Cb?

Problem with these cell giswhis is, everybody has to buy the same cell service, and you DO have to have cell coverage. If you are in "that part" of Kansas 'er somewhere, it ain't gonna work.

Your "hand held" radios you are referring to are probably FRS (family radio service) which are GREATLY restricted. For example, you cannot use better antennas on the radios by FCC mandate.

There is ANOTHER "free" radio service on VHF, known as MURS. (Multi Use Radio Service) The ONE BIG difference between FRS and MURS is that an antenna height up to 20 ft, and "gain" type antennas are allowed.

Just like FRS, you MUST HAVE radios that meet FCC approval for MURS use. This is a "trick" There are LOTS of commercial and amateur radio units that can be programmed onto MURS frequencies. THEY ARE NOT legal for use

An excerpt from the page posted below: What all this REALLY meas is, "buy a radio that is currently approved for MURS use"

To determine if a particular radio is permissible to use as a MURS station, you will need to verify

that it is certificated specifically and exclusively for MURS use under the new FCC Rules;

or

that it is currently certificated (type-approved) for Part 90 operation, and was certificated for this use prior to November 12, 2002;

that the frequency(ies) on which it will operate are authorized in the MURS;

that its transmitter power output (TPO) does not exceed a maximum 2 Watts, and that the radio has no provision for increasing its TPO above that limit [95.649];

that the maximum deviation is not greater than +/- 2.5 KHz (or +/- 5.0 KHz and it transmits only on the two MURS 154 MHz frequencies); and

that the transmitter maximum bandwidth does not exceed 11.25 KHz on the three 151 MHz MURS frequencies, or 20.0 KHz on the two 154 MHz MURS frequencies. Also see Question 15 above.

Some "stuff"

http://home.provide.net/~prsg/murs_faq.htm?iframe=true&width=100%&height=100%

CB RADIO. You can get them CHEAP. You can use OD antennas. They have fair range IF your group is within reasonable (2 miles ?) of each other, you can "squelch out" the nonsense that goes on

DOWNSIDE When "the skip is in" something that is not happening so much in this sunspot cycle, CB can be a TERRIBLE place to be. "Skip shooters" awful, awful language, just plain noise, it's horrid. No place for young kids listening. But again, if you all use fairly small antennas (low gain) and squelch the 'ell out of the thing, you might get by