When cell towers go down, and the internet’s gone, how are you reaching anyone?

Let’s break down how to build a real-world comms kit that works when everything else doesn’t.

1. Know Your Options

• FRS/GMRS Radios: Good for neighborhood comms. No license needed (FRS).

• HAM Radio: Long-range and reliable. Requires a license, but worth it.

• CB Radio: Old-school but still useful—especially in vehicles.

2. Build the Kit

Here’s what we include in ours:

• 2+ handheld FRS/GMRS radios with spare batteries

• 1 CB radio + mobile antenna (for your car or base station)

• A dual-band HAM radio (Baofeng UV-5R is solid and cheap)

• Printed frequency cheat sheets

• Notebook + pen

• Maps with marked meeting points

• Flash drive with digital docs (encrypted)

3. Power Your Kit

• AA/AAA batteries (rechargeable)

• Portable solar charger

• Hand-crank charger as backup

4. Communication Plan

• Who are you contacting?

• When and where do you check in?

• What channel/frequency do you use?

• Practice it with family. Print it and stick it in every go-bag.

5. Bonus: Low-Tech Backups

• Signal mirror

• Whistle

• Colored cloth flags

Final Thought

Communication is power. Build your kit now, learn the tools, and sleep better knowing you’re not cut off if things go sideways.