Learning + Tutorials
Baofeng UV-5R: Basic Setup & Emergency Frequencies
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.
Further Reading
Updated December 2025
Learning never ends. If you've managed to read all the other articles on this site, congratulations! It's a lot of information.
But we've only begun to touch the surface of many of the prepping and survival subjects and topics introduced here.
We think the books below are a great addition to your collection.
Some you should keep print copies of, and all you should have on your emergency Kindle/iPad.
How to get your Radio License
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.
