Starter Radio Paths by Preparedness Scenario

There is no universal “best” radio for preparedness. The right starting point depends on who you need to reach, how far away they are, how degraded you expect conditions to be, and how much infrastructure you’re willing to trust.

These starter paths are designed to help you build capability progressively, without wasting money or assuming best-case conditions.

Scenario 1: Short-Term, Local Emergencies

(Tornado, winter storm, brief power outage, local evacuation)

Who you need to talk to

  • Household members
  • Neighbors nearby
  • Vehicles during evacuation

Recommended Starter Path

  1. FRS radios – immediate, zero barrier
  2. GMRS handhelds – clearer audio, better range
  3. LTE push-to-talk radios – if cellular networks remain functional

Why

  • These events are localized and often short-lived
  • Cellular infrastructure often works at least partially
  • LTE radios provide wide-area coordination with minimal training

Doctrine note:
LTE radios are a convenience layer, not resilience. Always keep a non-cellular option.

Scenario 2: Family + Local Group (MAG-Lite)

Who you need to talk to

  • Household
  • Trusted local group
  • Runners or scouts

Recommended Starter Path

  1. GMRS handhelds (baseline for all)
  2. GMRS mobile or base radio
  3. LTE radios – coordination while networks work
  4. FRS radios – kids and non-technical users

Why

  • GMRS provides reliable simplex comms without dependency
  • LTE radios enable rapid group coordination and GPS tracking early on
  • FRS ensures everyone can communicate at a basic level

Risk

  • LTE systems fail hard when networks fail
  • GMRS repeaters should be considered optional, not assumed

Scenario 3: Rural / Homestead / Low-Density Area

Who you need to talk to

  • Property members
  • Nearby homesteads
  • Work parties or patrols

Recommended Starter Path

  1. MURS radios
  2. GMRS (optional, for vehicles or extended reach)
  3. LTE radios – only if reliable rural coverage exists
  4. CB – monitoring travelers and road conditions

Why

  • VHF (MURS) performs better over terrain and foliage
  • MURS is quiet and license-free
  • LTE may be unreliable in rural areas—test before relying on it

Doctrine note:
Never assume cellular coverage just because it exists on a map.

Scenario 4: Vehicle-Based Operations / Evacuation

Who you need to talk to

  • Vehicles in your group
  • Other travelers
  • Locals along routes

Recommended Starter Path

  1. CB radio (mobile) – monitoring and convoy awareness
  2. GMRS mobile radio – clean group coordination
  3. LTE radios – route updates and wide-area coordination while networks exist
  4. FRS handhelds – spotters, foot movement

Why

  • CB acts as a sensor for road and civilian activity
  • GMRS keeps your group coordinated without infrastructure
  • LTE excels for early-phase situational updates

Doctrine note:
CB listens; GMRS commands; LTE informs—until it doesn’t.

Scenario 5: Organized MAG Operations (Local–Regional)

Who you need to talk to

  • MAG members
  • Sub-elements
  • Adjacent groups

Recommended Starter Path

  1. GMRS (baseline for all members)
  2. Ham VHF/UHF (licensed operators)
  3. LTE radios – admin, coordination, and non-sensitive traffic
  4. CB or MURS – contingency layer

Why

  • Ham VHF/UHF provides discipline, nets, and scalability
  • LTE radios reduce radio traffic load and speed coordination early
  • Non-cellular backups are essential

OPSEC note:
LTE radios create digital and location signatures—limit their use to non-sensitive traffic.

Scenario 6: Regional / Statewide Disruption

(Hurricane, wildfire, earthquake)

Who you need to talk to

  • MAG
  • Other groups
  • Regional contacts

Recommended Starter Path

  1. Ham VHF/UHF – primary
  2. GMRS – fallback
  3. LTE radios – only while networks function
  4. CB – monitoring and travel

Why

  • Repeaters may be damaged or overloaded
  • Cellular may work intermittently or not at all
  • Redundancy across bands matters

Doctrine note:
When LTE fails, you must already be comfortable on radio.

Scenario 7: Long-Term, Widespread Failure

(Extended grid-down, national-scale disruption)

Who you need to talk to

  • Local group
  • Regional and national contacts

Recommended Starter Path

  1. Ham VHF/UHF – local coordination
  2. Ham HF – regional/national reach
  3. GMRS / MURS – local redundancy
  4. CB – monitoring

LTE status:
Not viable. Cellular and internet-dependent systems should be assumed nonfunctional.

Doctrine reality check:
LTE radios offer zero resilience in this scenario.

How LTE Radios Fit—Realistically

LTE push-to-talk radios are:

  • Excellent for early-phase emergencies
  • Extremely easy to use
  • Powerful for coordination and admin

They are not:

  • Infrastructure-independent
  • OPSEC-friendly
  • A substitute for radio skills

Best use:
Primary or Alternate in a PACE plan—never Contingency or Emergency.

Rule of Thumb

  • If cellular works: LTE is powerful
  • If cellular degrades: radios take over
  • If infrastructure fails: only radio remains

Preparedness communications are about graceful degradation, not perfect tools.

Bottom Line

Start with:

  • Who you must reach
  • Under realistic failure assumptions
  • With skills you will actually retain

Build outward, deliberately, and never allow convenience systems to replace resilient ones.

See also

What Radio Should I Get for Preparedness?
How Communications Fail

Fortune Favors the Prepared

Semper Paratus, Semper Gumby