Test your faraday bag. And test all the radios in your phone because they all have different properties, and may not all be completely blocked by a cheap consumer-grade faraday pouch. (E.g. test whether you can see your phone inside the bag via Bluetooth, WiFi, cellular [on 3,4,5g], NFC, etc). There are many apps available that allow you to see your phone’s radios, sensors, etc. and see what they’re doing. Ideally get one which will allow recording, record everything, place phone in the bag, then try to reach your phone in every way possible. Call and text with Wi-Fi off and on, see if you can locate it with (for example) Google find hub, test multiple Bluetooth devices, check “nearby devices” from another phone, check if your wifi AP sees it, see if it responds to NFC/RFID, etc. etc. for every input/output/wireless protocol you can possibly test.

I have one bag several years old that is leaky and stopped working. Some kind of hard case is probably more reliable. Real science-grade faraday boxes of all sizes and forms are available, but they are $$$.

Know that there are a ton of alternatives to carrying a smartphone when you need to maintain comms, but they all have their own pros and cons and most come with a monetary cost and a learning curve, depending on the tech.

• +1 to meshtastic. This seems like the gold standard right now of accessibility and function
• Alternatively, you could get a Ham license (or not, because not wanting to be in a federal db is completely understandable).
• CB is still a thing. It does not have any privacy features, but it’s accessible and basically unregulated if you’re not being egregious
• Learn how to set up 2-way encrypted DMR. (Note that encryption on Ham bands is technically not legal, but pretty much impossible to enforce unless you’re constantly using it from specific locations and end up being fox hunted.)
• Ham bands can be used in an emergency without a license.
• There is GMRS/FRS. FRS is your typical “walkie talkie” that you can just buy and start operating. GMRS is cross-functional on the same frequencies, but a more powerful signal, you can set up repeaters and it requires a license. You can just buy a gmrs radio and use it though and no one will notice or care that you’re unlicensed unless they really look into it (since,again, the band is shared with unlicensed users)
• Satellites unlock a whole different array of possibilities depending on where you are. (And they are actually more accessible then it initially sounds)
• SSTV (images transmitted over radio. There are some fascinating and fun opportunities for steganography here)

Remember, listening/receiving basically any signal is almost always fine. I say “almost” because it does vary by country, but even so it’s basically impossible to detect that signals are being received by you as long as you’re doing so from a private and secure situation, physically.

HOWEVER, if you want to play with radio, and you plan to transmit anything AT ALL - please get to know the band plan and where/how you’re allowed to play.

Always know your frequency and power level, be mindful of who might be listening in, know your equipment, limit your spurious emissions and stay WELL away from government/military and even commercial comms channels. At best you will annoy your neighbors, but at worst you will suffer the full weight of the FCC and others if you start causing problems. If you choose to bend the rules, I don’t recommend it, but that’s your prerogative. Be careful, know your impact and the risks of such activities and try not to attract attention.