{"id":4305,"date":"2015-12-29T14:21:53","date_gmt":"2015-12-29T18:21:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/?p=4305"},"modified":"2023-03-19T14:17:35","modified_gmt":"2023-03-19T18:17:35","slug":"emergency-communications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.engineeringradio.us\/blog\/2015\/12\/emergency-communications\/","title":{"rendered":"Emergency Communications"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this modern day and age, we take electronic communication for granted. Imagine being plunged into a world where there are no phones, cellphones, internet, email, television, or even radio. Back in the day when I served aboard ships, we called that being underway.<\/p>\n

Way, way back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, those that served at sea were at the mercy of the Fleet Post Office. \u00a0I will say, the FPO did a very good job routing the mail to the appropriate place, however, sometimes weeks or even a month would go by without mail. \u00a0When the mail finally did arrive, it all smelled the same. \u00a0Everyone’s wife or girlfriend put some sort of scent on the outgoing, but since those letters mingled tightly packed in the same bag for weeks, often in hot humid tropical Pacific air, those scents blended together and became the Westpac Mail Smell, which permeated everything, even the letters from my father.<\/p>\n

What will happen if people can’t sign on to Facebook?<\/p>\n

Fortune favors the prepared.<\/p>\n

Communications loss in ordinary circumstances<\/h4>\n

Loss of utility company power, phone service, and internet service can happen at any time for a variety of reasons.\u00a0 The worst case scenario will occur when such loss is coupled with a natural disaster, which is often a major disruption of normal life. \u00a0Loss of information, especially at critical moments, can make a bad situation much worse. \u00a0In a situation where all normal means of communication are not functioning, something will fill that void, most likely the rumor mill. \u00a0That could be bad.<\/p>\n

For information gathering, there are many options. \u00a0A good AM\/FM shortwave radio is a decent start. \u00a0I would recommend a quality shortwave radio that has AM\/USB\/LSB options. \u00a0During run-of-the-mill storms and power outages, many radio stations will remain on the air with emergency generators. \u00a0The key is to figure out which stations are staffed and offer good timely information. \u00a0NOAA all hazards radio can be a good source of weather information, however, their transmitters can remain off the air for weeks or months at times.<\/p>\n

One might ask “Isn’t this overkill or alarmist?” \u00a0I suppose that depends. \u00a0In the December 2007 ice storm, we had no power for seven days. In the aftermath of several major Northeast hurricanes and winter storms, some people had no power for more than two weeks. \u00a0Not only no power but no cable, phone or internet either. \u00a0In situations like that, having some form of connection to the outside world can make a big difference.<\/p>\n

Communications loss in less-than-ordinary situations<\/h4>\n

Other situations and scenarios may require more effort. \u00a0Prolonged information shortages could be triggered by any number of national or global situations. \u00a0Shortwave receivers are not only for listening to international broadcast stations but also for tuning into amateur radio (AKA “Ham”) frequencies as well. \u00a0Amateur radio is often used for emergency communications on a local and national and international level by governments and the Red Cross when other systems are out. \u00a0National and international communications are often heard on the HF band; 3-30 MHz. \u00a0The Amateur radio primary emergency voice nets are:<\/p>\n