Emergency Communications

I'm considering a tablet computer in part because I want a portable, battery powered means of communication in the event of an emergency. In a large-scale emergency, I may not have access to the Internet.

In a large-scale emergency how can I access the Internet? What would be an alternative? When the stuff hits the fan, communication is crucial.

Jeanette Isabelle

My tablet has a built-in cellular Internet connection. This has come in quite handy, especially since I can turn it into a mobile hotspot with a click.

Keep in mind that cellular networks may be available but saturated in an emergency. In that case, regular text messages are the most likely to get through, followed by short Internet messages. Voice calls, I suspect, may be very hard to make.

If wired and cellular Internet is down, you're out of luck unless you have a satellite Internet system, you subscribe to a local Wireless ISP (typically using point-to-multipoint non-cellular radio services, also typically with very limited service areas) or some other radio-based system.

A phone might give you similar options plus, you know, a phone. An older generation smart phone is fairly cheap.

Get Samsung Galaxy Note 3 or 4 instead. It's just a bit smaller than a small 8" tablet but as capable. IMO - Note is an ultimate survival computer, as it also allows you to get rid of a pen/pencil and a paper notebook, its Wacom pen is extremely natural for writing and drawing. Note 5 and 6 are not recommended as they don't have memory expansion slot and removable battery anymore.

For an emergencies I'm keeping a pocket LAN-WiFi router/AP/Dongle, powered from USB port, and capable to connect to a DIY directional antenna, which could be further improved with a parabolic reflector (find a sat dish or rig it from an aluminum foil).

IIRC, Amateur Radio may provide some limited capability to access the internet, particularly email. And if a disaster is actually declared, licensing requirements may also be relaxed.

I agree on a Samsung Note 3 or 4. We have one of each model along with an extra battery. Although I am tinkering with DIY longer range emergency battery backups for general use, including phone charging, I have also purchased an Anker 26800mAh Portable Charger. Between the extra phone batteries and the Anker charger, with careful use in any short to mid-term power loss event, we have potentially a few weeks of battery life for the phones.

Also these Samsung phones have 32 GB of on-board memory. Coupled with each also having a 128 GB Micro SD Card, there is plenty of data storage capacity.

Just by the way (not for hijacking), I've got a nice charger for the Note 3 spare battery off eBay recently. It looks like this one: http://www.dhgate.com/store/product/for-galaxy-note-3-battery-charging-case-box/211200862.html And costs like $6 shipped. It fits perfectly into the GoalZero Nomad 7W solar panel's pocket for charging on the go. And it turned to be less bulky than it looks on that photo.

Friend of mine has been the i-Pad queen ever since they came out and has had every generation. She recently got an i-Phone 6+ (the new big one) and said it has largely replaced her i-Pad for her. I have the 6+, too, and have had a similar experience. My MacBooks are portable enough.

In an emergency -- terrorist or natural disaster -- I'll be reaching for one of my portable AM-FM radios or a television, if the power is still on. My initial concern will be what is going on in my immediate area (including traffic reports) and for that, TV and/or radio are best.

So I have a portable AM-FM-SW radio in my purse, along with a couple extra batteries. I have a larger Sony tabletop AM-FM radio in my house, along with extra batteries (thanks, Costco). Also have a Grundig Yacht Boy shortwave radio at home. And I have a small AM-FM radio in my car (in addition to the car's AM-FM radio).

On September 11, 2001, like millions of people in the Washington, D.C. and New York City areas, I experienced the futility of trying to reach anyone via a cell phone when the proverbial sh*t hits the fan.

Texting is great advice.

A power outage would kill my wi-fi so unless I was getting a cell signal, I'd be reliant on old-fashioned radio.

This is a valuable discussion. Communication and information are key in a crisis.

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You probably won't be able to.

I have just had a electrical power outage, which is the first time in more than 20 years. I was reading this when the power grid went dowm.

