Is anyone else thinking about going back to old school tactics of the ham radio. With the build up of fediverse, Meta, flock, Alphabet and now LG tv’s now spying on us in our own homes, getting a ham license and building one of these from scratch would not only gain some different kind of knowledge, but maybe if internet/cellular networks were to fail or get “taken over” there would be a backup system of communication. The old string and can trick only works with your neighbors. I know there is some serious ramifications if you don’t get licensed and tap into ham radio frequencies, and it doesn’t take much to get one… I don’t know if ‘tuning that dial” is dying out. But we may need to. Maybe it’s a dooms-day prepper kinda thing for me to say, and I don’t consider myself one at all since I only have 3 rolls of toilet paper in my house albeit I am a Costco member. I’m just curious if anyone else that is pulling away from the fediverse is also thinking about learning the Ham radio Trade also?

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[–] 5 points 2 months ago (4 children)

I'm a licensed HAM. I basically never touch the stuff at the moment. I want to get a good HF radio, but it's so expensive and I might also be losing my job.

If you are in the US, do not use it unlicensed unless you want a visit from the FCC and I think federal charges.

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  • [–] 3 points 2 months ago (2 children)

    To just get in the air if you can't borrow one, look into QRP radios. They're under 10W, but thats enough to go thousands of miles in good conditions with even a halfway tuned antenna. You can get kits for under $40 if you dont mind soldering, and not much more if you want assembled.

    Listening alone is fun, and you do not need any license for that!

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  • [–] [S] 1 point 2 months ago

    Right!! I know that, and I’d want to get my license.. I’m avoiding government officials lol.

    I already was chosen for a special US Census, which non of my neighbors or anyone I knew got. I did some research on it, and they were selective on who they were choosing for it. I feel very uneasy about it, they wanted to know my route to work, my commute times, time I left, how much my house was worth if I sold it today, how many bathrooms it had, bed rooms, how much I made, how many routers I had in my home, my cell phone carrier… It was very exposing. And now with iPhone having Unit 8400 working on it and putting their entrails in it, I just feel so exposed. Grass roots is where I feel if shit hits the fan, I’m going to need to know this trade so I don’t feel isolated. If I don’t need it, GREAT! I love hearing new things! I wouldn’t say I’m paranoid, but I’m feeling 1984 and Terminator aren’t just movies anymore.

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