Comms
Radios, mesh networks, EMP-hardened electronics, secure phones, and how to stay reachable when the grid stalls. The category most preppers underestimate until they need it.
Showing 88 of 88 curated videos
Top picks in Comms
Curated by topic, not commissionAll curated · 95 videos· primary topic only
Scanners and Walkie Talkies are NOT the Same Thing
Seven-minute breakdown of how scanner receivers differ from two-way radios, with real-world monitoring uses and a hands-on review of the GRE PSR-300.
Field Day Setup Party With W6TRW
Live coverage of amateur radio Field Day setup: portable station assembly, equipment demonstrations, antenna rigging, and emergency communication readiness in a remote location.
Portable Ham Radio FT8 Adventure in KP34XT Finland
Three-minute field demonstration of portable QRP ham radio setup (Icom IC-705, Chameleon antenna) operating FT8 digital mode in remote Finnish backcountry.
Ham Radio Field Day on Solar Power
Solar-powered ham radio field deployment techniques and equipment for off-grid communications and emergency preparedness.
Live QRP Field Day at 8283 Feet With The W6TRW Radio Club
Live portable ham radio demonstration at high elevation: QRP techniques, field-deployable gear, antenna setup, and power management for emergency communications.
How to Communicate with Someone Many Miles Away After SHTF
Explanation of handheld radio capabilities and limitations for long-distance communication when the grid is down and standard networks are unavailable.
Most HTs Cannot Do This
Review of two Retevis handheld radios with emphasis on the amateur model's standout feature and practical portable radio capabilities.
Why Amateur Radio Matters When Cell Service Fails
Discussion of ham radio's role in emergency communications when cellular infrastructure goes down, with political backing for amateur radio operators.
I've been using this $30 for years: Honest review
Six-minute long-term durability review of the Baofeng UV-82X handheld dual-band radio, covering real-world performance, 220 MHz reception, battery life, and practical tips for budget-conscious preppers.
Portable Ham Radio Anytime Anywhere
Field test of a 5-watt portable ham radio setup (Icom IC-705, Chameleon antenna) demonstrating effective communication from a remote location without a tuner.
I Powered a 20W HF Radio With What!
Learn to measure actual power draw and battery runtime of portable ham radios using an inexpensive USB tester.
Ham Radio Everywhere: 3D Printed Base Loaded Vertical Antenna & QRP Labs QMX
17-minute walkthrough of a portable ham radio station setup using 3D-printed antenna and compact QRP transceiver, with honest assessment of performance trade-offs.
The Reason Your USB Device Won't Connect
Learn to identify which USB cables support data transfer versus charging only, a critical troubleshooting skill for radio programming and digital interfaces.
Serious Prime Day Deals
Curated Amazon deals on flashlights, radios, mesh networking nodes, power banks, and test equipment for preppers.
The USB C Trick That Powers My Radio
Build a self-sustaining field radio setup using a power station, solar panel, and USB C trigger cable for portable communications.
Introduction to Digital Modes
ARRL technical editor explains digital modes in amateur radio: what they are, why preppers should learn them, and how to get started.
Retevis RB48 Quick Start
Six-minute walkthrough: powering on, adjusting volume and channels, using PTT, menu navigation, and accessing NOAA weather on the Retevis RB48 FRS radio.
How to Make a Faraday Cage—and the Easy Way
Two-minute walkthrough: building a DIY Faraday cage to protect emergency radios and electronics, plus commercial Faraday bag options.
Top Tips For Portable Ham Radio Success
Portable ham radio setup tips, gear recommendations, and Field Day preparation for emergency communication readiness.
Tidradio TD-H9 Ham Radio Review
Side-by-side comparison of the Tidradio TD-H9 and Baofeng UV-5R handheld ham radios, covering features and power output.
A 30 Foot Mast Solves Field Day Coverage
Plan portable mesh repeater deployments using height testing to ensure reliable emergency communications coverage across a site.
MAYHEMIC Thursday - Gear Up!
Overview of Meshtastic off-grid communication hardware and solar power systems for bugging in and bugging out scenarios.
Ham Radio Antenna Citation: Regulations, Legal Resources, and Solutions
How one ham operator resolved a municipal citation on radio antennas, with guidance on ARRL legal resources and regulatory compliance for home station setup.
