Chapter 19 · Communications without a cell phone
19.11 Comparison table
| Option | License | Realistic range | Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AM/FM/ NOAA radio | No (receive only) | Regional (high-power AM reaches very far) | Cheap; official alerts; hand crank | Doesn't transmit |
| Shortwave (receiving) | No | National and international | News from outside the affected area | Variable reception; doesn't transmit |
| FRS | No | Under 0.5 to 2 miles | Easy, for the whole family | Short range; no repeaters |
| GMRS | Yes, $35, 10 years, covers family | 1–2 miles direct; up to ~20 with a repeater | More power, external antennas, repeaters | Paperwork; third-party repeaters |
| Amateur radio | Yes, exam + $35 | Local to worldwide depending on the band | The most versatile; emergency nets | Study and practice |
| CB | No | Short; better in vehicles | Highways, emergency channel 9 | Large antennas, noise |
| Satellite SOS (phone) | No | Nearly global with open sky | You already carry it in your pocket | Emergencies only; doesn't work indoors |
| Satellite communicator / PLB | No (PLB: NOAA registration) | Nearly global with open sky | Rescue outside the city | Subscription (communicator); alert only (PLB) |
| Meshtastic | No | Variable; grows with more nodes | Text with no infrastructure; low power use | Text only; depends on nearby nodes |
There are no prices in this table because they vary a lot by model and store. For a typical household, the reasonable order of purchase is: AM/FM/NOAA radio (two), FRS or GMRS radios (one per adult), and then, if you're interested, the amateur radio license.
