So who has their amateur radio license?

A major shtf scenario, i wouldn't let not having a license stop me from using any damn radio i owned to communicate with other people.

Speaking of Radios, we need the old RadioShack back, where you could buy parts to build own Radio or parts for them.

Is there a way to use our P.C./Internet to tune into the amateur radio band(s)? I was thrilled to ditch my handheld Radio Shack scanner when Police and Air Traffic could be monitored online.

a reply to: seattlerat

Drooling. What a rig.
I had a licence in the service, way back. Should really get re-qualified. I loved that stuff.

originally posted by: carewemust
Is there a way to use our P.C./Internet to tune into the amateur radio band(s)? I was thrilled to ditch my handheld Radio Shack scanner when Police and Air Traffic could be monitored online.

I think the program echolink lets you do that. And you can't monitor anything online if the internet/power is out!

a reply to: MichiganSwampBuck

There are however frequencies you can purchase a license to use for your private business purposes that would be yours to use how you see fit, no need for a test either, just pay a fee.

One can only imagine the comm links on these kind of channels, most likely encrypted as well.

Echolink is pretty cool. The first time I heard it  in use, a local ham who owned a repeater, linked it to one in Australia. Just listening to a contact while the link was active was a jaw drop experience. I kept thinking how is this possible? You half expect it on hf but this was through a vhf repeater.

Im still trying to figure out how to properly use IRLP (internet repeater linking project). I havent listened in a while but one of our local uhf repeaters was routinely connecting to the "western reflector" in Alaska.

All this is reliant on the internet which is its vunerability but it does show that if you can think it up, its likely that it is possible. Theres a stand alone program out there called AGWPE that lets you use your soundcard as a terminal node controller or "radio modem" so you can do packet radio.

Xcorder and ScanRec let you record audio from your scanner, or other radio, and saves it as a .wav file. The neat thing with these is that they only record when audio is present. The long silences in between calls are eliminated.

Fldigi is a decoder program that takes realtime audio from a speaker and translates many of the popular digital modes used by hams, into readable text. It will also encode text into those modes.

This is just a small sampling of whats out there.

originally posted by: iTruthSeeker

originally posted by: carewemust
Is there a way to use our P.C./Internet to tune into the amateur radio band(s)? I was thrilled to ditch my handheld Radio Shack scanner when Police and Air Traffic could be monitored online.

I think the program echolink lets you do that. And you can't monitor anything online if the internet/power is out!

Thank-you iTruthSeeker! I've bookmarked Echolink.org and will obtain the software.

Much Appreciated!

-CareWeMust

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: iTruthSeeker

originally posted by: carewemust
Is there a way to use our P.C./Internet to tune into the amateur radio band(s)? I was thrilled to ditch my handheld Radio Shack scanner when Police and Air Traffic could be monitored online.

I think the program echolink lets you do that. And you can't monitor anything online if the internet/power is out!

Thank-you iTruthSeeker! I've bookmarked Echolink.org and will obtain the software.

Much Appreciated!

-CareWeMust

Anytime! Hope you get it set up how you like.

I am licensed, Extra class. I have been operating g for 11 years. My furthest contact was with a base in Antarctica. That was using a simple dipole antenna that I built and 100 watts of power on 40m.

originally posted by: eql612
Echolink is pretty cool. The first time I heard it  in use, a local ham who owned a repeater, linked it to one in Australia. Just listening to a contact while the link was active was a jaw drop experience. I kept thinking how is this possible? You half expect it on hf but this was through a vhf repeater.

Im still trying to figure out how to properly use IRLP (internet repeater linking project). I havent listened in a while but one of our local uhf repeaters was routinely connecting to the "western reflector" in Alaska.

All this is reliant on the internet which is its vunerability but it does show that if you can think it up, its likely that it is possible. Theres a stand alone program out there called AGWPE that lets you use your soundcard as a terminal node controller or "radio modem" so you can do packet radio.

Xcorder and ScanRec let you record audio from your scanner, or other radio, and saves it as a .wav file. The neat thing with these is that they only record when audio is present. The long silences in between calls are eliminated.

Fldigi is a decoder program that takes realtime audio from a speaker and translates many of the popular digital modes used by hams, into readable text. It will also encode text into those modes.

This is just a small sampling of whats out there.

I haven't messed with Echolink much really yet, mainly because it requires the internet and my original reason for getting into radio was for something that will work when the lights and internet go out. But I should look into it more because as you said there is a lot you can do. Thanks for the extra added programs.

a reply to: iTruthSeeker

i have the RYA certificate for SRC - that lets me use 2 way radios on the marine bands

and my experience indicates - if you are going to want to use radio comms when TSHTF

then you should get a licenced set NOW and use it every week

its no good unboxing your toy when the balloon goes up and trying to figure it out

get legal and get involved with the established radio community and PRACTICE

i have listened in to some dire " convesations " from people who either have all the gear and no idea - or who havnt been to sea for over a year and have forgoten basic message structure , prowords etc etc

just my advice