PACE is a communication planning framework that establishes four tiers of communication precedence — Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency — so that when one method fails, the next is already identified, tested, and ready. The framework does not prescribe what equipment to buy. It prescribes how and when to use the equipment already on hand. A cheap radio paired with a solid PACE plan will outperform an expensive rig operated without coordination.
The Four Tiers
Each tier represents a distinct communication method, selected and ordered according to three balancing factors: security of the method, performance in the operational environment, and reliability/convenience of use.
- Primary — The method that best balances all three factors under normal conditions. For many civilian teams this is a cell phone or internet-connected digital platform; for field operations it may be an encrypted VHF/UHF handheld net. The Primary is the default until conditions force a shift.
- Alternate — A method that accomplishes the same communication task using different infrastructure. If the Primary is cellular, the Alternate might be a handheld radio net on pre-programmed frequencies. The Alternate should be immediately available without significant setup.
- Contingency — A method that requires more effort, reduced convenience, or degraded capability but remains functional when Primary and Alternate infrastructure is unavailable. HF radio operating on pre-coordinated frequencies, APRS digital messaging, or a mesh network like Meshtastic can fill this role.
- Emergency — The last-resort method, often the slowest or most resource-intensive but the most resilient. Satellite communication via devices like the Garmin inReach, face-to-face runner contact, or pre-arranged rally points fall here.
There is nothing sacred about one technology occupying a fixed tier. A former MARSOC communicator describes operational PACE plans where 75% or more of the tiers were satellite-based, with HF radio reserved as the emergency fallback — the inverse of what a civilian hobbyist might expect. The right assignment depends on operational context, not on the inherent prestige of the technology.
Redundancy Within Tiers
PACE does not require exactly one option per tier. You can have two Primaries, two Alternates, and so on. What matters is that the precedence is clear and that every participant knows: this method first, then this one, then this one. A 1,500-mile HF exercise demonstrated this in practice — a primary frequency was attempted first, alternate frequencies were queued, each given a fixed communication window (five or ten minutes) before rolling to the next. Satellite communication sat as the emergency backstop. The rigid time limits prevented indefinite occupation of a congested channel and forced disciplined movement through the plan.
Why PACE Matters for Civilians
The most common civilian communication failure is not equipment failure — it is the absence of a plan. The 2010 Middle Tennessee flood is a recurring case study: neighbors had resources but could not coordinate distribution because they had no shared frequencies, no transmission schedules, and no pre-existing relationships organized around communication. Cell infrastructure went down; social media coordination was impossible for those without power. The problem was not hardware scarcity. It was planning scarcity.
Every prepared citizen already carries the building blocks of a PACE plan. A smartphone is the obvious Primary for daily life. A handheld radio on a pre-programmed channel serves as an Alternate. A Garmin inReach provides a Contingency or Emergency tier that works anywhere on earth with sky visibility. The PACE framework simply forces you to write this down, share it with your team, and practice the transitions.
Building the Plan: People Before Hardware
Effective radio communication planning starts by identifying who you need to talk to, under what circumstances, and with what equipment — in that order. A radio network is only as useful as the people participating in it. The most critical pre-disaster preparation is knowing what radios your neighbors have, what frequencies they monitor, and when they will have batteries charged. Hardware selection follows mission definition, not the reverse.
Community-based networks built on trust and pre-existing relationships are far more resilient than those assembled during a crisis. Pre-planning should include designated frequencies, transmission schedules, and rally points for face-to-face coordination when radio fails. Even a simple channel plan — designating specific channels for check-ins, emergency traffic, low-power short-range use, and routine coordination — transforms radios from passive tools into active coordination assets. CB radio historically modeled this through informal but widely understood channel conventions: Channel 9 for emergencies, Channel 19 for east-west truckers. GMRS operators can replicate this structure by assigning channels for scheduled check-ins, small-unit communication, and emergency broadcasts.
PACE Is Phase-Specific
A single PACE plan does not cover an entire operation. Different phases of an operation — movement, static defense, vehicle operations, urban environments — impose different constraints on communication methods. A radio that works perfectly during a vehicle patrol phase may be impractical when dismounted in dense terrain. The Ranger Handbook and reconnaissance doctrine both emphasize that PACE plans must be built for each distinct operational phase, with transitions pre-coordinated so the team knows which plan is active at any given time. This concept is explored in depth in Phase-Specific Communication Requirements and Role Assignment.
