A short list worth memorizing or keeping on a card — NOAA weather, the national simplex calling channel, and common HF emergency voice frequencies. Mostly for listening.
When the power’s out and the internet’s gone, a receiver tuned to the right frequency is how you find out what’s actually happening. A few are worth knowing cold — you can listen to all of them with an inexpensive radio and no license.
| Use | Frequency | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NOAA Weather | 162.400–162.550 MHz | Continuous forecasts & alerts (receive only). |
| 2m Nat’l Simplex Calling | 146.520 MHz | The VHF simplex “calling” channel. |
| CB Ch9 | 27.065 MHz | CB Radio emergency frequency. |
| HF Nat’l Emergency (voice) | 7.232 / 14.280 MHz | Common HF emergency-comms voice. |
| AM Calling | 7.290 / 14.286 MHz | AM voice calling frequencies. |
In a genuine emergency, U.S. law (FCC §97.403) permits any frequency and mode needed to get help, licensed or not. These are conventions where you’re most likely to find someone listening — not the only options.
