What did you do today to prep?

[The Heretic]

I just got these:

http://www.northwestfirearms.com/th...r-filtration-system-4-pack-blue-28-79.181900/

Killer deal - 4 pack Sawyer mini filter for the price of what one normally goes for - $28.

I will put one on my GHB, give one to each of my kids for their GHBs, and put the remaining one in my small or big truck.

I was tempted to buy another 4 pack, but I think having one in my GHB is fine - it is a hydration pack. I already have a Katadyn, but I want something small, light and inexpensive for the GHBs.

 

[Angie]

So here's my take on it Angie.



If you have zero interest in learning about radios? Then you are only looking to use a radio during SHTF times anyway, so the license doesn't matter.

Pretty much, but we spend a lot of time offroading in areas with no cell coverage. We usually use race radios at this time, but they don't transmit very far. Many folks are moving up to ham. We also have family in Montana that are off-grid and this is their main form of communication. We'd like to be able to get in touch with them if we need to. So, I don't really care about building my own radios or entering contests, but I do want to be able to transmit sometimes. Thus, the need for the license.

As a teacher, it's difficult to be in the class, because the guys teaching it are NOT teachers, LOL. Nice guys, but have no clue how to teach. I can't tell you how many times he spent 10 minutes talking about something and then said "but they don't really go over this on the test." Then, there are the guys who already know all the technical stuff, have several radios and want to show how smart they are by taking the instructor on a bird walk for things the rest of us have no interest in. A 10 minute break turned into at least a 20 minute break this week because this smarty pants was having a personal conversation with the instructor about which radio he should get (he already has several). I left at the 20 minute mark. My time is more valuable than that. I don't have time to sit around and wait while you monopolize the instructor. It is the instructors fault, because he was excited to have someone else to geek out with. That's the problem with volunteers, I guess.

The thing that I find humorous is that he keeps saying how eventually we will spend hours talking to people all over the world. No, we did that when we were 18 on our CBs. Now we are adults. I have plenty of hobbies. This is not going to be a hobby for me. I see it as a tool. I'm sure some people will pick it up as a hobby, but if I want to talk to people all over the world, I have the internetweb. There is no squelch to listen to.

2 more weeks


(still in escrow )

 

[The Heretic]

Fortunately I have a EE degree (although I barely remember Ohms law now), my GROL, and I worked for a few years field testing a WAN that used 1kw TX on meteor burst, so I have some background - enough to answer most of the theory questions on the test correctly (I even found one on meteor scatter that I could write several pages on as an answer as it directly related to the work I did for the government in this area - but then I would have to shoot them ;-) ).

It is the questions on the rules/regs and different Ham lingo that I would have to study for. I think I would need to brush up on some of my antenna and electronics theory too. I looked at the General class and with some studying I could pass that test, maybe even the Extra class.

What was holding me up from getting those licenses before was the morse code test, but that got phased out last decade for all classes.

Not that Morse code isn't a good thing to know (my grandfather knew it and taught me a little, he was a Ham and shipboard radio operator in both WWI and WWII, I still have a key trainer he made for me), but having my license wasn't that important to me at the time and I figured I would just get some gear and have it around for an emergency.

Now that I live on a mountain with almost no cell coverage (I can use it inside the house by using my WiFi), it would be nice to have a handheld when I got outside (especially out in the woods) in case I need to call for help. Also, my kids are down in the valley and if they had to bug out it would be good for them to have something to backup their cell phones to contact me.

I was looking at those Baofeng handsets on Amazon - $35 for a dual band 4W, $65 for one with 8W TX.

The kids could put an HT in their GHBs and use them on FMRS/GMRS freqs on low power and in an emergency bump it up. I doubt they would use them at all unless it was an emergency - they would not be into them, they would rather use their cell phones and rightfully so because most places they frequent the cell phone would be easier and faster to get help with.

But it would be nice to have a number of these to pass out to neighbors up here in an emergency, and at $30 for an HT, that is pretty affordable.

Later I could get a nicer better iCom or Yaesu HT and a number of base stations and mobiles.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Got in a year's supply of supplements + colloidal silver

Read this:


http://www.thesilveredge.com/pdf/de...cles-neutralize-hemorrhagic-fever-viruses.pdf

 

[JackThompson]

Angie, everything you just explained is exactly WHY you would be best served just studying the correct answers for the technician license and call it good.

