Back before internet, cell phones and satelite phones, HAM operators were my lifeline home when I was deployed. They were awesome and very helpful. For all those who used to do that, thanks.
There are still MARS (Military Affiliated Radio Service) operators out there for every branch of the service, although many of them are using digital modes more than voice now. They are Ham operators that volunteer to carry message traffic from our deployed servicemen/women and get it back to loved ones at home.
http://www.ares.org/groups/mars/index.htm
It is a good system, and I assume would still work. Are there still networks out there? What frequencies would be best in an emergency? What is the most accessible and affordable system out there?
I once had a commo guy on my team who bet me he could have me on the phone with my wife from where we were (in the remote mountains of Peru) and with what he had (ANPRC-70 radio with kit). I was talking to her through a HAM operator two blocks from my house within 15 minutes!
I have been looking at what comms to have in worst case, and I think HAM is probably the most reliable and survivable. I would like to explore this option.
When everything else fails, the Amateur service will still be around, it's not as popular as it once was, with the readily available commercial/public comm's now available. Most of them, however, rely heavily on an internet, satellite, and cellular infrastructure that isn't as reliable as you might think. Think of what cell and landline coverage was like after Katrina. Even the local EMS teams had Ham operators sitting in their buildings with gear to communicate anywhere beyond their town in some cases because all the trunked nets were down.
There are 2 services in the Amateur radio community that might be relevant for you, ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Services)
http://www.ares.org/main.htm , and RACES (Radio Amateur Emergency Services) that are corps of Hams that volunteer to work with state and local EMS teams during emergencies. RACES is more restricted to stations licensed to work with local civil defense org's. You might want to find a local ARES group and see how you can get involved. Even without getting formally involved, just having your license means you'll have many forms of communication available that doesn't rely on the public infrastructure.
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