Prefer to keep my 2 meter/70 CM two way radio with me ...and spare batteries. If I need more range at work I go to the roof of our 85 foot tall building.

On he road I have a Hf radio as well as VHF/UHF and have talked to Russia and New Zealand from my Truck while waiting in the parking lot of the local grocery store.

Often speak with my friend who recently retired and moved to Tennessee...from here..some 400 miles away and from my base station Ham radio here at the house....no phone calls. The other night we chatted for some 40 minutes before ceding the frequency to other hams who meet on a schedule.
If we need to continue talking we find a clear unused frequency and shift to there...and give up the frequency we were on to other hams for their scheduled meetings. No problem...just simple courtesy and respect.


It is not a phone but I like it better as I can also get AM/FM radio bands on it...as well as all the short wave broadcasting bands and Single Side Band as well.

Phones are convenient...very convenient and natural to tie the phone into the computer systems. But these are complex systems and if any one of several systems go down...you have nothing.

Two way radio I operate at my discretion ..not at the governments discretion....and my power source is independent of them...too.

I keep several car and deep cycle batteries around here as alternate power sources for my radios as well as make my own antennas for my systems.

I also keep several batteries as spares for my simple flip phone.

As a ham ..operating out in the field you become acutely aware of the need for spare batteries.

I also keep five AA type batteries in my pocket for my Mag Light. Buy these by the 40 pack.


Just some things you learn about independent operation.

I like the convenience of the cell phone but am wary of becoming dependent on it.

I will not get a cell phone for which I cannot remove the battery at my discretion...and or replace with a fresh one. Someone did not design the non replaceable battery to help us.




Thanks,
Orangetom

Not an Ishmaelite