http://www.debka.com/newsupdatepopup/139...ers-nuclear-war

I was suddenly overcome with the 'Oh Sh&t' moment. First thing was to get hold of a torch. A big flashlight is a lot easier to find in the pitch dark that an EDC sized one.
Internet connection went down despite having UPC battery backup.
I checked out side to see how far the blackout went. I did have some binoculars to hand to check if some their were any lights in the distance. It was pretty strange outside. It is now the middle of the night in the winter time here in Scotland, completely overcast with low cloud and it should have been in total darkness but there was a eerie sky glow. This actually made me even more nervous as I am aware of Star Fish Prime. It was easier to walk around outside than in a full moonlit night. All I could hear was an alarm going off in the distance.
I went to check the telephone and radio. No telephone dial tone.
Things were now getting a little stressful as the telephone should have been working until I realised they were all Cordless Phone.
I connected up my VOIP handset from my Internet router to the land line and got a dial tone. The first good sign and there hadn't been any large blindingly bright explosions so far after 10-15 minutes. Time to check the radios. I checked 2 radios but the both the radios had flat batteries. My bad. I swapped out the batteries for some Primary Lithiums and the Radio was still working. The power came back on soon afterwards.
Internet Access was the last thing on my mind.
The UK is once again deciding to go to war in the middle east today in a worsening geopolitical climate than Able Archer in 1983.
Yes I did panic somewhat tonight.

And to think I was just going to spend my time during a large-scale emergency surfing equipped.org and getting advice from you guys.

"Hey, guys, I think that's a nuclear mushroom cloud! I guess I should order those iodine pills via Amazon Prime now!"

"We just had a 8.5 earthquake. Can anyone tell me if a tsunami is coming in? Not sure where I left my swimming trunk."

"What kind of knife should I use for this blackout?"

Should you hear the drumming of hoofs outside, when you look out of the window you don't expect to see a herd of Zebra.

I feel that when the lights go out you really should not be jumping to the conclusion that it is a nuclear attack. It the winter in Scotland it is much, much more likely to be a simple supply failure.

We do ourselves a disservice by preparing for events that are unlikely to happen, whilst ignoring the much more likely but much smaller and unexciting happenings, e.g. looking for a torch in the dark.

Nope, an EDC light in your pocket is MUCH easier to find than one you have to move for.

Bill

couple of comments... if you don't already have a weather radio with SAME (localized warning) capability, one that takes AA cells and AM/FM capability would be a good idea, with both home 120v and portable DC capabilities ... and I've switched all my emergency lights and electronics to Sanyo/Panasonic Eneloop AAs...claims of less leakage than alkaline cells, as well as ability to charge via 12vdc as well a 7w Goal Zero photovoltaic panel... when I need to fill an Amazon order to get the free shipping, an extra pack of AA or AAA Eneloops gets purchased... just starting to explore the 18650 LiIon cells for the SolarForce L2 and ordered a lower voltage LED module with low voltage cut off

"Large scale emergency" and "access to internet" probably, and IMO certainly do not go together.

Assuming that you mostly want information about what is going on, an almost always overlooked source is the old school "shortwave" (HF) radio receiver. They almost always come with AM/FM for local stations, but they will also give you international range to hear voice broadcasts. A small portable unit can be had with AA power at reasonable prices. As with anything, the more features, the higher the price, but even so, less than the retail price of a smartphone.

Every long prep plan should include a shortwave radio receiver. When all else fails, one transmitting station on the other side of the world can get a signal to you via HF.

I also have the 6s+ and it is much better for texting than my old 4s. AM/FM/SW radios are not an issue, charging batteries for the radios or charging the iPhone can/will be done with solar if 120VAC is not available at the wall. One nice thing about the 6 or 6s Plus is the bigger battery that comes with the larger phone.

Watch for the free space on your iPhone 6. If you ever get too low you may get into a permanent trouble, which even Apple reps cannot resolve. My boss took too many videos on his 6S this summer and stuck with multiple annoying problems. Even after freeing the memory and several factory resets some of them remains (e.g. it's started loosing known wifi hot spots until restarted). Very raw cooked device, imo.

I've got 50GB of free memory so I should be fine. It's a phone, not an entertainment center. I may stream videos over wifi, but I store videos on other media, not on my phone.

My EDC flashlight was being transferred a new Karrimor SF Delta 25 backpack I had recently purchased to carry a Lightweight Level III ballistic plate. (Vestguard MAX3). The flashlight I was able to get hold off firstly was a generic 4x26650 15 Cree XML-T6 flashlight, which was in the same room when the Electrical Grid Power went down.



My Radios did have Eneloop AAs but were flat. I recently purchased some of the new High Capacity Eneloops which was fully charged but they were being kept with a Night Vision Scope in a Cupboard room with the Crossbow. So I used some Lithium Energiser AAs instead which were quicker to had.



I also have Bricks of AA alkaline Cells as well, but I forgot I had them tucked away in the same cupboard. I need to be more organised with managing the charges on my NiMh cells and Lithium Ion Powerbanks. I need to also buy some more Primary CR123s.

