We’ll refrain from taking sides for the moment. (We definitely have a side, which we’ll undoubtedly explain later), but the the recent headlines from the Israel-Gaza war highlight the importance of having, at a minimum, some sort of radio receiver as part of your preparations for disaster.
According to this news report, the cutoff of telephone and internet service in Gaza means that “for those who have them, radios have become the sole link to the outside world.” Even though I’ve come to expect it, the words “for those who have them” highlights a fundamental misunderstanding that much of the public has. They have, in their pocket, a device that will bring them all of the information in the world. So perhaps it’s not surprising that an inferior device, a simple AM-FM radio receiver, is viewed as not necessary.
But as the current situation in Gaza makes clear, your receipt of information via the internet depends upon the kindness of strangers. If the internet is cut off, then so is your source of information. But in the meantime, hundreds of radio signals, some of which contain reliable information, are landing at your feet. You simply need a receiver to pick them up.
To get some idea of what you would be able to hear on a radio in the Middle East, this link goes to an internet-connected receiver in Kuwait, and this link goes to one in Cyprus, which seems to be the closest one available. But most of the strong medium wave stations you hear on that receiver could also be picked up in Gaza at night. And if you tune the shortwave dial, there are many more stations available. Undoubtedly, some of the stations you pick up will be filled with propaganda. But reliable information is available from sources such as the BBC.
In short, you needn’t be in a total information blackout, but it requires some minimal preparation. An inexpensive shortwave receiver like the one shown here would let you know what’s going on in the outside world, no matter how much the other side tries to cut you off. It doesn’t draw much current, so a box of batteries would keep it running more or less indefinitely. And there are also many solar and hand crank radios available.
And even if you don’t prepare, remember that most cell phones sold in the United States include an FM receiver, which doesn’t require any kind of connectivity.
Incidentally, it’s interesting that the article equates listening to the radio for news with burning furniture for heat. I wonder if they got that idea from us.
This illustration appeared in Popular Science a hundred years ago this month, November 1923. And it’s still not bad advice. We sometimes say that when doing electrical work, among other precautions, you should keep one hand in your pocket. If one hand inadvertently comes in contact with high voltage, you don’t want to be touching a metallic object with the other hand, because the current will pass through your heart.
