The Shocking Realization I Had About Radio During The Hurricane Helene Disaster.

[@REXOB9]

In my Maryland county, police, fire, etc are all digital, so the old analog scanners won't help.

[@FarpointFarms]

Maybe, but in this instance, the 1000's of crews that came up here to help all used analog gear. Tree crews, power crews, volunteer crews, search and rescue crews, red cross and local groups as well. What I found was that Police, fire and EMS all started to chat on analog with these groups to coordinate. That info was priceless! I feel the same would happen no matter where you are in the country. Sure Police may need to use encrypted comms from officer to base or officer to officer, but they also need to talk with the 1000's of People who showed up to help or needed help.

[@Tater26013]

​@FarpointFarms you are absolutely correct going analog is the lowest common denominator for some of these organizations

[@REXOB9]

@@FarpointFarms Thanks for the info - now I understand who was using analog in your area. I'll be sure to keep my analog scanners!. Also our county's Emergency Management Office sponsors RACES and those amateur operators would deploy to the local fire stations to set up a communications net covering the county. They practice this a couple of times each year.

[@billbergin-ou9ge]

@@FarpointFarms Hi Erik, hope things are improving. Can I ask what your thoughts are on Starlink? I am not affiliated with them just curious if that would help in the current situation. Take care, Bill

[@georgevavoulis4758]

As a Canadian I am furious Bell Canada FORCED us to have go from good old trusted and virtually indestructible copper cable , to expensive ,easily damaged fiber optic cable . I had 3 incidents when cable did not work and U had no phone service everytime it occurred I had no service for 7 days . I was informed by Bell customer service to detach a box and return it to nearest Bell store . We'll I told them on 3rd incident to get a Bell tech to repair it immediately. I get a $300bill a few days later .

[@keimahane]

My Daughter lives in the Tampa area and for years I have been telling her to get at least an emergency AM Radio. She finally got one a few years ago, with a hand crank to charge the battery. She just let me know that getting that radio was one of the best things she ever got for emergencies. It was the only source of info for the first three days after Milton hit and she was able to charge her phone with it.

[@FarpointFarms]

I am glad that you pushed your daughter to get that radio. I am sure that she never thought she would have to use it like that

[@China-Clay]

How would I figure out a good one to get?

[@Rhythmicons]

@@China-Clay Read the reviews and just buy one.

[@ivok9846]

ham radio or radio is not a life saving gear, because you can't call for help fast....

[@Rhythmicons]

@@ivok9846 One can certainly call for help with amateur radio in lieu of other communication devices.

[@ThrivingTogetherNow]

Hi from Asheville. Cell went down first, then power, woke to no water...those first days of silence and being cut off from the rest of the world was surreal.

[@FarpointFarms]

I hope that you all are doing ok, That area got hit really hard

[@n085fs]

During the Derecho of 2022, we lost power for about 9 days. In Ontario, real close to Ottawa. 9 days. I luckily foresaw stuff like that happening, and dragged home to my wife's complaints, a wood burning stove that I saw being discarded roadside. She was singing a very different tune when we were able to cook during those days without power. I have to keep the stove outside because insurance companies no longer insure houses with wood-burning stoves installed after a certain date. We're allowed to install an open-hearth fireplace, but not a closed stove. That's Canada for ya. Anyway, be your own physical savior. And enjoy the silence when you've got it.

[@JohnH-rd3xy]

Leicester here, TTN. We lost power on Thursday evening, 19:22, and were out for fourteen days. We have a well but without power, no well. Never short of water, thank God and all the responders! You guys got water back yet? Wlos is saying some might be months.

[@butterbean4195]

Man when our cell and power went out i loved it. i just listened to my CB/Ham /scanners with my backup power.. lol i loved it stay safe stay healthy learn from this..

[@dreed7312]

Yes and none of the hero hams bothered to help out.

[@appalachianunderground8474]

Lots of people don’t realize that cell service depends largely on landline copper/fiber cable to provide service… if the poles survive the storm damage without widespread damage then a power outages will also occur…in this case the towers and central offices depend on generators and batteries to maintain service. In these extreme circumstances it’s almost impossible to maintain cell/ internet services throughout the duration of the rebuild process. I know that you know what I’m talking about but it’s amazing at how many people think that cell and wi-fi are magically manifested out of thin air . I work for AT&T and I can say for our men and women are working can to can’t to help restore all services in these areas , God Bless y’all from Alabama ✝️🇺🇸🙏🏻👆🏻

[@jamesbeemer7855]

That’s a good observation ,sir . Telephone does relie on copper . But as far as I know , radio is still a good connection , at least for short distance . Recently I aquired a CB with FM capabilities , but no digital . Let law enforcement have it . I don’t need to know what they are doing . I have a thought I would like to share though . What if congress was to implement a use of CB while in session ?

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you- Some of the main fiber lines piggyback on the main power lines to some areas. When those poles went down, so did the internet. Cell service here is poor on a good day, it was non existent after the storm

[@appalachianunderground8474]

@@jamesbeemer7855 I agree totally…I’m a avid fan of radio in all aspects… I wish that more young people would get into short wave, CB and Ham radio simply due to the benefits they provide in natural disasters that seem to be occurring more often than ever.

[@YllaStar95970]

📻Rockwell Collins 380hf.📻 African warlords, Embassies, Governments, Military, Oil Rigs, all of 'em swear by it. Tx/Rx 1.8-30 MHz.👍

[@UDX-3030]

We’re all only 1 wayward backhoe away from a major outage. With all the buried fiber cables running across country, it’s an easy target. I was in the IT industry for 15yrs and I’ve seen some pretty bizarre human caused outages. Just sayin..be prepared folks !

[@chuckcrizer]

Fiber isn't just broken, it's GONE. Miles of fiber and power lines don't exist. Roads to get to cell sites are now canyons and unusable. No access. Certainly no way to tow up a generator. I work for a major carrier doing microwave and fiber backhaul. Covering a Saturday shift supporting DR. Many people are doing a lot of cool stuff to get cell coverage up.

[@Thetatruth]

Smart City Alliance Protocol. You have nothing and will be happy you lived.

[@doltBmB]

@@Thetatruth CTOS

[@FarpointFarms]

We were lucky to get our internet back with the power. Some are still without

@@Thetatruth You gullible clod.

[@RCAvhstape]

Modern tech is great, right up until it quits working. Always good to remember the old ways. Analog radio, how to navigate using a map with no GPS, etc.

[@bobjones9727]

Totally agree 100%. Unfortunately IMO lot of people today rely on that technology. Hopefully some lesson will be learned.

[@rudyschwab7709]

There are many people who can't read an analog clock. They have no clue about how screwed they are,

[@bobjones9727]

@@rudyschwab7709 Put an old rotary dial telephone in front of them and really watch the fun.

[@RCAvhstape]

@@rudyschwab7709 You need to tell those fools what time it is!

[@FarpointFarms]

Give them an old phone, paper map, and have them try to drive a stick shift.

