I will be at Mountain Readiness Fallout Oct 20-22 in Harmony NC and will be presenting the following workshops:
Please register here (or use QR code) if you plan to attend any of the workshops. There are handouts with each of the workshops and this will allow us to make sure we have enough. You can walk-in on the day but we can’t guarantee there will be handouts if you haven’t registered.
Ham Radio Testing
The Patriot VE Team will be providing free testing for your Amateur Radio license on Saturday at 10am.
We will be offering all three levels of license; Technician, General and Amateur Extra. You can take one, two or even all three exams.
What you need to bring:
You will need to bring a laptop or tablet as you will be taking the test through an online application.
What/How to Study:
There are numerous was to study for your test(s). Go to https://fortunefavorstheprepared.com/preparedness-book-of-knowledge-2/communications/amateur-ham-radio/amateur-radio-learning-resources/ or use the QR code to see an explanation of the different books and how they are laid out, then choose one that best suits the way you like to learn. There are also video resources on that page. For practice exams we highly recommend hamstudy.org.
Registration:
You will need to pre-register, that will get you your FCC ID # at the same time if you do not already have one. If you have GMRS license use the same FRN.
Once you pass the test you will need to pay a $35 fee to the FCC to get your license.
To register for the test go to https://ham.study/sessions/64769883677a5e5bd75c0758/1
If you are a vendor or presenter and want to take the test please contact me nick@nickmeacher.com
Developing Your Communications Plan
Most folks leave communications to the very last when developing their preparedness plans, however it really should be one of the first things you do. When an emergency or disaster happens, such as a severe storm or tornado, power, and thus communications are the first things to fail. Just look at recent disasters and how long it takes families to be reunited.
Even if you don’t have a ham radio license yet, there are other resources and systems you can use to alert and keep in touch with family, friends and like-minded people.
In this workshop we will look at the steps to take to develop your plan, what types of radios, receivers and transmitters, are available and how to choose based on your budget.
With all plans you must have some procedures in place and they you need to train and test – again we will look at what you need to do to make sure your plan meets your needs. We will also look at limits of your capabilities and the steps to can take to improve.
Mountain Readiness Fallout Communications Plan
We will demonstrate some of the capabilities with communications resources, and the plan we are putting in place for Fallout, including direct (radio-to-radio), and a repeater. Check back as we will publish the communications plan about 4 weeks prior and provide you some download resources so you can program your radio before you arrive.
Stump Knocker Net
We will also introduce you to the Stump Knocker net where like-minded folks from all over the world have net every Monday night at 2000hrs (8pm) eastern time.
Bring Your Radio
Bring your radios as we have other classes on programming your Baofeng radio as well as a basic and advanced workshop on DMR programming.
One Time Pad (OTP) Workshop
One-Time Pads have been around since the end of World War II and throughout the Cold War. They are still in sue today and if you know where to turn your short-wave radio you can hear them being transmitted. Even with today’s technology they are the only truly unbreakable code.
In this workshop we will discuss the rules for using OTP’s as well as take you through the steps to create an OTP “pad.” We will talk about the use brevity codes and then the steps to create a message.
Not only will you create a message in this workshop but you will also decode the three messages found in the Going Home series of books by Angery American (he will be there as well).
At the conclusion of the workshop you can participate in Fallout OTP Geo-Cache. You will receive a message which you will need to decrypt to get the geo-cache clue. Find the geo-cache for the next clue. Winners that find all the clues will get prizes. There will be one level for adults and another for kids.
Family Emergency Plan Workshop
Planning should be the first step in your preparedness journey, however it is one that most people avoid or put off.
Plan for what is difficult while it is easy, do what is great while it is small. Sun Tsu
Having a plan is an important part of preparedness. Documenting important information in a single place that is no reliant on technology and power is critical. When I was a kid I could remember all of my relative and friends phone numbers in my head. Because we have become so reliant on the small device we keep in our pockets we don’t make the effort to remember numbers or addresses. However, in a disaster you might not have the ability to charge your phone, or it might be damaged. Even if you do have your phone do you even know what information you should collect?
In this workshop you will get a copy of the Family Emergency Plan workbook and we will step you through it and discuss the information that you need to collect, and where to find it, for your plan. Once you do your homework you will have a plan that contains most of the information in a single place. You will know what documents to need to add to the plan to complete your family contingency binder, your communications plan, items for your get home and bug out bags and an emergency evacuation checklist for when you have very limited notice that you need to leave, such as wildfire, rail or road chemical spill near your home and more.