That would allow you to push the talk button.

What you are probably going to wind up doing is buying a radio and programming cable, downloading chirp, entering in your local repeaters and uploading it to the radio.

From there as long as you keep your radio charged you're all set

If you aren't building custom (High powered) radios, or running antennas into FAA airspace it's really an infringement on our rights to have to study and become licensed to use VHF/UHF radio.

Not only that, but it exposes you to so many operational security vulnerabilities it's not funny.

 

[erudne]

more trees down due to storm, stacking more firewood cleaning drainage ditches winterizing site #1

 

[JackThompson]

Just added some more information on the HAM Radio Starters Kit thread regarding SDR (Software Defined Radio)

For $15 (Assuming you have a computer) you can have a scanner that will scan all frequencies.

Check it out here:
http://www.northwestfirearms.com/threads/ham-radio-starter-kit-information-for-beginners.159771/

 

[mjbskwim]

Maybe a "What did I do to prep for my Ham Radio" thread is in order so we don't go off on "bird walks" in the "what did I do to Prep " thread?
Just sayin'

 

[JackThompson]

Maybe a "What did I do to prep for my Ham Radio" thread is in order so we don't go off on "bird walks" in the "what did I do to Prep " thread?
Just sayin'

...and again you derail perfectly productive conversations with your "Just sayin" stuff.

It's all related.

I'm sorry you don't get it.

I'm not going to take the time (Or derail this thread further) to help you get it.

There's a big internet out there full of googles that can help you.

 

[Angie]

Thank you for your input, guys Much appreciated. Now, back to our previously scheduled programming

 

[Blitzkrieg]

I decided to also buy a colloidal silver generator and 3 reloads of the silver wire. I can now manufacture the stuff, the process is similar to electroplating. Also bought a digital PPM gauge for it

Also bought everything to install a folding SIG brace on my HK52 pistol, and finished a new section of our fence, with gate, to make this place more sell~able next year or whenever (no debt, then)

 

[erudne]

really dreadful rain storms this past week, only one tree down at site #1. Cut down an old stump near drive way that had become a nusience. Picked the last of the tomatoes, moved 2 cords under cover, winterized site, upgraded and reorganized shop. Got mud tires mounted for farm truck. Hauling out a 1/2 load of rusty old junk that had been rotting away for 20 years
Bought 223 on sale at Bi-mart (.39.9 cents a round). The drive back to #1 on Hwy 14, in the dark during Saturday night's storm was simply 'magic' (magic I survived)!

 

[Burt Gummer]

As I'd said before I like Mr Beams 300 lumen lights for home perimeter lights. When you approach my house at night it is ... well lit. My neighbors not so much. All dark.

Well Thursday night a couple of 16-17 year old car thieves/opportunists came through at 1:39am (all on my 1080p video). So the poor naive guy at the end of the block had his F150 stereo ripped out of his dash. The other neighbor just one house away was also visited. He doesn't like to lock anything so they waltz into his garage and took his wife's purse out of their garage, front seat of her car. That was followed up with an elaborate shopper spree for goodies at Home Depot the next morning. Full surveillance at HD shows them in all their glory, but ... alas no one cares ... certainly not the cops. "Sorry maam you can file a report online if you want."

Funny, when the thieves past my house my work van is right there but so were 600 lumens snapping on, an obvious camera and probably a paranoid nut job inside LOL!

Now, the neighbors are finally stirred up a bit so gave them both a note, below. Also through in the video of the guys coming and going on a USB stick drive so they can enjoy the view. Two scrawny little punks doing what punks do.

That is why cameras really don't do a lot to catch someone. What's the point? Cops don't care.
They are only a tool; also baddies see them and might think twice. Alerts/MURS is another story.

MR BEAMS 300 LUMEN D-CELL LIGHTS
DAKOTA ALERT MURS - DRIVEWAY/PERIMETER ALERT
FAKE CAMERAS ($7) IF NOTHING ELSE
LOCK YOUR DOORS (geez - naive - it isn't 1955 pal)

Odds that any of the above will get done - probably 50/50.

 

[Burt Gummer]

I decided to also buy a colloidal silver generator .....

Well I started taking that (Sovereign Silver 10ppm) about four months ago. Just look at the Amazon reviews - people aren't going to be 99.9% positive about something they pay their hard earned cash for unless it really does what they say.

I must say I've been working 12 hour days for weeks and half of those hours around people constantly hacking and coughing up a lung. One industrial plant in Vancouver a couple weeks ago had 1/3rd of their people out with a vicious flu. But - not saying for sure it is the Silver, but I seem to be bullet proof virus wise.

Already take other natural supplements, but I've heard about 'nano' and collodial silver for many years and finally decided WTH.

... and being the curious type I had to see what the fake medical system and media had to say HAHAHA - dangerous - it will kill you - it will turn you blue, etc, etc - so pathetic (just like B-17 and other life saving supplements).

When it is protested at that level it means a legalized drug/death pusher (the Pharms) have a lot to lose.

 

[The Heretic]

I bought some more Mr. Beam lights - I haven't put them up - but yesterday I was stacking some firewood down by the shop and it was getting darker - enough for them to come on if they sensed something.

So I noticed the one attached to the house overlooking the driveway had come on and I was entirely too far away and blocked by shrubs to turn it on.

It was the neighbors dog who often comes over to play and get a doggy biscuit. I encourage that because she is friendly with me (finally, after luring her for months with doggy biscuits) but she will bark at any stranger she doesn't know or doesn't think should belong there - sometimes giving me some warning somebody is out there (has always been a valid visitor).

 

[Angie]

Where do you live at? I looked into these lights and they look perfect because I can put them up myself. My concern is the cold (sub-zero) winters. Batteries don't like to work so well when they are cold. We don't get a lot of nights below zero, but it's below freezing almost every night from Dec-Feb.

edit: nevermind. Got my answer on Amazon. If it still works in Montana, it will work in Reno, LOL.

 

[erudne]

Site #2
Only one tree limb down, dodged that bullet again, some day it will be an entire tree.
Though It's below freezing at night, and I left the GH door open, that garden is still producing, though corn failed.
Getting barn ready for winter, moved wood splitter under cover. Moved fence rails under cover, moved fence posts so I can fix the D$% M fence later this winter.
Brought in some wet maple for next year, cleaned out some scrap from the barn to add to the pile from site #1 that goes to dump this week.
I'll mount 'new' tires, the ones with tread, on the farm truck tomorrow.
Run to transfer station, fuel station and liquor station on wed?

 

[erudne]

I'd love to hear more tips about CC TV and various outdoor lighting gizmos. Solar lights only work here in summer so I'm more interested in 120 AC motion sensor lights....

 

[The Heretic]

I live on a small mountain (summit 1300 feet, but it is officially a mountain) about 30 miles SW or Portland. Winters are fairly mild here - about as cold as it gets is going to be the upper teens.

I installed the lights about February (it snowed afterwards) and the one lasted until a few weeks ago, the other is still doing okay but is dim compared to the one with fresh batteries. The third one I installed a couple of weeks ago and I just got 3 more that I haven't installed yet. Mine are the MB363 with the single LED.

So we'll see how they do through the winter when they get used more because I leave and come home in the dark causing them to come on more.

But so far, so good. I wouldn't mind if I have to replace the batteries twice a year.

I am going to also eventually install A/C powered motion detection lights various places, probably on the shop and the house where there is power, and move the battery ones to places like the trees in between the house and the shop. I may try to find a way that lets me know inside the house when the lights come on so I know something has triggered them.

 

[The Heretic]

I stacked the rest of the wood about a third of a cord - in unsplit rounds - so far in that stack, a full cord on the deck by the house (yes, I know it is a fire danger, theoretically, but if you saw how wet it is here you would know that about 9 months out of the year it is too wet to start a fire intentionally, much less accidentally).

I stopped at Home Depot on my way home and got some 6' steel fence posts for $4 a post. Drove them 2' into the ground at each end of the stack to keep the wood from rolling off.

It was relatively nice today, but is supposed to rain the rest of the week so I probably won't get to cut any more for a while. What I have would last me about a month if it had to. I doubt I would go that long without power. I could cut a cord in rounds and stack it in a day if I had to, then split it later as needed. The cord on my deck is all split.