MURS Radios

When Cell Phones Don’t Work: Connecting OSJ Road to the Emergency Communications Network

What happens if a major earthquake, wildfire, or other disaster takes down power, cell service, and internet?

Santa Cruz County emergency services, ARES (Amateur Radio Emergency Service), Firewise communities, and other preparedness groups are already building and practicing a backup radio network for exactly that situation. OSJ Road Firewise is joining that effort.

On August 31, I attended a MURS radio training offered by the San Lorenzo Valley Emergency Network (SLVEN) to learn how our community can participate.

How It Works

MURS radios provide simple, short-range communication among neighbors without relying on cell towers or internet. A licensed ham radio operator can then connect the local community to the wider emergency communications network.

Neighbors using MURS → local ham operator → ARES → County Emergency Operations Center

At the training, we practiced using the radios, sending clear messages, and dealing with our mountainous terrain. The goal isn’t for everyone to become a radio expert—it’s for neighbors to know how to communicate locally, while trained ham operators handle the connection beyond the community.

As the instructors put it:

“With practice we can make the extraordinary seem ordinary.”

October 4: Learn It, Then Practice It

The next SLVEN MURS training is Sunday, October 4 from 1–3 PM. No previous radio experience is needed, and we’d love to have some OSJ Road neighbors there.

At my training, I purchased the recommended BTECH MURS-V2 radio for $45, and it was programmed and ready to use. You can bring another MURS radio and they can help with programming, although other models may have different features. We also heard that grant funding may soon make the BTECH radios available at a discounted price.

Then, at 7 PM that same evening, ARES will hold its next countywide Neighborhood Emergency Preparedness Communications Test. Participating communities will practice the full communication chain from local neighbors through ham radio to the County EOC and back.

It’s a perfect opportunity for OSJ Road to start participating.

Who Do We Already Have?

Are you a licensed ham radio operator? A current or former CERT member? Do you already have a MURS radio?

Please let us know at osjrfirewise@gmail.com. We’re trying to identify the people, skills, and equipment we already have within the OSJ Road Firewise community so we can connect into the existing network. I will send you all the details for the neighborhood test.

But Wait—There’s More! Want to Become a Ham Radio Operator?

Santa Cruz County ARES is offering a free Ham Radio Technician License class beginning October 15. No previous radio or electronics experience is necessary, and the class starts from scratch.

Even better, youth age 16 and under who pass the Technician exam can receive a FREE handheld ham radio.