Radio Class
Resilient Comms for the Community: Amateur Radio
Even in turbulent times like these (to put it mildly), it’s easy to take connectivity and instant communication for granted. But as recent history and current events have repeatedly shown, telecom infrastructure is fragile and easily disrupted by weather events, malicious actors, or even just heavy use—and those are the situations when you need to keep in touch with your communities and loved ones the most.
The NMSRA believes in preparedness, and is fortunate to have several members who are passionate and knowledgeable about radio communications. Last week, those members presented the first in a series of community workshops on HAM, FRS/GMRS, and Mesh radio setups at the International District Public Library in Albuquerque. We were heartened to be joined by an enthusiastic crowd of friends, acquaintances, and new faces, and look forward to continuing these workshops and knowledge-sharing sessions.
Off-grid radio comms, especially when combined with other community resilience measures like solar-powered battery units, can make all the difference when everyday communication networks become unreliable. Any of the three general categories introduced above are capable of providing vital comms functions for small groups or even entire regions, depending on the circumstances, but there are benefits and drawbacks to each.
Here’s a brief recap of what we covered in our presentation:
HAM radio may have a (not totally inaccurate) reputation for being a grumpy old man hobby, but it also has a longstanding and widespread network of experienced operators who have repeatedly been an invaluable resource and conduit of information in times of natural disaster, such as during and after Hurricane Helene in 2024. Unless you live in a very rural area, the infrastructure for HAM is probably already in place, and the useful range can extend for hundreds of miles. Legally, however, HAM radio use is restricted to those who have passed a licensing test and registered a callsign, which requires listing your legal name and mailing address as public information. More info on HAM here: what is ham radio?
FRS (Family Radio Service) and GMRS (General Mobile Radio Service) are both FM radio bands that generally use line-of-sight, radio-to-radio setups, like walkie talkies. These devices are affordable, portable, and ideal for short-range communication. For longer-range applications, these radios will rely on repeater antennae that, again, likely already exist in most urban areas. FRS radios and frequencies are available to the general public without a license, while GMRS offers some additional functionality like higher wattage transmitting and digital encryption, but requires paid licensure. More info on FRS, GMRS, and their use cases here: FRS vs GMRS
Mesh(core/tastic) is, unlike the government-administrated standards above, an open-source protocol in continuous development. It uses line-of-sight transmissions between all devices in an area to create a mesh network, like a peer-to-peer solution for text communication. Both Meshcore and Meshtastic are based on the LoRa architecture, and can be installed onto very inexpensive DIY devices. To vastly oversimplify things, Meshcore provides more reliable message delivery, while Meshtastic has a larger userbase and network coverage at present (although the trend seems to be moving toward Meshcore because of the better underlying tech). Slides from the presentation here: Mesh Radio Slides
Note: licensing restrictions for radio use generally don’t apply to emergency situations. Using a HAM radio without a license to call for help when you or someone else’s life is in danger is a completely legal (and intended) use of the system. Regardless, it’s important to be aware of the rules and regulations around radio use so you can avoid unintentionally breaking them.
Ultimately, the particular setup, radio band, or protocol you and your group adopt is less important than having something in place when you need it, and we want to help make sure that happens. The NMSRA is committed to building stronger communities in New Mexico through mutual aid and knowledge sharing, like the in-person radio presentation last week and this companion post. We are proud to be able to use our members’ passions and talents to meet community needs and empower folks to be safe and prepared.
Future public events will focus on acquiring and setting up radio hardware, details of the Meshcore paradigm, and other topics based on attendee interest. More to come, but in the meantime: We keep us safe!