Amazon Reviews:
“Excellent book with lots of Information. This is the perfect book to get someone organized for an emergency. You can tell there was a lot of thought put into this book. After I looked at mine I ordered two more for friends and family.”
“Fantastic!! Just what we needed. Such a well thought out book!! I plan to order a few more for other family members. I have been wanting something that is well laid out and has all the info in one easy to grab and go book. Thank you for making such a great product.”
Personal Preparedness Assessment Workshop
What are you really preparing for? What is your level of preparedness or resiliency? What supplies do you have? What skills do you have?
In this workshop you will receive a free copy of the Personal Preparedness Assessment workbook. We will go through the process of how to conduct to determine what threats and hazards are in your area and what you are at most risk from.
We will discuss how to do an assessment of how well prepared you are for those threats and hazards that are most likely to impact you and your family, both in terms of items (things) as well as knowledge, skills and abilities. Once you have completed that you will then be able to identify what you need to do to improve in the areas that need improvement.
This process is based on the same process emergency managers use to create and improve plans for your local area. It is a thorough and reliable process, it takes time to do, but when done you will truly understand what real hazards and threats you should be preparing for, the things that are most likely, or will have the most impact, on your and your family.
The workbook includes a basic (stable) food inventory program that allows you to determine basic needs based on the number of people and the number of months supplies you want on hand.
Reviews:
“One of the most common questions I get when it comes to preparedness is, where do I start? Being awake comes with much responsibility. Because once you know and are aware, you cannot unknow or easily go back to sleep. The mind immediately goes into overdrive, and paralysis by analysis quickly sets in. Knowing where and how to begin as well as laying out a roadmap with which to move forward, is critical.
And this is where Nick Meacher comes in. Nick is certainly one of the smartest guys I know and, more importantly, has the ability to boil down complex concepts of how to get things done. Be it communications or workbooks that will help you on your path to preparedness, he is the authority on this subject.” Angery American
“One of the things I like best about the way Nick presents information is that people often find the task of organizing their personal emergency preparedness to be overwhelming. As a result, they can delay it to the point it never gets done. Throwing too much information at them can only make that problem worse.
Instead, Nick Meacher has produced a very user-friendly volume that combines text and graphics in an easy to grasp format. This isn’t a book where the author wants to impress you with how knowledgeable he is on the topic. It’s a workbook where the author takes the reader by the hand and meticulously leads them through the process of evaluating their own family’s emergency preparedness on all levels. I think it’s essential reading for anyone who wants to optimize their personal response to the crises that can take place in an uncertain world.” Franklin Horton
Digital Mobile Radio Programming Workshop
Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) is another fast-growing area of ham radio. It has many different ways that it is implemented and used across the country and even the world. One of the challenges for many people is programming the radio. DMR was initially developed for commercial use, being a cheaper option than full trunking radio systems for small businesses.
The World Through a Hand-Held Radio
Originally developed for commercial business applications HAM radio adapted this technology. Many areas now have DMR repeaters that allow you to connect anywhere in the world. Some are set up in state-wide and even multi-state groups. Using a multi-mode digital voice modem (MMDVM) such as a Pi-Star device, you can connect to anywhere in the world using not only a DMR radio but any digital radio, including Fusion (in Yaesu radios) and D-STAR (found mostly in Icom radios). We hold the Stump Knocker net on Monday evening using MMDVM’s and the TGIF network. For more on MMDVM’s go to https://fortunefavorstheprepared.com/preparedness-book-of-knowledge-2/communications/mmdvm/
The first of these workshops will look at the basic configuration of DMR, what information you need to program your radio and where to find it. We will also look at the layout programming parameters and how to tie them all together to be able to transmit on a local repeater or a MMDVM.
While this class will specifically look at the Anytone radios we will be showing you using the (free) N0GSG Contact Manager program which can then be use with any manufacturers programming software.
Bring Your DMR Radio
Bring your DMR radio, programming cable, your software and download Contact Manager (at http://n0gsg.com/contact-manager/) and at the end of the workshop you will have a basic codeplug you can build on.
In the second workshop we will show you how to set up scanning as well as some of the advanced features such as channel and GPS roaming as well as some of the settings and what they do.