With the election "concluding" next week, many "prepping" folks are putting out their wild conspiracies and marketing their paranoia. It'd be funny if they didn't have a following where people make real world decisions based on much of the nonsense out there.

No, we are not heading into a complete SHTF situation. And, as WNC demonstrates, community is what's important. Surviving requires connectedness to community and skills. Now is the time to become connected and learn. On the job training is ALWAYS subpar.

Many now understand the importance of communications after watching what happened in WNC. The Mt. Michell repeater was a lifeline for those asking for help and those just LISTENING to the communications. The flawlessness of that endeavor came from years of practice by net control operators and many of the "eyes/ears" in the community. It was those screeching out over their Baofengs (for likely the first time) that hindered operations. Don't be that guy next time around.

Thus, I push getting a GRMS and/or technicians class amateur radio license when asked about preparing for the next event. Do you know how many times I hear something like, "In SHTF, the bad guys could look up my address in the FCC database" completely missing the point that their intent to buy an arsenal is registered in NICS. They'll use credit cards to buy ammo and purchased their equipment from Amazon.

I really don't understand this paranoia. Everyone is in a database somewhere that is publicly or semi-publicly searchable. To avoid the opportunity to practice and build a skill because of a very low, no extremely low, risk is asinine. Even if you only use GRMS to communicate with family while at the park or caravanning, you will start to understand limitations and capabilities unknown before relying on it for disaster communications.

Moving forward.. focus on community building. If you haven't spoken to someone in awhile then reach out, see how they are doing. And, get licensed and use radios for communications. Remember, Andrew Grove may have been right about business, but wrong about life. In the future, only the connected will survive.

CP