Actually, I do need them and for much more than just disasters. And just because some folks still have connectivity in a hurricane certainly does not mean that is always the case. And this tells me those still connected likely did not take the full potential this hurricane was capable of.
Look if ya feel a cell phone or tablet is better or will give you better and more reliable communication in a pending disaster, than a portable, all band general coverage receiver, have at it, no problem! ☺☺☺
I didn’t say it was better.
But if you’re one of the few people with your kind of radios, it’s not going to do you a lot of good now is it?
But since you do have one, why don’t you download Zello on your laptop and tune into to the South Florida Hurricane Irma channel and see if you can help to relay information.
Today when over 50,000 people were on the channel, it was the ham and shortwave guys who stepped up to the plate and helped the mods save the channel.
I'm a fan of multi-band radio and have had shortwave radios most of my life. Back in the early 1990s, I would pay over $500 for a quality set. But I realize that they have had their day. Makes me feel old.
Yep - Zello was a success this year because, for the most part the power and cellular network remained active. It's an added layer of communications that emergency responders need to be aware of and know how to utilize, but there's a reason why the National Interagency Fire Center / National Interagency Coordination Center maintains the largest civilian radio cache on the planet.