon).
Another option is gmrs. Pay the fee with no test and you're in. Again, this is dependent on having neighbors and family willing to make the commitment. Hf (10meters and lower frequencies) is better for long distance, (600- 5000 miles) , but not that useful for local talk.

Should I ever come into some money I would put in a suitable antenna.

Ann, as in everything, timing + luck is the word of the day. I just posted on the misc. forum (I think) about "what do you have too much of". I had EVERYTHING that you needed but never got any response so just threw it all away. That being said, you can still run a horizontal wire across the ridge of your house for reception. There is more to this of course but that will give you your mast to communication. Unfortunately for many reasons, Dave is dead + can't pass on all he knew but he had a radio that was picking up Radio Free Europe,( + that's dated) etc. I wish I could help you more.

Back in the 60's I had a GE battery powered short wave receiver. Great big slide rule type dial and 9 D batteries.

Used the wire clothes line in the backyard for an antenna after I put in ceramic insulators on the ends of the wire. Used an outdoor faucet for ground.

Way down on the US Georgia coast, right on the Atlantic. I was about 16 at the time.

Picked up radio Moscow all the time along with a lot of European stations. The Radio Moscow was an English speaking station and played great music.

I have a Hallicrafters receiver in the shop. I should string up an antenna and put it to use.

You might be amazed at what you hear. In one respect, I wish Dave was still alive as he understood the HAM radio system + it was very interesting to listen to radical political broadcasts sent beyond the zone on the territorial waters. They moved their station daily. Interesting info. Conspiracy theory ,yes; maybe true, but thought provoking non the less.

I bet there is some interesting stuff to be heard.

Growing up, my dad had the whole gamut of CB equipment, bases, towers, etc. etc. etc. He even had cards printed up with his handle and information and would exchange them regularly with CB operators all over the world. He had a large stack of cards that he had exchanged for from others. When the signals were particularly strong (especially in the evening) the 'Skip' would come in and he would talk with CB people from all over the world.