Preparedness Tip Wednesday- Communication

Communication is a very important thing in an emergency situation. You will want to be able to contact family and loved ones to let them know your status if you are ok or need help. Our top three choices for communication are:

1. Cell Phones/Smartphones

start with cellphones, because almost everyone has one. While cell networks are often overwhelmed during a disaster, they still might help you make contact.

If your initial attempts to make a call fail, try texting or using your phones data plan to make contact.

As we’ve seen in past disasters, texting and even social media apps can sometimes work, even when voice doesn’t. A text message takes a lot less bandwidth than a phone call, so during a disaster this might be your best bet for making contact.

Text: Text messages require far less bandwidth than phone calls, and even when the ominous “all circuits are busy” recording comes on, texts will still work as they operate on a parallel network to cell phones.

Email: Don’t discount sending e-mails during emergency situations as a valid method of communication. Email servers are located globally, and it’s unlikely they will all be dead at the same time. But where do you get internet access if cell phone service is dead? Oftentimes, WiFi service will still be up and running, since the cables used for hard wired Internet operate on different networks than cell phones. For most WiFi, you don’t even need to be in the building to access the service.

2. Satellite Phones

Satellite phones offer a couple of advantages during a disaster. First, they don’t rely on local cell networks, so they’re less likely to be affected by an increase in call volume. Second, even if the entire local cell network goes down, your satellite phone is still going to be operational.

3. HAM Radio

HAM radio has played an integral role in every disaster this nation has faced for over 100 years. HAM will remain functional even when modern communication devices become worthless. The seemingly old-fashioned devices are extremely reliable and allow users to connect with the outside world when Internet access, cell towers, and phone land lines are no longer functional.

CB Channel  Frequencies

Channel 1        26.965 MHz

Channel 2        26.975 MHz

Channel 3        26.985 MHz    Prepper CB Network (AM)

Channel 4        27.005 MHz    The American Pepper’s Network

Channel 5        27.015 MHz

Channel 6        27.025 MHz

Channel 7        27.035 MHz

Channel 8        27.055 MHz

Channel 9        27.065 MHz    REACT Channel – Emergency CB radio use

Channel 10      27.075 MHz

Channel 11      27.085 MHz

Channel 12      27.105 MHz

Channel 13      27.115 MHz    Popular with campers, RV drivers, and boaters

Channel 14      27.125 MHz    Federal Motor Coach Association

Channel 15      27.135 MHz    Popular with California truck drivers

Channel 16      27.155 MHz    Popular with ATV clubs

Channel 17      27.165 MHz    Also popular with California tractor-trailer drivers

Channel 18      27.175 MHz

Channel 19      27.185 MHz    Primary truck driver chat channel

Channel 20      27.205 MHz

Channel 21      27.215 MHz

Channel 22      27.225 MHz

Channel 23      27.255 MHz

Channel 24      27.235 MHz

Channel 25      27.245 MHz

Channel 26      27.265 MHz

Channel 27      27.275 MHz

Channel 28      27.285 MHz

Channel 29      27.295 MHz

Channel 30      27.305 MHz

Channel 31      27.315 MHz

Channel 32      27.325 MHz

Channel 33      27.335 MHz

Channel 34      27.345 MHz

Channel 35      27.355 MHz    Australian channel

Channel 36      27.365 MHz

Channel 37      27.375 MHz    Prepper 37 channel

Channel 38      27.385 MHz

Channel 39      27.395 MHz

Channel 40      27.405 MHz

Prepper Freeband and CB Radio Frequencies

CB 3 (AM) 26.9850MHz Prepper Channel

CB 36(USB) 27.3650MHz Survivalist Channel

CB 37 (USB) 27.3750MHz    Prepper CB Network – AM

Freeband(USB) 27.3680MHz Survivalist Network

Freeband(USB) 27.3780MHz Prepper Channel

Freeband(USB) 27.4250MHz Survivalist Network

For the full list of frequencies, click here.

To find more communication devices and tips click here.

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