We live in a hurricane zone and have weathered many storms without evacuating. Can typical 2-way radios function in a 20–30-mile range if we were hit by a storm or do we need something very expensive.
How difficult would it be to connect with a family member with an off the shelf set.
They still need to be in range of a cell tower. If you don't have cell service they won't work. Also read the fine print, the first year the subscription is free, after that it's $50 a year. Cheap but still you need to have a cell signal. If your phone doesn't have service neither will the RRs.