[@ahoblit]

thank the Lord for our radio operators, HAM, etc. When it's dire we can always count on them.

[@FarpointFarms]

Amen to that one

[@phillipzx3754]

Did you also thank your "lord" for creating the storm IN THE FIRST PLACE? 🤣

[@Criticalthinker0515]

Iridium cell phone

[@GTTL-lad]

nature wants to survive "progress" any way it can

[@radiow4qa71]

Please, all, contact your representatives in the Federal Government and express how important it is to preserve, encourage, and grow this hobby. It has been a source of technical and emergency talent for generations -- yet many in our government think that it is outdated in the age of the internet. Natural disasters always prove otherwise. Cuts in FCC funding used to support Amateur Radio are always a problem, and our representatives need to be educated on how unwise defunding is. We should be promoting Amateur Radio in our school systems, and in homeschooling -- it is an ideal curriculum for supporting STEM and creating that next generation of engineering talent.

[@FarpointFarms]

You make a great point, I will have to reach out

[@ddenisehughes2899]

I do not trust the Govt to do 1 thing to help. The FCC just approved Soros buying 200+ radio stations. Why? Sorry don't think asking them will change it and may even trigger them to do the opposite.

[@Pyrrho_]

It's dying, regardless. Can't compete with smartphones for younger generations' attention.

[@germanjohn5626]

Ham radio is an dinosaur, a hobby for social inept and people suffering from agoraphobia. The average age is between 70and maggot food. Moreover, Technology used in ham radio is so far behind the industrial application, there is no chance of creating the next generation of engineering talent.

[@FarpointFarms]

@@germanjohn5626 Speaking of socially inept, you may want to seek help.

[@dougtaylor7724]

Out in the country everyone needs to realize the phrase You’re on your own always proves to be true. Glad to see you and the family made it through without injury.

[@FarpointFarms]

That is a very true statement, but I will say, the local fire department was going from door to door to check on people. They were bringing water and food to those who needed it

[@lukequigley121]

Always tout - WE are our own 1st. responders , supplies , security.. govt not going to help , probably hurt!!!

[@alwaysyouramanda]

The feds wouldn’t let Elon deliver starlink internet and would you look at them now.

[@not1word331]

And even in the cities, increasingly. If there is a major event, response services will be stretched very thin.

[@anezay4987]

This holds for official help. State-run aid and infrastructure repair are notoriously slow and ineffectual. I disagree on the community end, however. Community mutual aid is incredibly powerful in these situations. Take care of yourself, then check on your neighbors.

[@BionicJazz]

I have found Radio to be absolutely key in any disaster. A difference between life and death for sure. It's also widely accessible without a monthly cost to access it.

[@FarpointFarms]

Exactly- people tend to forget how useful they can be

[@dw3403]

After the nisqually earth quake in my area. My power was out. I couldn't find out what the damage was. Cell phones could not get calls out because it was being over used. I did finally get ahold of my husband who was fine. I went to my car and turned on my radio to am to hear what was going on. I only remembered that because was a child in the 60's and our parents gave us am fm battery operated radios.

[@elainegoad9777]

I had my AM-FM-Weather transistor radio in Hendersonville NC ! WTZQ Hendersonville got on the air with a generator. Yeah ! I Heart Radio Asheville got on the Radio with a generator. Yeah ! Thank you radio people !!!!!!!! I would've been so alone without my radio and you brave,courageous radio people ! Thank you so much ! I love my little transistor radio ! the stations that stayed on the air were life savers and the broardcasters and station employees are heros !!!!!!

[@FarpointFarms]

They stepped up! I listened to some of the Ashville AM station when I could get it. It was heart breaking.

[@GbHill59]

I love my shortwave & CB radio. I’m studying for my ham license here in Piedmont NC. So glad to here you all are doing well. Our church has sent several trailers of stuff up there & we have men working up there doing carpentry work.

[@ahk0341]

Beginning the study for HAM down here in Charlotte NC. I've had phones go out in the past but didn't worry about it, but with children being grown and having gotten older it is a little different.

[@PopeyeKF4LBG]

Do it... I have met some really cool folks in amateur radio... 73 de KF4LBG

[@GbHill59]

@@PopeyeKF4LBG Thanks

[@childofgod5115]

Glad your ok praying for everyone affected by the storms.

[@bobbader4789]

Nice! A scanner would be nice too! Grasshoppa

[@unitedstatesdale]

My father taught me morse code so well that I can listen to it without taking notes 😊 Thanks Dad. Aka. Speedkeymansd

[@FarpointFarms]

He taught you well-

[@filminginportland1654]

Lol that’s what stopped me early on as a kid from getting my novice class was keying. I practiced and practiced on my mentor’s test rig but never got beyond 10 wpm. Probably should relearn it, though I know that it’s no longer required for many license classes so I do need to get licensed. Those written tests were easy even at 12 years old. Morse code, a bit harder lol

[@phillipzx3754]

There are more active (ham radio) voice communications than CW during a storm like this.

[@KC5TGTRadiosNMore]

I tell my friends that my scanner is my “ situational awareness machine”! I’m shocked sometimes how much my old Uniden keeps me informed of things I would have otherwise not known.

[@FarpointFarms]

Like you said, it helps me to know what is really going on

[@jw6180]

Which one do you recommend I buy?

[@victorygarden556]

@@jw6180 get a cheap one that fits your needs or get an sds200. Never ever get the handheld variant the sds100. That 100 sucks so bad.

[@aperson1181]

which scanner do you have?

[@bobwilkerson9760]

And they're ONLY 650.00😮

[@aceman1126]

Here in east TN and western nc the local 2 meter repeaters were invaluable. Lots of people were saved and a lot of recovery help was and still is being done via the 2m repeaters... there was a time right after the storm when everything was down even 911 was coordinating evacs via the repeaters. It's been crazy

[@Rox600601]

I've heard reported that some states (CA?) have been removing repeaters, anyone know if true & if true who has the authority to do this(so we can have a chat w/ them)? Seems to me repeaters r valuable in SHTF situations

[@barneymm2204]

@@Rox600601 I've only heard of a couple, years ago, losing their sites since they weren't the primary site owners but the local counties emergencies services were. Repeaters are only as good as their resiliency. The Mount Mitchel repeater lost power and another club opened their repeater to their traffic for the emergency.

[@FarpointFarms]

I have seen some of the damage from eastern TN, Erwin in particular- The destruction is amazing (not in a good way)

[@paulsengupta971]

@@Rox600601 Repeaters are installed and maintained by individuals or small groups of people. Sometimes the sites they are on get shut down, sometimes the equipment just gets too old to repair any more. Sometimes repeaters get shut down because there's no one to maintain them any more. Other times, the equipment gets moved to another site and a new repeater is put on air.

[@heerosanosyuy1173]

2:25 So what I advise everyone to do is. Download all the useful information pertinent to their homestead and community. Download that information to separate hard drives. Then keep a laptop and those drives in a Faraday bag. Thank you for your time.

