The PACE Framework
Every group communication plan should be built on PACE: Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency. For each communication type (member check-in, emergency alert, information sharing), define four methods in fallback order.
| Tier | When Used | Reliability in Disaster | |------|-----------|------------------------| | Primary | Normal conditions | Lowest (infrastructure-dependent) | | Alternate | Primary unavailable | Medium | | Contingency | Primary + Alternate down | Higher (less infrastructure) | | Emergency | All else fails | Highest (most independent) |
PACE Example for MAG Daily Check-In
| Tier | Method | |------|--------| | Primary | Group text (SMS or Signal) | | Alternate | GMRS radio net (scheduled time) | | Contingency | Physical check-in at a designated neighbor's address | | Emergency | Visual signal (agreed flag or object in window) |
Communication Types to Plan
Your MAG needs plans for several different communication scenarios:
Daily status check-in (normal operations): Everyone confirms they're okay and nothing requires attention.
Emergency alert (immediate attention required): Someone needs help now. This needs to be fast and reliable.
Information broadcast (news and situational awareness): Sharing information about what's happening externally — news, observed activity, changing conditions.
Operational coordination (plans and decisions): Coordinating a specific group activity — watch rotation, resource delivery, movement.
External communication (reaching outside the group): Contact with family elsewhere, other MAGs, emergency services, regional radio nets.
Technology Layer by Layer
Layer 1: Cell/Internet (Primary in Normal Conditions)
Group text: The simplest coordination tool. Every household should be in the group text chain.
Signal: Encrypted messaging. More secure than standard SMS; still infrastructure-dependent. Useful for information security in a functioning network environment.
Limitation: Cell towers, internet infrastructure, and power grids are all vulnerable. Build Layer 1 with the knowledge that it will fail in the scenarios where you most need it.
Layer 2: GMRS Radio
General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios require an FCC license ($35 for the household licensee, covers immediate family, 10 years). No test required — just the application and fee. GMRS channels are shared public frequencies (not a private system) but with the ability to program a CTCSS/DCS tone to filter out unrelated traffic.
Capability:
- 5-watt handhelds: 1-5 miles in terrain with obstructions
- 50-watt mobile units: 15-30 miles line-of-sight
- Repeaters: greatly extend range; the GMRS repeater network is partially built out in populated areas
Protocol setup:
- Assign a primary channel and backup channel for group use
- Set a CTCSS tone to filter casual traffic from your net
- Establish check-in times (morning, evening)
- Document the frequencies and protocols on a wallet card for every member
Radio selection:
- Budget: Midland GXT series, Cobra ACXT series
- Better: Wouxun KG-1000G, Midland MXT series (mobile)
- Avoid: Toy-grade bubble pack radios regardless of stated wattage
Layer 3: Amateur (Ham) Radio
Amateur radio requires an individual license for each operator. The Technician license exam takes 30-60 minutes of study; the General class (required for HF operation) requires more study. The test is multiple choice, $15, given by volunteer examiner sessions near you.
Capability advantages over GMRS:
- HF frequencies allow long-range (regional, national, international) communication
- More frequency flexibility and higher power limits
- Can connect to linked repeater systems for much wider coverage
- Emergency-authorized frequencies (ARES, RACES) for disaster coordination
- Can interface with digital modes (Winlink email over radio, for example)
The communications lead should hold at least a Technician license. A General class license adds significantly capability.
Recommended entry radios:
- Baofeng UV-5R or UV-82 — $25-30, handheld, VHF/UHF, controversial (low build quality, programming complexity) but ubiquitous and inexpensive
- Yaesu FT-60R — more expensive but more reliable handheld
- Icom IC-2300H — solid VHF mobile radio for a base station
Layer 4: Non-Electronic Communication
Scheduled physical rendezvous: If all electronic communication fails, meet at a pre-designated location at a pre-designated time. Every member should have at least two memorized: "If we lose all communication, first meeting at [Location A] at 0900 daily, backup is [Location B] at 1200."
Visual signals: Agreed signals visible from the street or a neighboring property. A specific item in the window, a flag in a specific location, a mark on the mailbox. Simple binary signals: "everything OK" or "need help."
Written messages at dead drops: A designated location (a neighbor's mailbox, a specified location) where written messages can be left and retrieved.
Radio Protocol Basics
Radios are only useful if everyone knows how to use them. The basics:
Listening before transmitting. Before keying up, listen for 5-10 seconds to ensure the frequency is clear.
Identifying yourself. Start every transmission with your call sign (or group designator) and the call sign of who you're calling. "WBXX123, this is WBXX456" or "Eagle Nest, this is Hawk One."
Short transmissions. Say what needs to be said. "All stations, situation normal, out." Not a conversation.
PTT discipline. Don't key the mike until you're ready to speak. The first half-second of a transmission is often lost — wait a beat after keying before speaking.
Prowords (brevity codes):
- Over: Your transmission is complete; you expect a response
- Out: Transmission complete; no response expected; channel closed
- Roger: Message received and understood
- Say Again: Repeat your last transmission
- Break: Pause for station to acknowledge before continuing
The Check-In Net
A daily radio check-in net is the heartbeat of group communication. It confirms everyone is operational and establishes a regular communication rhythm.
Structure:
- Net control (the communications lead or designee) opens the net at the scheduled time
- Each station checks in when called
- Net control broadcasts any information for the group
- Stations broadcast any information they have
- Net control closes the net
Schedule: Morning check-in (consistent time, 0700-0900) works for most groups. Add an evening check-in during elevated situations.
Documentation
Every member should have (on paper, laminated):
- All group radio frequencies and tones
- Check-in schedule
- PACE contact methods and fallback order
- Emergency meeting locations and times
- Out-of-area contact (someone outside the likely disaster zone)
Store this in the go bag and post it in the home communication area.
Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need amateur radio licenses for group communications?
It depends on the equipment. FRS (Family Radio Service) radios require no license and work for close-range (1-2 mile) communication. GMRS radios require an FCC license ($35, covers the whole family for 10 years) and extend range to 5-25 miles depending on terrain. Ham radio (amateur) requires individual testing but enables the widest frequency range and most power. A group should at minimum have GMRS capability; ham radio for the communications lead adds significant capability.
What is PACE planning and why does it matter?
PACE stands for Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency. It's a framework from military communications planning: for every communication need, you have four methods in priority order. When the Primary fails, use Alternate. When Alternate fails, use Contingency. When all else fails, use Emergency. Building PACE into your communications plan ensures you can communicate even when some methods fail — which they will.
Can we just use cell phones and text messages?
Cell networks are exactly what fails during regional disasters. Hurricane Katrina took down 3 million cell connections. Cell towers depend on commercial power (generators have limited fuel), fiber backbone connections, and centralized infrastructure. During the exact scenarios when a MAG most needs communication, cell service is most likely to be degraded or absent. Cell phones are your Primary in normal conditions, not your plan for emergencies.