Talk Critical
Radio communication, explained plainly

When the cell towers go quiet, keep talking.

Storms, outages and emergencies take out phone service first. Talk Critical shows you, step by step, how to keep your family and neighbors in touch by radio: which radio to buy, which license you need (if any), and exactly what to press and say.

Become a member, $10/month See a free preview
GMRSHam / Amateur RadioHand-crank radioNOAA Weather RadioTests and certificates

No tower in between

Two-way radios talk straight to each other. No cell tower, no phone company, no internet. That's why they still work when everything else is down.

Pick the right radio

GMRS, ham and a hand-crank weather radio each do a different job. We explain what each one is good for, how far it reaches, and what it costs, so you buy once.

Step by step

Every course is narrated, with labeled drawings of every part, setup checklists, and a test with a printable certificate at 80%.

Best for families

GMRS: the family radio service

GMRS, the General Mobile Radio Service, is a set of channels the FCC sets aside for personal and family use. One license covers your whole family, there's no test, and a small handheld radio can reach a few miles on its own, or twenty miles and more through a repeater tower.

$35one FCC license fee
10 yearsbefore you renew
No testapply online in about 20 minutes
Whole familyon one license and call sign
Longest reach

Ham radio: go farther

Amateur (ham) radio is the next step up. With a license you can reach across the state on a handheld through repeaters, and around the world from home. Hams also run emergency nets that keep working after disasters. The entry license is the Technician, a 35-question multiple-choice exam.

35questions on the Technician exam
26 rightneeded to pass
$35FCC fee, plus a small exam fee
10 yearslicense term

Want to practice first? Take the Technician practice test at passthepool.com, or start with the free Technician sampler.

No license needed

Hand-crank emergency radio

When the power, the internet and the cell towers are all down, a hand-crank radio still brings in NOAA weather warnings and AM/FM news, lights the way, and charges a phone. You recharge it by turning a handle or setting it in the sun. Picking a good one, and knowing how to use it, takes ten minutes.

NOAAweather alerts that wake you
3 waysto charge: crank, sun, USB
16 partslabeled and explained
~$40-100for a good radio
Membership

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Miller family?

Our family's versions of the courses, set up for the Nashville area with our channels, repeaters and meeting point, are in the Family section. It's password protected; ask Joe for the password.

Go to Family