3 ms·

The report seems to rely on the then-widespread usage of CB radios to preserve post-attack civilian communications, but that technology seems to have largely be

The report seems to rely on the then-widespread usage of CB radios to preserve post-attack civilian communications, but that technology seems to have largely been abandoned except by truckers. Would we have a harder time today in a post-attack scenario maintaining communications as compared to the late 1970s and the CB craze?

jcrawfordor 11y ago
That's a question that I'm pretty fascinated with personally. When it comes to communications after a major disaster, we continue to plan to rely primarily on 'conventional' radio via e.g. clear-channel AM radio stations and other major commercial broadcasters which have worked with the government to prepare solid contingency plans. For this reason, it's a good idea to own a portable radio or two even though you wouldn't normally use them, and to familiarize yourself with an AM news station (e.g. KCBS 740 KHz in the bay area). Of course, for two-way communication we are all quite dependent on our cellphones. The cellular networks own mobile equipment and other provisions for providing service in a contingency situation, and ideally there could be no interruption in service (as the generators at many cell sites could hold them until service crews arrive, in the case of loss of electricity, for example). But in practice it's easy to imagine a few scenarios that would have the cellular network significantly deteriorated in a region for days, such as a major earthquake that damaged infrastructure and made it difficult to get equipment and fuel to the area. In the short term, I wouldn't count on it. In the long term, the effort involved in restoring cellular service could be enormous but it would be a reasonably high priority. It'd be a good idea for more people to own accessible point-to-point radio equipment with a decent range. I don't know how to achieve this though. CB equipment is bulky and now relegated to its own particular subculture. The amateur radio industry has produced a lot of high-quality handhelds but they're designed to be the opposite of accessible. There have been some ideas based on peer-to-peer relay between mobile phones but the range remains very limited. Maybe someone could come up with a good product in this space.
hga 11y ago
Back then they could wave their hands and correctly say there were so many CB radios they'd be enough for post-attack civilian communications, at least at shorter ranges. But that doesn't mean you couldn't get by with many fewer working radios, and FRS and GMRS equipment is out there in some quantities, in addition to hams, many of whom are set up for emergency communications And as noted by jcrawfordor cell phones are a zillion times more ubiquitous than CB radio sets ever were. In fact, noting the pattern that many less developed 3rd World counties leapfrogged over land lines straight into cell service, following that pattern in the rebuilding would probably work out pretty well. ADDED: and WiFi equipment is also ubiquitous, and with directional antenna can travel pretty far. So we'll have quite a bit of stuff to work with, and people are pretty good at cobbling together solutions for problems like this.

jcrawfordor 11y ago

That's a question that I'm pretty fascinated with personally. When it comes to communications after a major disaster, we continue to plan to rely primarily on 'conventional' radio via e.g. clear-channel AM radio stations and other major commercial broadcasters which have worked with the government to prepare solid contingency plans. For this reason, it's a good idea to own a portable radio or two even though you wouldn't normally use them, and to familiarize yourself with an AM news station (e.g. KCBS 740 KHz in the bay area). Of course, for two-way communication we are all quite dependent on our cellphones. The cellular networks own mobile equipment and other provisions for providing service in a contingency situation, and ideally there could be no interruption in service (as the generators at many cell sites could hold them until service crews arrive, in the case of loss of electricity, for example). But in practice it's easy to imagine a few scenarios that would have the cellular network significantly deteriorated in a region for days, such as a major earthquake that damaged infrastructure and made it difficult to get equipment and fuel to the area. In the short term, I wouldn't count on it. In the long term, the effort involved in restoring cellular service could be enormous but it would be a reasonably high priority. It'd be a good idea for more people to own accessible point-to-point radio equipment with a decent range. I don't know how to achieve this though. CB equipment is bulky and now relegated to its own particular subculture. The amateur radio industry has produced a lot of high-quality handhelds but they're designed to be the opposite of accessible. There have been some ideas based on peer-to-peer relay between mobile phones but the range remains very limited. Maybe someone could come up with a good product in this space.

hga 11y ago

Back then they could wave their hands and correctly say there were so many CB radios they'd be enough for post-attack civilian communications, at least at shorter ranges. But that doesn't mean you couldn't get by with many fewer working radios, and FRS and GMRS equipment is out there in some quantities, in addition to hams, many of whom are set up for emergency communications And as noted by jcrawfordor cell phones are a zillion times more ubiquitous than CB radio sets ever were. In fact, noting the pattern that many less developed 3rd World counties leapfrogged over land lines straight into cell service, following that pattern in the rebuilding would probably work out pretty well. ADDED: and WiFi equipment is also ubiquitous, and with directional antenna can travel pretty far. So we'll have quite a bit of stuff to work with, and people are pretty good at cobbling together solutions for problems like this.