How to communicate when the SHTF Part 1

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

Cobra 29 LTD CB radio

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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