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| Version | User | Scope of changes |
|---|---|---|
| Aug 17 2008, 12:48 PM EDT (current) | richboy33lb | 12 words added |
| Jul 24 2008, 3:10 PM EDT | tacticalplanner | 79 words added |
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Key: Additions Deletions
(started by TonyPro)
So there's been a class 3-ish outbreak, and all the survivors are safely barricaded in their respective Wal-Marts/bunkers/military bases/communes; and it seems to be time to do something besides hide. Survivors will need to communicate with each other in order to congregate, administer aid to the needy, or to plan an offensive. Television is obviously down. Cell phone lines are clogged to the maximum.
The standard mode of inter-human contact in the movies is via short-wave radio. However, these have several significant disadvantages:
-They are extremely heavy and bulky. You will have to board yourself up wherever you find one, unless you have a large truck or van to haul it in.
-They run on electricity. True, you can grab yourself a generator; but these are not so easily attained, nor is the gasoline they require to run.
-Short wave radios cannot be found at your local Sears. Really, have you ever actually seen one? Unless you know exactly where you can find one, looking for one would be dangerous and impractical.
This page is dedicated to alternative means of long-distance communication during a zombie crisis. The following are easily obtained devices and modes of such:
Walkie Talkies
Pros--Easy to find; very light and portable; most run on easily-obtained batteries.
Cons--May have to be plugged in to recharge; most only have a range of a few miles.
Morse Code/Semaphore
Pros--A mirror for reflecting sunlight or Semaphore flags are light and portable; do not require a power source.
Cons--Require being able to understand Morse Code/Semaphore; have very short range; mirror requires sunlight.
See other page for an easy-to-build communication device.
Carrier Pigeons
Pros--Quick, safe, efficient
Cons--Runs on precious bird seed
Pros--Good eating
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If a nearby base is transmitting via short wave radio and you have no way to hear their broadcasts,
Here Is An Easy Way To Transform A Normal Radio Into A Short-Wave Receiver
Again, I developed this myself. Yes, I am 1337 with teh 'lectricities.
Take any standard FM radio (the more powerful, the better the reception) and carefully take off the outer casing. If it plays tapes or CDs, determine which parts of the insides work the radio, and ignore the rest. On the circuit board (that's the green or brown plasticky thing with all the metal bits and wires sticking out of it, kind of like a big computer chip) you will see a small plastic box with little screws in it. Using a screwdriver, turn each screw one quarter-turn CLOCKWISE. That's done. Then, near the little box, you will see one or two small, tight coils of wire. Take your screwdriver, or a butter knife, or anything that will work, and use it to bend the coils so the little ringlets are as far apart as possible. Just spread them out really wide. There should be about the same distance between each coil, and the ones on the end should not be touching the circuit board. That's it; you're done. Turn the radio on, and just spin the dial until you get a signal! A small problem with this, of course, is that you won't be able to broadcast back.
Undead Anti-Hero
Rope on a string. I'm kidding. What about birds? I know that they were used in the past to transmit messages; if someone was a trainer it could possibly solve the problem. I personally have no idea on how you would do that. Just a thought.
BigBDave: Phones use electricity. Cell phones only broadcast to a tower, then it goes on standard wire phone lines and viceversa for incoming. Satellite phones will work but only if the person your calling is using a satellite phone also and the are expensive.
BigBDave: We should all get C.B.s, they broadcast a long distance, no licence, inexpensive, and you can get them for you house, car, or hand held (battery operated).
CBs, citizen's band radios, are probably a survivors best bet. They require next to no electricity, most people (around here anyway) already have one, and they have several different channels that could be used for different things.
Smadmead: Ham radio is your best bet. You can use voice, data, and morse. You can use repeaters from 10 meters and up, and you can communicate around the world with HF radio or satellites. And you can build an antenna out of pretty much any wire.
DETHKLOK_DETHFAN: Phones are a bad choice. Only phones with cords without electricity but require someone to be at the phone company in most cases. I would prefer a CB radio or a HAM radio.
Happyman: The internet will be up, so a wifi connection will do the trick. Lucky for everyone in LA. We also need our own radio frequency for Z-day, Any good ideas?
ww3sabiture: to make a fire smoke add any of thes grass/leavs/fresh cut branches/pine needles/Kno3+powder shuger=smoke bomb/green plants/trash but only use a fire if your despret save the wood for other things
Tacticalplanner: Okay, navy vessels had (may still have, not sure) old light guns with a shudder to signal in Morse Code over great distances. If you got one of those waterwheel generators thats instructions are on ehow.com (just search "Keeping fit in the fortress" on this wiki), you could charge batteries and such to allow other locations to have the same ability. Not sure if it could work on a battery, but you could do this with million-watt flashlights.
So there's been a class 3-ish outbreak, and all the survivors are safely barricaded in their respective Wal-Marts/bunkers/military bases/communes; and it seems to be time to do something besides hide. Survivors will need to communicate with each other in order to congregate, administer aid to the needy, or to plan an offensive. Television is obviously down. Cell phone lines are clogged to the maximum.
The standard mode of inter-human contact in the movies is via short-wave radio. However, these have several significant disadvantages:
-They are extremely heavy and bulky. You will have to board yourself up wherever you find one, unless you have a large truck or van to haul it in.
-They run on electricity. True, you can grab yourself a generator; but these are not so easily attained, nor is the gasoline they require to run.
-Short wave radios cannot be found at your local Sears. Really, have you ever actually seen one? Unless you know exactly where you can find one, looking for one would be dangerous and impractical.
