This will be a multi part post series on the different ways to communicate when the SHTF (Stuff Hits The Fan).
Have you ever thought about how you would communicate with your family and friends or call for help if communications went down from a natural disaster or a terrorist attack?
Cell phones although a great tool for everyday communications, become pretty much useless in large scale emergencies. Even if the towers are operational, the amount of traffic from people trying to reach loved ones or trying to get help can jam or shutdown the system. A great example is trying to call someone on New Years Eve.
So if you can’t rely on cell phone service, what other options do you have?
- Cb radio
- FRS,GMRS,MURS Radios
- Satellite Phone
- Ham Radio
In the next few posts I will cover each one of the ones listed above. Lets start with the First one-
CB Radios
The CB Radio is the original device for social media so to speak because you could get alerts, road threats, police locations and emergency warnings. The CB Radio has a specific channel that Emergency agencies monitor, Channel 9.
The largest user group of the CB Radio is the trucker community. TruckersReport.com estimates that in the United States, there are 3.5 million truck drivers.
CB Radios due have their limitations such as their communication range. One of the big reasons your range is limited with CB’s is that they’re limited to 5 watts of power. With radios power means distance. Depending on terrain, CB’s have a reach distance of 10 miles or so. In theory there can be 100 people or more all talking on the same channel but out of each others range and they will never hear one another.
While Channel 9 is the emergency channel. Channel 19 is the unofficial trucker information channel. Those two channels are your best bet for communicating in SHTF scenario.
Some CB Radios can also receive weather and emergency alerts from NOAA.
CB FREQUENCY / CHANNEL INFORMATION
CB Radio takes up 40 radio channels from 26.965 to 27.405 MHz.
CB Channel Frequency Frequency Use
Channel 1 26.965 MHz
Channel 2 26.975 MHz
Channel 3 26.985 MHz Unofficial Prepper CB Network (AM)
Channel 4 27.005 MHz Used by many 4X4 clubs
Channel 5 27.015 MHz
Channel 6 27.025 MHz You’ll hear many operators using illegal high-power amplifiers
Channel 7 27.035 MHz
Channel 8 27.055 MHz
Channel 9 27.065 MHz Channel 9 is the universal C.B. emergency channel
Channel 10 27.075 MHz
Channel 11 27.085 MHz
Channel 12 27.105 MHz
Channel 13 27.115 MHz Often used in some areas for marine use & recreational vehicles.
Channel 14 27.125 MHz Frequency for many walkie-talkies. FCMA (Federal Motor Coach Assoc) heard here
Channel 15 27.135 MHz
Channel 16 27.155 MHz Used by many 4X4 clubs
Channel 17 27.165 MHz Used by truckers on the east-west roads in California
Channel 18 27.175 MHz
Channel 19 27.185 MHz Unofficial Trucker channel (but probably where you will find most of them hanging out)
Channel 20 27.205 MHz
Channel 21 27.215 MHz Used by truckers for North-South routes in some areas of the country
Channel 22 27.225 MHz
Channel 23 27.255 MHz
Channel 24 27.235 MHz
Channel 25 27.245 MHz
Channel 26 27.265 MHz
Channel 27 27.275 MHz
Channel 28 27.285 MHz
Channel 29 27.295 MHz
Channel 30 27.305 MHz 30 and up are often used for SSB operation
Channel 31 27.315 MHz
Channel 32 27.325 MHz
Channel 33 27.335 MHz
Channel 34 27.345 MHz
Channel 35 27.355 MHz
Channel 36 27.365 MHz
Channel 37 27.375 MHz Unofficial Prepper 37 (USB)
Channel 38 27.385 MHz Unofficial SSB calling channel, LSB mode
Channel 39 27.395 MHz
Channel 40 27.405 MHz
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