Emergency Mobile Radio in The Time of Coronavirus

I was recently asked about affordable mobile radios for communication in the event of an emergency in the US. Here’s my take as a radio enthusiast.

If you don’t know much about radio you’re better off buying a weather-proof walkie-talkies for you and your family/neighbors. Make sure they’re all on the same channel, keep them charged and ready to go. It’s also a good idea to have an battery-powered AM/FM radio on hand.

I’ve also heard from people who want to buy cheap transceivers, particularly a BaoFeng UV-5R (around $25). First, I’d recommend knowing some radio basics before committing to one. It’s good to have that knowledge for an emergency anyway. When it comes to this device there are good things and bad things.

PRO: The UV-5R can be used for 2-way communication during an emergency and it has better features than the walkie-talkies you can buy. It will also be cheaper or around the same price.

CON: While you can use a UV-5R for communication on shared FRS/GMRS frequencies you really shouldn’t unless it’s a serious emergency. You need a FCC license to use radios on the GMRS band, and the UV-5R isn’t approved to be used on those bands. It’s technically illegal.

PRO: It’s easy to program if you want to listen to local ham frequencies; TO BE CLEAR it is illegal to broadcast on those frequencies without an amateur radio license. It is also illegal to interfere with them. But it doesn’t hurt to listen, especially for information from your local Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES).

CON: The UV-5R has a reputation for being a cheap, sporadic, Chinese-made radio. Yep! It sure is. But it won’t break the bank, especially since most people are lacking money right now. You get what you pay for.

PRO: This radio has great documentation. There are tons of videos and write ups online; you don’t have to be a radio expert to get it up and running. You can also listen to FM radio on the UV-5R for news bulletins.

CON: The range of the device is going to depend on a number of things, including your location, interference and line of site. But you can also buy antennas to increase your radio's gain, and you can get one to put on top of a car.

In closing, these are uncertain and scary times and I understand the need to want to have a plan in case things get worse. But please, be respectful and don’t be dumb.