Survival and Emergency Preparedness

great video

Communications in depth, but layered to minimize expense.
1. have a couple of crank radios
2. have a couple of old fashioned transistor radios
3. have a bunch of the same family communication devices
a. have enough for one for every person in your circle, one for a base station, and one spare. Do not complicate by having some special features activated -your circle may not be sophisticated. Set up a time for communications. Keep plenty of spare batteries. Local defensive monitoring that allows shifting of people.
4. I haven't mentioned cell phones which will probably not work when everyone is trying to use the downed towers or shortwave radios because no one in going to come help you. By the time you have done 1-3, you have probably spend $400 plus tax.

Don't buy them, stick them in you garbage can faraday cage until "the time comes", and expect to know how they work. In the dark after the power goes out is not the time to unpack them from the box and try to read the directions.

Here is some info I found a few years ago. There is a lot of info here including a frequency list of 100 channels to program onto a Baofeng UHF/VHF radio. I have all my radios set up as suggested. I use them, while hiking, hunting, and just being out and about up on the property.

https://radiofreeq.wordpress.com/

A lot of good info ...
I pack my spare radios ( 2 way WT but with wide receive ) in small tupperware, in there are spare batteries and a cheat sheet of directions ( very important ) with freqs, but my family runs on freqs that I have programed into each so there is no issues when needed.
We pull them out once a year and use them during summer, then they go back in storage.

One of the emergency radios that I have is an Eton FR-400.

https://www.amazon.com/Eton-FR400-Silve ... B000JINNWA




I don't recall where I got it. Can receive power from four different sources: the built-in rechargeable Ni-MH battery that takes its charge from the dynamo crank and from an AC adapter; three "AA" batteries; from the AC adapter alone or the dynamo crank alone. Looks like its been discontinued by the manufacturer so I might see about picking up a different type that is current to have on hand. I do have another crank radio packed away awaiting the move.

I'm going to charge this one up tomorrow and check it out to make sure it's up to snuff.

Like Mac66, I have a few Baofeng radios that have keypads that are programmable. I printed off a list of freq and have weather channel a few others preprogrammed in.

The interesting thing about the Baofengs is that you can pick up FM radio stations on them as well. I remember sitting in my deer blind with mine (with an ear plug) and listening to the local radio station. I wish they picked up AM stations (more news, talk radio on AM) but FM works.

Any particular recommendations on a Baofeng model? If you have two is it like a walkie-talkie? What is the range?

The unit is cheap. Sometimes people have trouble with the software.

I believe you need an appropriate shortwave license.

Range depends upon line of sight. If you have a bush, a hill, a building in the way, it does not do better than a walkie talkie or Family radio service. With a direct line of sight from Mount Baden Powell 110 miles south, I could hit repeaters with a 2 meter unit. Put a building in the way and bye bye.

With all this stuff:
1. your significant other will not know the jargon;
2. your significant other will not know how to program;
3. the more difficult you make things, the harder it will be for a novice to use the unit.
4. you will not be allowed on any functioning private repeaters unless you are a member.
5. you will not be allowed onto any public emergency repeaters in an emergency.

I have pristine ham gear stored. No aid will be coming in an emergency.
I have a lot of FRS units with spare AA batteries, battery pack holders. Most of your concern should be in developments within 100s of meters to a few miles from your location and the units distributed to your circle.

The only and nearest relative or friend is about 1 mile away. My sister is typical - no preps. Didn't want to store any. KISS. Keep it simple stupid is my approach to communications.