To get beyond local comms you’ll need a general ticket for HF.
I think we need to let people know that 'local comms' in the ham world are usually in the 50 mile range using small inexpensive radios through local repeaters maintained by local hams, many with backup power.
Another possibility that I haven't seen mentioned yet is a local wifi network. These networks can be as large as desired using standard computer wifi routers. An internet connection is not needed for this ad hoc type setup.
I have read about the use of local catv cable for a wired community network as well.
Mesh networking via wi-fi. I believe this saw use during Hurricane Sandy.
What I want to know is whether one can mesh network with the data radio in our phones.
We all have several radios on hand that send and receive packets over a much longer distance than any of the “long range” radios I have seen at the box stores - 32 miles? you have got to be kidding even the FRS radios I have picked up rarely go a mile in my territory - why not cut out the tower altogether.
Can a peer to peer network be established amongst millions of smart phone owners? I realize that different providers transmit on different frequencies and there would need to be some bridge between CDMA and GSM users that might be a point of vulnerabililty, but IF it could be done, I would think it would be difficult to shut down.
With handhelds terrain is an issue. Seems like everyone I know and trust is in a hole.
There are a couple of nice wifi mesh solutions out there that I am aware of that will work under part 15 unlicensed rules. One is the Mesh Potato made by Village Telco. These devices include both data and telephony capabilities and are quite simple to set up. Scatter them around the area. The other is a mesh application called Daihinia. This turns your computer’s wifi device into a mesh node. It has a fee but it’s not much. I think it’s like $25 for 5 licenses.