While the following may not seem ideal at least one of these, a CB radio, has been around for ages and has help a lot of men and women out of dire situations. We have a brother that still maintains his CB to this very day! Take a look:

The goTenna
This is an odd little item. The goTenna attaches to your smart phone and allows you to create your own short range communications network. With a range of half a mile to a couple miles (or more) depending on terrain, this is a strictly close quarters communication solution, but for a small group, it could be ideal. It’s not hard to think of what you could do with such short range solutions that allow you to call or text on your phone, even without a cell tower. For the price, it’s cheaper to just get a GMRS or FRS radio, and you’ll get the same or better range. But the greater privacy and ability to text may make it worthwhile for some people.
CB Radio
While the glory day of 70’s CB culture is becoming a part of American mythology, there is still a lot to be said for CB or Citizen’s Band radio. Even though we are entering a period of low solar activity which reduces the practical range of CB, it is still a perfectly viable form of communication, offering a low barrier to entry, and the ability to communicate with many different people, and sometimes, depending on where you live, law enforcement.
FRS/GMRS
Close on the heels of CB are the sometimes confusing FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) radios. Both of these radio services use UHF frequencies which are limited to short line of sight distances of up to a mile or so in most cases. FRS radios are free to use without a license, have a range up to a mile, cannot transmit at more than half a watt, must use fixed antennas, and come with other restrictions which are detailed when you purchase a new radio.

To learn more, including the use of Ham Radios, go to Urban Survival Site.

While it does seem strange that our first inclination during a disaster will be to go to that landline or cell phone we now know better. How often have they gone down during a disaster? You get a medium sized earthquake in in California and sudden communications is at a stand-still!

There-fore getting another form of communication, checking on Mom and Dad and all those you love, might be a great idea!

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