Inexpensive Receiver to Monitor EAM's

[BarkyRadio]

At this point I'll try anything, thanks now I have the weekend to get all of your ideas going.

BTW: The actual EAMs I hear on the sites sound a whole lot different then the movie EAMs.

Enjoy the weekend all.

 

[reconrider8]

Look up the slinky hf antenna also that's a cheap way to build one also just stretch it out along your ceiling and tack it up there

 

[MUTNAV]

This guy has some interesting things on antennas also that I don't think is in RR.

Remotely-tuned loop antenna for LW and MW

Have a great weekend.

Thanks
Joel

 

[amp1776]

Ive heard stories of people using the gutters on their house as an antenna. Not sure if that's an urban legend, or not. Gotta be terrible SWR, But I bet it would receive.

 

[RichardKramer]

Well here is the bad news. All the windows in my apartment are tinted with metal flakes. Zero signal. No drilling through the walls either. Well I can still stream the Kiwi and Websdr sites. Thanks all.

Here are links for a flat window cable and adapter to attach a short piece of twin lead out the window (if you can open your windows up/down) for hf; then you can run a cable to your radio.

https://www.amazon.com/Goupchn-Jumper-Extreme-Female-Window/dp/B099J66BWF/ref=pd_lpo_2?pd_rd_w=VJWrJ&content-id=amzn1.sym.116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_p=116f529c-aa4d-4763-b2b6-4d614ec7dc00&pf_rd_r=41R4ZJW9JV3QSN65A7TY&pd_rd_wg=FZpny&pd_rd_r=1b73152d-7a16-4564-bb61-5f19e0ebf975&pd_rd_i=B099J66BWF&psc=1

Amazon.com

 

[p1879]

Routinely absorbing EAM messages can rapidly become tedious to some. Perhaps remotely operate a SDR via the web for a while on 11175 and see if it is for you.

 

[MUTNAV]

Routinely absorbing EAM messages can rapidly become tedious to some. Perhaps remotely operate a SDR via the web for a while on 11175 and see if it is for you.

Sometimes it's the challenge, like trying to receive WWV reliably while far away, a person could just dial up an SDR (probably) and get it, (and become bored as you say), but there is something rewarding with a more 'direct' connection, that you challenge yourself to make.

A few years ago a news station was doing a story about ham operators, the news crew pitched in and payed for a phone call to the overseas contact the U.S. ham was trying to communicate with, after a few minutes on the phone, they both decided to just go back to what they were doing with the radios.

Thanks
Joel

 

[amp1776]

Its cheating any other way. As somebody who does prep on the side the internet very well may not be an option grid dow.

Simply getting to know my dial, and yes I keep a log.

 

[MUTNAV]

Its cheating any other way. As somebody who does prep on the side the internet very well may not be an option grid dow.

Simply getting to know my dial, and yes I keep a log.

I don't know about the value of listening to EAMs in a prep type event, maybe for tertiary information about widespread reactions based on the number of EAMs going out.... It would be nice to know that Someone is taking some sort of action after a black swan type event.

Seems like unless a person is sheltering in place, there are more valuable things to monitor. Like police/fire/ems, utility crews, NOAA wx radio, Over the air TV news channels, FM broadcast, AM talk radio-news, CB, FRS/GMRS, Ham calling frequencies, V/UHF air band, VHF marine band, HF coast guard notices to ships etc...etc...

and pushing the monitoring idea, maybe even low earth orbit NOAA satellites to see if there are widespread power outages.

All of which are cool hobby radio monitoring things that could be helpful in a situation that someone is trying to prepare for.

Thanks
Joel

 

[Mike445]

I don't know about the value of listening to EAMs in a prep type event, maybe for tertiary information about widespread reactions based on the number of EAMs going out.... It would be nice to know that Someone is taking some sort of action after a black swan type event.