This page is dedicated to alternative means of long-distance communication during a zombie crisis. The following are easily obtained devices and modes of such:
Walkie Talkies
Pros--Easy to find; very light and portable; most run on easily-obtained batteries.
Cons--May have to be plugged in to recharge; most only have a range of a few miles.
Morse Code/Semaphore
Pros--A mirror for reflecting sunlight or Semaphore flags are light and portable; do not require a power source.
Cons--Require being able to understand Morse Code/Semaphore; have very short range; mirror requires sunlight.
See other page for an easy-to-build communication device.
Carrier Pigeons
Pros--Quick, safe, efficient
Cons--Runs on precious bird seed
Pros--Good eating
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If a nearby base is transmitting via short wave radio and you have no way to hear their broadcasts,
Here Is An Easy Way To Transform A Normal Radio Into A Short-Wave Receiver
Again, I developed this myself. Yes, I am 1337 with teh 'lectricities.
Take any standard FM radio (the more powerful, the better the reception) and carefully take off the outer casing. If it plays tapes or CDs, determine which parts of the insides work the radio, and ignore the rest. On the circuit board (that's the green or brown plasticky thing with all the metal bits and wires sticking out of it, kind of like a big computer chip) you will see a small plastic box with little screws in it. Using a screwdriver, turn each screw one quarter-turn CLOCKWISE. That's done. Then, near the little box, you will see one or two small, tight coils of wire. Take your screwdriver, or a butter knife, or anything that will work, and use it to bend the coils so the little ringlets are as far apart as possible. Just spread them out really wide. There should be about the same distance between each coil, and the ones on the end should not be touching the circuit board. That's it; you're done. Turn the radio on, and just spin the dial until you get a signal! A small problem with this, of course, is that you won't be able to broadcast back.
Undead Anti-Hero
Rope on a string. I'm kidding. What about birds? I know that they were used in the past to transmit messages; if someone was a trainer it could possibly solve the problem. I personally have no idea on how you would do that. Just a thought.
What about megaphones? They'd be useful, as it would allow your voice to carry for long distances. Also if you've got the know how and the equipment you can make them. One downside--don't use it for long periods of time or near you base, as it will likely get Zack's attention.
HAM radio:
Your best bet for communication will be amateur or HAM radio. The test for an entry level (technician's) license is quite easy with a little study. There is an active community of amateurs who plan for emergency communications, so in a real emergency, they will be available to help. The equipment can be somewhat expensive, with HTs (handie talkies, or walkie talkies) running over $100 new, but the performance is far better than any GMRS or CBs. CB is, incidentally, still a viable option. they can be had for as little as $40 new. Depending on what type of radio you get, you can communicate between neighborhoods, between cities, or around the world. The new generation of equipment is light, durable, and portable, making it perfect for outdoor use. Also, shortwave receivers are only about $30-$80. Get one now.
Kingrich3: Would the phones still work? Or do they need electricity? I think so, maybe you if you had a complex of buildings phones between them would be a good Idea. assuming the wires have already been set up. or how about cell phones? would satellites still be in orbit? if they were these would help (Provided you don't run out of battery)
HAM radio:
Your best bet for communication will be amateur or HAM radio. The test for an entry level (technician's) license is quite easy with a little study. There is an active community of amateurs who plan for emergency communications, so in a real emergency, they will be available to help. The equipment can be somewhat expensive, with HTs (handie talkies, or walkie talkies) running over $100 new, but the performance is far better than any GMRS or CBs. CB is, incidentally, still a viable option. they can be had for as little as $40 new. Depending on what type of radio you get, you can communicate between neighborhoods, between cities, or around the world. The new generation of equipment is light, durable, and portable, making it perfect for outdoor use. Also, shortwave receivers are only about $30-$80. Get one now.
Kingrich3: Would the phones still work? Or do they need electricity? I think so, maybe you if you had a complex of buildings phones between them would be a good Idea. assuming the wires have already been set up. or how about cell phones? would satellites still be in orbit? if they were these would help (Provided you don't run out of battery)
BigBDave: Phones use electricity. Cell phones only broadcast to a tower, then it goes on standard wire phone lines and viceversa for incoming. Satellite phones will work but only if the person your calling is using a satellite phone also and the are expensive.
BigBDave: We should all get C.B.s, they broadcast a long distance, no licence, inexpensive, and you can get them for you house, car, or hand held (battery operated).
CBs, citizen's band radios, are probably a survivors best bet. They require next to no electricity, most people (around here anyway) already have one, and they have several different channels that could be used for different things.
Smadmead: Ham radio is your best bet. You can use voice, data, and morse. You can use repeaters from 10 meters and up, and you can communicate around the world with HF radio or satellites. And you can build an antenna out of pretty much any wire.
DETHKLOK_DETHFAN: Phones are a bad choice. Only phones with cords without electricity but require someone to be at the phone company in most cases. I would prefer a CB radio or a HAM radio.
Happyman: The internet will be up, so a wifi connection will do the trick. Lucky for everyone in LA. We also need our own radio frequency for Z-day, Any good ideas?
ww3sabiture: to make a fire smoke add any of thes grass/leavs/fresh cut branches/pine needles/Kno3+powder shuger=smoke bomb/green plants/trash but only use a fire if your despret save the wood for other things
Tacticalplanner: Okay, navy vessels had (may still have, not sure) old light guns with a shudder to signal in Morse Code over great distances. If you got one of those waterwheel generators thats instructions are on ehow.com (just search "Keeping fit in the fortress" on this wiki), you could charge batteries and such to allow other locations to have the same ability. Not sure if it could work on a battery, but you could do this with million-watt flashlights.
