How do I communicate from home if a storm knocks everything out?
If the power is out, internet is down and cell towers are overloaded or offline, your phone may stop being enough. The answer is not one magic radio. You need the right tool for the job: hear official information, talk to people nearby, or reach someone beyond the local outage.
1. Hear what is happening
S.A.M.E. NOAA alert radio
A dedicated S.A.M.E.-capable weather radio can be programmed for your area and can sound relevant alerts without you continuously listening. Choose a model with battery backup so a blackout does not silence it.
Shop Midland weather radios →Hand-crank / solar emergency radio
A self-powered weather radio is valuable when the outage lasts longer than expected. It lets you preserve phone power banks and power-station capacity for devices that cannot be powered another way.
See Midland ER310 →See C. Crane CCRadio Solar →Quick reference: what frequency do I use?
If your radio has WX, WB, WEATHER or NOAA mode, select it and find the clearest continuous broadcast. If it displays actual frequencies, NOAA Weather Radio uses seven frequencies in the United States:
162.400 · 162.425 · 162.450 · 162.475 · 162.500 · 162.525 · 162.550 MHz
Test your radio before an emergency and label it with the best primary and backup frequencies for your home. An ordinary AM/FM-only receiver cannot tune the NOAA weather band.
Find your NOAA transmitter →2. Talk directly to nearby family
FRS walkie-talkies: cheap, sweet spot and rugged
FRS radios communicate directly without cell towers, Wi-Fi or a subscription, and compliant FRS operation does not require an individual FCC license. Test the route you actually care about before an emergency.
About $40. Basic household FRS communication without paying for features you may not need.
Buy Midland T10 →About $100. NOAA capability plus rechargeable packs and replaceable-battery backup make it a practical outage choice.
Buy Midland T71 →About $120 per radio. Pay the premium when ruggedness and frequent outdoor use actually matter.
Buy Rocky Talkie Mountain Radio →3. Reach outside the local outage
Satellite communicator: buy for the job, not the brand
A dedicated satellite communicator provides a separate path for two-way messages and SOS when local cell infrastructure fails. It is an added resilience layer, not something every household needs. Two-way satellite service normally requires an active subscription and a useful view of the sky.
ZOLEO is the lower-cost entry into two-way Iridium satellite messaging. It provides messaging, SOS and check-ins, plus a dedicated SMS number and email address. For normal custom messaging it is designed to pair with the ZOLEO phone app, while SOS and check-in controls remain available on the device. Current U.S. service starts at $19.99/month with a three-month minimum term.
Buy ZOLEO / see current price →This is the Garmin model LivSolv recommends for someone who wants a serious dedicated satellite backup without paying for a larger navigation-focused handheld. It uses Iridium for global two-way communication, supports interactive SOS, has very long battery life and can send photo and voice messages when paired with Garmin's app. Independent 2026 testing from Backpacker selected it as the best satellite communicator overall.
Buy Garmin inReach Messenger Plus →Don't automatically buy the most expensive Garmin. If the actual job is emergency messaging rather than full handheld GPS navigation, extra mapping hardware can add cost without improving the part of the system you need most.
Lowest device cost: ZOLEO.
Best all-around dedicated backup: Garmin inReach Messenger Plus.
Already have satellite messaging on your phone: learn and test it before relying on it. Consider a dedicated communicator when satellite contact is a critical part of the plan.
Weather radio = information in.
FRS = nearby people talking directly.
Satellite = messaging beyond the local outage.
Do this before the emergency
Test the NOAA receiver and write the primary and backup frequencies directly on the radio. Pick an FRS family channel and backup channel before anyone separates. Test whether the walkie-talkies actually reach the places you care about. Keep the appropriate spare batteries or charging cable with the radios. If you own a satellite communicator, activate and practice with it before cell service disappears.
$0 option: use the communications equipment you already own before buying replacements. Learn any satellite features already built into your phone, agree on an out-of-area contact, write important numbers on paper, set family meeting points and test any existing FRS radios.