Mr. Rawles,
I have read “Patriots,” and am finishing up your [“Rawles Gets You Ready”] preparedness course and I have a question: What brand, or type of two-way communication do I look for. I live in Kansas, about as far inland as we can go. I have several family members in the same small town and would like something that we all could communicate with. Ready Made Resources recommends a GMRS system, is that something to consider, or are CBs the answer?
I appreciate all that you post on your blog, consequently, I have just purchased the “SurvivalBlog: The Best of the Blog” book to look back on what I have missed since I started reading late last year. I have found your articles to be so beneficial to me and have recommended your site to others. Sincerely, – Thea
JWR Replies: I expect the Citizen’s Band (CB) to be quite crowded with “chatter” in the event of a widespread disaster. And it will probably remain crowded if the power grid stays up. If you want a low-power system (assuming that you don’t have a large PV battery charging system), I would recommend MURS band radios. Inexpensive used MURS band handi-talkies are available from MURS Radios–one of my advertisers. The MURS band radios have have comparable range to GMRS band radios, but the MURS band has far less traffic. (In many rural areas the band is essentially uninhabited.) Most transmissions in that band require no license.
If you want a higher-power system, I would recommend buying using Marine Band radios on eBay. (There, search on “Marine Band Radio”.) These do not require a license except for “vessels over 65 feet in length”. (But be advised that there are FCC restrictions on “inland” use. Reader Don K. mentioned that only radios that are “Type Accepted by the FCC for part 80 use may transmit on radio frequencies in the Maritime Radio Services. Equipment used for Land Stations must be specifically approved by the FCC for this use; most shipboard equipment is not approved for Land Station use. Fines by the FCC can be and usually are substantial.”)
Since most Marine band radios draw more current than a MURS handi-talkie, you will need a more capable backup power system for battery charging. I suggest a couple of large 6 volt DC deep-cycle (“golf cart”) type batteries for each radio. The beauty of the MURS band and the VHF Marine band is that they are both essentially “private bands” in many areas. But of course don’t consider them “secure“, since they can still be detected and monitored with a multi-band scanner.