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HAM radios have been use for over a century to communicate with others at a distance. They’re one of the dinosaurs of communication, but could come in very handy during a major catastrophe. During recent events like Hurricane Katrina or Hurricane Sandy, many of the cell towers were down, making communication almost impossible. Land lines that were not wireless, another dinosaur, two way radios, CBs and Ham radios still worked as long as they did not require electricity. HAM radios, however, could transmit out of the area to a location where cell towers were up and running and helped notify people their families were all right.
Many emergency response systems use HAM radio. The Military Auxiliary Radio System—MARS and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service—-ARES, use HAM radio to communicate during an emergency. You can learn more about the weather in your location with a HAM radio because you’ll be able to pick up the National Weather Service part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—NOAA. It can bring relief to those fearing flooding or even more rain, while providing a clearer picture of the local weather for the future in the event you need to evacuate.
There are three different types of licenses, Technician, General and Amateur Extra. Originally, there were just two, Advanced and Novice, which have since been grandfathered. The Technician license is the lowest or first license to be received with restrictions to lower frequencies. To be able to operate on higher frequency bands—HF radio bands—the status of General and Amateur Extra must be attained.
In a SHTF situation, HAM radio may be one of the few methods of communication left. Many of the apocalyptic sci-fi zombie movies and television programs often show people communicating with others or looking for other survivors via a HAM radio. In a major disaster, it might be the only form of long distance communication left, since other forms would be eliminated if the grid were destroyed. That’s one reason many preppers often opt for these radios as part of their survival supplies. If an EMP—electromagnetic pulse—were the reason for the emergency situation, you can be certain that cell phone towers and satellites would be fried, as would many of the other electronic devices. That’s one reason that many people suggest you keep a HAM radio in a Faraday cage. A Faraday cage is nothing more than a metal container or even a box covered with aluminum foil to block the electromagnetic waves.
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