Just wondering if anybody has a back up plan to contact family members in the event our usual comms go down? Ham radios are great, but expensive and not available to everybody. Any other suggestions for reliable communication? Thanks.
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Well, I was thinking I'd have to go Ham if I wanted to go half way across the country. But I'd even like to go say 50-100 miles.
depending on line of sight (assuming you aren't working from a mountaintop to the plains below with no obstructions) you are in the space where HF (HAM) will be needed. The real challenge is not going to be the radio, but the antenna. HF propagation bounces the signal off the ionosphere and can leave gaps below between the launch point and the point where the wave is reflected down. Investigate a Near Vertical Incident Skywave (NVIS) capability. Best advice for what you've described is to look up your local Amateur Radio Club and ask to talk thru your specific requirements with an experienced operator.
Great advice, really. I'll see if there's a radio club .. within range. :D