Europe Blackout 04/28/2025
As of April 28, 2025, a widespread power outage swept across Spain, Portugal, France, and Belgium.
Millions are without electricity. Public transportation stopped. Communication networks collapsed. As of this writing, large parts of these countries remain dark and disconnected.
The cause? A significant failure in the European power grid, likely triggered by a network oscillation that separated the Iberian Peninsula from the mainland grid.
Events like this aren’t just rare freak occurrences — they’re warnings.
They show how fragile centralized systems really are.
When power and cell service fail, decentralized communication tools — like the radios we sell at Ready Radio — become the critical link that keeps families, businesses, and communities connected.
Here’s why radios matter, how they outperform modern tech during blackouts, and how you can build a comms plan that doesn’t rely on luck.
Blackout Communications
When lights go out, people lose far more than electricity:
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Internet access (modems and cell towers need power)
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Mobile phone service (local towers either overload or fail)
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Landline functionality (modern systems rely on VoIP and fiber)
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Emergency alerts (weather apps and SMS-based services stop updating)
In a grid-down event like today’s European blackout, people are left without critical information.
Radios solve this.
Radios are independent. They don’t rely on towers, fiber cables, or external servers.
As long as your radio has power — and another radio is listening — you can communicate.
Radios for Grid-Down Scenarios
At Ready Radio, we recommend different radios depending on your goals:
FRS/GMRS Radios
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Families, neighborhoods, small communities
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Simple push-to-talk, up to 5–25 mile range, no infrastructure needed
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GMRS requires a $35 license covering your entire family for 10 years
Perfect for property communication, neighborhood networks, and local disaster response.
HAM Radios
- Long-distance communication, regional coordination (via HF)
- Access to national and international frequencies, emergency nets, weather services
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Technician-level HAM license required
HAM radios allow communication across entire counties — even states — when repeaters or emergency nets are active.
If you’re serious about preparedness, HAM radio is non-negotiable.
NOAA Emergency Radios
- Receiving government weather and disaster alerts
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Hand-crank, solar, or battery powered with loud, automatic alerts
While not for two-way communication, every household should have one ready to stay informed when the grid collapses.
NOTE: Many dual-band radios such as the UV5R or GM21 are able to receive NOAA channels.
Decentralized Communication Is Critical
Today’s European power outage proves a simple truth. Centralized systems fail fast, and they fail hard.
In an interconnected world, grid failures cascade. Cell services collapse within minutes, credit cards stop working, ATMs and gas pumps shut down, and emergency services become overwhelmed.
Radio solutions provide the ability to:
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Talk to your family across your property or town
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Reach neighbors for help or updates
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Coordinate security or supply runs
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Access critical updates from HAM and GMRS operators
Radios aren’t a backup plan.
They’re a lifeline.
If you don’t have a self-reliant communications plan ready, you’re gambling your safety on a fragile infrastructure you don’t control.
Build Your Emergency Comms Plan
Setting up your own resilient radio communication system doesn’t have to be complicated.
We recommend starting with:
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Two or more GMRS radios for local communication
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A weather radio for emergency updates
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A printed PACE communications plan
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A high-gain antenna for improved range
If you want a simple starting point, check out our Beginner Radio Setup Guide — built specifically for new users and small groups.
Stay Connected
Europe’s ongoing blackout is a reminder:
When systems fail, you need your own backup.
Radios are affordable.
Radios are simple.
Radios are one of the few tools that actually work when nothing else does.
Don’t wait for the next power outage, disaster, or emergency to realize you needed decentralized communication.
Get your radios. Build your plan. Stay connected.
Need help picking the right radios for your home, farm, or team?
Email cs@readyradio.com or shop Ready Radio gear today.
Stay ready. Stay connected. — The Ready Radio Team