In partnership with
FROM THE DESK
After a storm last spring, cell service in my area was spotty for hours. Calls wouldn't connect. Texts were delayed by minutes or hours. I could see my neighbor across the street but couldn't reliably message my girlfriend at work 12 miles away. It got me thinking about communication options that don't depend on cell towers.
Here’s what I’ve got:
Protect online privacy from the very first click
Your digital footprint starts before you can even walk.
In today’s data economy, “free” inboxes from Google and Microsoft, like Gmail and Outlook, are funded by data collection. Emails can be analyzed to personalize ads, train algorithms, and build long-term behavioral profiles to sell to third-party data brokers.
From family updates, school registrations, medical reports, to financial service emails, social media accounts, job applications, a digital identity can take shape long before someone understands what privacy means.
Privacy shouldn’t begin when you’re old enough to manage your settings. It should be the default from the start.
Proton Mail takes a different approach: no ads, no tracking, no data profiling — just private communication by default. Because the next generation deserves technology that protects them, not profiles them.
THE BRIEF
When Cell Towers Fail: Mesh Networks and Off-Grid Messaging
We covered communication plans in Issue 8 and ham radio basics later on. This week is about a technology that sits between your phone and amateur radio: mesh networking devices that let you send text messages without any infrastructure at all.
The concept is simple. A small radio device pairs with your phone via Bluetooth. When you send a message, it transmits over a long-range radio frequency to other devices in range. Those devices can relay the message further, creating a "mesh" of connected nodes. No cell tower, no internet, no subscription (for most devices), no license required.
The leading platform right now is Meshtastic, an open-source protocol that runs on inexpensive LoRa radio hardware. A basic Meshtastic node costs $25 to $60, has a range of 1 to 10 miles depending on terrain and antenna, and runs on a rechargeable battery for days. It handles text messages, GPS location sharing, and basic telemetry.
Here's what makes mesh networks powerful for preparedness: they scale. One device on its own has limited range. But each additional device in the network extends it. If five families on your street each have a node, you can communicate across your neighborhood with no outside infrastructure. Some communities have built mesh networks that cover entire towns.
Goenna (formerly goTenna) offers a more polished, consumer-friendly option. The devices are easier to set up, but they're more expensive and use a proprietary system rather than open-source software. For non-technical users who want plug-and-play, they're worth considering.
For shorter range, walkie-talkies still work. FRS radios (the kind you buy at any electronics store) need no license and provide reliable communication within 1 to 2 miles in most environments. They're cheap, simple, and work when nothing else does.
The practical setup for most families: a pair of FRS radios for short-range household communication, plus Meshtastic nodes for anyone interested in neighborhood-level communication that doesn't depend on cell service. The total investment is under $100 and creates a communication layer that works when everything else doesn't.
ONE THING THIS WEEK
Buy a pair of FRS walkie-talkies.
They cost $20 to $40 at any electronics store. Test them between your house and your car, your house and a neighbor's, your house and the nearest intersection. Know their range in your actual environment. Keep them charged.
ON THE RADAR
Meshtastic Goes Mainstream in 2026
The Meshtastic open-source mesh networking platform has seen a significant expansion in early 2026. Consumer-ready hardware now starts at $20 to $60 per node, and in February 2026, the platform launched a built-in TAK server for iOS, allowing iPhone users to connect directly to LoRa mesh radios for the first time without additional software. The practical barrier to entry for off-grid neighborhood communication networks has dropped substantially. A basic two-node setup for a household costs under $60 with no monthly fees and no license required on the 915 MHz ISM band.
LESSON FROM: JOEL LAMBERT
Joel Lambert served ten years as a Navy SEAL and later worked as a SERE specialist. He writes about communication as the most overlooked survival skill. His military experience taught him that operations fail more often from communication breakdown than from any tactical error. The same applies to civilian emergencies.
Lambert's advice: build redundancy into your communication plan. Your phone is layer one. A two-way radio is layer two. A mesh device or satellite communicator is layer three. A physical meeting point is layer four. Each layer is a backup for the one above it. You're not trying to replace your phone. You're making sure you can still coordinate when your phone can't.
