The American Preparedness Radio Net

Hi to the APRN,

Don’t forget the Thurs nite 80 mtr net.  On 3.818 +/- at 0100z (9 pm Eastern). 

The topics of discussion will be How much air conditioning do we use?  How much is really necessary.  Also for good measure the Family Radio Service  and the other one, I think its called GMRS. Do you use them?  What do you use them for?

73s

Del nw8i

Sunday nights net was a perfect example of why we have a need for an established place to all meet and join each other in the event of the loss of grid supported communications. The net got me to thinking of how the Pony Express worked years ago.

It was only thru the established system of relay stations, where the rider either passed the mail from one rider to another or just got on a fresh horse and continued on that the mail got delivered.

Another example would be a relay race where a baton is passed from one runner (or station) to another runner (or station) to reach the final destination.

Yet another example here that we are all familiar with is a relay in an electronic circuit.

These modern day devices allow a current in an electrical circuit to be redirected thru one or more different sections of a device to another.

Our net on Sunday night was a shinning example of how a group of people can join in one place with very strange band conditions and still get messages thru to others. The cooperation and persistence of everyone involved made it possible for people that could only hear a select few to get checked in and given the ability to pass by means of relaying there information on to yet another station that could not hear them.

The start of the net went like this. I tuned in to our frequency around 8:00PM Eastern to find it already in use. I went in search of a clear frequency and returned to monitor our announced location. Around 8:35PM Eastern the other stations cleared out. I put out a call for early check ins but heard nothing. Shortly after my first call I was able to hear ac0bg put out a call. I tried to reply to him but he could not hear me. I opened the chat box on our web site to see if anyone happened to be there. kd5gfg joined me there and he could hear Dean as well. I continued to put my call out but it seemed that no one could copy me. Once kd5gfg got thru to Dean I had him RELAY a message to Dean from me that I put in the chat room. They talked back and forth and kd5gfg jumped in as the net control station and kicked off the net at 9PM Eastern. Shortly after the beginning of the net the signal from kd5gfg faded and ac0bg took over as net control. Dean was able to copy a lot of people but there were some he could not hear. Other stations jumped in and again did RELAY to Dean for them. The night continued on like that for a bit. Later kd8kwd checked in and net control was passed over to him. He was able to copy most people on the net and once again added more check ins to the list and relayed messages as well. This was a shinning example of how important it is to have a pre established place to all join in and make a night like this possible thru band conditions that are far from ideal.

A big Kudos goes out to Dean ac0bg for first off getting in there early to occupy the frequency and also for running with the ball in a time of need and keeping the net alive. Another big KUDOS to kd5gfg for getting the net off to a good start. Both of you did a great job and we truly thank you for jumping in unscripted at the spur of the moment and pulling this net off. This is a truly great example of how the Amateur radio world is supposed to work. I am sure I am leaving some points out here but please understand that everyone had some part in making this very difficult net even possible and our hat is tipped to each and every one of you that checked in and made this a truly memorable event for the APRN.

Check In list
ac0bg
kj4pzz
wa1hhn
kd5gfg
kd8usa
kd8jpq
k4rjd
kd8kwd
n5ad
ki4lwa
n1tje
nj4rac
ki4lwa

A couple of points that were made during the net.

The show Colony airs on the discovery channel Tuesday night at 10:PM Eastern and may be of interest to many of you on the net.

The suggestion of moving to the same place on 75/80 meters for the nets but more importantly establishing a regular presence someplace on the 75/80 meter band for us to all join and chat on a regular basis.

We have tried many things over the past year including the 10, 20, 40, 75/80, and 160 meter bands. We have tried different times slots as well. The fact is that the 75/80 meter band seems to be the place we have been the most successful at holding our net. I have received many emails about holding a net someplace that Tech class could join us as well. We just can not come up with a good solution to fit everyone’s personal preferences but we are trying to come up with solutions. When the sun cycle improves I do see the 10 meter band as being a good option that would allow us to include the Tech class operators to join but until propagation on 10 improves we are stuck with what we are currently doing.
73 and have a safe week ahead
Dave w4dmh

Hi to the APRN,

Sorry this post is late.  The net for Thurs nite was a good one.  The topics for discussion were Bio-fuels and CB radio thrown in for good measure.  The Bio-fuel topic has been a very popular one the last several nets.  I believe this is because the folks on the net in particular ( because that is what our net is about, preparedness)  and in a general way, the listeners and readers are beginning to realize we are at  the start of the end of cheap oil.  This is good because once folks know there is a crisis we can start dealing with it more effectively.

The ideas presented on Thurs net were good.  Dave W4DMH pointed out that cars were originally designed to run on ethanol and used such fuels as peanut oil diesel.  patents have been boughten up by the major players in the auto industry which would improve gas mileage a bunch if they were released.

Switzerland has a plan in place to have a much smaller oil use economy by 2020.

Methane is still a viable fuel choice but does take some work to get it going.  However, as N8VFJ Ed pointed out, it doesn’t take as much raw material to get it going as you would think.  There are many sources for methane production such as pig farm refuse, chicken farm excrement and others.

One of the most promising weeds for use in producing ethanol is called switchgrass.  It has a high ratio of fuel produced per ton of switchgrass used in production.  Also switchgrass has the added plus of putting nutrients back into the soil.