[@FarpointFarms]

That is a great idea-

[@filminginportland1654]

Definitely in proper faraday bags or little cages. All sorts of things can fry electronics like that. Waterproof container even better.

[@FarpointFarms]

Waterproof container is a good idea- I never thought of that

[@curtw8827]

I'm a ham near Tampa. Sad with all this fancy radio equipment that the emergency management has, they were begging for hams to be backup at shelters and ride along with fire battalion chiefs. Ham radio is their Plan B. In my gated community, my local ham club supports a disaster radio network with over 600 FRS 2 watt ($15.00) radios among our condo residents, hams with GMRS licenses act as listening stations and net control with 2 meter links to emergency ops center in the County.

[@FarpointFarms]

The more we plan, the more we let things slip through the cracks.

[@jplacido9999]

Sophisticated networks are power intensive and have more elements to fail. Simple analog comms never fail....(tailored for the right purpose)

[@flaboysventures2697]

I’m in Tampa bay, tried you several times on your channel..: no luck, but this hurricane Milton I had multiple people local we all kept in touch with.::

[@FarpointFarms]

Glad to hear from you!

[@pbwizard2007]

Between my Uniden 125xlt scanner and the SDRTrunk software I have installed on my laptop, I'm kept in the know. I hope you and your family continue to stay safe and that power is restored in your area very soon. Thanks for the time and effort you put into the videos you post Erik. Sending prayers and positive energy from Toronto Canada.

[@FarpointFarms]

We are back online and things in town are slowly getting put back together. It will be years before its fixed up, but at least we are now able to try.

[@MrSlipstreem]

I live in the UK where disasters like this are incredibly rare, but it doesn't stop me being prepared. I have solar panels in the back garden charging high capacity battery packs that can charge my wide band comms receiver (also modified to run for up to 50 hours on its own internal battery), charge my 144/432MHz 4W ham radio handheld and PMR/LPD handheld, and power my 80 channel AM/FM CB rig that can be (illegally) modified in a matter of seconds to pump out over 15 Watts if necessary. In an emergency, it's always better to have something and not need it than to need something and not have it. 👍

[@FarpointFarms]

Exactly. Sounds like you are ready!

[@PhilG999]

This is something that's been on my mind a LOT lately (and has been for a while)! I was big into CB back in the day. We're talking mid-seventies. Back when you needed a license for CB I had KRK-#### (so by a three letter four number call sign you know it was fairly early). I had a fairly large local group near me that hung out on CH 14 (for whatever reason, I know it was the "default" channel for cheap walkie-talkies). Spent many hours "Ratchet Jawing" with folks with handles like Cabbagehead, Spitfire (she had a Triumph), Packrat, and many others. Met and became friends with a few along the way. Dated one girl I met that way for several years... Went to many "Coffee Breaks" the whole thing. Got involved with REACT. I started out with a cheap 23 channel car TX/RX and then moved on to 40 ch and SSB. Put a Rat Shack "Crossbow" on the roof (their version of a "Big Stick"). Discovered D-104s (I still have two) and Turner Super Sidekicks. I still have it too along with several RS handhelds, some newer stuff like my Midland 75-822 handheld/car CB, and a RS 40ch SSB rig in one older car (custom mount in the console). I'm sure a LOT of people also have their gear laying around from back then and are dusting it off like I have been. With all the Natural disasters lately (and some Manmade ones) I've been thinking about emergency preparedness, and so on. I'm 1/4 mile from the nearest substation but I'm still thinking about getting a small Generator "just in case"). Glad you're OK in NC I'm in Atlanta and I've been watching all the coverage of Helene and now Milton and there may be more coming... Well, that's all got for now. 3s&8s and I'll catch you on the flipside. "Graystone" out...

[@FarpointFarms]

I think that is why CB is still king. There are so many radios out there that in these events all we have to do is dust them off and get on the air.

[@thechillhacker]

God bless you, your family, and your neighbors. What a mess. Thanks for taking something positive out of it all and spreading that.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you sir!

[@jaybird2299]

My prayers go out to all those who lost loved ones. Praying for everyone God’s blessings on you all.. thanks for sharing

[@FarpointFarms]

I feel so bad for many of my fellow community members. A tragic time for sure.

[@Kw1161]

My hopes and prayers are for you , your family and neighbors in western North Carolina . Have safe a wonderful recovery.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you so much! Mountain folk are pretty resilient and will come back stronger

[@David-xh2he]

Thank you for taking the time to post these videos . So important unbiased info . FYI and I am by no means paid to say this , ready wise is the best emergency food . I keep it at home and use it on expeditions . Unlike mre’s they are made for all ages . Good luck and keep up your pro active positive thinking .

[@FarpointFarms]

I appreciate that! I have a few wise things and they are decent. I have a video coming soon on some emergency food (sent long before the Hurricane and I was glad to have it)

[@DavidWardle]

We are lucky where I live in Scotland that we don't get weather like you do but I do have my CB radio in the car and little handsets also a couple of scanners. Some folk think I look daft with the big whip on the car roof but I really don't care. Stay safe and hope everything gets back to normal for you really soon.

[@rudolphguarnacci197]

Who cares what anyone thinks? You must be doing something right.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you for that, I am glad that you guys don't have to deal with crazy weather. You guys just gets lots of rainy days

[@pheenix42]

Daft? Sir, you're the smartest man in the room.

[@DavidWardle]

@@FarpointFarms It doesn't rain that much but we don't get sun tans, we rust and we have webbed fingers and toes and breathe through gills 🤣

[@USA-GreedyMenOfNoIntegrity]

USA is all about looks and the continuous clock measuring contests. Vacations, lift kits, 35" tires, $40K ATV's, bigger houses are the priority.

[@hatchetjackphillips]

I can see where a scanner would work best for getting info! Never thought about having to switch back to an analog system after all the damage that was done. I’ll have to program em back into mine. Good to see cb being utilized in a situation like that!

[@FarpointFarms]

The old school techs are what made communications possible. Cell service here is poor on a good day, add a major disaster and it was no longer.

[@lukequigley121]

A ham / GMRS op here and local DOT will have a ton of info in a event.. They boots on the ground and telling how it is..Find lical DOT / Pwr company's

[@nealtircuit9373]

I know you are speaking more about amateur radio, but living in south Louisiana during Hurricane Katrina, I realized how important AM radio is during emergencies. At the time WWL-AM created a network and broadcast over several AM and FM frequencies to disseminate information. While people were stuck in there attics without water, I recall them reminding people over air that there is fresh water safe to drink in their water heaters. I am sure just this little fact going out over their radio saved lives.

[@FarpointFarms]

I feel our tiny local AM station went well above and beyond to provide the community with critical info. I have a video on it next weekend.

[@nealtircuit9373]

@@FarpointFarms Looking forward to it. By the way, my comment was not a criticism of your video, which I found to be very informative. I was just adding how important all analog radio is.

