November 9th Emergency Broadcast System Test

• 09 Nov 2011
• ekim
• 1 response

If you are like me, you grew up occasionally hearing your TV issue a loud beep followed by “This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.” Followed by another loud beep.

Today, Wednesday November 9th, 2011 at noon (MST) Utah time the National Emergency Alert System will be conducting a nationwide test for the first time. The Emergency Alert system system is meant to allow governments at every level to alert their citizens to events that may affect them. The hope is that the system will be usable by local cities, counties and states as well as by the federal government to issue alerts at the national level. These alerts may cover child abuduction/Amber alert notices, sever storm warnings, tornado warnings, terrorist attacks, or pretty much any conceivable notice that a government may want to advise the public of.

As interesting and useful as this system will hopefully prove to be, I think it provides another, far more important purpose. It serves as a great reminder to check on your emergency plans and gear. Take few minutes today to check your car kit and your 72 hour kits. Are they still complete? We often “borrow” gear from our readiness kits and then forget to put them back or replace consumables. Use today as a reminder that as preppers we need to stay on top of our preps. Preps are not a one-time purchase but a commitment.

For more information on the test today, visit www.fema.gov/eastest/

Tags: alerts, Community, Education, FEMA, Government, preparedness

FREE HAM class at BYU – November 19th

• 27 Oct 2011
• neybar
• 3 responses

Another HAM class is being offered on November 19th 2011 if you missed the last class.

Here are the details from the instructor:

I must limit the size to 40 people so sign up early to reserve a spot. If you must cancel please let me know immediately so I can free up a slot for someone else. If you must cancel please do it as soon as you know you will not be coming to make room for someone else!!

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One Day Ham Radio Class for the Technician (entry level) license.

Saturday, Nov 19th, 2011 7:30am to 5pm (more…)

Tags: amateur radio, Education, HAM, Howto, preparedness

FREE HAM Radio Class at BYU!

• 10 Oct 2011
• phil801
• 5 responses

Having a HAM radio is essential to communicate in any kind of a disaster scenario!  But, having one and not being able to legally practice because you aren’t licensed is pretty useless because you’ll have no idea how to use it.  If you haven’t got your license yet, it’s time to get off the couch and get going!  It’s very easy to pass the test, if you pay attention in the class you’re pretty much guaranteed to pass.  With the class being free, all you’ve got to do is go spend a morning at BYU to get it.  The license itself is $14.00 and you’ll still have to pay that.

As for your first radio, I’ll be posting this week about the Wouxun radios that are hands down the best cheap radio on the market (they only cost $120).  Once you get your license and radio, there are several nets that do weekly check-ins that keep you in practice with your radio.

If you want to go, you MUST sign up ASAP!  He can only have 40 students and you can’t just show up.

Here are the details for the class (as sent by the instructor):

(more…)

Tags: Class, Communications, HAM

The night of the Herriman (Machine Gun) Fire

• 04 Oct 2010
• Doran Barton
• 4 responses

Tags: BOB, EDC, emergency preparedness, evacuation, Evacuation Kits, Fire, Herriman Fire, house, preparedness

October 17th 2009 one day Ham Radio class

• 02 Oct 2009
• ekim
• 6 responses

One Day HAM Radio Course

Congratulations are in order for all those who earned their Technician class license at the last one day class!

The class was quite successful. 29 students. 26 earned their license. It is really quite easy with a little studying!

Class Details

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I must limit the size to 40 people so sign up early to reserve a spot. If you must cancel please let me know immediately so I can free up a slot for someone else. I only had 29 come to the class in September so 10 did not show. I had several people who wanted to come but I told them the class was full. Please cancel if you will not be coming to make room for someone else!!
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Tags: Class, Education, Event, HAM, License, Radio

September 19th one day Ham Radio class‏

• 25 Aug 2009
• ekim
• 4 responses

ONE DAY TECHNICIAN CLASS

The Technician license is the entry level license for getting started in HAM radio. The Amateur Radio Club of Utah Valley often presents one day courses followed by a test to obtain your Technician class license.

The next class is Saturday September 19th, 2009 on the BYU campus. Seating is very limited so if you are interested please read on to find out how to sign up.
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Tags: Education, Event, HAM, preps

Swine flu fact check

• 10 Aug 2009
• wade
• 14 responses

Part of prepping is being smart. Educating yourself with existing knowledge and acquiring the skills to accurately and quickly secure and evaluate future information is critical for survival. Preppers should be leaders. People will look to you in an emergency for leadership and direction. Many people already do. As we work to help people understand the importance of prepping, it is crucial that we do it in a way that is not only sincere, but honest. Using scare tactics is not the right approach.

While stories of fear and death may motivate someone in the short term, its effects will not last and will not produce the change of lifestyle required for someone to truly be prepared. Being seen as a conspiracy theorist and a radical nut-job will also not help your efforts to convert friends and family, or worse, progress towards larger efforts for larger subjects nationally and across the world. Regardless of what you believe, where you stand, or which way you lean politically, your actions contribute to the perceived image of a prepper. Whether it’s individual rights, big-brother, small government, war, or the current battle over health care, the way you contribute to the conversation has a dramatic effect over the conversation. (more…)

Tags: Education, facts, H1N1, knowledge, leadership, Pandemic Preparedness, Swine Flu

Ham Radio: Emergency Communication

• 17 Jun 2009
• Connor
• 42 responses

photo credit: w9jim

Ham (“Amateur”) Radio is a reliable form of communication that is used in all sorts of scenarios, from hobby/recreation use to emergencies. This type of radio use is termed “amateur” because such communications are not allowed to be made for commercial or money-making purposes. Note that ham radios are a “step up”, as it were, from FRS/GMRS “walkie talkie” devices.

Licensing

Regulated by the FCC, Ham Radio has three classes—different levels of competency and licensed use. These are Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Each class offers a wider spectrum of authorized use. In previous years, otherwise interested individuals were often discouraged from Ham radio because of the morse code requirement. However, the FCC phased out this requirement in 2007 for all class levels.

After a short class and a fairly easy exam, any individual (regardless of age) may obtain a license. Once a license is given, a callsign will be assigned as well (as an example, mine is KE7LMI).

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Evacuation Preparedness List Review part 3

• 08 Jun 2009
• phil801
• 7 responses

This is the fifth installment of the Evacuation Preparedness Kit Series.  The first post, on Evac Prep Basics is here, and the second post, which introduces the Evac Prep Master List is here.  The third post, and the first post on the list review is here.  This post will pick up where we previously left off in reviewing the categories on the Master List.

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Tags: 72 Hour Kits, BOB, EDC, Evacuation Kits, G.O.O.D. Bags