And there's the rub a lot of our "Telecom Geniuses" here don't realize: In times of real emergency, you might need the communications NOW, and the infrastructure might have gone away for days, weeks or months, if Katrina is any barometer.
With a car battery, a length of wire, a radio that fits in the palm of your hand, some paddles and a set of cans, yer' talkin' to someone.
