3 Ways YOU Can Use HAM Radio in SHTF

If you have been keeping up with the Tin Hat Ranch’s Ham radio articles you will already know what to expect from your license test,where and how to take it, and you’ll have a good basis for how the radio spectrum functions.  That is all well and good, but you might be asking “what good will HAM radio be in the event of SHTF”?  In this article we will show you three types of systems you may wish to employ for your survival communications.  All of these methods do assume one thing, that you have available electrical power but that is another discussion.  As always, this information will not only be strategically useful but will help you with your test as well.

The first mode of communications is the least expensive and easiest to understand.  The technical term is simplex communication but in laymen’s terms it is radio to radio communications on the same frequency.  This first mode is least expensive because all it takes are two hand held radios like the Baofeng’s.  In terms of SHFT communications these radios can be useful on your property and for operations around your property but with limited range.  Most handhelds are lower power (5 watts or less) and operate on VHF/UHF.  If you read our previous article on radio frequency propagation you would know that these bands are limited to “line of sight” communications. On level ground the curvature of the earth will block the signal and this usually occurs at about three miles.  So theoretically, two radios can have a maximum range of 6 miles.  In reality, other obstructions are going to limit your range to far less, usually a mile or two.  There are some exceptions, communicating from hilltop to hilltop and hilltop to ground, but we won’t always get that luxury.

All is not lost to simplex communications; there are inexpensive tricks that one can employ to extend the range of your mobile device.  The six mile line of sight calculation assumes two people whose antennas are 6 feet off the ground.  If you can get your antenna higher than that, say 20 feet off the ground you will see your range double bringing the total to 9 miles.  An inexpensive way to do this is with anexternal antenna like the Slim Jim.  For less than $30 the Slim Jim is not only a better (higher gain) antenna than on your Baofeng, you can hoist it up into a tree with a piece of paracord if need be.  I will be testing one of these out in the future but I can guarantee you will see your simplex performance vastly improve.

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