Chapter 12: Post-Apocalyptic Communications
When it comes to discussion of necessities in the Doomsday prepper's kit, communications are often overlooked. We all think about the need for food, water and shelter but what happens when we want to find out who else survived or we need help? Unless you truly want to use a Doomsday event as an excuse to totally disappear into nature, you need to include some form of communications in your preparations.
There are many forms of emergency communication that may have varying levels of success in your particular Doomsday scenario. Mobile phones, two-way radios, even signal fires can be included as forms of communication to relay your location and distress call to others. Let's briefly discuss some of the basic devices and strategies that can be used now.
Mobile Phones
Satellite or cellular phones are possible forms of communication for use in a number of Doomsday scenarios. If the network is still up and running, then communications may be possible. If not, these devices are little more than expensive paperweights. Scenarios where phones might continue to be useful include earthquakes, severe storms, hurricanes, flooding or localized emergencies. For larger scale events, such as invasion by a foreign army, widespread electrical shutdowns or nuclear war, the network that relays these communications is likely to be destroyed or shut down, either temporarily or for an extended period of time.
Two-Way Radios
The two-way radio is one of the most popular forms of emergency communication due to the range and the ability to contact a wider base audience. With a traditional phone call, you need to know a telephone number to make contact. With a two-way radio, you can relay a distress call and any two-way radio user within range who is tuned in to the same frequency will receive the message. With the use of repeaters, this range can be extended for great distances.
Two-way radios come in a variety of styles and price ranges. A simple set of walkie talkies with just a few channels and a short range for communication between two or more individuals can be purchased at a relatively low cost. These devices are useful if you anticipate having several people in your shelter that may need to perform various tasks independently while remaining in communication with one another. For example, one party member could be gathering food while another is hunting. They could communicate with each other to ensure they did not cross paths and still maintain communication with a third party member who was guarding the base-camp and their supplies.
For more advanced communications, the Citizens Band (CB) radio is another common choice. These units are slightly more expensive, have a longer range and a more diverse group of frequencies. These radios have been popular with hobbyists and individuals in the transportation industry for a number of years because of their low cost and exceptional performance. In essence, this was the “roadside emergency device” before cellular phones became common. Due to this long standing tradition of use for emergency communications, channel 9 is still designated as an emergency hailing channel by the FCC and is monitored for distress calls by both professional emergency personnel and civilian hobbyists. In marine Very High Frequency (VHF) radios, channel 16 is the corresponding emergency channel for issuing distress calls.
More advanced versions of these radios, such as the short-wave radio, require special licensing for use. These units have an even broader range of communications and, under the right conditions, can deliver messages to the opposite side of the world. Many hobbyists have qualified for licensing to use these radios and, in emergency situations; they are often the only ones to have reliable communication networks. For preppers who truly want to make sure they are able to rejoin society after a Doomsday event, the investment in short-wave radio equipment and training is well worth the effort.
Non-Technological Emergency Communications
Even if you do not have a cell phone or a two-way radio, it is still possible to communicate a distress signal successfully if the need arises. Several methods are acceptable, including the use of signal fires, flares, mirrors, brush piles and rock piles. These methods can all be used to signal others to your presence in an area and your need for assistance.
When it comes to communicating distress signals, the number three, takes on special significance. Groups of three fires or three brush piles can be used to signal overhead aircraft that you are in distress. When searchers are in your area, firing three shots, shouting three times in a row or whistling three times in a row also signals your need for assistance. To further assist others in locating you, groups of three stones, placed one on top of another, and sticks or stones laid out in an arrow to indicate your direction of travel can be used to indicate your presence and need for help. Even the radio distress signal SOS is three long bursts, three short bursts and three more long bursts.
By understanding the available ways to signal distress, you can find help when you need it. You should also understand that in certain survival situations, signaling for help or making any kind of radio contact may reveal your location and situation to individuals you would rather not have find you. In a world where resources are precious commodities, certain elements might be quite happy to know that you have lots of supplies that you aren't up to protecting should they pay you a visit. Before you make contact or reveal your exact location, be certain the need is worth the risk.