It was just the timing of the current world wide events and the fact that I have never had an Electrical Grid Power outage even though I have been at the same address for more than 20 years. I should have also taken on board the fact that the UK power grid is now on the brink of collapse (The UK grid was in the verge of Collapse about 2 weeks ago) after closing down the coal power stations in the country (Scotland) with the intention to close all of them down (UK) in the next 10 years with all the Global warming fraud by the Globalists.

Edit.

There is a Nuclear bunker Complex under the local Hospital. Now there is now RN Helicopter activity in the area this afternoon.

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/2015/...sparks-concern/

Last night Power outage lasted around 30 minutes in the middle of the Night. There has been no mention in the local News Media. I am beginning to suspect that the Power Station on the Hospital Grounds was being tested to show it was able to cope with powering the bunker complex and Hospital during a Transfer test.

I hope you don't think I was sniping at you Big Grey Man. I was hoping to make a general point.

I just see too many people who are spending lots of time and money for things that are so unlikely but ignoring the much more common dangers. I met one lad who said he could not afford to take a car skid training course as he was saving to put EMP arrestors on his telephone line. Which is more likely to save his life?

I doubt if the hospital bunker was involved in a routine helicopter exercise but why not give the hospital a call and ask them, there will be someone there responsible for contingency planning who will probably be happy to chat, even to invite you in.

I ran the 'bunker' under our county hall for many years and I would have been ashamed if any test of its resilience affected the public and we transfer tested monthly.

We are actively looking to move to Fife ASAP so if you know of any bungalows or decent building plots around please let me know.

Where about in Fife are you looking for? If you are looking for a more Rural Location feel then perhaps Balmullo might be of interest, but still quite near St Andrews.

http://www.s1homes.com/Plots-for-sale/2014050609405929.shtml

since there is an "equipped" name in the title, a suggestion for Christmas... buy yourself, and your family and friends some EDC oriented stocking stuffers, or in this case, key ring stuffers...this is an old pic, but I gave about 25 sets last year...food for thought

Fenix E01 and E05 lights (get an E05 or E12 for yourself... Solarforce Z2 if you want H M L)
Acme 636 whistle
Shelby US P38 openers

I love the E05 but for a little bit more money you can get much better performance in the Thrunite Ti, and in titanium too. Aluminum flashlights are lighter and do better with heat dissipation, but they get scratched up hanging out on a keyring.

Am Fear Liath Mor.

PM sent together with my thanks.

I absolutely agree that communication is essential.
and I strongly recommend that you KEEP your idea - get a tablet computer. The reason is this ... it is much easier to read maps on the screen of a tablet computer. I find that reading maps on the screen of my cell phone is a nightmare. It is really a nuisance.

If you buy a tablet, I recommend that you do NOT get Windows 8. I bought a small laptop recently and it came with Windows 8 - I find the whole system incredibly frustrating. Maybe other people here can suggest something better. Honestly, you are probably better off buying an Apple ... even if they cost more money.

Pete

Internet access would be problematic during a wide spread emergency, but of course, it would depend on what kind of emergency.

Most situations would probably knock out land based Internet services like cable, DSL, fibre; either through damage to the lines, or eventual run-down of emergency power to equipment.

Cellular Internet probably would be more resistaint to line damage, but it isn't clear how long the towers can run without power. The upside is it sounds like emergency plans tend to include bringing in portable towers. The downside is cellular tends to get overloaded in a crisis and the emphasis is on phone calls and text messages.

Pretty much the most reliable option is satellite where you are likely to get out of your area all together, but sat based Internet is expensive.

While not direct Internet access you might check into the Delorme Inreach:

http://inreachdelorme.com

While not "cheap", you can get satellite based messaging without being rich.

I would attempt to have two way radios for short range communications and a normal radio for information. A scanner capable of accessing local emergency service comminications in your area (may be digital trunking) ma also be useful.

No matter what you do, you need to ensure you have a way to power whatever devices you may have. Battery packs, a stock of batteries and a way to recharge all may be part the plan.

Also, if you plan to rely on electronic devices like phones, tablets during the emergency for reference material, navigation, etc., make sure the applications you rely on can store the needed information locally, and spend the time to download that information and test you can access it while not connected to the Internet.

-john

ONE THING that would really help America ... if the Government steps in during major emergencies and sets up special "emergency Internet wireless links".