PACE Requires Separation of Audiences
Military PACE planning separates internal team communications from external friendly force contact. A reconnaissance element needs one PACE plan for talking among its own members and a different PACE plan for reaching higher headquarters, adjacent units, fire support, quick reaction forces, or medical evacuation assets. Civilian teams face a scaled version of the same problem: the method you use to coordinate your immediate group (encrypted DMR on business band) is different from the method you use to reach local emergency services (analog FM on public safety frequencies) or distant allies (HF radio, satellite). Collapsing these into a single plan creates confusion about who is listening on which channel and when.
Layering Technologies Across the PACE Framework
A practical civilian PACE plan might layer technologies as follows:
| Tier | Method | Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary | Cell phone / encrypted messaging app (Signal, etc.) | Ubiquitous, high bandwidth, encrypted by default | Dependent on cellular infrastructure; single point of failure during widespread emergencies |
| Alternate | VHF/UHF handheld radio on pre-programmed simplex frequencies (GMRS, business band, or amateur) | No infrastructure dependency, immediate availability, works within local area | Limited range without repeaters; may lack encryption on amateur frequencies |
| Contingency | [[Communications/HF & Long-Range/HF Radio and Long-Range Communication | HF radio]] on pre-coordinated frequencies, APRS, or Meshtastic mesh network | Long-range capability (HF); infrastructure-independent mesh networking; digital modes allow store-and-forward messaging |
| Emergency | [[Communications/HF & Long-Range/Satellite Communication | Satellite communicator]] (Garmin inReach, Zoleo) or physical runner / rally point | Works anywhere with sky visibility; runner contact requires zero electronics |
This is a representative example, not a template. A team operating exclusively in a rural valley with no cell coverage would not place cellular as Primary. A team whose members all hold amateur radio licenses might place an HF net higher in the stack than a team with one licensed operator. The framework accommodates any technology — it only demands that the ordering is deliberate, shared, and rehearsed.
Testing and Exercising the Plan
A PACE plan that has never been exercised is not a plan — it is a wish list. Regular communication exercises expose assumptions that fail under real-world conditions: the repeater you assumed would be available is down, the HF frequency you selected is congested at the scheduled time, the satellite device firmware needs updating, or a team member’s radio battery is dead. The 1,500-mile HF contact exercise described in T.REX ARMS content demonstrated this principle directly — the team pre-coordinated primary and alternate frequencies, assigned fixed time windows for each attempt, and held satellite communication in reserve. The structure worked because it had been planned, briefed, and tested before execution day.
Even modest exercises build competence. A weekly five-minute radio check on a designated GMRS channel among neighbors — confirming that radios work, batteries are charged, and everyone remembers the channel plan — costs almost nothing and builds the muscle memory that matters when infrastructure fails. Gradually increasing complexity by practicing tier transitions (“Primary is down — switch to Alternate”) trains the team to move through the plan without hesitation.
Common Mistakes
- Skipping tiers under stress. Teams jump straight to Emergency because they panic, bypassing a functional Alternate or Contingency method. Discipline in following the precedence order prevents this.
- Assuming technology equals capability. Owning an HF radio does not mean you can make an HF contact. Every tier must be backed by demonstrated proficiency.
- Building the plan around hardware instead of people. The plan exists to connect people. If your intended contact does not own a compatible radio or know the schedule, the tier is empty.
- Failing to update the plan. PACE plans degrade as circumstances change — people move, equipment breaks, frequencies become congested, subscriptions lapse. Periodic review keeps the plan alive.
Summary
PACE is not a gear list. It is a decision-making framework that answers the question: when this method fails, what do I do next? The value lies not in the sophistication of the equipment at each tier but in the clarity of the transitions between them. A team that can smoothly shift from a failed Primary to a pre-coordinated Alternate — without confusion, without delay, and without debate — holds a decisive advantage over a team with superior hardware and no plan. Write the plan down, share it with everyone who needs it, and practice the transitions until they are automatic.