Radio Communication needs, wants and fairy tale dreams

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Radio coms solutions, just like most other aspects of preparedness come down to subjective needs. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

1. The first question is why bother, when broadcast radio, TV, mobile phones and internet VOIP services are now reliable and available around the entire globe?

Answer: Because these systems are not under our own control, they depend on services supplied by others and these services can either fail or be purposely closed down.

2. Second question to ask is would a communications system actually be NEEDED in your plans? If mobile phones and VOIP were no longer operating, would you still NEED to communicate over greater than shouting distances? By communicate I mean receiving as well as sending communications.

Needs can be further broken down:

2.1 Need to gather news and information from the outside world.

Solution to consider:
radio receivers, FM / AM / LW UK and near-continent broadcast stations

Shortwave receiver As above, but with world-wide coverage.

Ham radio receiver: To listen in to UK and possibly world-wide discussions among Ham operators.

2.2 Need to be able to communicate tactically between members of your own group and outsiders over a short distance ( up to 1km)

Solutions: Self-contained hand held walkie talkie type radios are ideal for this role. Types: CB. PMR446, VHF, UHF

2.3 Need to be able to communicate tactically between members of your own group and outsiders over a distance equating to a days’ on-foot foraging ( up to say 30km)

Solution: This is probably the hardest need to meet. CB and high powered VHF/UHF radios give best chance of success

2.4 Need to be able to communicate tactically between members of your own group and outsiders nationally:

Solutions: Ham / Military High Frequency Shortwave equipment using NVIS techniques ( see NVIS threads). Plus appropriate specialised antenna Plus knowledge / skill to operate the equipment

2.5 Need to be able to communicate tactically between members of your own group and outsiders world-wide

Solutions: Ham / Military High Frequency Shortwave equipment. Plus appropriate specialised antenna, Plus knowledge / skill to operate the equipment


So, determining what is NEEDED drives choice of equipment and learning how to use it. There is no right or wrong choice, just choices that allow more or less capability.

Of course, with radio being a personal interest/ hobby for me, my group has equipment that covers all of the needs I've described, but the radio equipment that we use most is the simplest of the lot: 8 Channel PMRs turn out to be absolutely the most used and most versatile of the lot for this household.

And the Fairy-tale dream?
This is the TV and Film based illusion that there are simple walkie-talkie devices that can basically meet all of the above needs easily and reliably, like a kind of private mobile phone service. Sadly, no such device exists, its just fiction at the current time.