I am a licensed ham operator but licenses don't really matter if there is a SHTF event. I had been considering the purchase of one of the new inexpensive Chinese 2-meter radios partly for ham use but also for potential SHTF use. I had never really considered using CB radios but your post has sparked my interest. There are some advantages to using CB radios over 2 meter ham frequencies, the greatest of which is communications distance. VHF radios, like 2-meter radios are very limited in distance and require repeaters to go much beyond line of sight, most of which will not exist or function after an SHTF event. CB radios, on the other hand, have a much further effective communications distance , even across the country when skip is present. Consequently, they would be preferable in a SHTF event, in my opinion. Thanks for the thought I think I'm going to pick up a couple of CB radios.
Hi Bob! Spot-on with the reasoning that the licensing isn't an issue during SHTF event.
While I agree with you that I think it is wise to have a CB for SHTF-level problems - I don't think it's wise to
rely on a CB.
For two reasons:
1) It's channelized - meaning, during an emergency, how many hundreds of people in your specific area are going to be looking for a means of communication? If you rely on a CB, you are going to be locked out after 40 channels. Same thing for the FRS-type radios. Look at the reports after Katrina, people were isolated for weeks, even though they had radios, they couldn't use them. Ham's on the other hand, were the ones directing the coast guard onto roofs, etc., and volunteer ham radio folks set up the centers where people could (eventually) make their way to in order to get messages out to family.
2) You can't rely on CB skip, and like 2 meter tropospheric ducting, sometimes (when the conditions are just right) it happens...but sometimes (mostly) it doesn't.
For this reason I have a a cheap CB/10 meter set-up, a couple of (cheap) Baofeng's, and an older (mid-eighties era) HF rig (keeps cost down).
Regarding 2m - if you live in an area where the ground is flat - and you can get the antenna above the surrounding obstructions (trees and buildings), you can get about 30 miles. If you live in a mountainous region, you may get less/more depending on the placement/location of your antenna.
The thing I always tell people who are looking at how to include communications into their prepping - but are concerned with getting a license - don't wait until the SHTF to see if you know what you're doing. You're going to need to determine the type of communication you're going to be needing (local or long distance - local AND long distance), then you're going to need to hook up a radio to a power source, and finally - but probably MOST importantly - you're going to need some type of antenna (even the little handhelds may require a different antenna than the one that comes from the factory.
I encourage people to at least get the study guides for the Technician and General class - because the guides will at least expose you to what yo will need to communicate the way up you want - and it will at least help you how to do these things s-a-f-e-l-y (i.e., High Frequency/long distance = a High Voltage!)
While I'm sure you're adding to your preperation - others reading this thread may think all they need is a CB, dash out, buy one, then store it in their garages/basements until needed. If you do that, you'd better know how to use what you have, and how to do it safely...or you may have an unpleasant reality when the SHTF!