Seems like unless a person is sheltering in place, there are more valuable things to monitor. Like police/fire/ems, utility crews, NOAA wx radio, Over the air TV news channels, FM broadcast, AM talk radio-news, CB, FRS/GMRS, Ham calling frequencies, V/UHF air band, VHF marine band, HF coast guard notices to ships etc...etc...

and pushing the monitoring idea, maybe even low earth orbit NOAA satellites to see if there are widespread power outages.

All of which are cool hobby radio monitoring things that could be helpful in a situation that someone is trying to prepare for.

Thanks
Joel

I have multiple radios doing many of those things 24/7. I don’t monitor ham calling frequencies but have them saved in a memory bank if need be. I also don’t monitor NOAA satellites. I do monitor the HFGCS for EAM activity and all local emergency services and federal agencies.
Mike

 

[amp1776]

As far as EAMs besides the cool factor I thought that if I could pick them up on VHF/UHF I could monitor them more often, and perhaps see patterns, or even through tone of voice hear that we had a meaningful message going through. Early warning if you will.

For sure I have a 536HP going, and an Alinco MD5 is on DMR, aside from my HF, and 8900. Then I have an SDR as a scope. I do have other analogs I could pull into the picture, but my best antennas would be in use.

Unfortunately I have a day job ( actually nights ) so they run short of 24 HRS, but my batteries do get a charge with my solar panel while I sleep.

To be sure just a love of radio motivates me, but might as well be prepared also.

 

[MUTNAV]

EAMS are broadcast (I think) on UHF frequencies sometimes.

Thanks
Joel

 

[Mike445]

As far as EAMs besides the cool factor I thought that if I could pick them up on VHF/UHF I could monitor them more often, and perhaps see patterns, or even through tone of voice hear that we had a meaningful message going through. Early warning if you will.

For sure I have a 536HP going, and an Alinco MD5 is on DMR, aside from my HF, and 8900. Then I have an SDR as a scope. I do have other analogs I could pull into the picture, but my best antennas would be in use.

Unfortunately I have a day job ( actually nights ) so they run short of 24 HRS, but my batteries do get a charge with my solar panel while I sleep.

To be sure just a love of radio motivates me, but might as well be prepared also.

I work nights too. Sunday through Thursday 10pm to 7am. I have the scanner (996P2) running 24/7 though. The voices seem to keep predators away from the chicken coop. I have it piped through my surround sound and outdoor speakers via my built in stereo system. The HF radio on one of the HFGCS frequencies runs off its own speaker. I either use my Eton Elite Executive or my RSPdx which runs through a DSP sound processor. I prefer using the RSPdx cuz the squelch works VERY well on USB and the radio is silent until voice chatter pops on.

You might be able to pick up EAM's via UHF on 311.000 and 323.800. Those were the busiest frequencies when I lived in Arkansas. If not then 4724, 8992, 11175 and 15016. It is cool hearing checkins and air traffic and the EAMs. I truly believe it IS an early warning system. If there is no training exercises going on and the frequency of the messages and even the length of the messages increases then something is likely going on. I can say that from personal experience. If you hear Skyking messages with several repeats that is something to pay attention to and THAT is your early warning system. You can google Skyking messages and what they mean.
Mike

 

[Mike445]

EAMS are broadcast (I think) on UHF frequencies sometimes.

Thanks
Joel

311.000 321.000 and 323.800 with the first and last getting the most traffic in SW Arkansas when I lived there.
Mike

 

[n6hgg]

I always look at globe.asbexchange.com when I hear an eam go out on 311 or 323.8. About half the time I'll see an E6 aircraft somewhere within VHF range and sometimes it's pretty far away. The normal aircraft VHF radios including the Rockwell Collins radios with the major air carriers are 15 watts output but the military ones on UHF I think are significantly higher than that. You'll never hear voice tone changes, they are pretty monotone. I just have the frequencies in my scan rotation and occasionally notice them coming across. It's become a kind of "yea, uh huh" experience for me either when I'm driving or at home but it's still interesting to note when it happens and if they are identifying themselves by adsb.