Good evening fellow hams and railfans,
In tonight's blog I want to touch on ham shack security. As amateur radio operators we go to great lengths to try to make our shacks safe from hazards such as lightning, stray voltages, and bad RF, however one thing I have noticed is the lack of security in our ham shacks. Now I want to make the disclaimer that this is not a full nuts and bolts out of the box security system, but a few simple tips and tricks to make your ham shack more secure.
Target hardening: You can't always prevent someone from breaking in, however one of the most simple things you can do is slow the rate one can either gain access to, or remove equipment. This is especially true if you have a stand alone shack. Here are 7 things you can do begin target hardening
1. Install a double deadbolt lock on your door, this is one of the simplest things you can do, they require a key in and a key out and another benefit is that they prevent smash and turn entry by requiring the key to open the door and since the shack is not considered a livable structure they get around most building codes.
2. Screw it down..... Most radios come with a mobile bracket or one is available, by screwing it down this slows up the removal process allowing more time for law enforcement to arrive and catch the suspect in the act.
3. Light it up!!!!! Most shacks have some source of power, by installing lights you deter crime because of the easiness of getting caught. Adding lights weather solar, battery or utility adds to the overall safety and security of the shack.
4. Install cameras.... By installing a camera system with a DVR you not only highly discourage theft and trespassing but you have a set of digital eyes watching 24 hours a day ( make sure the DVR is not visible or place it in another location)
5. Keep a low profile... This is a essential thing if you live in a moderate to high crime area (just about anywhere now) adding antennas is easy but it also makes a obvious sign that you have expensive radio equipment. If you can, use the smallest antenna needed.
6. Add shutters with locks, while this maybe an old fashioned way of doing things it still slows one down without the unattractive bars on the outside of the windows and requires a pair of bolt cutters or making noise to access the window.
7. Limit how far windows can be opened, installing a bolt drilled into the side of the window can significantly slow one down but allow you to remove the bolt and the window to be fully opened when you are in your shack
After you do all this what else can you do to make your ham shack more secure? Here are 4 more tips that don't require any money and can make the difference in how easy you are targeted.
1. Know your neighbors!!!! You don't have to be the social butterfly, but simply by casually observing your neighbors you can learn a lot about what they really are up to and assign a threat level to them based upon whether or not you observe criminal activity.
2. Practice light discipline, by knowing where to place monitors and TV Screens you can prevent wandering eyes from knowing what you have, also consider light blocking blinds or curtains to keep light from spilling out at night.
3. Keep quiet, while it is one of our favorite things to do is to show off our ham shack it could be one move that invites trouble. This also includes family members as we all have a few that are always up to no good. Just be wise to who you show your toy room too is all that I am saying.
4. Finally the most important thing to do is to be vigilant, do a quarterly review of your shack. Ask yourself if I was a criminal how would I get in and what could I easily remove? By asking these things you can help keep yourself, your family and toys safe from the perils of life's ruthlessness.
I hope you enjoyed my blog and have found a lot of this useful, as a ham and a security professional these are things I have learned to implement at home and in my vehicles in which I will cover in another blog in the future. Until next time remember God is still in control and stay safe and happy ~73
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