Phone Service Cannot Be Relied Upon in an Emergency Which is Why You Need One of These

Phone Service Cannot Be Relied Upon in an Emergency Which is Why You Need One of These
By Bruce Stonesmith

Walkie-Talkies are hand-held portable two-way radios first developed for use by the military. One of the advantages of having a quality set of two-way radios is they will work when cellular phones and landlines will not, making them ideal for survivalists or doomsday preppers.

The range varies depending on terrain and model. The number of channels varies and your signal range can be from one to seven miles again depending on terrain, whether you have a license and weather conditions. It is recommended you purchase a set with the emergency weather channel pre-programmed into the set. Low powered versions of Walkie-Talkies are typically exempt from any licensing requirements and are considered for personal use only.

Two-Way radios should be an essential part of any emergency kit because they will work during power outages when cell phones and landlines will not. Make sure every member of the family has a receiver, which of course has a built in transmitter as well for two-way communications. Ensure each member knows the channel you want to communicate on and have alternate channels as well. The communication is not secure and each channel can be monitored by others with a two-way device. Therefore, do not divulge personal information, or locations.

The radios have fixed frequencies already programmed in and you can monitor channels for information during a crisis. Others with two-way radios may have information you can use so always monitor or break in and ask for information during a disaster. Some models come with rechargeable battery packs or you must replace the batteries as needed. Certain models have low power and higher range channels and some channels may require licensing by the FCC. However, during a crisis use whatever channel benefits you the most. Ham radio operators and others may be able monitor your communications as well.

If you become stranded or lost, you can key your radio and send short message bursts to conserve battery power. Anyone with a receiver/transmitter or even a base station can receive your signal even if you are in a cell phone dead spot, the power grid is down or if telephone or microwave stations are damaged or destroyed.

Use your Walkie-Talkies to communicate with family members during a crisis by using ear buds for hands free communication. Certain models of hands free devices can encrypt your communications if personal safety is an issue and you must protect certain information. Using the built in speaker does allow others standing nearby to monitor your traffic. If safety is, a concern use ear buds and/or use a reliable encryption device.

You can communicate to multiple people if each device is tuned to the correct channel or frequency. This allows you to give direction to all members of the family at one time. Two-way radios are ideal for rescue operations as well. If you need higher wattage output, it is recommended you obtain a license so you can use channels other than those dedicated to the Family Radio Service (FRS). The FRS channels are lower wattage output with a reduced range. Obtaining a license in most cases is simply filling out an application that can be downloaded from the Internet and paying a fee.

Walkie Talkies should be a key component of everyone's bug-out bag or emergency supplies. Learn more about how doomsday preppers prepare for disasters by visiting The Smart Preppers Website.