Sir:
One thing not mentioned in the survival groups web sites is the use of ad-hoc wireless wireless fidelity (wi-fi) networks.
When me and several others put together a group plan, we came up with the idea of using wi-fi as a short range method of communication, information sharing and news distribution.
We found several Wikipedia pages devoted to getting maximum range from a wi-fi router. Many of these methods can cover entire small towns. Enabling the password encryption features built into these devices can while far from perfect provide a super secure text and voice communication service when used in conduction with other encryption software.
Our idea was to set up a daisy chained router network that when accessed would display a web page hosted on a desktop or laptop on the network. This page would have links to other pages on the local hosted site. A entire library of public domain books from project Gutenberg, videos, e-mail and instant messaging options.
Because of how the Internet works, when you type in a web name like Google.com you are directed to a IP address that has the information like 111.23.457.99. Since there is no address book on the network, your browser would be directed to a local address on the network that is indexed on the home page, that you initially see when you log into the router that has the best signal close to you.
Routers themselves use a small amount of electricity; so one could set up a solar/and battery powered network discretely placed around town. Even if the batteries go out after a few years, the solar cells will still power the network in the daytime.
This network can also be used with many other devices like iPad, iPod Touch, wi-fi smart phones, Sony PSP, etc.
The methods to build this type of network are a bit complicated, but there are hundreds of web sites dedicated to instructions on how to set this up.
This communication method has been successfully set up in Hati after the earthquake and in Mali where the entire city of Timbuktu has been set up with wi-fi access using cheap off the shelf electronics and improvised gear. – M.B.