Learning + Tutorials

We’ve said it before, communication is one of the most important factors to consider when packing your bug out bag.

Emergency communications are often crucial when disaster strikes: Cellular networks get overloaded and become unavailable, infrastructure fails, and internet connections go dark. That means you need a proper emergency radio.

Updated November 2025

There are certain items which are difficult if not impossible to recreate from raw materials in the wild.

They are:

Should traditional modern communication systems be unavailable, having a backup way to communicate far distances is a smart thing to have.

It's not uncommon for large storms to take out cellphone and land line phone systems and with them likely goes the internet as well.

The easiest and most useful backup option is one that's been around a very long time - and it's long range radio communication via voice and telegraph.

You may have heard it referred to as Ham radio which is slang for Amateur Radio.