I started by buying walkie-talkies from home depot. They require no license and at least get you started if SHTF. Then I applied online for my GMRS license. This is requires no test and allows you to use high powered walkie talkies with much more range.
Then I studied using the online tests for the "Technician" and "General" licenses.
The technician license allows you to talk locally up 10-50 miles on the UHF and VHF frequencies. You'll find there are tons of local repeaters around you on these frequencies.
The general license allow you to talk all over the world on the HF frequencies by bouncing your signal off the upper atmosphere.
I'm still new - but it seems like craigslist is a good place to buy gear on the cheap.
This is 70 bucks for 10 years and is per household. After what appeared to be an nternet killswitch test last week, we bought extra radios for family members so we can stay in contact in the event internet/cellular comms get switched off.
And if the SHTF, there won't be an FCC to monitor usage, so just having and knowing how to use an FRS/GMRS radio isn't a bad idea.
Ham handhelds are a much better than the blister pack FRS radios from homedepot but they won't generally talk 10-50 miles without help. That's where repeaters come in. They are powerful radios with excellent antennas mounted high above terrain that listen for signal on one frequency and repeat it on another. Most have very large "footprints" that allow you to communicate easily with hams all around your area. Technician license will give you access to 2m (144MHz) and 70cm (440MHz) so you can look for those kind of repeaters here:
https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/index.php?state_id=none
Repeaters exist in GMRS as well but I don't know much about that service.
Tech license test is almost a joke to pass. Morse code is no longer required and all the questions are available online so you can just memorize the answers but I recommend learning the subject matter.
Good beginner Ham kit recommendation for normies?
I started by buying walkie-talkies from home depot. They require no license and at least get you started if SHTF. Then I applied online for my GMRS license. This is requires no test and allows you to use high powered walkie talkies with much more range.
Then I studied using the online tests for the "Technician" and "General" licenses.
The technician license allows you to talk locally up 10-50 miles on the UHF and VHF frequencies. You'll find there are tons of local repeaters around you on these frequencies.
The general license allow you to talk all over the world on the HF frequencies by bouncing your signal off the upper atmosphere.
I'm still new - but it seems like craigslist is a good place to buy gear on the cheap.
Grateful for the info blacktankguy.
This is 70 bucks for 10 years and is per household. After what appeared to be an nternet killswitch test last week, we bought extra radios for family members so we can stay in contact in the event internet/cellular comms get switched off.
And if the SHTF, there won't be an FCC to monitor usage, so just having and knowing how to use an FRS/GMRS radio isn't a bad idea.
Ham handhelds are a much better than the blister pack FRS radios from homedepot but they won't generally talk 10-50 miles without help. That's where repeaters come in. They are powerful radios with excellent antennas mounted high above terrain that listen for signal on one frequency and repeat it on another. Most have very large "footprints" that allow you to communicate easily with hams all around your area. Technician license will give you access to 2m (144MHz) and 70cm (440MHz) so you can look for those kind of repeaters here: https://www.repeaterbook.com/repeaters/index.php?state_id=none
Repeaters exist in GMRS as well but I don't know much about that service.
Tech license test is almost a joke to pass. Morse code is no longer required and all the questions are available online so you can just memorize the answers but I recommend learning the subject matter.
Very much appreciated. Thank you for the informative reply. Saved.