BUCKHORN CLIFFS

Browse by need · 8 entries

Communications

Radios, satellite, and staying in contact

Phones jam or go dark early in almost any disruption. Stack independent ways to send and receive word, so losing one layer never leaves you silent. Buy from the top of this list down as your budget grows.

Start with the full guide

Field guideStockpile Essentials Field GuideThe master checklist: 239 items across 16 categories, the shelf life class of each, and the 20 multi-use items that cover the most jobs. 39 pages.Open the field guide Master guideOff-grid communication optionsWays to communicate when cell towers go dark, ranked: satellite texting, Starlink Mini, Meshtastic, GMRS, ham, FRS, and CB.Open the full page

Shield the electronics that matter

A Faraday pouch blocks the surge from an EMP or a solar storm. Keep a phone, a handheld radio, a satellite messenger, a backup drive, and your vehicle key fob each in a shielded sleeve, nested inside a metal case. Solar panels do not need it.

Type
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Skills 1

Skill How to get a GMRS license $35 fee, no exam, good for 10 years, covers immediate family

Guides 7

Guide Backup internet with Starlink Mini and portable power Starlink Standby Mode: $10 a month, unlimited low-speed data around 0.5 Mbps Guide Communicate without cell service or internet (GMRS radios) Pick: Rocky Talkie Expedition Radio (5 watt GMRS); 2-8 miles typical range, 4-6 days per charge Guide GMRS vs FRS radios (power, range, license) GMRS: up to 50 watts mobile or base, 5 to 25 miles, $35 license. FRS: 2 watts, 1 to 2 miles, no license Guide Off-grid communication options (no cell service required) Starlink Mini on Standby Mode: $10 a month for about 500 Kbps, unlimited data Guide Starlink Mini and Star-Batt: off-grid internet that travels Starlink Mini plus a Star-Batt battery gives you internet anywhere with a clear view of the sky, with no grid power. Code BUCKHORN takes $100 off the Star-Batt. Guide weBoost Cabin signal booster: my before and after numbers The weBoost Cabin took my signal from -123 dBm, a dead zone, to -86 dBm, a 37 dB gain that turned dropped calls into reliable service. Guide weBoost Drive Reach Overland: the cell booster on my truck From one bar and a failed speed test to strong data, stable calls, and working GPS three minutes after I powered on the weBoost Drive Reach Overland.

The checklist

Tick what you already have. Checks are saved on this device.

Off-Grid Communication and Signal When the cell network is the first thing to fail

Short-range, no license

Licensed radio, for real range

Satellite & cell

Audit questions

From the walk-around audit. Honest answers show the gaps.

  • Can everyone reach each other if separated?
  • Is there a check-in time and method?
  • Are key numbers written on paper in case the phones die?
  • What happens if cellular service fails?
  • Do you have radio capability?
  • Do you have power for communication devices?
Score this in the audit

When it matters

BlackoutWildfire and evacuationEMP