[email protected].
the Radio Equiped Anarchist Communications Team
Developing and implementing real-time radio
infrastructure for Actions, Autonomous Zones,
Year Zero, and Beyond.
Written - January 7, 2019
(This essay deals with facts particular to
the so-called U.S. Readers in other countries
should consult sources in their area for region
specific information)
HISTORY Not many readers will know of or recall
REACT. Formed in 1962, this group blossomed and
then waned in an arc roughly overlapping the
popularity of Citizen Band radio in so-called
north america. The late eighties saw most local
teams disband as personal radio communication
options (including cellular phones) became
ubiquitous. But as a product of the modern
western ethos, the 501c3 that was REACT did not
fade into history but instead re-invented itself
to salvage some shred of relevancy.
Today's REACT has painted itself a much broader
mandate than seen at its birth. No longer
monitoring CB channel 9 for assisting with
and relaying traffic conditions and motorist
problems to emergency services personnel,
REACT has attached itself to government and NGO
support in a diverse set of roles from disaster
communications to reporting so-called criminal
activity.
OUR PURPOSE I want this essay to accomplish
several things.
Provide a brief survey of current options in
personal radio communication, both "legal"
and Liberatory.
Outline one perspective on their
applicability to the Anarchist milieu pre
and post revolution.
Sketch out a suggested RE@CT methodology.
Describe one possible praxis that a
collective could use to implement their
version of the RE@CT methodology.
PERSONAL RADIO OPTIONS This is an unordered list
of the various radio (RF) products someone can
expect to encounter.
CB or Citizen's Band Radio
FRS or Family Radio Service
GMRS or General Mobile Radio Service
MURS or Multi Use Radio Service
Amateur or Ham Radio
Commercial Band (AM/FM) Pirate Radio
Receivers: AM/FM and Scanners
With the exception of Pirate transmitters,
all of these are either legal or illegal by US
law depending on your license, authorization and
use. The "illegality" of improperly using a radio
is a Federal issue unlikely on its own to result
in legal action. Posession of a legally acquired
radio that you do not have license to operate is
NOT a crime. At least one member of your RE@CT
should volunteer to take the Technician Class
License Exam and join a local Ham Radio Club
as a covert activity. This will allow them to
become fully versed in current legal usage of
"Ham" equipment and enable them stay abreast
of talk among Statist Hams concerning their
awareness of illegal radio activity in your area
- they loves them some radio narcing! (REMEMBER:
Ham radios do not need to see your license to
function. They are simple machines.)
ACQUIRING EQUIPMENT Due primarily to cash
constraints, a RE@CT team will probably want
to focus on the use of a single one of the
above two-way systems (CB, FRS, GMRS, MURS, or
Ham). Each has their benefits with options that
include private channels (still unencrypted). For
cost and size reasons tho, it's likely your group
will begin by equipping everyone with FRS. Again
- read, understand, and discuss all the options
for yourselves. There is no - nor should there
be - a one size fits all implementation. That
said, teams should consider having available
radios that work on the other mentioned bands
to safeguard your ability to interface with
a different RE@CT who has adopted a competing
base technology.
ANARCHISTS WITH RADIOS - Pre-Revolution There is
no reason to consider radio communication as a
tool to replace internet usage at this time. It
is not a practical substitute for learning
and using modern best practices for private
communication via the web. Realistically,
not everyone can have a radio, and while
the internet is available, RE@CT teams will
be concentrating on the supplemental value
RF comms can play. Two-way radio offers the
option of immediate, hands-free comms between
team members. "Authorities" take full advantage
of radio to coordinate personnel in a way they
could never accomplish with SMS or Twitter
(the standard tools of the demonstrator).
Remember that the radio waves don't just stop
at the edge of a demo area. Team members can
also be deployed outside the action allowing
them to retweet or relay with a cool head
unbothered by the physical or mental demands
placed on the bloc
This represents the core role of the RE@CT team
in the current world - being a sort of perimeter
alarm for mobilization. Messages can be flashed
across a demonstration by trained radio operators
faster than coherent tweets can be typed. And
this training will be the key. Your RE@CT must
know their radios and must study their protocols
like any other team in a bloc. Finally,
consider including a portable low wattage AM or
FM transmitter in your arsenal to provide for
broader reception of chosen messages within the
body of protesters as well as being a way to
get your message out as it's happening. (Yes,
this equipment is the most illegal to posses
and at the least you won't be getting it back.)
ANARCHISTS WITH RADIOS - Day Zero I don't intend
to prefigure your team's activities but your
RE@CT will be busy in the days leading up to
the revolution. Key duties may include:
Inventorying local caches of radio equipment
that can be expropriated as needed. (Think
mall cops, delivery and trucking companies,
individual operators expected to side with
the counter-revolution, etc) Identifying
radios that should be protected from
random looters. (Think the water company,
fire department, utilities, etc) Compiling
lists of all radio transmitters in your area
by frequency, identity, and location (for
fixed base operations) and programming one
or more scanners to monitor these channels.
Agreeing on how best to coordinate messages
between dissimilar comms systems (CB, FRS,
GMRS, MURS, or Ham). Planning for equipment
power in the event utility service is
interrupted or discontinued. Identifying an
AM/FM radio station in your area that could
be expropriated and operated to provide
useful information to the public at large.
That's it for now.
It's up to an individual team to flesh out these
ideas for themselves. You'll find resources
all over the web to help you along - and don't
dismiss offhandedly the work being produced by
the "prepper" community involving radio comms for
their SHTF wet dreams. There are grains of good
advice in there if you can stomach the hyperbole.
Best of Luck & Keep Talking
