Communications

In this modern world, where nearly all of us carry a device with us all the time that within that one device we can contact anyone, anywhere in the world at any time, it is unimaginable to most that we would not have our smart phones available. But what if the battery is dead, what if it doesn’t work, do you know the telephone number of the people you would need to call without looking it up in your phone? What if you are somewhere where there is no cell service, or the power is out and has taken out the local cell towers?

This section will address such topics as:

• what radios can I get to use?
• how do I get an Amateur Radio (ham) license?
• what radios can/should I buy?
• how to develop a family communications plan
• communications security (COMSEC) – how can I keep my group/family informed without everybody else hearing
• how to develop a completely secure means of communications for post SHTF

We’ll even look at ways to send messages that fewer and fewer people understand.

Watch: Communications: Start Here (2:55)

Tools from the video: the COM-01 PACE Planning (free) course, the Family Emergency Plan Workbook and Ready Ledger.

Communications Condition

As with preparedness conditions (PREP-CON) AmRRON provides communications conditions. They monitor events that might impact the communications infrastructure, such as solar flares, as well as natural events like hurricanes, and man-made attacks such as cyber and physical attacks. They provide an AmCON level that is tied to actions that you should take to make sure your communications are ready in case the normal day-to-day communications systems are compromised. This should be part of your emergency plan.

The current AmCON is: