Understanding basic radio communications

Many a prepper site extols the virtues of amateur radio. Other sites frequently link to pages about surplus communications gear and such.

But how many people long immersed in the take communications for granted Internet age lack a basic knowledge of radio and radio electronics?

For those wanting a basic primer, the Boy Scout's radio merit badge curriculum looks to me like a good place to start:

Module One    Module Two    Module Three

For those without any radio background, these easy to understand Boy Scout pamphlets provide some basic grounding as a prelude to immersion in a ham radio license prep study guide.