Good emergency communications use layers. Keep your mobile phone and official alerts, but plan for power, broadband or mobile networks to fail. A simple receive-only broadcast radio is the first radio to buy. Two-way radio and mesh systems can then help a household or prepared community communicate locally.
In immediate danger, call 999 or 112
PMR446, CB, amateur radio and MeshCore are not replacements for the emergency services. They may have no listener nearby, are not guaranteed to work and are not routinely monitored by police, fire, ambulance or coastguard. Follow official warnings and evacuation instructions.
What the UK Government’s Be Ready campaign says
The Government’s Be Ready guidance asks households to take manageable steps so they can cope during disruption. Its checklist includes preparations for roughly three days, such as water, food that does not need cooking, medication, a torch, written contacts, a charged power bank and a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio.
The radio matters because home broadband, mobile data, television and mains-powered equipment may all be unavailable in a power cut. A broadcast receiver can still carry local and national news without needing a SIM card, account or internet connection.
Be informed
Enable official alerts, understand local risks and write down the radio stations you would use for news.
Make a plan
Agree where to meet, who checks vulnerable relatives or neighbours and what to do if calls and messages fail.
Keep essentials
Build supplies gradually and check batteries, dates, medicines and household needs every six months.
CumbriaCQ is independent and is not endorsed by, or affiliated with, the UK Government. The practical radio guidance below complements the official material; it does not replace it.
The emergency communications layers
| Method | Best use | Licence position | Important limit |
|---|---|---|---|
| FM/DAB broadcast radio | Receiving official and news updates | Listening does not need an operator licence | One-way information only; keep spare batteries and FM capability |
| Mobile phone | 999/112, calls, texts, official alerts | Normal network service | Masts, backhaul and charging can fail |
| PMR446 | Short-range family or group voice | Licence-exempt with compliant equipment | Low power, shared channels, no guaranteed range |
| CB radio | Local/mobile voice and road users | Licence-exempt within UK conditions | Shared spectrum; range varies with terrain, antenna and conditions |
| Amateur radio | Technical, local and long-distance communication by trained operators | Ofcom amateur licence required to transmit | Training, exam and licence conditions apply |
| MeshCore / LoRa | Low-power local text and location messaging | Usually licence-exempt only when equipment and use meet UK SRD rules | Shared, non-protected spectrum; coverage depends on nearby nodes |
1. Battery or wind-up broadcast radio: the essential first radio
This is the radio explicitly included in the Government checklist. Choose a simple set that receives FM; DAB can be useful too, but FM reception is specifically mentioned in the Be Ready checklist and often uses less power. A set with both battery and hand-crank charging gives more options.
- Store the radio where it is easy to find in the dark.
- Keep the correct spare batteries beside it.
- Write down local and national station frequencies.
- Test reception in the rooms where you may shelter.
- Use headphones if conserving battery power helps.
- Recheck the radio and batteries every six months.
Do not rely only on a radio app. An app still needs a charged phone and usually needs mobile data or Wi-Fi. A real broadcast receiver works independently of the internet.
2. Amateur radio: trained, flexible communication
Amateur radio—often called ham radio—offers the widest technical capability in this guide. Licensed operators can use permitted bands and modes for local contacts, repeaters, digital messaging, satellites and longer-distance communication. That flexibility comes with training and legal responsibilities.
How to get a UK amateur radio licence
- Start with Foundation. Read the RSGB Foundation Licence guidance. No previous radio knowledge is expected.
- Study online or with a club. The RSGB lists courses, study material and a course and exam finder.
- Book the Foundation examination. The current exam is multiple choice and is normally available online with invigilation or through a club.
- Receive your result and candidate number. Keep the official details from the RSGB after you pass.
- Apply to Ofcom. Use the Ofcom online licensing service to obtain your licence and callsign. The online application is free; offline administration may carry a fee.
- Operate within your licence. Learn the band plan, power and identification rules, then practise before you ever need the equipment in difficult conditions.
Foundation is the entry point. Intermediate and Full examinations add knowledge and wider privileges. A licence is not an emergency-service credential, and amateur frequencies are not a private, guaranteed rescue channel.
3. PMR446: simple short-range radio without an individual licence
PMR446 handhelds are the easiest legal two-way radios for many UK households. Genuine PMR446 equipment can be used without applying for an individual radio licence, provided the radio and operation meet the UK exemption conditions.
Suitable for
- Family members around a neighbourhood, campsite or event
- Short-range voice between cars where safe and lawful
- A pre-agreed household channel and calling time
- Simple radios that different people can operate
UK compliance matters
- Hand-portable, mobile-only equipment
- Maximum 0.5 W ERP
- Integral antenna
- Simplex, peer-to-peer use—not a base station or repeater
A programmable handheld is not automatically legal PMR446 equipment
Entering a 446 MHz frequency into a general-purpose amateur or commercial radio does not make it PMR446 compliant. Converted equipment, removable antennas, excess power or other non-compliant features can take the operation outside the licence exemption.
PMR446 channels are shared. There is no exclusive channel, privacy code does not make a conversation private, and advertised range figures are usually measured in ideal open conditions.
