If the world goes to such shit that we need to rely on ham radio, I don’t think licenses will be all that important at that point. Learning to use the equipment and protocols for effective transmission though are certainly important.
Most radio operators have to teach themselves or locate a mentor, making amateur radio very much a meritocracy at the lower levels. Those that forget this and have been in for a long time and are playing games with politics in the ARRL tend to be leftists.
Baofeng radios are in fact GREAT for people who need to get started because of the absurdly low cost of entry. The biggest downside with them is in stressed communications environments. I'd strongly say buy one because it can be used as a home receiver or a backup radio as well and for the price, it literally cannot be discounted. I have two in reserve along with a Wouxun handheld.
Yaesu, Kenwood both make solid handheld offerings if you have the finances, and there is a whole world of DMR offerings that I'm unfortunately completely unfamiliar with.
At this point, my concerns with China are lower than my concerns with being properly kitted at home. So do what you have to do to be ready.
If the world goes to such shit that we need to rely on ham radio, I don’t think licenses will be all that important at that point. Learning to use the equipment and protocols for effective transmission though are certainly important.
The licenses are for the before. You can set up district-wide low powered intranets for practice.
Most radio operators have to teach themselves or locate a mentor, making amateur radio very much a meritocracy at the lower levels. Those that forget this and have been in for a long time and are playing games with politics in the ARRL tend to be leftists.
Baofeng radios are in fact GREAT for people who need to get started because of the absurdly low cost of entry. The biggest downside with them is in stressed communications environments. I'd strongly say buy one because it can be used as a home receiver or a backup radio as well and for the price, it literally cannot be discounted. I have two in reserve along with a Wouxun handheld.
Yaesu, Kenwood both make solid handheld offerings if you have the finances, and there is a whole world of DMR offerings that I'm unfortunately completely unfamiliar with.
At this point, my concerns with China are lower than my concerns with being properly kitted at home. So do what you have to do to be ready.