Family Communications
During The Chastisement

Emergency Communications:

Four years ago, when Dr. Charles Brocato's book, The Two-Fold Chastisement:  Visions of the Coming Earth Changes, was published, I advised people in my various speaking engagements to set about getting a ham radio license as fast as possible.  However, many people put off doing it, or just don't like to study, and did not get their licenses.  With the coming Chastisement, you're going to need an alternate form of emergency communications.

Cellular Phones:

With what's coming, and the probable loss of electrical power, cellular telephones that so many people these days rely on, will stop working.  Even a good hurricane will wipe out cell phone communications, not to mention regular telephone communications.

If this be so, then you'll need that alternate form of communications. The ham radio hand-held VHF and UHF transceivers (transmitter-receivers) are excellent line-of-sight communicators, not to mention the long-distance capabilities of the HF ham frequencies.  Get that license if at all possible.

But if you feel you won't be able to do this within the next month or so, then all is not lost.  For a fairly low cost, less than $100, you can obtain a pair of hand-held CB radios. These give good reception for distances of a mile or two, but the bands tend to be overcrowded, and the CB bands are very vulnerable to static.  Also, battery life is short, around 8 hours or less.

Public Demand:

In 1992, the FCC, because of public demand, created the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and the Family Radio Service (FRS) bands in the UHF radio frequency bands of 462 to 470 MHZ.  Static is virtually nonexistent in these transceivers, and the batteries are quite long-lived, up to 30 hours. They have a reception range of up to 2 miles for the FRS, and 5 miles for the higher powered GMRS, provided nothing like buildings, trees, or mountains stands between you and the other receiver.

The FRS receivers can be purchased quite cheaply in sales catalogs such as Heartland America (1-800-229-2901), for around $30 per radio.  These are adequate for hikes or for family use, and require no license to operate. Motorola's TalkAbout 250 radios retail for around $199 per pair in the Herrington catalog (1-800-903-2878), and their 280 SLK Sport Radios (a smaller version of the TalkAbout 250) retail for $149 each.

GMRS receivers are more expensive, and the FCC requires a $30 processing fee before you can use them, but their range is greater, and they are more rugged radios.  Motorola's TalkAbout Distance handhelds retail for around $489 per pair in the Herrington catalog.

These radios can be quite useful in an emergency, when family members must separate, or when a family is camping in the woods.  Note this:  Lost persons usually realize they are lost long before they are out of radio range, and radio contact helps keep them from panicking and really getting into trouble.

An alternate means of communication is always useful, but the times are rapidly approaching when it will be invaluable.