{"id":14582,"date":"2014-05-07T12:38:33","date_gmt":"2014-05-07T19:38:33","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/?p=14582"},"modified":"2023-05-16T20:42:31","modified_gmt":"2023-05-17T03:42:31","slug":"shtf-emergency-communications","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offgridsurvival.com\/shtf-emergency-communications\/","title":{"rendered":"SHTF COMS: Emergency Communications When Disaster Strikes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"Emergency<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As I learned from working in the areas ravaged by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and several others, cell phones and land-line telephones are basically useless.  It became obvious very quickly that I could not call home from most areas due to the telephone lines and cell towers being \u201cdown\u201d or busy.  Fortunately, I was prepared by having a 2-meter, a 10-meter (both now replaced with a HF\/VHF\/UHF all band radio), a Citizens Band (CB) radio, and a Uniden Bearcat Scanner which all were mounted in my truck!  The scanner allowed me to hear law enforcement and other agencies that were responding to and working the disaster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 2-Meter radio allowed me to contact local authorities and also to monitor rescue and recovery efforts and to plan which routes and areas to work in due to massive damage and debris everywhere.  The CB allowed me to contact truckers and their fantastic network of highway\/roadway information! With the 10-Meter radio, I was able to make contacts that could get in touch with my family which were several hundred miles away and safely at home!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I use frequencies from five (5) different areas of the radio spectrum to aid in my travels, for safety, obtaining information, and in communication with others.  The areas were:  NOAA Weather Radio, CB (both AM and SSB), FRS\/GMRS, VHF Maritime, and most importantly Amateur Radio (Ham Radio).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You do not need a license to monitor or listen<\/a> to any of the frequencies provided in this article. However, you will need a license to talk on some of the frequencies listed.  I will start with \u201cfree-talk\u201d frequencies or the ones where no license is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOAA Weather Radio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"NOAA<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

NOAA broadcasts are tailored to specific areas and give specific information to fit the needs of people in the listening area of each NOAA transmitter.  There are currently over 425 transmitters in the United States, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Saipan.  Canada has its own weather alert system and can be researched on the Internet.  Each transmitter covers a range of approximately 40 miles from the transmitter site.  Currently, over 80% of the country is covered by NOAA broadcasts.  This 80% encompasses up to 95 % of the population!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the United States, most NOAA broadcasts are heard 24-hours a day with the weather forecasts being updated as needed.  Special hazards and other warnings are broadcast as needed.  Broadcasts have evolved to a point where most weather radios have \u201cSpecific Area Message Encoding\u201d or S.A.M.E. which allows the user to program only the areas they wish to monitor or hear affected by the broadcasts when receiving weather or other hazard warnings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In times of severe weather in some areas, local Ham radio operators or Skywarn Hams call in on specific radio frequencies and update the local NOAA office with weather reports from their location.  If monitoring the Sky Warn frequencies you will get advanced notice of any hazardous weather in your area!  NOAA operates on seven (7) frequencies outside of the normal AM\/FM radio bands.  No licensing is required to own a NOAA Weather radio or to monitor their transmissions.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

NOAA FREQUENCY LIST<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broadcasts are found in the VHF public service band at these seven frequencies (MHz):<\/p>\n\n\n\n

162.400<\/td>162.425<\/td>162.450<\/td>162.475<\/td>162.500<\/td>162.525<\/td>162.550<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I monitor the NOAA frequencies with my Ham radio equipment and have gained very useful information in times of severe weather.  If you purchase a NOAA Weather Radio, these frequencies are pre-programmed allowing the end-user to turn it on and start receiving broadcasts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recommended NOAA Radios:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n