[iamnothere]

A cheap radio is better than nothing, and for many of lesser means those are the two options.

For the record, I don’t think it’s a good idea to go hiking with a radio that you don’t know how to use. Having extra radios that you can pass out to family and neighbors in an emergency (assuming you can quickly teach them the basics) is a good thing.

[ajsnigrutin]

But cheap radios don't just appear out of nowhere. You have to plan for it and buy it... in that case, get a garmin inreach and you'll be saved, it's the option that works.

If you want to hand out radios, why not hand out FRS/PMR ones? Why the "illegal" ham ones? Why does every (usually american) prepper buy baofengs instead of local blister pack FRS ones from walmart? You can hand those out in non emergency situations too!