[ianpenney]

If you’re going to use a radio in an emergency, the radio is less important than the skill of the operator. So, if you’re serious, go do the test and get the license so that you can practice.

Radios don’t work like in the movies. There’s a lot to know. You’re not likely to get help in a timely manner by slapping 146.52 into that shitty Baofeng spurious emissions potato.

[thcipriani]

> You’re not likely to get help in a timely manner by slapping 146.52 into that shitty Baofeng spurious emissions potato.

Why not? What should you do instead?

[ianpenney]

Get an amateur radio license (or, in Canada - it's a "Certificate of Proficiency"), and then spend a couple of years participating in exercises with a local club.

That way you'll learn about propagation, what makes a good radio cost 10x as much as a Baofeng, antenna systems, signalling modes, communication protocols, handheld channel programming, what local repeater systems are around and what their capabilities are.... You'll also learn who are the other hams around you, and where and what time they tend to be listening.

Or, assuming a 911 call from your cellphone isn't an option, you could pay for a Garmin InReach device.

[mbrameld]

Not a ham operator and this definitely isn't the correct answer, but if you find yourself in an emergency with a radio you don't know how to use, 121.5 mhz is monitored by almost every airliner and a lot of general aviation aircraft.

[Forge36]

Having no experience and some quick googling.

1. It depends where you are and who's monitoring.

2. If you're near a city or busy highway this may be "good enough" but the range can the big limit (One number thrown out was ~10 miles)

I'm guessing from the parent that they wanted immediate help and this frequency would not get you directly to emergency services

[Forge36]

~430 questions and tested on 35 of them.

If you're going to buy a radio "just in case" Make sure you know how to use and maintain