A walkie talkie tuned in on our favourite number, maybe, so we can keep each other around us updated. Keep it in a Faraday Box methinks with something to manually charge it.
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Ham radio > Walkie talkie. If the lights go out, you don't need to worry about FCC licensing issues.
In time of a life and death emergency, it is legal to use any radio to signal for help. You will likely get away with no license, but there is a certain skill set needed to use it effectively. Why not get a Ham license now? The test isn't that hard, and you can build relationships with other communicators before it's actually needed. I'll warn you of one thing though, no matter when you get on the air, if you don't have a license, generally no other operator will be willing to communicate with you.
Just as owning a firearm, you can shoot it right out of the box, but it's of limited value if you never trained with it. Better to train before the big event(s), and going to the firing range is fun.
Same with Ham radio.
http://arrl.org/licensing-education-training
All test questions and answers are published on line.
Agree that in shtf licenses are useless however consider that being effective with comms requires a bit of practice and knowledge that is hard to perfect without experience. A ham license gives you that ability without being noticed... then when shtf your ready to rock.. its like having a gun but never shooting it until you need it...
"Licenses" will be your least important worry when TSHTF. The FCC has very few monitoring stations and they will go dark when the power goes off. Actually, during a Declared Emergency, Hams can and do transceive with military and civilian stations to pass Health and Welfare and other emergency messages. This has occurred during many disasters including hurricanes, earthquakes and mass casualty events. If you are licensed as an Amateur Radio Service (HAM) Operator, you just use your regular callsign as your identification. There are yearly military to HAM communications tests, most of which takes place on the 60-meter shared HAM and military/FEMA shared frequencies.
yes that was my point
And a good point too. Practice makes perfect pretty much. Hams learn correct radio procedure AND when to keep the frequency clear for real emergency traffic. Remember, use "BREAK" for a so-so important message. Use PAN PAN PAN for an immediate emergency and use MAYDAY only for an immediate life or death situation occurring in your presence. On a net, operator can use EMERGENCY to begin a vital Health, Welfare or Emgency message.
Here are some choices:
Good Quality CB Radio, preferably one with SSB; Make a wire dipole antenna fed with good quality coaxial cable.
FRS Walkie-Talkies (at least 2, depending upon family numbers and nearby neighbors. These are inexpensive in sets of two;
Amateur radio Service (HAM Radio); good quality High Frequency SSB transceiver - Icom IC-718 is one of the popular go-to radios for Preppers and can be easily modified for CB "11 Meter Band"; It covers all of the HAM frequencies and will receive from the bottom of the AM Broadcast band all the way up to the 30 mHz are used by military long-range comms. Use a multi-band wire antenna such as the G5RV design with coax.
Make sure you have a spool of strong cordage to hang antennas from trees -- You can find spools of 1000 feet of "parachute riser line" pretty cheap.
Keep all items in a Faraday Cage which can be a 55 gallon metal trash can with close fitting lid. The wire antennas roll up easily. Good idea is to include other electronic devices which you have as spares for SHTF-times in the can also.
You can search the net for Prepper and "CB Freeband" information which list frequencies and protocols.
Learn about these means of communications so you are not fumbling around in the dark on an adrenaline rush after killing the feral nogs who just tried to break in your doors. You can get all the information you need out of a couple of books published by the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) -- except for disposing of feral nogs which you had to use those Ten Gauge 00 buckshot rounds on.
Never, ever, reveal what you have -- think OPSEC.
Thanks
Good idea plus two of them (base station units) can be wired together to make an ad hoc repeater. Solar battery powered up on a hilltop.
This guy on youtube is a good start
https://www.youtube.com/c/HamRadioCrashCourse/featured. There is a lot to this, license is easy to get with a bit of study, and it will help. Also try this place to get started with equipment, https://www.bridgecomsystems.com/
I would caution about the Bridgecom Systems radios. They offer good quality equipment, but they also offer radios which use "DMR" which is a digital system. To use that system is complex and users must register their "Radio ID", which doxxes you. Of course a HAM license and FCC issued call sign is public information. I'm just saying that if you expect anonymity and wish to practice strong OPSEC, think about what you do before doing it. YMMV & JMHO
I am very well prepared...... I ordered one of those ‘Preppers’ pack for such a situation..... it was very expensive but I am sure it will be well worth it once everything goes down....!
I keep meaning to read the instruction pack I received with it.... because I am still not sure what to do with all that string and those empty cans .... !!
WWG1WGA
Got 'em long ago, ready for TSHTF in whatever form it comes.
Walkie Talkie or professional Ham radio (because of law you cannot legally broadcast in most cases - but it SHTF anyway...)
This is what I imagine doing if I ever get one of those.
Evening, folks. You’re listening to the Peppy Preppy Pepe station. l’m your host ThiccusDickus, and tonight, we’ll be discussing the Biggus Riggus. We’ve got our first caller on the line. Evening, LongDongWong. Your thoughts on the latest update in AZ?
Who could've possibly downvoted this?!
Someone short, with a small penis.
Looks like we may have to do some investigative work ourselves. Someone get me a magnifying glass! Extra thicc.
lol
Well not so hard to buy one,the issue is the cost.And maybe to not buy chinese one too...
You don’t need a license in an emergency.
Good idea for comms with neighbors. Look up and research "Sound Powered Telephones" and also "Ground-Return Telephony" where only one wire is needed, the Earth providing the other path. Used in WW1 and WW2.
Get a ham radio license and give your walkie talkies to a kid.
Download the "Voxer" app. to your phone
I've had cb radios for years for keeping in touch with others on trails. Jeepers always have cb's and walkie-talkie's for that purpose. Guess we were ahead of the game! Ham radios are excellent for this also. You'll need a generator, or solar backups!