New Class: OFF GRID COMMUNICATIONS

Class title: Off Grid Communications

April 11, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

THIS IS A NEW CLASS FOR US DUE TO REQUESTS FROM STUDENTS FOR THIS SPECIFIC INFORMATION.

Taught by Greg Birchfield and James Ruther

We’ve all grown very dependent upon reliable communication systems, and yet…. in an emergency, we find they are not as reliable as we hoped.  Most recently, there were widespread failures during the Eaton and Pacific Pallisades fires of Southern California.

In this class, we are going to explore the practical alternatives to your land-based cell phone. You will learn how to set up an emergency, or alternative, communication system, and you will learn what to buy, and what training you’ll  need (to get a ham license, for example).

We will cover the following:

 Radio – types of radios, shortwave, GMRS, AM, FM, Ham

    Bands of radio

    Bands – short distance, long distance, worldwide

     Setting up a Comms plan for your people

      Smartphone apps, Cell, Text, Radio

      Enciphering

     Repeaters and how to use them

     Baofeng Radios – overview and what they’re good for

      Better than Baofeng Radios and recommend

     Meshtastic – what is it? How do I set it up? What’s it good for?

You will also learn some Morse code, and various low-tech local communication methods, such as signalling mirrors, whistles, clackers.  If time, we’ll even address some of the Hobo codes from the depression era.

You will go home with a clear idea of what you should do next for your own family ‘s communication systems.