[@FarpointFarms]

You're good on that one

[@threepistols7]

WWL AM/FM is doing that to this day. I always tune in if there's a hurricane affecting New Orleans.

[@TheRange7]

I have a Baofeng which i use for weather. Once I saw the devastation of Helene I ordered a pair of Tidradio H-3's. I'm getting a license and going to be prepared. When I was a kid I was into CB. i had a Browning radio with a 500 watt kicker. I ran a "Big Stick" antenna which was 100 feet up in an old oak tree. Talked a ton of skip. Neighbors got so angry when I was transmitting I had to shut it down and sell it all.

[@FarpointFarms]

CB is still a valuable way to communicate. You may want to look into a smaller setup. Just make sure the radio has SSB.

[@TheRange7]

@@FarpointFarms Thanks

[@KarlWitsman]

Glad to hear that you and the family are safe.

[@FarpointFarms]

We feel blessed. It was and is a terrible for so many of my friends and family.

[@midsouthexpress]

In my county in Arkansas when the P-25 system come on our local police and SO could not get rid of the old analog VHF radios fast enough. The radios were pulled and the repeaters turned off. Really kinda sad. They believed hook line and sinker what the guy with the bat wings on his shirt said when he told them that AWIN NEVER FAILS! It's perfect! It's all you will ever need! Get rid of the old junk!! Move forward!! We tried to warn them to keep the old stuff as least as backup or at least keep the repeaters up..but since we didn't have a shirt with the bat wings on it they said we didn't know what we were talking about.

[@FarpointFarms]

It was critical to use analog to communicate with all the other responders.

[@jplacido9999]

Those bats do that everywhere, so that no one can say the old analog has better audio and survived when the digital didn't....

[@RadioPhreak]

Yes, a few years ago I was working on P-25 LWIN (Louisiana) batwing stuff. at the LWIN repeater sites the Motorola GTR 8000's connected via the internet ( they claimed direct lines and VPN's).. After the frequent summer thunderstorms Network switches, routers, UPS (battery backup) locking up. I would go to a site to just reboot these things. would also reboot the ATT network box, "green light" it and the GTR 8000 router. and after Hurricane Ida, it was a big disaster. The Motorola people came down and tried satellite links. They even came down with big gasoline trucks so we could go drive and take care of their radio disaster.

[@jplacido9999]

@@RadioPhreak 👍👍👍 Great account 👍👍🙏

[@ericcommarato7727]

I’ve been an amateur radio operator for 27 years. When everything goes down I can still communicate CW at 35 WPM if there is someone on the other end to receive. Thanks for posting, all the best to recovery there. 73, W5EJC.

[@FarpointFarms]

It is always nice to have options!

[@Maxid1]

A friends mom back in the very early 70's had a Bearcat and I would say, was an absolute addict. She listened to it all day. She had a cops ear for when it was important, or interesting to her. She'd be talking and tune her ear into what was on the scanner at the same time.

[@Bob814u]

@@Maxid1 my mom has a digital/analog scanner now. The old analog ran from the 70s till it died. She and her widow buddies go to court everyday it is running and take notes. A couple of months the judges paused a trial and had her bring her notes up. "Mr. &&&&, you were convicted on &&&& and you are back?". He hands my mom her notes back and asks the next widow if the notes were correct. LOL!!!!

[@Maxid1]

@@Bob814u our town was kind of in the boonies. I'm not sure they had court proceedings in town. She was doing elder care in the mans home or she may been interested in going to watch trials. I haven't heard from her in a long time. I fear the worst.

[@FarpointFarms]

It can be addictive to hear the action on the air in a busy town for sure!

[@terrywho22]

Enjoy your uploads and wishing you the best. When you make your scanner video, could you please include a buyers guide for new and used receivers? Thanks!!

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you for the help- it really does help the channel. I have a video of the scanner in action. It is not as in depth as your suggestion. I will see what I can do for making a video

[@terrywho22]

@@FarpointFarms I'm sure it will be useful. Thanks for the consideration.

[@mctourer5549]

Thank you for your continued efforts in making videos that cover whats been working for you and your family in a dire situation as this. This is very useful information people really need on what works, we all have our preconceived notions on what will work in situations like this but we have to put those aside and really listen to the people that have been in actual disaster events! Being a Ham radio operator i have radios but I now will be adding a scanner to the list, I ve been a subscriber to your channel for many years now and have always found good and useful information here,thanks again farpoint farms and best wishes to everyone down there!

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you for the kind words, I want people to learn form my experience so if they have to go through something similar, they can be best prepared.

[@richardwatsonjr.5067]

Good report, Erik. I was having issues with HF propagation. I could hear hear most of the time on 40 and 20 meters but was limited to 100 watts and 15 feet elevation. I did hear more local local stations completing relays. I felt powerless just listening and not being able to do much. I hear that vhf/uhf comms were effecrive locally. GMRS would work well for local family comms as well as CB. Live and learn. Regards. 73.

[@FarpointFarms]

It was quite an event! Radio really keeps us in the know.

[@vonzigle]

Thanks!

[@FarpointFarms]

No thank you for your support

[@loismiller7742]

After the Camp Fire (2018)here in Butte Co CA, my Neighborhood Watch group @ the help of amateur radio club, got a GMRS radio system going @ repeater. 40 + families just here. We do weekly netcalls to keep us on top of equip and community. It was picked up @ other areas in county, including Sheriff's comm. During the Park Fire ( Chico), the GMRS saved lives - all other comm GONE in fire zone. Awesome

[@FarpointFarms]

Great idea!

[@brucechynoweth]

Hey, Bruce here again in Murphy NC. My big surprise was Cell service going down 2 or 3 days....Once again, here in Murphy we were very lucky, not much damage at all. Those who lost electric got it back pretty fast. That being said, I never lost electric, water, fiber optic...But we lost cell service ?? It appears, or I am guessing we are tied into one Hub only and not cross connected to the network. Good luck over there, the groups here are sending propane, fuel and winter clothing at the moment...

[@FarpointFarms]

Interesting that you only lost cell service. I wonder what it was tied to?

[@rickysig]

Erik, you used a good expression the other day when you referred to all this stuff as insurance. I live further up the east coast in the burbs and, thankfully, hurricanes typically weaken by the time they get this far but still knock out the power here and there. In watching your videos, I have picked up a coupe two-way radios, a GMRS(not too popular around here), a shortwave that I fiddle around with now and again, and a handheld CB I found on eBay. None of them are bad to have and we appreciate your insight even if we are not as tech savvy as you are.

[@FarpointFarms]

Sounds like a great setup! I do think of this stuff as insurance and in this event, having it paid off.