4. CB radio: licence-exempt local and mobile voice
UK Citizens’ Band radio can be operated without an individual Wireless Telegraphy Act licence when compliant equipment is used within the authorised technical conditions. CB can be useful for vehicle-to-vehicle or local communication and has an established user community.
Buy equipment intended for legal UK CB use and follow the manufacturer’s configuration for UK channels, permitted modes and power. Do not assume a modified export radio, amplifier or out-of-band channel is covered by the exemption. CB is a shared, non-protected service: users must not cause harmful interference and cannot demand protection from interference.
- Agree a channel and backup channel before disruption.
- Practise clear, brief messages and identify your location.
- Check the antenna, coax and power lead periodically.
- Remember that terrain and antenna height affect range.
5. MeshCore and LoRa: low-power off-grid text messaging
MeshCore is software for compatible LoRa radios. A phone or computer can connect to a nearby companion radio, while repeaters relay short messages through the mesh. It can work without mobile service or home broadband, but it still needs charged hardware and a path through participating radio nodes.
What “licence-free” really means
MeshCore is not a personal radio licence. In the UK, many suitable LoRa devices operate under the licence exemption for Short Range Devices. That exemption only applies when the equipment and use meet Ofcom’s requirements, including the correct frequency range, radiated power and spectrum-access or duty-cycle limits.
Short Range Devices share spectrum on a non-interference, non-protected basis. A compliant device does not receive guaranteed access or protection from other users. Use the current UK profile recommended by a trustworthy supplier or network operator; do not copy settings intended for another country.
CumbriaCQ and the Cumbria MeshCore network
CumbriaCQ radio network
CumbriaCQ links amateur repeaters and digital services across Cumbria, the North West and parts of Scotland. Transmitting through amateur repeaters and amateur digital modes requires the appropriate licence and correctly configured equipment.
Cumbria MeshCore
The Cumbria community is building an independent low-power LoRa mesh across towns, valleys and high ground. Check the current pages for compatible hardware, the UK Narrow profile, local rooms and live coverage information.
Community infrastructure can fail, be out of range or be busy. Joining a network in advance, learning its local practice and testing from your normal locations is more useful than buying an unopened device for a cupboard.
Build your household emergency communications plan
- Keep official routes first. Enable UK Emergency Alerts, know when to call 999 or 112 and save power-cut reporting details.
- Add independent information. Store a battery/wind-up FM radio, batteries and a paper list of useful stations.
- Choose one legal local method. PMR446 is simplest for many families; CB, amateur radio or MeshCore may fit trained groups and local coverage better.
- Write the plan down. Record channels or rooms, a backup channel, meeting places, contact numbers and who will check on neighbours.
- Plan power. Keep charged power banks, AA/AAA batteries or approved radio battery packs. Never improvise unsafe charging arrangements.
- Practise twice a year. Turn off Wi-Fi for the exercise, exchange short messages and find the weak spots while there is no emergency.
Use a simple message format
Who you are → where you are → what has happened → what you need → when you will call again. Keep messages short. Repeat critical numbers and place names. Do not transmit rumours as facts.
Recommended equipment — coming later
This space is reserved for future radio, battery, antenna and accessory recommendations. No Amazon or affiliate product links have been added yet.
UK emergency radio FAQ
What radio should I keep for a UK emergency?
Start with a battery-powered or wind-up broadcast radio that receives UK news stations. It provides official information without needing mobile data or broadband. Two-way radios are an additional layer, not a replacement.
Do I need a licence for PMR446 in the UK?
No individual radio licence is needed when you use genuine PMR446 equipment that meets the UK technical conditions. The exemption does not cover an arbitrary programmable radio set to 446 MHz.
Is CB radio licence-free in the UK?
CB radio can be used without an individual Wireless Telegraphy Act licence when the equipment and operation comply with the UK rules. Use UK-compliant CB equipment on authorised channels, modes and power limits.
Is MeshCore licence-free in the UK?
MeshCore does not require a personal operator licence when compliant short-range radio equipment is used within the relevant UK licence-exemption conditions. The equipment, frequency, power and channel-access rules still apply.
How do I get a UK amateur radio licence?
Most people begin with the RSGB Foundation examination. After passing, use your candidate number to apply for an Ofcom amateur radio licence and callsign through the online licensing portal.
Will emergency services monitor PMR446, CB, amateur radio or MeshCore?
Do not assume they will. These systems are not substitutes for 999 or 112 and may have no listener nearby. Use official emergency channels and warnings first whenever they remain available.
Official and primary sources
- UK Government Be Ready: preparing for emergencies
- UK Government Be Ready: power cuts
- Ofcom: information for amateur radio licensees
- RSGB: Foundation Licence
- Ofcom: analogue and digital PMR446 information sheet
- Ofcom: Citizens’ Band radio
- Ofcom: short-range devices
Accuracy note: Radio rules and official preparedness guidance can change. This page was checked against the linked sources on 29 October 2026. Always use the current Ofcom licence, interface requirement and equipment instructions. This guide is general information, not legal advice.