Retevis RB48 4-Pack Unboxing and First Impressions
Unboxing and hands-on first look at the Retevis RB48 heavy-duty waterproof walkie-talkies, covering build quality, features, battery life, and initial performance notes.
The Secret Ham Radio Travel Hack
Learn to use APRS.fi heat maps to verify radio coverage before traveling, ensuring reliable amateur radio connectivity on the road.
Ham Nation #625: Prepare For Field Day NOW!
Preparation tips for ARRL Field Day, the largest annual amateur radio emergency preparedness exercise, including gear setup and last-minute logistics.
Satellite Operating for Amateur Radio – New Book from ARRL
Introduction to ARRL's satellite communications guide: basics of ham radio satellites, station building, making contacts, and digital modes for emergency connectivity.
The Hidden MPAD Feature Most Hams Never Use
Learn how to send complete position reports via email using APRS and MPAD, with no internet required—useful for emergency communications and remote operations.
Why This Radio Is Illegal: Signal Purity and FCC Compliance
Fifty-four seconds on unwanted radio signals (spurs), FCC enforcement risk, and how a diplexer cleans up transmission—essential for legal off-grid communications.
I Built A Solar Powered Emergency Wi-Fi DMR Hotspot That Runs Indefinitely
Live demonstration of a grid-independent DMR radio hotspot powered by car battery and Starlink, showing how digital modes survive when infrastructure fails.
ARRL Radio Review Database and Portable Radio Gear Guide
Walk through the new ARRL radio comparison database, review key metrics for emergency radios, and explore portable ham gear options for grid-down communication.
What is 44Net Connect? Why You Want To Access This Free System
Technical overview of 44Net, a free amateur radio network for emergency communication, hosted by John Burwell from the ARDC.
Equipping Families for Emergency Communication: Beyond the Radios
67-minute training session on family emergency communication planning, covering non-radio backup systems, protocols, and preparedness strategies from RATPAC instructor Joe Bassett.
One Box, Every Digital Mode
Unbox and set up the HamSpot 5 multimode digital hotspot, a budget-friendly alternative to premium options that supports DMR, D-STAR, YSF, P25, and NXDN.
Build a Stealth MeshCore Repeater: Harbor Freight Hack
17-minute walkthrough combining a Seeed Studio Xiao LoRa node with a Harbor Freight solar light to build a portable mesh-network repeater for off-grid communication.
MAYHEMIC Thursday - Will They Come When You Need Them?
Hour-long discussion on community preparedness and whether neighbors will help in emergencies, with demonstrations of Meshtastic off-grid communication devices.
Second Parks on the Air (POTA) Activation: CW Hunting and Field Deployment
Field demonstration of portable CW radio operation using a Xiegu G90 go-box, antenna deployment, and park-to-park contact techniques for off-grid communications.
Digital Radio Off-Grid: DMR Running Without Power Grid
Live demonstration of DMR digital radio operating completely off-grid using car power, Raspberry Pi WiFi hotspot, and Starlink backhaul—showing how communications infrastructure persists when grid power fails.
Portable Antenna Forum: Live from Dayton Hamvention 2026
Live presentation on designing and deploying portable antennas for parks, summits, and remote locations; practical field radio techniques for POTA and SOTA operations.
$2500 Bought Us Insane Coverage
Install a mountain-top LoRa mesh repeater for $2500 to extend off-grid communication range across a region.
Morse Code Decoder Review: MorseNexus DitStorm Cypher
29-minute review of the MorseNexus Cypher, a Morse code decoder accessory for ham radio operators, including setup, software updates, and practical use cases.
I've Kept These GMRS Radios In My Car for a Year: Here's the Truth
Year-long field evaluation of GM15 GMRS radios: battery life, build quality, real-world performance, and actual use cases from a licensed ham and GMRS operator.
Portable Ham Radio Anywhere Anytime
Fourteen-minute field demonstration of portable amateur radio setup and QRP operation from a remote Finnish location, covering equipment positioning and off-grid communications.
QST: Ask Dave, July 2026, Band Plan Overview
22-minute walkthrough of amateur radio band allocations: what frequencies are available, which radio modes operate where, and how to navigate the official ARRL band chart.
Simulated Disaster Emergency Radio Communications
Hour-long hands-on walkthrough of multiple methods to transmit and receive radio signals during a simulated disaster, with gear recommendations and real-world testing.
