Radio Prepping and Emergency Communications

Master Radio to Survive Disasters

When hurricanes, wildfires, floods, or tornadoes strike, phones and internet can fail, leaving you cut off. Radio keeps you connected to your family or community, sharing critical updates like your location or needs. This guide is your ultimate resource for radio prepping (protecting your loved ones) and emergency communications (EmComm, helping others). Written for everyone, from beginners to hobbyists, it uses simple steps to prepare you before disaster hits. Study this page, explore our About, PACE Plan, Protocols, and Join Us pages, and practice with flashcard-style quizzes on HAMQuiz. For more training, visit https://hamstudy.org/ and https://hambook.org/. Start now—your survival depends on it.

Radio Prepping vs. EmComm: Two Sides of Survival

Radio prepping and EmComm both use radios, but their goals differ:

Radio Prepping: Protects your family, friends, or neighbors. Use walkie-talkies to stay in touch when phones die.

Example: During a flood, tell your family, “I’m safe at the school.”

EmComm: Serves your community, like CERT or the Red Cross, by passing official messages during crises.

Example: Use a radio to report, “Hospital needs 50 blankets for tornado victims.”

They share the same tools—walkie-talkies, ham radios—but prepping is personal, EmComm is public. Learn both to be ready. Our radio channels are the standard; local CERT teams should align with them.

Step 1: Choose Your Radios

Radios are your lifeline. Here’s what to get:

FRS Radios: Family Radio Service, like walkie-talkies (~$30 for two, Retevis). No license needed, works 1–2 miles.

Example: During a hurricane, call your neighbor, “Power’s out, you okay?”

GMRS Radios: General Mobile Radio Service (~$25, Baofeng UV-5R). Needs a $35 FCC license (fcc.gov), reaches 2–5 miles.

Example: Coordinate with your town during a wildfire, “Evacuate now.”

CB Radios: Citizens Band (~$50). No license, good for road updates.

Example: Share flood alerts on CB Channel 9.

Ham Radios: Needs a license (arrl.org). Connects across states or globally.

Example: Contact hams during a tornado for rescue.

Buy FRS radios today—cheap and easy. Check with CERT (fema.gov/cert) to use our channels. Practice radio types on HAMQuiz.

Step 2: Build a PACE Plan

A PACE plan (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) ensures you always have a way to communicate:

Primary: FRS Channel 1 (462.5625 MHz). No license, instant local connection.

Example: During a blackout, say, “Meet at the house” on FRS 1.

Alternate: GMRS Channel 15 (462.5500 MHz). Licensed, broader reach.

Example: Contact nearby towns during a hurricane.

Contingency: Shortwave radio (5–15 MHz, Tecsun PL-880) or ham JS8Call. Regional reach.

Example: Message hams during a wildfire for supplies.

Emergency: Garmin inReach (satellite) or ham Winlink (email). Last resort.

Example: Send a Winlink SOS during a flood.

Write your plan: “Primary: FRS 1, Alternate: GMRS 15.” Laminate it. See our PACE Plan page. CERT follows our channels. Test PACE plans on HAMQuiz.

Step 3: Assign Radio Channels Now

Don’t wait for disaster to pick channels. Plan today:

Hurricanes: FRS Channel 1 for family updates.

Example: “This is Sarah, house is safe, over.”

Wildfires: GMRS Channel 15 for evacuation routes.

Example: “Head west on GMRS 15, over.”

Floods: CB Channel 9 for community alerts.

Example: “Flood warning on CB 9, over.”

Tornadoes: Ham JS8Call for regional ham nets.

Example: Message hams for help during a tornado.

Create a chart: “Hurricane = FRS 1, Wildfire = GMRS 15.” Download it at hamquiz.org [Insert QR: hamquiz.org]. CERT uses our channels. Practice channels on HAMQuiz.

