BigBob, you beat me to it.
Internet, wired phone, and cell phone infrastructures can be taken down pretty easily. Obviously texting, blackberries go down too.
It’s harder to stop a HAM or CB radio. One would have to jam all frequencies. And they can run on batteries.
I think I’ll go shopping tomorrow.
I understand the requirement to pass a Morse Code test to obtain a ham license has been discontinued. Maybe it is time to consider getting licensed and get on the air.
Cool ;-)
Lest I encourage any kind of bad behavior, let me emphasize that Amateur Radio is licensed by the FCC and “bootleggers” or unlicensed operators are fairly easily caught and subject to substantial fines. The point I was trying to make is not to encourage rogue radio operation, but that ham radio will still work when *everything* else goes down, including the power grid. That’s because it relies on nothing but what Mother Nature provides - the reflective layer in the ionosphere that acts like a giant radio mirror, causing signals to “skip” for long distances. (And neither Obama nor all his Czars can control Mother Nature!)
But as with any other kind of emergency preparedness, knowledge is key. Once you know how to cut a dipole antenna, for instance, you can rig up the ability to communicate from household junk. Ham Radio provides the opportunity to learn those skills, and it’s fun too!
See http://www.hello-radio.org/ for more information.