Comms & Radio

When the phone network jams, radios keep working

Cell networks are fragile: towers lose power, lines jam with callers, and one overloaded event silences millions. Two-way radio needs no tower, no subscription, and no internet — just charged batteries and people who agreed beforehand on which channel to use. That agreement lives here.

The four radio services, at a glance

FRS — license-free walkie-talkies. The cheap pair from the hardware store; no test, no paperwork, 22 shared channels, short range.
GMRS — long-range walkie-talkies. Same channels plus more power and repeaters; needs a $35 FCC license, good for ten years, one license covers your whole immediate family.
NOAA Weather Radio — one-way government broadcasts. You listen, never talk. Seven frequencies carry forecasts and all-hazards alerts around the clock.
Amateur (ham) — licensed hobbyists who train for this. Passing a written exam unlocks long distance, and organized emergency nets are exactly why ham radio survives every disaster.

Radio ReferenceFRS/GMRS channels 1–22, NOAA frequencies, power limits, and radio discipline. Family Radio PlanA printable PACE worksheet so everyone knows how to reach everyone.

Radio culture conventions

Millions of strangers share these channels, so unwritten rules keep them usable:

Channel 1 is the front porch. Hikers, ski patrols, and convoys treat FRS channel 1 as the calling channel — listen there, make contact, then agree to move your conversation to another channel and clear it.
Plain language beats codes. Ten-codes differ between police agencies and mean nothing to a frightened neighbor. Families should say exactly what they mean: who, where, status, next contact time.
Listen before you talk. If a channel is busy or a net is running, wait. Emergencies get the channel first.