WHAT'S HAPPENING
FCC Data: Up to One-Third of Cell Towers Go Dark During Major Weather Events
When the grid goes down, cell service follows. According to FCC reporting, county-level cell tower outages during major weather events have reached as high as 33% of all towers in an affected area. The reason: most carriers rely on backup batteries that last only 4 to 8 hours, and FCC rules require just 8 hours of backup power for IP-based voice services. Industry experts estimate fewer than 30% of the more than 400,000 U.S. cell sites have adequate backup power in the form of generators or extended battery systems. During extended grid-down events, carriers must dispatch fuel trucks to refuel generators, often on roads blocked by the same storms causing the outage.
This week’s six-day tornado outbreak across Oklahoma, Texas, and Illinois offers a live example. Thousands of residents in North Texas were left without power and cell service simultaneously as an EF2 tornado struck Runaway Bay and an EF3 hit Mineral Wells, with the Wise County judge noting that the “widespread power outage affecting many residents” was the most significant ongoing challenge for emergency responders. The preparedness angle: cell service is not a reliable emergency communication layer. The tools covered in this issue exist precisely because of this gap. A mesh node costs under $60. A generator or extended battery backup for a cell tower can cost tens of thousands. Communities cannot assume carriers will have the infrastructure in place when it matters most.
WHAT WE’RE TESTING
Heltec LoRa 32 V3 (Meshtastic Node)
This is a $20 microcontroller board running Meshtastic firmware. It has a built-in OLED screen, LoRa radio, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Pair it with a small antenna and a USB-C battery bank, and you have a mesh communication node for less than the price of a decent lunch.
I've been running two of these for about two months. Range in my suburban area is about 2 miles with the stock antenna, roughly 5 miles with an upgraded antenna mounted at window height. Messages between the two nodes are essentially instant. GPS location sharing works well for tracking family members.
Setup requires some technical comfort. You flash firmware, configure settings via an app, and pair via Bluetooth. It's not plug-and-play, but the Meshtastic community documentation is excellent and there are step-by-step YouTube guides. About $20 per node.
Budget alternative: Midland X-Talker T71VP3 FRS radios ($30 for a pair). No setup, no tech skills needed. Turn them on and talk. Limited range, but dead simple.
OVERRATED / UNDERRATED
Overrated: Satellite phones for most families. They cost $500 to $1,500 plus monthly fees, and the calling experience is mediocre. Unless you live extremely remotely, a combination of radio and mesh devices covers your communication needs for a fraction of the cost. On top of that, the newest iPhones come with emergency satellite connections built in. Elon Musk's satellite company is also rumored to be preparing to offer satellite self service. The more options, the better.
Underrated: A whiteboard on your front door. In a neighborhood-wide outage with no phones, a dry-erase board on your door that says "We're at the Johnsons' house" or "Need water, have batteries" turns your home into a communication node with zero technology. Surprisingly effective.
THE LINK DUMP
Meshtastic.org — Open-source mesh networking project. Documentation, device guides, and community.
Grokipedia: Mesh Networking — Background on how mesh networks function.
ARRL.org — American Radio Relay League. Resources for ham radio if you want to go deeper.
r/Meshtastic (Reddit) — Active community with setup guides and range test reports.
NEXT ISSUE
When governments change the rules. Tariffs, regulations, and sudden policy shifts can affect supply, pricing, and access overnight. What history teaches about adapting when the rules shift under your feet.
PS: Three families on my street now have Meshtastic nodes. We tested them during a planned drill. Every message went through. It took $60 and an afternoon to set up a communication network that doesn't need the internet. That's the kind of resilience I'm after.
What happens when the S&P moves 3% during your commute?
We are living in volatile times. While you cannot control the state of international affairs, you can position your portfolio accordingly.
Liquid is one of the fastest growing trading platforms, allowing users to trade stocks, commodities, FX, and more 24/7/365 from their phone and computer.