chaosmagnet, thank you for that explanation. helpful.

i've read that Outdoor_Quest is an amateur ham radio operator so probably has the gear to communicate with other hams all over, but what should financially-strapped simpltons like myself use in cases like he suggested: "...to reach out to neighbors (spread out, in the country) in an emergency...".

here in the sticks i've purchased a couple of "36-mile" FRS/GMRS that are only barely useful, even a few miles away, if any hills block the line-of-sight signal. i tried CBs to many years ago. then "SRM truncated" radios 25 years ago, which didn't work either. neither do cells most of the time.

some ranches invested in somewhat-expensive Motorola Spirits for their buckaroos, but they're only slightly better yet overall cost and licensing adds up fast.

i don't need ham so i can speak to folks across the USA, i just need to talk with my neighbors on the next hill over, much like what the OP wants to do in emergencies. please keep in mind that everyone then has to buy a unit, with some folks balking at even a small investment. fancy set-ups are a no-go.