Alternative Communication Ideas

I am curious what Ideas you have about alternative forms of communication. If/when cell phones and /or internet is down, how many of you have other forms of communication? I think of things like ham or CB radio, but what else is there? Do any of you use these or other forms of alternative communication ?

 

I posit that without cell phones and internet communication, people would revert to the old methods of sending physical and written mail. Where I come from, there are many motorbikes. If one wants to send communication to someone, it would be easy to hand them a note to drop it at the appropriate address in no time. Courier services though quite a little bit expensive, would become handy in such situations. Not to mention an increase in radio broadcasts.

 

I think writing letter and sending them through a "postman" would help the most. Listening to the radio would help to know what is going on. What about walkie talkies?
They might be handy but they would have to be chargeable while you are travelling/wandering around.

 

I'm assuming when the SHTF that cell phones will be down, or under control by the military. I used to work at a cellular provider and I can share that after 9/11 they signed an agreement with the government giving airway priority in a national crisis to government/military meaning civilians can and will be kicked off the network should the military need it. So trust me, never assume your cell phone will work. It may power on, but your cell provider may kick you off.

 

Carrier pidgeons are not out of the question. If certain circumstances were in place, this might be what you need to use. I don't know a lot about them, but I know they were used in war time. I saw some advertised recently and was tempted to buy one.

 

Depending on distance and absence of resources I would seek a natural alternative.
Smoke signals can be used as well as specific markings on certain path ways.
There are many clever ways to communicate it depends on who the communicators are.

 

Morse code was used in war time, and a lot of people still know how to communicate with it, so there's that. But Morse code and other forms of cryptolanguage are more for espionage than survival, unless you are in a situation where normally speaking wouldn't be plausible. I guess the old fashioned way is the best; letters for long distance, a megaphone would be a good choice if you need to broadcast something to people nearby instantly, and the simple word of mouth isn't out of the equation when it comes to forms of communication in the event technology gives out on us.

 

If the grid was down and there is no electronics to be used, then I would go for carrier pigeons or physical hand written mail. If you guys haven't seen the movie The Postman starring Kevin Costner, you should go see it. It is a post apocalyptic scenario where there is no power. It was all physical and hand written letters delivered by postman.

 

I think that post apocalypse the only people you may have to communicate with are your neighbors. As you won't even know if the people you are trying to communicate with might be in the last place they lived or if they even are alive, there'd be no need to make an attempt to communicate with them. If you are lucky you might meet again. If you aren't then you'll have to make new friends wherever you are.