If I had $1 for every time I called it right.....
People know where the gaps are.
They just learn to live with them.
Not because they don’t care.
It just hasn’t burned them yet.
So it gets pushed off.
Handled later.
Worked around.
Until one day it doesn’t work anymore.
And when that day comes…(it always does).
it’s not a small problem anymore...
It’s just too late to do anything but panic.
For years, people have asked me the same question…
“What’s the best way to study for the #Hamradio Technician test?”
After watching just about everyone in my own house get their license (6/7), I realized something simple:
It’s not about how smart you are.
It’s about having a plan you can stick with.
30 minutes a day
30 days (usually less)
That’s it.
Most people don’t even need the full 30 days… they just need a starting point.
So I built the 30x30 Ham Radio Challenge — and it’s free.
No guesswork.
No stress.
Just a clear path to getting your call sign.
If you’ve been putting it off, this will help.
Link in bio or go here:
familyconnectsystem.com/3030
GMRS is the licensed “bigger brother” to the FRS walkie-talkies most families already own.
Same 22 channels — different rules, real range.
In the first episode of Season 4, I explain what GMRS actually is, how the simple $35 license covers your whole household, and why it’s become the most practical local-use radio service for families who want dependable communication when the phones quit.
Listen now on Prep Comms Podcast and download your free GMRS License Express Guide at FamilyConnectSystem.com/gmrs (link in bio).
Built by First Responders. Trusted by Families. Rooted in Faith.
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#GMRS #FamilyPreparedness #PrepComms #EmergencyRadio #FamilyConnectSystem #GridDown #FamilySafety #K4CDN #PreparedFamily
The other day my brother called me. (Bless His Heart)
He said he and his son were going to get their amateur radio licenses!
His boy’s heading to school in New York City this fall.
He had it figured out.
“Couple walkie-talkies. We’ll be able to talk if the phones go down.”
I asked him what that actually looked like.
Distance. Terrain. Power. Setup.
Then we walked it out.
No repeaters linking South Carolina to New York.
No handheld radios making that trip on their own.
So, he brought up "shortwave".
Now we’re getting closer.
But that means:
Extra licensing
Proper antennas
A real station on both ends
Digital modes
Time, practice, and setup that actually works
Not impossible.
But not something you “grab and go” either.
After a while, I just told him straight.
If your goal is simple, reliable contact between two people that far apart…
A Garmin inReach makes more sense.
No romance to it.
No hobby attached.
Just works.
That’s the part most people miss.
Radios are tools.
Not magic.
And distance doesn’t care what you bought.
I don't think he's ever listened to the old podcasts...
Station shown belongs to WD3B
Providential timing.
A dead tree came down just minutes before @spartanburgoem Car 90 drove by.
He was able to call it in to @spartanburg911 , which brought a quick response from @southernendfirefightin Trinity 405 and two of our brush trucks out of Glenn Springs–Pauline.
@laurenselectric was notified and had crews on scene in under 30 minutes to clear it.
Good example of how multiple agencies working together can keep something small from turning into a much bigger problem.
The mess....I’ve built this over time. No regrets.
But gear isn’t the goal.
Knowing your family can stay connected when it actually matters…
that’s the goal.
If you’re not sure about that part yet—
we need to talk.
DM me.
@prepcomms posted this to stories today…. Saw it this evening and reminded me of when I had spotty phone coverage on my job site today and my wife was trying to get ahold of me…. So yeah—make sure you family has a plan and knows how to use the plan.
Been here a while.
Since 2014, the message hasn’t really changed.
Build your own infrastructure.
Don’t rely on systems you don’t control.
Have a plan your family understands.
Followers come and go.
Algorithms change.
None of that matters at home.
The tools shift.
The platforms come and go.
But the need stays the same.
This isn’t about radios.
It’s about responsibility.
If you’re leading a home, this is part of it.
More info on the new website. prepcomms.com (bio)
Built this APRS digipeater years ago and stuck it in my dad’s garage on the west side of the county.
It’s still there. Still running.
Nothing fancy:
MicroSat PLX-digi
Old ADI 2m rig (donated)
Unlabeled Samlex power supply
No rack. No branding. No “system.”
Just something that works.
That’s kind of the point.
Local infrastructure doesn’t have to be impressive.
It just has to be there when it’s needed.
Happy APR5 Day.
A small town in Ohio just turned on a #GMRS repeater.
That’s not the headline.
The headline is this:
Local government was convinced it was necessary…
and a group of volunteers made it happen.
Following FEMA guidance, they didn’t just talk about preparedness.
They built something.
Not an app.
Not a plan on paper.
A working communication system.
This isn’t about talking across the country.
It’s about being able to talk right where you live
when normal communication breaks.
Neighborhood level.
Family level.
Real life.
Most places don’t have this.
They’re still assuming the phones will work.
I wrote this one out on the blog.
What they built. Why it matters. What I’d do if I lived there.
Link in bio.
Most couples don’t need more advice.
They need a blueprint.
Your marriage isn’t broken.
It may just be out of order.
This book doesn’t come from random theories.
It comes from real life.
27 years of marriage.
Five kids.
Real conversations between Caleb and Carla.
The kind most couples are already having…
just without direction.
That’s what this gives you.
30 days.
Short reads.
Clear structure.
Simple steps you can actually follow.
No fluff.
No overthinking.
Just a better way to build.
Kindle available now:
https://amzn.to/4bUe3RN
Paperback coming soon.
Link in Bio
You’re only as strong as your weakest link.
That applies to packet networks too.
This is a new VHF node with BBS on the bench, getting tested before going live.
Local infrastructure matters more than individual setups.
What are you doing to strengthen your area?