[@PopeBrak]

Greetings, Eric! I'm very glad to hear that you and your family are safe and doing well. Thanks so much for sharing these videos with us while you're going through this whole mess. It's really helpful to get an honest insider's view of the situation on the ground. Also, the beard looks great! 73.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you- I just people to know what they can do to stay safe

[@Bob814u]

Excellent view. Saying that these are the radios that I want is one thing. Having experienced a disaster and seeing what REALLY is needed is very helpful to those of us that haven't. Prayers are with you and yours. Take care and God Bless you and your's. 73!!

[@56Basillio]

Information coming into a cell tower (your calls) are back hauled from the Tower to The cell Phone office via fiber optic cable (internet), then goes across the country on Internet cables…

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks sir!

[@nightfury6836]

ALWAYS good to see an upload from Far Point Farms!!! I'm in Asheville. Got through relatively unscathed but many of my friends and co-workers did not... I've had that same X-Files poster that you have in the background for years lol. Hang tough Eric!!

[@FarpointFarms]

I am glad to hear that you did OK, Asheville area got hit really hard and many lost everything

[@nightfury6836]

@@FarpointFarms Thanks Eric!!! I was super fortunate. I'm on two acres, and I had two huge oaks the size of mini coopers come down on my property but they didn't hit my home, luckily... My Simple Pump auxiliary manual hand operated well pump was able to help many of my neighbors stay hydrated while we went without power for a week. Especially the elderly...

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you for helping your neighbors out- In a time of need we need to help others.

[@nightfury6836]

@@FarpointFarms Americans are supposed to stick together!!! 😉

[@rodneysnead8375]

Still praying for you Erik, and all the people in north Carolina

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you, keep the prayer coming, they are helping

[@electrictao5180]

So glad you mention the analog scanner and AM radio, Erik! I recently started in the radio hobby with a Uniden BC125AT and a Tecsun PL330, and they are my favorite radios for info. I also like that they are lithium powered, and highly portable. It looks like your radios pulled you through the roughest of times. Thanks for sharing this valuable radio info!

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks!!

[@JDubbsadventure]

I use to work for ntelos/lumos in 2012 when a derecho nocked out power for 2 weeks In Alleghany/ Botetourt county Va. we powered 3 of the major cell towers with massive diesel generators. But the other towers were out of power for the two weeks. My guess is most phone companies are not equipped, prepared for such a long-term powder outage. I know the phone company here still only has the same 3 pull behind generators. Stay safe out there 🤙🏻

[@FarpointFarms]

This area they got flooded by water and lost all power. It was crazy!

[@JDubbsadventure]

@@FarpointFarms yes there night and day disasters. The point was the “grid” is not prepared for such events. and truly, I don’t know what you would do to prepare for massive flooding like this other than have a safe place in an elevated position with supplies there.

[@paulleverentz9676]

Yes, scanners are a great source for info. I have two 1,000 channel scanners, one is a desk unit that works on 120 volt ac or 12 volt dc and the other is a handheld which runs on 4 AA batteries. Living in Houston, TX I have been though may fair share of disasters, the worst was hurricane Ike in 2008. No power for 7 days and some folks went as long as 3 months with no power. I also have CB radio which is a Realistic TRC-465 but I am down for now do to a lightning strike fried the antenna. Glad your doing well and continue what your doing. Love the channel!

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you sir!

[@212Wolfgang]

Communication in Indian River County and St Lucie County (both Florida) was limited at best, internet was down - on/off for at least 6 days, ham radio both locally and throughout Florida and beyond was useless. FPL (Florida Power and Light) in its infinite intelligence, continues to hang lines of all description and purpose on above ground polls! Think about it, Florida! All of these lines should have been underground decades ago - pole lines make no sense here in Florida. Thank you Eric, I am buying a Scanner asap, my expensive ICOMS and Anytones (VHF/UHF) radios are useless or maybe just that hams need to think and coordinate about these things. We all most likely talk some weather when we talk, just not in storms!

[@9mmARman]

Hang in there. At least you are FAR more prepared than the average person affected by the storm!

[@FarpointFarms]

Yes, and we feel blessed to have been so prepared. It's over now for us, but for many in our community, the worst is still on the horizon. We will drop below freezing tonight and many are living in tents.

[@mikereinhardt4807]

Glad you're in relatively good shape, a lot of people are a lot worse off. I hope and pray everyone gets the help they need as soon as possible. Good video by the way!,,,

[@FarpointFarms]

I appreciate that, keep praying for the ones who lost the most. They will need it

[@zymmer4]

when we got hit with a dercheo in WV a few years ago..my house was without power for 34 days..the daytime temps were near 100. I had no gas as the gas stations didn't have power..we had NO emergency supplies or water until 2 days before power was restored..I never saw FEMA or ANY govermental agents in the entire county..I look at your hurricane damage and sigh..Do not count on your governmental services to help you..band to together and survive.

[@allangibson8494]

FEMA MANAGES response. They call people who contract repair services. Just because they aren’t wearing a FEMA jacket doesn’t mean they aren’t there because FEMA called them.

[@FarpointFarms]

Holy cow 34 days in that heat- Wow I am glad that you survived

[@kaythegardener]

Much of the local efforts to relieve the human needs are under the control of local, county & state levels. Who elected those officials & what did the voters demand from their officials?? Federal relief efforts typically fix the infrastructure-- roads, hospitals, schools, buildings & residences...

[@User48_x3]

​@kaythegardener I really appreciate your comment and I might add that if we are asked to evacuate we should. It isn't right to expect someone else to risk their lives to rescue us when we didn't follow common sense guidlines for preparedness. And then blame someone else.

[@ryangassxx]

Great video. That’s real lived experience of hardship and how the various types of radio have played a role in keeping you informed. I’ve given you a hard time in these comments in the past for some of the radio reviews you’ve done. I don’t take any of that back 😅. But I’m also here to extend kudos for making a good video as well. Thanks Erik. I watch all of your stuff.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks- It is OK not to like everything that I put out, I can take some criticism sometimes.

[@karinhart489]

Thanks for pointing out the value in your scanner, we hadn’t thought of that because of 1st responders going encrypted digital. Here on the west coast several years ago we lost over 400 cell towers from all carriers in my half of my state during an extreme wildfire season. Both the FCC and state PUC nailed them for lack of redundancy to provide power to towers. Interestingly enough the GMRS, 2m, & 70cm radio repeaters mostly had solar backup, and those that didn’t were updated within a year by the various ham clubs.

[@FarpointFarms]

It was quite a surprise to hear so much in the clear!

[@tdouglas125]

At the height of the pandemic, one of the things that really kept me going (I especially liked falling asleep to it) was listening to police/fire/rescue scanner channels from around the country (through an app) What you said about “what they say to each other” is exactly why. When you listen to rescue teams communicate you will hear people who excel at one of the few jobs that REALLY matter: saving others. You will also hear them being polite to each other, and totally professional as they handle some of the CRAZIEST shit going on in the corners of our world.

[@jeririce4928]

what pandemic?