First Parks on the Air Activation: QRP SSB Contacts with Xiegu G90
Live walkthrough of a Parks on the Air radio activation using 20 watts on 20 meters, gear setup, and successful contact-making with low-power operators.
My First Parks on the Air Activation: QRP Station Field Demonstration
Field walkthrough of low-power ham radio operation using a portable Go Box setup, antenna deployment, and live contact-making on 20 meters.
My First Parks on the Air Activation (POTA), Part 2
First-hand account of a portable ham radio activation using a go box: equipment setup, antenna deployment, and making 15 contacts on 20 meters with 20 watts.
Most Hams Don't Know How Easy APRS Is on a Pi Zero 2W
Step-by-step tutorial to build a low-power APRS station using a Raspberry Pi Zero 2W, sound card interface, and GPS receiver.
Pikes Peak SOTA Activation: Amateur Radio at 14,115 Feet
27-minute field demonstration of portable ham radio equipment and techniques during a high-altitude mountain activation, covering antenna setup, radio operation, and practical comms skills.
Portable Ham Radio Setup: QRP Station with Off-Center Fed Dipole
Forty-four-second walkthrough of a portable ham radio station: QRP radio, carbon-fiber mast, and multi-band dipole antenna deployable in five minutes.
Washington Governor Highlights Amateur Radio Volunteers Ahead of ARRL Field Day
Governor Ferguson endorses amateur radio's role in emergency communications, previewing ARRL Field Day 2026 and advocacy for residential antenna installation rights.
Two Essential Features for Handheld Emergency Radios
Ham operator breaks down USB charging and true NOAA EAS alert capability—the features that separate radios that actually warn you from ones that just receive.
![My First Parks on the Air Activation (POTA), First Contact Canada [Part 1]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/xtM1kvKjqCA/mqdefault.jpg)
My First Parks on the Air Activation (POTA), First Contact Canada [Part 1]
First Parks on the Air field activation: 15 contacts in 55 minutes using a portable Xiegu G90 radio, battery, and wire antenna on 20 meters in a national historic trail location.
Simple Gear, Real Results
Field test of Winlink packet radio from roadside using a handheld transceiver and smartphone over Bluetooth.
Inside the New ARRL QST Product Review Comparison Database
Walkthrough of the ARRL's new searchable database of lab-tested ham radio transceivers, receivers, and amplifiers—how to filter by performance metrics and find gear for your station.
My Off-Grid Comms Server
Building a Raspberry Pi-based offline communications platform for ham radio operators with mapping, logging, and ICS forms.
POTA: A Snapshot of U.S. POTA Sites, Activations, and Activators
58-minute overview of Parks on the Air program participation, site distribution, activation patterns, and operator demographics across the U.S., presented by K4FMH to amateur radio emergency communications practitioners.
The Coolest Ham Radio Project You Haven't Heard About
Tour of Graywolf, an all-in-one APRS station with web UI that simplifies setup of beacons, digipeaters, and iGates.
The Comment Section Was Right
Step-by-step walkthrough of flashing a Seeed Solar node with MeshR firmware, configuring repeater settings, and troubleshooting initial deployment.
We will get the word out!
Doug and Stacy discuss glyphosate spraying in Lake Tahoe, data center expansion, eminent domain farm seizures, fasting protocols, reducing EMF exposure in the home, and organizing local resistance networks.
Senator Ted Cruz Praises Amateur Radio Volunteers for Emergency Preparedness
Senator Cruz highlights ham radio operators' essential role in disaster communications when cellular networks fail, citing Hurricane Harvey and recent flood responses.
Amateur Radio: CSI (Clean Signal Initiative) Goes Mainstream
52-minute technical presentation on the Clean Signal Initiative and radio signal integrity standards for amateur radio emergency communications, presented by Rob Sherwood NC0B to RATPAC.
Still Using Stock HT Batteries? Watch This First
Kevin W0AEZ demonstrates his extended-capacity HT battery packs with USB-C fast charging, user-serviceable design, and ASA construction for thermal durability.
Why VARA HF Is Replacing 300 Baud Packet for APRS
A technical overview of VARA's weak-signal performance and forward error correction, plus a step-by-step build guide for a Windows stick-PC based mobile APRS tracker.
