So amazing to look back behavior before present technology!

The power grid may be affected by solar flares due to issues with the control equipment; however, simple analog home generators are essentially impervious to this electromagnetic field disturbance causing voltage spike in the controls. The imposed voltage is nothing to the generator itself. Having power after such an event is a simple as having the generator and fuel.

Much more likely the ham equipment could be fried, particularly if the antenna was connected during the event.

Very easy with equipment even the home user can make. Just need a directional antenna.

I always wanted to get a ham license as a kid, but never invested the time. I used to go to Hamfests and look at all the cool equipment. Somewhere at my mom's house there is probably an old WWII mine detector that I bought at one. Happy to hear the morse code is no longer required.

For what it is worth, I have a pair of Baofung software-defined radio that are ~4 watts. Very nice, and only ~$35/unit. They work beautifully. Yes, I know they can be used in an illegal manner if transmitting off CB channels, which they are completely capable of doing. They can do, CB, VHF and UHF.

I think we still use smoke signals here in New Mexico

Is there a one stop resource for information for the different types of radios, bands, frequencies, wavelengths , etc... that you could recommend?

Oh, there is no question that Morse is the most efficient way to use low power over long distance with minimal bandwidth. Those who can use it have a tremendous advantage over those who don't. The one place I can see voice as holding a distinct advantage is in rescue efforts - especially time-critical ones.

73's

Some of the software radios have very low power consumption, at least in the listen mode. You probably will not be able to listen to proprietary and secure comm links, but even the ability to identify activity is important. With the current state of training of most of the KGB, er, strike that, other 3-letter agencies in the US, I doubt that they will have the training and the foresight to keep their communications truly secure. There's too much arrogance there.

Programmable units make a certain amount of sense but sounds like portability might be an issue. In the SHTF situation you are referring to the ability to scan and monitor might be as much or more vital than distance communication. Unfortunately, regular CB radios are the limit of my knowledge at this point but gotta start somewhere.

In my neck of the swamp we use CB, cheap, easy to find equipment, 12V powered, (including kickers) to solve the range issue, simply set up pre arranged relays until your circle comes back to you

Good joke! Of course, text goes through the same towers and networks, including ham, that will not be operational...

These are called repeaters. And you are correct in surmising that one can not foxhunt off repeated/rebroadcast signals. The consideration is that repeaters require power to operate. Most of the ones in my area have been converted to use solar power as their primary source and a gas generator as backup if commercial power isn't available. If they want to smoke you out, however, all they have to do is shut down the repeater or require a frequency tone to force all non-authorized users to broadcast openly.

Ham radios are very valuable in natural disasters, but in a war I expect they would only make you a target.

In a SHTF situation I would expect what coordination there is, to be done on Internet sites in neutral countries. Leaving the people affected to try to communicate with those sites by sneakernet or any other means available.

Interesting. So it seems to me that a low power portable unit that was just able to reach an amplifier station would be the best entry into this set of skills. If the gov went fox-hunting, they would find the amplifier station. You could move your hand-held unit around from place to place before you broadcast.

Other than that, brief bursts of transmission seem to be better than long conversations insofar as being a better fox is concerned.

Jan, thinking

Regarding solar "flares", what you actually need to know about are called coronal mass ejections. This is when a stream of plasma shoots out from the surface of the sun towards the universe in general. These happen quite frequently, and only a very small number ever come close to or brush the Earth. The next thing to be aware of is that the Earth's magnetic field stops all but the very heaviest of these dead in their tracks - shunting off and around the earth the majority of the force. That which does make it through leaks in at the magnetic poles, generating the beautiful auroras that are periodically seen in the far north and far south. (And just as an aside, there are specific amateur radio techniques for bouncing signals off auroras!). Even an extreme CME only results in general disruption to long-distance communications through the atmosphere and last only a few hours. In order for a CME to generate the effects of an EMP, you'd probably also have a particle stream potent enough to generate millions of severe sunburns.

As to the second idea, what you're proposing is to punish the innocent thinking you'll stop the criminals. Now I know the government isn't particularly bright, but I can tell you as an involved member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) group here locally, there is no outside group of "civilians" more trusted and respected by police, EMS, National Guard, etc. than the Hams. We work with these groups regularly and they actually assign us security details during actual emergencies because we ARE their eyes and ears. Even the bureaucrats in the FCC wouldn't try such nonsense (even under direction from the White House) because it would make them a laughing stock.

While I understand your concerns, what you are talking about is the .0001% For the rest of the 99%+, the Hams are your go-to communications in the time of an emergency and I'd recommend everyone get at least a Technician license. For the price of a $35 manual (get the ARRL one which has all the actual test questions BTW) and another ~$15 for the testing, you'd be ready to go. And no, you don't have to learn Morse code!

While what most of what you said is accurate, satellites are simply too far away to pick up any but the strongest of signals. Most radio direction finding relies on "old-school" methods and is known as "fox-hunting" for those of us in the amateur radio community.

It takes training (and some basic equipment) to locate a signal and most importantly, the signal has to be stationary and continuously transmitting on the same frequency! Change any of those and it becomes an effort in futility. It also is very helpful to have at least two (three is better) hunters for signal triangulation.

Hams call this fox-hunting and there are regular contests at local conventions.

Too think that during the 70s I drove from Alabama to California's coast twice before there were cell phones or GPS devices.
I didn't even have a then available and very popular CB, shrugging it off like I now scorn such things as Facebook.
Do you know how one feels way out in the middle of a flat desert when you're used to the shady comfort of trees? It's like you're a little speck of nothing!
I knew what to expect before I took the second round trip but I took it anyway.
How crazy could a young dino be?

You can buy a software programmable radio. These cost from $500 to $1K+, depending on options, power output, case and power consumption. Then you'll need to load/program the waveforms. Some are easy/standard, some are proprietary and may not be easily available. If you have the skills, those radios are very good for monitoring other transmissions and for setting up your proprietary nets. All of those options, however, are of limited value in the SHTF situation as the S is likely to come from the government, which will not only quickly know where all the transmitters are, but is likely to jam all or most of the frequencies that are available to civilians. In this case, the software programmable units can allow you to go outside of the jammed frequencies, but you will be discovered and neutralized very quickly anyway. Sneakers and pigeons...

The article talks about several different types of radios. Are there any radios available that contain all the different types in one unit. Something that would be switchable between the different bands and wavelengths? Something you would want to put in, say, a "zombie apocalypse" vehicle? Or would you be stuck with multiple radios?

yes. I think this should be re-categorized

I'd like to learn. IT would have been helpful during our last hurricane.