If you happen to’re simply getting concerned within the communications side of your preps, you’ve possible heard repeated references to 2 websites specifically: RadioReference and RepeaterBook. However simply what are these two websites? What do you utilize every of them for? And is one higher than the opposite?
Let’s take a better look…
The Fundamentals of RepeaterBook
RepeaterBook is particularly tailor-made for individuals who want to search out the beginner radio repeaters anyplace on the planet. Whether or not you’re at present in America or anyplace else on the planet, if there’s a repeater on the market you can entry, it’s more likely to be listed on RepeaterBook.
The explanation that you could be need to preserve RepeaterBook helpful is that if two-fold. First, let’s say that you simply’re simply now moving into ham radio. There are going to be a number of repeaters in your space, and every of them goes to have plenty of specs that you simply’re going to must program into your radios if you wish to use them.
RepeaterBook is the perfect place to search out the repeater specs in your space. I feel it’s higher than any of the print variations that you simply’ll discover on the market for the primary cause that it’s up to date every day. If you happen to purchase your self a print model of a repeater listing for the US, you’ll nonetheless have a incredible useful resource in your palms that can nonetheless give you the results you want in a grid-down scenario, however as soon as these phrases are printed on the web page, that’s what you’ve received.
RepeaterBook can be good to have available in case you’re touring. Let’s say that some you’re driving out-of-state when your truck breaks down in the course of nowhere. If you happen to can attain your loved ones by telephone to inform them what simply occurred, you would then use RepeaterBook to search out the listings for repeaters close by that you would entry to maybe ask for assist from different hams.
You possibly can even seek for the repeaters in Ukraine in the event you occur to simply be driving by means of (although utilizing a repeater in a struggle zone can be a fully horrible concept. “Hey! Drop the artillery proper right here!”).
RepeaterBook additionally means that you can seek for repeaters by band (2m, 70cm, and many others.), by “characteristic” (whether or not it has autopatch, DMR, EchoLink, and many others.), by the programs which are linked to it (groupings of hams/repeaters), by the emergency companies (corresponding to SKYWARN) which are linked to it, by the most important close by roads, by city, county, the best rated, or by people who had been not too long ago up to date.
This makes it extremely helpful to search out precisely the repeater that you simply’re in search of. You possibly can be misplaced in the course of nowhere, however so long as you understand the most important interstates close by, you would nonetheless (hopefully) get entry to a close-by repeater that will have individuals listening to it that will be capable to help by supplying you with instructions.
And that’s primarily the boundaries of what you are able to do with RepeaterBook. In case you have any sort of repeater query by any means, they need to be your first go-to supply.
The Fundamentals of RadioReference
Whereas RepeaterBook is about discovering beginner radio repeaters, RadioReference will assist you to discover all the things else. It’s right here that you simply’ll be capable to get the entire data you want for the native police, EMS, fireplace, different civic frequencies, and extra.
For instance, if I look in Anderson County, South Carolina, I’ll discover the data I must hearken to the police, fireplace division, the dispatch facilities, the detention heart, park upkeep, avenue upkeep, the transit buses, trash assortment, the native faculty safety staff as effectively. That’s a number of data I may glean about numerous points of society each day.
Consider RadioReference as your listing for presidency frequencies and extra. If you wish to make ham radio contacts for a contest, you utilize RepeaterBook. If you wish to get intel on what is occurring in your space, you’re going to need to use RadioReference.
You may as well use RadioReference to seek for the decision indicators of anyone that you could be know (supplied they’re a licensed ham). Let’s say I need to search for the creator of RepeaterBook. All I’ve to do is go to the RadioReference homepage, hover over the ‘Databases’ tab on the prime left of the web page, click on ‘Beginner Radio Database’ when it pops up (which you’ll be able to entry simply by clicking this hyperlink as an alternative), sort in his name signal within the ‘Lookup Callsign’ field, after which I’ll see his data. (He publicly lists his name signal on his weblog, so don’t fell like I’m placing out his non-public data with none priority or something right here.
This generally is a fairly great tool in the event you’re needing to make contact with a selected ham.
RadioReference additionally has a fairly good collection of articles to learn that can show you how to together with your understanding of plenty of primary radio ideas. You’ll find their Wiki right here, however one of many examples of an article that they spotlight is that this one among tips on how to make a homebrew off-center dipole.
They’ve a fairly spectacular discussion board as effectively. A discussion board is just nearly as good as its members, and contemplating that RadioReference is understood by each ham in existence, you’ve got an enormous variety of discussion board customers right here with a wealth of knowledge on a really difficult topic: radio.
There’s a number of cool data that you simply possible received’t discover elsewhere right here as effectively. Need to hear a bit in regards to the radio chatter that’s popping out of Ukraine in the intervening time? Take a look at this discussion board submit right here.
Right here’s a submit that appears at how Chinese language-made gear from Huawei may intervene with American nuclear amenities. And whereas each of those posts hyperlink to information tales, you’ll be able to typically discover guys snapshotting waterfall shows of mysterious radio frequencies they’ve intercepted as effectively. It’s all very cool.
Yet one more side that you simply get is Broadcastify. I’ve by no means been in a position to determine if that is really put out by the identical guys that run RadioReference, nevertheless it’s all linked by means of the RR website, so I’d assume so. Broadcastify will allow you to get a number of radio data from nearly anyplace inside the US with out even needing a radio. All you want is an web connection.
So, if I used to be in Atlanta as an “autonomous zone” was being arrange, however I used to be on a enterprise journey and didn’t have a radio on me, I may go to Broadcastify, choose Atlanta as the situation, after which hearken to dwell audio from the police dispatch heart to get extra actionable data than what can be obtainable to me through the TV.
RadioReference vs RepeaterBook
Whereas that is one thing of an apples to oranges comparability, if I may solely decide one out of the 2 sources, I’d decide RadioReference, palms down. I sometimes all the time discover extra helpful data out of the radio frequencies I discover on RadioReference than I do off of RepeaterBook.
If I need to know what the native climate is, or how the counties tomatoes are rising, then I tune into a neighborhood repeater. If I need to know precise actionable data, then I take advantage of RadioReference. Not solely have they got a extremely detailed checklist of just about the complete United States, I actually get pleasure from their discussion board as effectively.
Whereas each web sites are instruments that that you must learn about, some instruments are extra helpful than others. I’d think about RadioReference general the extra great tool out of the 2 of those websites, however that doesn’t imply you must reject RepeaterBook altogether. It’s incredible and may do issues that RadioReference can not.
However, if I may solely decide one, I’d decide RadioReference.
You Want Each of These Sources.
You actually do want entry to each of those sources to get probably the most out of the radio waves which are floating round you 24/7 as it’s. There’s a LOT of knowledge that you’ll miss out on in the event you’re not using each RepeaterBook and RadioReference to get the many of the data out of your space.
Think about you’ve got needed to journey to California for a pooper scooper conference (they promote rather well there). It’s riot season, and as you’re trapped in your resort together with your UV-5R, you need to know extra about what’s happening round you. You possibly can most actually activate FM broadcast radio and your TV to get some data, however you’ll get a a lot better image of what’s going on if you need to use Repeaterbook to eavesdrop on the native repeater visitors and use RadioReference to pay attention in to the police, ambulance drivers, and firemen.
The 2 instruments complement one another properly in such a scenario. However what are your ideas on the 2 instruments? Are there different benefits of those websites that we didn’t talk about above? Do you’ve got a choice out of the 2? Tell us within the remark part under.