Starlink Mini Powered Tripod: Off-Grid Field Test
Real-world field test of the Orbynexa PM166S battery and tripod for powering Starlink Mini in portable off-grid and emergency communications scenarios.
The Best Antenna You Can Buy - N9TAX
N9TAX describes his handmade dual-band J-pole antennas, explaining construction details, connector options, cable lengths, and why he uses different twin-lead sizes for UHF versus dual-band models.
The ONE THING about DATA CENTERS no one is talking about
Analyzes the disparity between U.S. data center buildout and population compared to China and India, questions motives behind widespread construction despite local opposition, and discusses health strategies including EMF mitigation and natural remedies.
Survival AI When There's No Internet
Structured test of USB-based offline AI against ChatGPT using 100 survival questions; results show major accuracy gaps.
Dayton Hamvention Floor Walk 2026
Two operators walk the Dayton Hamvention vendor floor, stopping at booths for digital HF modems, mesh networking gear, mobile antennas, and QRP kits.
The Magic and Importance of HAM Radio
Two-minute overview of HAM radio capabilities and why communications infrastructure matters for household emergency preparedness.
How to Use AI Narrow Intelligence in Improving Your Ham Radio Knowledge & Skills
Using ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity to accelerate ham radio learning: when AI supplements (not replaces) traditional Elmer mentorship for operators building emergency comms skills.
The Basics of HF Antennas
37-minute primer on HF antenna design principles: what distinguishes antenna types, how they operate differently, and what to consider when selecting one.
My Yaesu FT-891 Go Box
Building a portable ham radio station with a Yaesu FT-891 transceiver and FC-50 tuner for off-grid communications capability.
7 Fldigi Settings For Advanced Users
Twenty-five minute walkthrough of seven advanced Fldigi settings for ham radio digital mode operation, with links to foundational setup and troubleshooting guides.
Wouxun KG-S88G PLUS GMRS Radio - Review Of The New GMRS Radio From Wouxun With Bluetooth Audio
Comparison review of the upgraded KG-S88G PLUS GMRS handheld, focusing on its Bluetooth compatibility with wireless headsets.
Scanning GMRS Channels - What Can You Hear On GMRS? I Scan All GMRS Frequencies
Real-world scan of all 22 GMRS channels to assess actual radio traffic and compare activity levels against CB radio claims.
Best GMRS & Ham Radios - My Top 3 Ham Radio GMRS Radio List For 2024
Reviews three affordable handheld radios for emergency communications, comparing features and capabilities of GMRS and ham options.
GMRS & HAM Radio CTCSS Tones Can Be Dangerous! Why You Should Not Use Tones Or Privacy Codes
Learn why enabling privacy tones on your radio can block critical emergency transmissions and potentially endanger lives.
Ham Radio Crash Course Podcast - I Talk With Josh About Everything
Wide-ranging discussion with Josh from Ham Radio Crash Course covering FCC enforcement, licensing, and the current state of amateur radio.
Grid Down Phones That Work
Testing which phones can still make calls, send texts, and access information when the grid goes down during natural disasters or outages.
Top Prepper HF Ham Radio Antenna
34-minute walkthrough of HF antenna options for amateur radio operators, comparing types and deployment for off-grid communication resilience.
Changing Your Ham Radio Call Sign Using the FCC Vanity Call Sign Process
Step-by-step walkthrough of the FCC vanity call sign application process for amateur radio operators seeking a personalized call sign.
Is Short Wave Radio Relevant For Preppers Today?
29-minute examination of shortwave radio capabilities, limitations, and practical use cases for preppers in grid-down and communication-loss scenarios.
Common Myths of Ham Radio for Prepping
25-minute breakdown of misconceptions about ham radio equipment, licensing, and capability in grid-down and off-grid household communication scenarios.
Making Your First Ham Radio Call
Step-by-step walkthrough of making your first ham radio transmission: equipment setup, frequency selection, call protocol, and common beginner mistakes.
Amateur Radio Emergency Communications for Public Service
21-minute overview of amateur radio skills and equipment for grid-down emergency communications, drawn from 30 years of ARES volunteer disaster-response experience.
Programming a Baofeng UV-5R with Chirp and a Programming Cable
Step-by-step walkthrough: using Chirp software and a USB cable to program frequencies and settings on a Baofeng UV-5R handheld radio.