Step 4: Follow the Wilderness Protocol

When you’re far from help—like camping or after a disaster—use the Wilderness Protocol:

Every 3 hours (e.g., 7 AM, 10 AM), listen on FRS Channel 3 (462.6125 MHz) or ham 146.520 MHz for 5 minutes.

Say: “This is [Your Name], monitoring for emergencies, over.”

Example: During a tornado, hear a camper call for help at 10 AM on FRS 3.

Work with CERT or ARRL (arrl.org) to set local times. Practice the protocol on HAMQuiz.

Step 5: Send Clear Messages

Clear messages save lives. Rules for prepping and EmComm:

Say your name, keep it short, end with “over.”

Example: “This is Mike, need food on FRS 1, over.”

Focus on essentials: location, health, supplies.

For EmComm, use forms (e.g., Red Cross 6409) to request items (e.g., “10 cots needed”) or report issues without names (e.g., “Person in green shirt, injured”).

Train message skills on HAMQuiz’s Messages bank. See our Protocols page.

Step 6: Master Radio Modes

Modes are how you send messages. Key ones for beginners:

Prepping Modes:

Voice: Talking on FRS, GMRS, or CB. Easiest method.

Example: Say during a flood, “Meet at the bridge.”

APRS: Ham mode for texting or sharing locations via radio.

Example: During a tornado, APRS your spot to family.

JS8Call: Ham mode for long-distance messages with low power.

Example: Contact hams during a wildfire for aid.

EmComm Modes:

Voice: VHF radio for local CERT nets.

Example: Report during a hurricane, “Road blocked.”

NBEMS: Sends forms (e.g., FEMA 213) over radio, no internet.

Example: Send a Red Cross form for food during a flood.

Winlink: Ham email to non-hams, like hospitals.

Example: Email FEMA during a tornado for support.

Practice modes on HAMQuiz’s Modes bank. See our Protocols page. Learn more at https://hamstudy.org/ and https://hambook.org/.

Step 7: Support Caregivers

Radios help caregivers, like those with dementia:

Pre-set FRS Channel 1 for one-button use.

Use bright Retevis walkie-talkies with big labels (e.g., “CALL HELP”).

Example: During a hurricane, a caregiver presses one button to reach neighbors.

Train caregiver radio use on HAMQuiz. See our Protocols page.

Step 8: Assemble Your Radio Kit

Your kit must be ready before disaster:

2x FRS Radios (Retevis, ~$30) with AAA batteries, USB charging.

1x CB Radio (~$50) for CB Channel 9 updates.

Solar Charger (PowerFilm LightSaver Max, ~$300) for outages.

Laminated card with PACE plan and channels.

Download the kit list at hamquiz.org. See our PACE Plan page. Practice kit prep on HAMQuiz.

Step 9: Train Like a Pro

This guide is your foundation, but practice makes you unstoppable:

Use HAMQuiz’s flashcard-style quizzes to test your skills.

Example: What’s the Primary PACE channel? A) FRS 1 B) GMRS 15 C) CB 9 (Answer: A).

Aim for 7000 BaconPoints to top the HAMQuiz leaderboard.

Deepen your knowledge at https://hamstudy.org/ and https://hambook.org/.

Why This Guide Is Essential

This is the only resource you need for radio prepping and EmComm:

Clear: Simple steps for anyone, no radio experience required.

Proactive: Plans channels and kits now, before the flood hits.

Inclusive: Supports caregivers with easy radio tips.

Engaging: HAMQuiz quizzes make learning fun.

Our channels are the standard. CERT, ARRL (arrl.org), and REACT (reactintl.org) align with us. Email contact@hamquiz.org to connect.

Disclaimer

Our channels are the default; CERT adopts them.

Next Steps

Study our About, PACE Plan, Protocols, and Join Us pages at hamquiz.org.

Practice flashcard quizzes on HAMQuiz.

Get advanced training at https://hamstudy.org/ and https://hambook.org/.

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