Have your best equipment on hnad for an emergency.

[JOSEYWALES]

I have been reading through various posts, some of which talk about a "cheap radio that I leave at work, or in the glove box."

Guess what, if you actually need to use a radio at work or in the glove box, you probably want your best unit. 

At home, where things are much more organzied, backup power, fancy antennas, etc. you can make due if equipment doesn't perform up to par.  In fact, your main goal in an emergency has already been accomplished.  You're home!!

Folks always save their best watches and pens for a special occasion.  Why?  So they can be prestine when they slip them on you, just before dropping you in the ground 

Take the rusted screwdrivers, wrenches, and pliars out of the trunk and put your best Snap On, Craftsman or whatever you've got in there.  It's 2AM, sleeting like crazy, and you're working with a rusted adjustable wrench from the Dollar Store?? Seriously???

Folks will say, well, "if my cheap radio gets stolen out of my desk, it's not a great loss."  Realistically, how many time has a radio been stolen from your desk???  Worst case, a good radio is stolen from your desk.  Now you have to tell the Mrs. that you need to replace it and you go buy the latest and greatest.  Boo hoo    BTW, money can be hard to come by, but most home owner's and auto policies can have riders applied to cover some of these scenarios.

We had an earthquake here in PA a while back...nope, we couldn't believe it either.  But, I had a nice Grundig in my bag and got news ASAP that said it was a quake.  Our building is old and we weren't sure what the heck happened.  I was thinking under ground gas, because of the indsutrial center we are in.

My goal will always be to get home and shelter in place.  And I want the best tools with me to accomplish that goal. 

Be safe...

[K3WEC]

I agree on the tools part.

RE: the radios, are you referring to the talk about the Chinese handhelds (Beofeng, Wouxun, etc.)?    I think the mass of opinion, for those that actually own them, are that they are equally serviceable to the "big three."   My own experience with the Quansheng would indicate it's a good rugged unit, at a very low price point.  I'm considering getting one of the Beofengs for fun.   If it turns out to be as good as most users would indicate, I'll probably throw it in my glovebox!

[JOSEYWALES]

Those are exactly the radios and I'm considering one or two.  I'm certainly no brand snob.  If they function well, I think they serve a purpose, like low probability areas.  We have a nuclear plant nearby and if we are ordered to shelter in place, even with a plan, we could end up being rushed into our "safe room".  In addition, that room can not really hold my full size Kenwood, so any radio is better than none.