It seems to me that this is exactly the type of service that the US Government could do extremely well. Restoring Internet communications during a major emergency. like a big earthquake, would allow a LOT of people to start problem-solving. The faster you can let the civilian population start solving their own problems - the faster we all get answers.

JOHN ... thanks for the DeLorme tip. I will check that out. I have a situation where I will be out of the country for some of next year. But I have children, and some of them live in a major earthquake zone. So the ability to send some messages by satellite gives me a LOT of peace of mind.

And I absolutely agree. Spare batteries are a MUST. and the only sensible thing is to check the communications equipment on a routine basis. Things are always getting messed up.

Pete

We seem to be discussing two different communication modes here - sending out the word that you are OK to others (unless you are not , and that is important, too) or receiving info on surrounding conditions. The latter information is more likely to be significant in dealing with whatever situation is occurring.

As one who lives in a major earthquake zone (prone to wildfire, as well), I will be quite occupied in dealing with immediate conditions, and while I certainly want to let relatives and loved ones know we are OK, that can wait a bit. Fore receiving information, a good AM-FM-WB radio with enough batteries will suffice. In due time, one can send a brief, concise, informative text message, giving the thumbs up.

That was my thought also. A small AM-FM radio to get information on how bad things really are is all I need. I have a good 4xAA and a few 2xAA radios for that -- they're cheap and easy on batteries.

Emergency comms to get assistance is another issue; I have a PLB for that if I'm off-shore, but don't know how that system would work in a major earthquake; I'm thinking it's not really designed for that. Reliable cell coverage would be good but it would probably be flooded with unnecessary calls crowding out emergency calls.

Great read so far. I am wondering about the AM/FM/SW/WX radios. What brands are reliable? I see the ETON models all over the place. Good? Bad? Neutral? Any other suggestions are appreciated.

Eton makes a range of emergency preparedness radios - hand cranked and/or solar charged. They tend to be pretty decent within their price range. Unfortunately, most "survival" receivers on the market these days aren't all that great performance-wise, and in my experience many are far less robust than one would expect from a radio intended for hard use.

A compact battery powered World Band receiver may cost a little more, but it will provide far better reception and many useful extra features. There are many excellent options out there. The good old Sony ICF-7600 is still the gold standard by which all comparable products are judged. I bought a Sony clone marketed by Radio Shack back in the 90's. It's an awesome receiver considering the size of the package. Power consumption is very low, especially with headphones (which I prefer to the speaker anyway).

I would warmly recommend the ICF-7600 or any similar WB radio to anyone looking for an easily portable AM/FM/SW receiver (~$100 range). As long as it has a digital PLL receiver, auto tuning and some memory channels to save your favorite frequencies you should be good to go. FM/AM radios work well in terms of local coverage, but SW opens up a whole new world of global communication.

The Eton Microlink I own (AM/FM/WX, no SW) is surprisingly good for how small and inexpensive it is.

I have a Tecsun PL-310et which is outstanding, and I did a review of the Countycomm GP-5 DSP at http://forums.equipped.org/ubbthreads.ph...rue#Post264506. It's been replaced by the GP-5 SSB, which is very similar (if a bit more expensive than when I wrote the review)

Absolutely. The Tecsun PL-660 is another interesting option. More expensive (~$130) than the 310 but it really offers a lot for the money.

I have the CountyComm GP-5 DSP and agree that it is a very good radio. I keep mine in my truck's kit without batteries installed. Batteries are stored with it but not in it. I like this radio for this kit because no matter where I am, the scanning function will bring in every station available and then you can tune through them without listening to the noise between stations. Nice feature.

I like the GP-5 DSP, too. The optional clip-on long-wire antenna makes a huge difference in reception. CountyComm has a newer model (GP-5 SSB) that I'm itching to get...

So inbound, agree with Eton radio.
Outbound, either a phone with texting, or a tablet with cellular.
texting is 1/50th the bandwidth of calling, and can slip through in any lull.

A twist on this- If you have one of the kindles that has a cellular connection- you already have a basic ability to do this- there is a browser built in- Not PRETTY, but works.

Plus, WAY GOOD battery life.

Unrelated tip- look for refurb tablet at places like cowboom or newegg--
today 12-7-15 cowboom has a older model Galaxy Tab 3 Verizon 3g for 34.99 U.S.

One reason I got the new iPhone in the Plus size is the bigger display which makes for easier texting, but it also comes with a much bigger battery. Talk time of up to 24 hours on 3G for the Plus compared to 14 hours for the standard size iPhone.