Now is the time to learn how to use a Ham Radio for survival!

Hello my friend and welcome back!  When it comes to survival, I think we all understand the need for reliable information in any disaster scenario.  Ham Radio is easily the most reliable due to its extreme range.  Now, most people think it is really complicated and expensive, and at one time that was true.  However, that has all changed and this weekend is going to provide you the chance to learn more about it for free.  Grab yourself a cup of coffee and have a seat while we visit.

Ham radios have been around for almost as long as radios themselves.  They are a reliable and can allow you to speak to people all over the world.  In a survival situation, getting reliable information that you can trust, even when you can’t trust your own Government, will be critical.  Being able to quickly pack and move the equipment is also just as important.  Ham radio comes to the rescue and fills both of these needs nicely.  The newer HF (High Frequency) systems are compact and run on 12 volts.  An old car battery, that still has a charge, will fill this need nicely and can be easily found.  The next part of the puzzle is the antenna.  Did you know that you can throw the end of a regular piece of wire up in a tree and use it for an HF radio antenna with excellent results?  You can!  In fact when the F5 Tornado hit Joplin, Missouri, within minutes after it had gone, a ham operator tied a piece of wire to the end of an old lawn chair that had been blown into his yard and was transmitting to the first responders and directing them to where the worst damage seemed to be.  Ham radio has a long history of saving lives and it could just be the one thing that saves yours when SHTF hits.

Now, how can you learn more about Ham Radio for free?  Well it just so happens that this weekend is what Ham radio operators call “Summer Field day” which is sponsored by the National Amateur Radio Association known as “ARRL) or the American Radio Relay League.  What this means to you is that you will have an opportunity to see how Ham radio operators all over the US set up and operate in an emergency situation.  The whole idea of the exercise is to practice our skills and to allow others who are not Ham operators to take part and learn more about what is involved in becoming a ham operator.  You will even have the chance to talk and make a contact over a radio if you want.

The events are free and are open to the public.  To find out more about where one is close to you (and they are being held very close by any town) simply look up information on the local Ham Radio Club in your area and give them a call or drop them an email asking where they will be setting up at.  A few of the places where they sometimes setup are in Hospital parking lots, Law Enforcement parking lots, and city parks just to name a few.  They are both fun and entertaining and could give you a huge head start in learning all about Ham Radio and hopefully get you started learning to use a great communications system that could just save your life when the time comes.  You can also find more information on it here.

Well I know that this is a short post today, but this is a great opportunity for you to learn so much. Until next time, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared!  God Bless America!

-The Sargent-