[@TheMockatiel]

@@jeririce4928 the one where y’all turned into tinfoil hat wearing azzho’s in other peoples comment sections 🙄

[@jw6180]

Which scanner do you recommend? Haven’t they blocked that from the public ears? The ones I used before never have anything on them. Radio quiet.

[@FarpointFarms]

I like to listen to major cities on those apps. Pretty cool!

[@jamesphillips2285]

@@jeririce4928 The ONGOING covid pandemic. Did you think it went away just because you were told to go back to work like a good little sheep? BAAA!

[@SHTFchef]

I will second the vote for adding a scanner to the lineup. I have a little handheld Uniden BC125AT that kicks butt.

[@FarpointFarms]

It is an important thing to have

[@rickyodom1201]

my radio shake 2 meter has that build in with push button it get all mars bands

[@PSALMSHEAVENLYAUDIO]

stay Steadfast sir, Farpoint farms has been a pinnacle of me going to college! keep up the fight over there , our thoughts and Prayers are with you!!!!

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you sir!

[@WorldMoneyWins]

Great update Erik! Stay safe! I would love to watch a video about what to look for when shopping for a used analog scanner. (When things get back to normaal) I have a BHD436 digital scanner and was drooling over the SDS200 also, but now I think an older analog one might be good for the arsenal.

[@FarpointFarms]

I'll be certain to make one!

[@radionos8515]

Really interesting perspective by a trusted channel. Thanks Erik!

[@FarpointFarms]

I appreciate that! I try to give honest and real life information

[@swatson1190]

We went without electricity for 38 days. It was during 2000 ice storm here in Southwest Arkansas. We live in the Ouachita mountains. Cell service wasn't a thing, land lines were out, and the police radios were down too. The internet were down too. Everything was down. It was three weeks until even half of that. The fire department was using a phone tree when the phone lines finally got mostly back up. Where we live cell service and electric is sketchy on a normal day. We just came to terms with not talking to people. We survived.

[@barneymm2204]

38 days, Holy smokes!

[@swatson1190]

@@barneymm2204 good thing we had a hand pump well and a wood stove. We put the contents of our fridge and freezer in a plastic tote in the shed. The temperature never got above 32 degrees for 30 days. We had a coyote try to sleep on our porch under the swing for two days at the worst of the storm. I saw him when i went out for wood one night.

[@FarpointFarms]

I am glad to hear that you were OK- 38 days is insane!!

[@shadoweng15]

Thank you brother. When you say "my friends" I feel like you mean it.

[@FarpointFarms]

You guys are my friends, never forget that

[@cwarchibald5999]

Exactly what I wanted to know. I added an SDS100 to my collection just for that purpose. Glad you are safe.

[@FarpointFarms]

We are ok, thank you

[@johnnorth9355]

Stay safe and best wishes for a speedy return to normal. I suspect that ordinary people need to learn from these events and organise how to communicate because the government sure does not seem interested in helping them plan. 73

[@FarpointFarms]

It will be a really long time before people can go back to "normal"

[@bendeleted9155]

It's amazing how we evolve together, thousands of miles away from each other. You can receive useful information from just about anyone, and relay that information to just about anyone. Good stuff, Eric 👍. Scanners are very important, especially if you're locked on important freqs on your transceivers. Scanners are fast enough to keep up. One cheap, great radio I can recommend for BOTH is the Retevis RT-95. Unlock it to mode 02 and plug in all the freqs from FRS/GMRS in the first 30 channels, then add any additional GMRS/LMR and ham repeaters you want, MURS channels, Marine channels, or even the old color dot and star channels. Set to scan. If anyone digs one of these radios out of the closet or old work truck, you might be the only person that can hear them and get them help. Sort of a neighborhood EMCOMM. It's clear we must be ourvown saviors, and let the "officials" go help the helpless.

[@FarpointFarms]

Cool! I'll look into that.

[@lukequigley121]

OR a older "opened up " Baofeng also ..Tx / Rx from 136-512 , not just ham freq's

[@bendeleted9155]

@@lukequigley121 yep. 👍

[@angelapriddy6308]

So so sorry many many prayers❤

[@FarpointFarms]

The prayers are helping, keep them coming

[@VickyGeagan]

Eric wright Don Curtis he sleeped at the radio station for two weeks straight. He was running a 2 meter/ 40/ meter cw/hone net. Using the radio station to conduct health and welfare checks, as well as search and rescue traffic nets. Clay Travis helicoptered home and interviewed him on his nationwide radio program. Don's wife had to evacuate their home do to mountain flooding to a nearby gas station convenience store. She is fine he had a scary 24 hours before he got in touch with her again.

[@FarpointFarms]

That is back when they cared about programing and getting information out, now it is all scripted to what to say and when.

[@sandybottom6623]

If you wrap a coil of wire around the radio and attach the ends to long lengths of wire you will be able to receive MW AW signals in the evening from great distances - 2,500 miles. You need, of course, to point the broadside of the antenna towards the stations.

[@FarpointFarms]

Oh yes! I love to listen to the clear channels at night. In this case though local news is what was needed The local station was off line for 2.5 days, but when it came on it was critical info.

[@BillFromGI]

Eric, you should be able to pick up the repeater on Mt. Mitchell @145.190 (KW4EMF) and/or 147.330 Hope your trials ends soon, Amen.

[@FarpointFarms]

We don;t get the repeater here- too many mountains in the way

[@BillFromGI]

@@FarpointFarms Roger roger.

[@shawnperry1494]

Glad your ok and hope life starts to return to normal for all of ya. Anyway you hit some points and being in New Hampshire in the last two ice storms, I found a scanner and in particular AM radio beneficial. I have had my amateur license for 35 years, started with 11 meter stuff earlier and have a commercial license. The thing that makes AM is it can be received with 4 parts and one can find all kinds of information on foxhole radios.

[@FarpointFarms]

I agree. AM can even be received with the very old school crystal receivers .

[@geraldcroissant8835]

Eric yes almost of communication should be open we need to get Congress to open up a little bit on the a.m. keep it going it's a.m. is AM radio is might be the past but still the future cuz you never know what will happen

[@FarpointFarms]

Agreed! AM still has a place as well. It was critical here in this disaster.

[@garyclark4930]

I live in northern California, we tend to have a lot of fires up here. This year we had several here very close to town. To keep it short I recently acquired a analog scanner and digital scanner. Thankfully our emergency services are still using analog equipment. I had it on all the time listening to ground crews and the Air Attack frequencies. I have all the types of radios you do except GMRS although I monitor a couple repeaters.

[@FarpointFarms]

Fires scare me more than most disasters. I am glad to hear that they are still analog so you could keep listening to what was going on

[@lifeunedited1503]

Our cb came in handy during flooding this past spring in deep east Texas. President George.

[@FarpointFarms]

Glad that you had it to help you out with communications

[@whitepunch1392]

Glad to hear you weathered the storm . Hopefully you get your power back soon.