KD8KWD John said switchgrass is the same material that was used to make brooms years ago.

Switchgrass will produce ethanol at a higher rate than corn.

We also discussed CB Radio and sad to say while it is still useful it doesn’t appear to be very organized and while it can be used at a local level it is probably not to be a favored form of emergency communications.

Checkins:

N3YH was on freq but was just wanting to listen in.  Thanks, glad to have you.

W4DMH Dave

AC0BG Dean Thanks for checking in Dean, sorry the conditions were so bad.

KD8KWD  John

KJ4PZZ Bill

N8VFJ Ed

NW8I Del NCS

Dave W4DMH I can’t make the 40 meter net tonight as my wife to do a birthday thing today.

We are going to stick with the 40 meter band again this week 7.190Mhz at 9PM Eastern time. Come join us there and please do tell a friend rather they are a ham or not. People can always listen to us via the internet on Global Tuners.

The topic for the net is going to be another OPEN MIC night.

This is when the participants on the net can suggest a topic that interest them or ask questions on a topic we have covered in the past. This is also your chance to add to a topic we have covered in the past if you have new information you have found. Lets make this interesting for all of those that listen but do not join in. There are more people listening than most of us realize. We do have a lot of people that listen but are rarely if ever able to check in do to a variety of different reasons.(compromised antenna situations, QRP only setups, etc.) We also have many people that listen to us via short wave radio and services like Global tuners www.globaltuners.com via the internet.

I have just added some current updates on the APRN mobile project. I have had very little free time lately so progress has been a little slower that I wanted. I am like most of you and have to make a living first, so please hang in there we are working on this the best we can. To read the most recent updates please click here

Hi to the APRN,

Don’t forget Thurs nites 80 Meter net 3.818 mhz +/_ at 0100z (9:pm Eastern ).  The topic will continue to be Bio-fuels as that has been very popular.  Also, do you have a CB, do you use a CB, of what use is a CB radio today?

73s

Del nw8i

It is not often that I get really ticked off about something the government does that is just plain stupid. I normally take a deep breath and let it go. I have been aware of the fact that the .gov and the big oil company’s have been bed partners for many years. I am also well aware that the .gov has subsidized the petroleum industry for many years. I have tried to come to grips with this for a very long time, BUT the fact is there have been all kinds of technology come along that would help us lessen our dependence on OIL. Now I am asking all of you, why is nothing (or at least not enough) being done to move us in that direction? Here is a very good article about why a small local COOP is struggling to bring the community it serves clean renewable energy.

Read more here…Green Guild Biodiesel

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Sadly in my opinion anyway we are already 20 years late in trying to do something sensible.

Well we made the move to 40 meter this Sunday. It was a little challenging to say the least. The band was in and out all night long but we got thru it and still had a very good net. The topic was Alternative fuels again, a continuation from Thursdays net. This is a topic I am sure we will visit again in the near future. There have been a lot of new technologies coming to the forefront in this field and we all need to give this another look as petroleum oil becomes harder to find and therefore more expensive. The days of cheap oil I fear are gone and with a society dependent on oil to survive, the need for alternative fuels to be developed on a large scale is greater than ever before. We have been way to dependent on oil for way to many years. We need to make the move away from oil now not in the future. For those that are not at all familiar with this topic here is a place to start to learn about what is out there.

Biofuel

A very good point was mentioned during the net that a lot of people have never heard of. —WOODGAS— Also known as syngas or producer gas. Find out more here.

Woodgas

Here are some pictures of vehicles powered by woodgas.

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Here are some links that were put in the comment section last week by one of the participants that may also help.
http://www.villageearth.org/pages/Appropriate_Technology/ATSourcebook/Energybiogas.php

http://journeytoforever.org/biodiesel_make.html

http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_library/ethanol_motherearth/meCh9.html

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2010/01/wood-gas-cars.html?cid=6a00e0099229e88833012877190aad970c

I am hoping that this is enough to get you started on for now. I feel that we all should devote a little time to researching this topic more and please feel free to post in the comment section any links to sites you may find that are interesting. If you would prefer you can also email me with them and I will be glad to post them.

Personally I am still researching this topic and will also be adding to this list as we go along on this topic. The biggest thing that I have found out so far is the there is a lot of misinformation out there and the fact is the petrochemical industry surely does not want these technologies to move forward.

Thank you all that hung in there thru the rough conditions and made this all possible. We will continue on 40 meter for now and see how it goes. Anyone that can “please” do get on frequency early for a little rag chew before the net begins. I try to be on 1 hour before the net begins for anyone wanting to join in early. Hope to hear you next week on 7.190 (+/-)

Today the APRN is officially one year old. We want to thank everyone that has made this possible by checking into and participating during the nets. We would not be here without you all. We have been thru many changes along the way to make this all work and I am 100% sure we will go thru more changes in the future. Lets all try to never forget that thru our nets we do help spread the word about preparedness to others. That is the real reason that this net was started.
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Happy Birthday APRN

Hi to the APRN,

Almost forgot.  The checkins for tonights  net were:

AC0BG Dean

W4DMH Dave

WL7HC Shawn

KD8USA Ty

N8VFJ Ed

N1XBM Bob

N8NMJ tried to check in but Dave told me I missed him.  Sorry Mike.

KD4OWY Nathan

N2YLD/P Gene

NW8I Del NCS