Navigation and radio
Without phones or satellite maps, people need to find their way and talk across the estate and the region. Radio licensing also takes time, so start early.
How
- Learn map and compass basics: cardinal points, how to read your country's topographic maps, and the difference between magnetic north, grid north and true north, which changes with place and date (Ordnance Survey, UK).
- Practise walking a route on the estate and to neighbours with map and compass only, in daylight first, then at dusk.
- Get at least one, ideally two, people licensed for amateur radio (comms-11 has licence details). US: ARRL lists classes and in-person or remote video exams. UK: the RSGB Foundation exam has 26 multiple-choice questions in 60 minutes, often taken online with a remote invigilator, and Ofcom licence applications online are free.
- Everyone, including children, should be able to use the household handheld radios and the channel card (comms-3, comms-8).
- Join a local club and practise on nets; radio skill fades without use.
Do these first
Sources
- Mapzone: Compasses and directions. Ordnance Survey (UK), accessed 2026-11
- Finding a licence class. ARRL, the national association for amateur radio (US), accessed 2026-11
- Foundation licence. Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), accessed 2026-11