[@FarpointFarms]

We did after 9.5 days- Our neighbors just go it yesterday

[@Mulberrysmile]

It would be awesome if you and some others could present the issues with communication you had to your Congressional Representatives and Senators. Clearly, we need something old school for getting critical information out to local households. I had a hand crank powered radio for weather, but it was annoying as heck. It gave alerts for every thunderstorm, so I dint want to leave it on, but it was good during the hurricanes to track them. But the weather people do not provide the information on stuff like where to go for shelter, where to get gas, where to get supplies, or when services or roads would be restored. And as I learned in the military, when you present a problem, present ideas to fix the problem. Your knowledge and your experience in this crisis make you uniquely qualified to speak for us.

[@FarpointFarms]

I would be happy to. I do feel that it would fall on deaf ears much like the issue of EMP hardening our grid has.

[@Mulberrysmile]

@@FarpointFarms People are people…they like to look like they’re doing something good. And being politicians, if you hand them a good idea they can use the problem and the fix as leverage in negotiations. You can already discuss the issues you had clearly. You’re a good communicator. So something small like a walkie talkie, but with a crank generator, and/or integrated solar. I know there’s a name for what I’m thinking, but can’t recall…like internet that goes house to house, using the equipment at each house. Information would pass along like phone service used to be…a party line. Rural areas and small towns especially would benefit.

[@Mulberrysmile]

@@FarpointFarms I looked it up It’s called mesh communication and there are companies that make the radios already. Range varies, as does price. Some allow the device to act like a Wi-Fi hotspot, too. None included generation of electricity, but I did see a peddle generator which charges devices. Good if there is no sunlight. The cheapest radio I saw was $145 for two. Povobi on Amazon. It has to pair with other units on the mesh network, and I don’t know if it loses the link when it’s turned off. There is one that works with cell phones or computers and an app…it’s an external antenna, kind of. Gotenna was another brand, not on Amazon, though. Looks like they’re marketing for government groups. I would bet a batch could be bought for a discount, and the local emergency manager could negotiate. Or at the state level for more units for more locations. Maybe groups of homes could have one to communicate for the group, and then any isolated folks who want a device for emergencies.

[@SonnyPruitt-q1s]

I live in a city of 600,000 people and ALL police,fire,EMS,hospital,county and city went to 800mhz simulcast and the only scanner that works is the Uniden 200 and it works really good.

[@FarpointFarms]

Glad to know what brand worked well for you. It is important information

[@crosleyfiver8686]

unfortunately most police/fire are going encrypted digital so scanners are limited in reception of info. Good luck, and keep charged!

[@barneymm2204]

Ham and GMRS repeaters.

[@laser31415]

After 9/11 they pushed digital everywhere. Local to me, the police department's Dispatchers use analog, but switch to encrypted digital for sensitive information. The local sheriff has stated he believes the public knowing what is going on is on the whole good thing. The local fire departments do the same thing. They get dispatched to a situation on analog, then switch to digital once they are on the scene.

[@barneymm2204]

@@laser31415 I can understand it with sensitive info. I remember when everything was 10 codes and different places had different meaning for each 10 code. Then, one day, everybody stopped using 10 codes and started speaking plainly. The high end scanners have stuff onboard to decrypt the "approved" (read old) modes, but you're right, we're not gonna get it all back.

[@FarpointFarms]

Many had to go back to analog as all the repeaters cooked or were washed away.

[@OkieBucketList]

Thank you for keeping the old ways alive. reminds me of my dad.

[@FarpointFarms]

You're welcome, I hope they are some good memories

[@CaponeCabin]

Here in South Carolina, right after the hurricane i turned on my emergency radio.... nothing, all stations AM/FM were playing music. I went to my truck and searched... no news on any stations

[@leeinwis]

HAARP

[@FarpointFarms]

That is just plain stupid that there was nothing disaster related. Our local station had good info once they got emergency power back

[@JD144-]

Glad to see y’all are ok. Good thing you were prepared for something like this! Analog scanner here is somewhat hit and miss. They’ve gone digital, police and some others are encrypted as well. In Dec 23, we had a tornado rip through our city. We didn’t have power or cell for several days, sure was glad I had 2m radio. God bless all those affected by this storm.

[@FarpointFarms]

It is almost short sided to go all digital. For our area because nothing was working for communications, they had to add back "old" school radios because they were the only things working

[@dennistate5953]

Prayers, Eric.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks

[@killer5846]

I live in the desert Southwest, so while hurricanes generally will not affect us we do have other weather related events and of course wildfires and and drought and heat to contend with. I bought a couple of crank radios several years ago too able to get info in an emergency. I also had been thinking about the capability of heating and cooling our home during an emergency such as a power failure event. I finally pulled the trigger this year on a system which can help us in the event of an emergency. In the Southwest we generally use evaporative cooling because it works fairly well, but it depends very much on the environment and if you have any humidity or if the air is thick with smoke from a forest fire then it can be detrimental to your health, and of course it doesn't work in a power failure. We decided to upgrade our home to refrigerated air and I ran across solar powered mini-split units. I installed three in our home and they work fabulous. These units are ultra efficient heat pumps so they heat and cool all in one package. The units also came with solar panels and as long as you have sunlight during the day they can run 100% off of solar power so no grid required. They also run off of electricity at night if you need them to. This has been a game changer for us as it has lowered our bill from $260 a month to around $94 a month. Also in the case of an emergency they can heat and cool our home during the day. At night people generally wrap up and go to bed so you generally don't need much in the way of heating. Since these units are ultra high efficiency they consume very little power and can be easily powered by even small generators because they use 120 volts AC and up to 390 volts DC so you can connect several solar pedals to them if you want. The kit comes with four solar panels which powers them even on cloudy days.

[@FarpointFarms]

Sounds like you are a smart dude! Sounds like a great setup!

[@rickreese5794]

Thx pal, Hang in there😊

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you for the kind words

[@rickreese5794]

@@FarpointFarms Absolutely, friend 👍

[@benbrown8258]

I've encouraged my siblings to prepare for unexpected emergencies that isolate you beyond your wishes. My brother-in-law is our nexus for radio but I'm realizing the more of us that have radio the more we can be of benefit to the wider community. I am moved and continue to ponder how to best help.

[@FarpointFarms]

I buy cheap CB radios at flea markets and goodwill type stores and give them out to younger folks to try and get them interested in the hobby.

[@toybuns775]

In DFW many of our first responders are going to an encrypted radio system that eliminates the benefits of scanners

[@barneymm2204]

You can program ham/gmrs repeaters into them.

[@FarpointFarms]

See what Barney said, good to know

[@pauletxfish4976]

Here in Texas. I knew Cell comms would be down as most internet (unless you were starlink and had power). I wondered about CB and AM . Your suggestion of the scanner is Great !

[@FarpointFarms]

CB is always great for local chat. AM is critical in these events and as I said, The real surprise was the scanner. It was great to hear from all sides of me on what was going on.

[@bhamptonkc7]

Often am stations are required to reduce power at night

[@FarpointFarms]

That way the clear channel stations can be hear for longer distances.

