Category: Preparedness
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ICS-213 and Message Formats: How EmComm Traffic Actually Gets Passed
Passing a message accurately over a radio net is a specific skill with its own format, and ICS-213 is the standard form most served agencies actually expect. Here is how real message traffic gets handled.
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Why Two Is One and One Is None: Building Redundancy Into a Family Radio Kit
Every layer of your comms plan needs a backup, not just the plan as a whole. Here’s where people actually cut this corner.
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A Comms Plan for Family Spread Across Different Cities
GMRS and ham simplex both run out of range fast. Here’s how a family spread across cities actually stays connected.
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Simple Visual Panels and Ground Signals for a Family Bug-Out Plan
Line of sight doesn’t need a radio. Here’s a basic panel and ground signal system worth adding to your plan.
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When Radios Fail: Whistle Codes, Mirror Signals, and Other Non-Verbal Backups
Radios die and batteries run out. Here’s a simple non-verbal signal system to fall back on when they do.
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Setting Up a Peltor ComTac Headset with Your Radio for a Tactical Kit
How I wired my Retevis/Ailunce HD2 into a Peltor ComTac V headset for my tactical kit, and how to adapt the same four-piece chain to whatever radio you’re running.
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ARES vs RACES: How Emergency Communications Are Actually Organized
Nearly every EmComm post on this blog assumes a general familiarity with how volunteer emergency communications are organized. ARES and RACES are the two structures actually behind most of it, and they are not the same thing.
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What a Real SHTF Communications Plan Actually Looks Like
Most people’s SHTF comms plan is a radio in a drawer and a vague hope it’ll work when it matters. Here’s what an actual plan looks like, and why it’s mostly about people and documentation, not gear.
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Teaching Young Kids Radio Basics Without Overwhelming Them
A short list of what a young kid actually needs to know, taught like a game instead of a lecture.
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What Changes in Your Comms Plan When You Add a Newborn or Young Child
Your rally point just got a lot less flexible. Here’s what actually changes once a newborn or young child enters the picture.
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Channel Congestion After a Disaster: What Actually Happens on GMRS and FRS
Everyone has the same idea at the same time. Here’s what actually happens to GMRS and FRS channels after a disaster hits.
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Setting Up a Bug-Out Vehicle for Radio
A mobile radio beats a handheld from inside a vehicle every time. Here’s how to actually wire one into a bug-out vehicle.