Communications: Gear and Supplies
Level | Gear |
Household | Portable phone charger/power banks (10,000mAh) |
Solar phone charger | |
Battery-powered/hand-crank/solar radio | |
USB charging cables (multiple device types) | |
Rechargeable AA/AAA batteries + charger | |
Basic surge protector/power strip | |
FRS/GMRS handheld radio (several pairs) | |
Satellite radio | |
Street | FRS/GMRS handheld radio (multiple pairs) |
Solar chargers | |
Ham radio | |
Neighborhood | Starlink satellite internet kit |
Mesh wifi router system (3-pack) | |
Portable generator (2000-3000W) | |
Solar generator/power station (1500Wh) | |
Network switch (8-16 port) | |
Weather-resistant equipment case | |
Extension cords and power adapters | |
Basic network testing equipment | |
Backup UPS battery system | |
Ham radios: 20-mile range; two-way communication; portable; more expensive. You will use this for communication with the Emergency Operations Center. | |
Antenna: For capturing and submitting radio signals | |
Coaxial cable: For connecting Ham radio transceiver to antenna | |
Repeaters: For extending and retransmitting the radio signal at different frequency and power. This will be crucial if your community is larger than 20 miles in any direction. | |
Packet radio networks: To send digital data over radio waves | |
Community | Professional satellite communication array (Viasat, Starlink, etc.) |
Mobile command center (some sort of structure connected to grid) | |
Mesh network system (decentralized) | |
Drone: for carrying limited equipment and surveying scenes | |
Cybersecurity system | |
Solar power system | |
Long-distance communication radios, like ham radios | |
Network monitoring and protection software | |
Emergency Cloud services | |
Backup data storage |