Security · 1 hour · Basic
Communicate When Phones Are Down
Hand-crank radios, GMRS and a family comms plan for when cell networks go dark.
This is for educational purposes only. Not professional medical, electrical, or safety advice.
- 01
Write the plan
Agree on two meeting points and a check-in schedule (e.g. top of every hour, channel 3).
- 02
Get receive-only first
A hand-crank AM/FM/NOAA radio keeps you informed with zero power.
- 03
Add two-way radios
FRS works license-free over short range; GMRS (licensed in the US) reaches miles further.
- 04
Print everything
Keep paper copies of numbers, maps and this plan—your phone may be dead.