[@tinkmarshino]

Good information.. Out here in the northwest of the country we have been blessed and not had many disasters at all.. Though we do get some bad fires in the mountains and the deserts of eastern Washington and Oregon.. And that is very devastating for the locals in those areas.. Well stay safe and carry on!

[@FarpointFarms]

Every area has their thing, Fires do really scare me. We had a threat of wild fires a few years ago and it was scary- not knowing where or what direction they were going was the worst part.

[@jpillera]

VERY useful info sir.

[@FarpointFarms]

Glad it was helpful!

[@bluekitty3731]

My brothers are in mid NC, but my heart aches for everyone in NC its such a beautiful state!

[@FarpointFarms]

The damage is going to forever change the mountains. A lot of lives are changed and not for the better. I am so sad for many of my friends. They lost so much.

[@danielkinsman1964]

People are buying CB radios again and GMRS. I remember going through hurricane Irene in 2011 and hurricane Sandy in 2013. It was hard being without power for days in each hurricane. I had a Sears generator with 5500 watts that got us through them

[@coreybatey9548]

Me and my family are getting cb radios with Ssb. We decided when the cell service and things go down atleast we will be able to communicate with others. We’re trying to learn the lingo.

[@danielkinsman1964]

@@coreybatey9548 CB radios have both AM and FM

[@danielkinsman1964]

@@coreybatey9548 I got me and my wife and son each a Uniden 980 SSB with weather. Great radio.

[@FarpointFarms]

Having those types of radios is so important- Cell services will go down pretty quick and they will have no way of communicating. CB might not have a huge range, but you can still get an idea of what is going on locally

[@danielkinsman1964]

@@FarpointFarms My son in Boone said people are using Baofeng handheld radios

[@cbmikey]

Glad you're doing okay and still have access to the the outside world man. Hang in there! 73 de KE8PFS

[@FarpointFarms]

Thank you-we are blessed that we did ok when so many lost everything

[@jamesspash5561]

Cell towers require power. Most have back up generators, but they will only last until the fuel runs out. Many towers in remote areas are difficult to reach on a normal day to refuel or repair, never mind an after storm incident. Next most cell towers connections from the towers are regular lines on poles. Be they older copper wires or fiber. If the pole lines are down then the towers out. Lastly I personally know a tech that services some local cell tower generators, and the provider nickles and dimes the back up generators. Radios may be the way to go back to. IMO.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

SpaceX is deploying basic direct-to-cell service where possible to broadcast emergency messages, on a "best effort" basis because the satellites are still being deployed.

[@FarpointFarms]

People just assume that cell service will be available at all times, they have a short memory of bad times

[@maj.d.sasterhikes9884]

Over the years, I have frequently been surprised by how many people do not own any kind of portable radio. I wrote an account of my experience following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, (which is online) and mentioned the fact that a CB radio can be a good source of local information, often just by listening to it. A couple of weeks before the earthquake I was cleaning out my garage and found a box of emergency supplies I had assembled following the flood of 1982, including a lot of assorted batteries. The first night following the earthquake, most of our flashlights were very weak. Remembering those batteries that had sat in a box in the garage for seven years, I retrieved them and they worked just fine for the next few days.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks for sharing that, CBs here after Helene worked great when other communication simply did not.

[@TerraMagnus]

Those bridges that washed out ripped up a lot of fiber that fed cellular towers. So even towers that had power and were intact would not be able to provide service as they were connected to nothing. What a horrible disaster visited upon our state.

[@FarpointFarms]

I would not wish this situation on my worst enemy. Everything can be fixed given enough time and money.- I just hope that peoples spirits can be fixed as well

[@donnasuelove416]

When we left Florida I had probably 10 pounds of batteries stored for hurricane prep. After Andrew and a couple other times it was the am radio and battery powered TV that got us through. Florida is really flat so the line of sight was good enough to pick up tv stations where they had power.

[@FarpointFarms]

Florida gets more than it's fair share of issues. Hurricane state?

[@robertfoster6070]

Suggestion for low voltage generation. A bicycle with a low voltage generator can be connected to a rectifier to charge batteries and provide power for radio sets.

[@FarpointFarms]

That is a good idea to consider

[@daveengstrom9250]

Glad your family is OK. I also would not have guessed about the scanner being so important.

[@FarpointFarms]

I was a surprise for sure. We are doing well here and are almost done with cleanup.

[@Emslander]

We’re becoming dependent upon fragile systems that are so exotically structured that they can’t be easily repaired.

[@FarpointFarms]

Exactly- people forget that when it is all working well

[@commonsensepatriot9450]

We continue to pray for ya'll everyday. Thank you so much for relaying your lessons learned from this horrific event. I just hope everyone listens and makes their own preparations that much stronger. What will you add/upgrade from what you've learned?

[@FarpointFarms]

I have a few things that are on the short list for considering- Solar shower, we were able to warm water on the stove, but that only went so far for hygiene. We will look at power packs that are quick charge and pass through features. We will be adding on to our solar. If the storm happened during cold weather, we might have to consider other items.

[@commonsensepatriot9450]

@FarpointFarms thanks for responding. So many lessons to learn from this.

[@barneymm2204]

Radio World said 48 AM/FM stations reported being knocked off air due to Helene. Then, a couple days later, they were reporting how resilient radio was through the storm.

[@FarpointFarms]

Our local station went down due to flooding and no power. It took them a few days to get back up an running.

[@davidbrayshaw3529]

Losing 48 broadcast stations sort of sounds like a lot, but keep in mind that with AM, in particular, you can generally receive broadcasts from unaffected stations far, far away during the evenings. There are also the thousands, CB/FRS/GMRS and ham stations that continue to operate locally while commercial broadcast stations are down. Carrier pigeons, Telegraph and telephone are far less effective than radio at times like this.

[@effeojnedib7208]

Thanks for your video. Just subscribed. SE Virginia here. My weak spot is communications. Even though I'm a member of our county CERT, I haven't had time to get my HAMM license. Yet. It's on the agenda, when I can get off work enough. I drive a school bus, so use local CB every day we deliver kids. Our local police scanner is blocked.

[@FarpointFarms]

That you for the sub- CB is the way to go,

[@Mavv.err.ickk506]

I was wondering how you faired up there, Erik. I hadn't had a lot of time to get on YT as of late. I've been monitoring the repeaters out your way. I know the Mt Mitchell repeater had gone down and Mecklenburg county was covering the area for a while. Just curious if you had gotten your ham ticket? I'm probably wrong but that looks like an Icom 7300 behind you. Glad to see that you're ok. Hope they'll get the power restored out there soon. This whole series of events lately has me hyper focused on upgrading my radio shack and installing better antennas. Take care, man. KQ4LTD on the Carolina 440 or 145.210 locally.

[@FarpointFarms]

We did ok compared to many. You have a good eye, that is an Icom. Getting yourself a little m ore prepared might be worth it