What did you do today to prep?

[Doc In UPlace]

The Baofeng radio is without a doubt THE best value in programmable portable communications available today.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

I wonder if there is a bolt lock for a 10/22 - probably is, just for sub-sonic ammo.

Colossic, $85

Here: http://www.colossic.com/defenseproductboltlock.html

 

[CoastRange57]

The Baofeng radio is without a doubt THE best value in programmable portable communications available today.

Of course now someone will start the thing that because it is cheap it is not the best. It is a great value for a radio that you can keep around for emergency or SHTF uses. If you want to talk on it very day, it probably is going to fail you.

I have one sitting on the table next to me right now, and talk on it a couple times a week. I have one in my GHB, and another one for a grab and go radio. My boys have 2 of them as well.

 

[The Heretic]

Yeah, this HT is for GHBs.

I will get one, then if I like it I will get two more - one for each kids GHB. I would get the battery pack for alkalines so that they can be stored with the radio in case the Lion battery is dead when they go to use it.

Later I will get a high end HT - like a Yaesu or Kenwood (I am leaning towards the latter as it has the GPS built into it although it is not as rugged or small as the Yaesu). Then I would get a 100 watt mobile - probably a quad band.

And yes, I will get my Amateur license - I already have my GROL and I can pass the tech test easily enough.

As for the kids, I doubt they would ever use the HT, and I doubt they will be interested in getting their license, but I can always encourage them. The HT would just be solely for absolute emergencies where their cell phones don't work and they have no other choices. I would be sure of this because they are responsible working adults who understand that kind of thing and they would try their cell phones first anyway - so would I, it is just easier and more reliable unless the fecal matter really hit the fan.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

Had a $500 Yaesu, sold it; difficult to program and worse, it did not get very loud. In a noisy (emergency) environment it did not make the grade.

I'd try the Kenwood if looking for a useful higher-end unit.

The little Baofeng battery lasts a really long time, too. I am very impressed with them as you can tell. We use 'em on car-to-car surveillances, and they work as well as the iComm 3011's with better squelch rejection.

And there's the FM radio and the little LED light, handy things.

 

[The Heretic]

I am hoping that with the competition between the higher end HTs, and then the lower end HTs cutting into their market, that Yaesu and Kenwood, iCom, etc., will add features and lower their prices.

I don't like that that the Yaesu has to have an external GPS add-on, and I don't like that the Kenwood with the GPS is not submersible.

I would like to see one of the high end HT manufacturers come out with something like the Garmin Rino - an HT with a GPS display.

 

[erudne]

+2 degrees this morning

 

[The Heretic]

+2 degrees this morning

It isn't as cold here, only in the mid 20s overnight and not getting above freezing much during the day. I am getting halfway decent at starting a fire in the stove - all that wood I cut and split - I might as well use it instead of the furnace.

Even though I am only burning wood on days I am home all day, which is usually only weekends, I can tell I would use more than I thought I would if I were only using the stove for heat.

Of course, this is a bit of a little cold snap so it won't be this cold all winter for my location, but still, I am glad I cut more than I thought I needed. I put a cord of cut/split wood on the deck, and cut another cord (mostly hardwood) into rounds and stacked that down by the shop. I still got at least two maybe three more cords of wood to cut and stack, laying in the woods or pulled up near the house.

I have enough standing hardwood (mostly maple, some alder) in the forest to last probably 5 to maybe 10 years without touching the conifers (which would be sold for lumber instead if I were to cut them). The problem would be getting some of those out of the woods. There are some standing near the house, but those would only be worth one maybe two years of winters.

I also have a lot of scrub maple and hazelnut that I could burn, but it would not be fun to cut it. None of it would be fun to cut by hand - a chain saw sure makes short work of any wood to be cut - it would certainly be worth it to use gasoline to cut wood in a SHTF situation - the amount of wood you could cut and heating energy would be a lot more than the gasoline itself would provide - in any form.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

How is Hazelnut for BBQ? Has anyone tried it in place of Alder or Apple, for example?

 

[The Heretic]

How is Hazelnut for BBQ? Has anyone tried it in place of Alder or Apple, for example?

I don't know about hazelnut - but I know alder and apple are popular.

 

[JackThompson]

I have a Yaesu Vertex VX-170 for my main Handheld. It's submersible and rugged as heck.

It's got decent enough volume, but I have earpieces for all my handheld radios, so I have good volume.

I'm going to order the programming cable for my Yaesu, as it is a pain to program and name all 100+ channels with the front buttons.

We have about a dozen of the Baofeng's in our family, and out of a dozen, only one came in the box inoperable. Amazon sent a free replacement and return shipping label though. So far so good!

Got my chainsaw fixed and cut up some more wood. Went deer hunting again, no deer.

Cleaned the carb on my generac.. still not functioning. I'm going to call their customer support hotline today.

 

[abu]

Back then I made the claim that in the bush a man with a 22LR and a primitive fishing kit could not go hungry if he spent 4 hours a day working for his food!
Up in the Northern Territory, even with the snakes and crocks a 22LR would keep a man fat and happy as long as he stayed away from water w/crocs, a bit dicey that, but doable!
In the NT it is not lack of shelter, water, or food. It is crocs, snakes, microbes and bad weather that will kill you.[/QUOTE]
Cant agree enough, but you forgot the sharks

 

[abu]

Just added another 16 solar panels and two deep cycle batteries to my power system, purchased another 1000 rds of .22 ammo and another 200 shotgun (BB) shells. Am currently looking for some land on a river but as its getting dry in Australia the prices should drop soon, will keep searching

 

[Doc In UPlace]

Cherry will get you a great-tasting salmon. Since you seem to have Hazelnut on your property how about trying it next summer and let us know?
I'm always looking for something different to add to the toolkit.

 

[erudne]

Back then I made the claim that in the bush a man with a 22LR and a primitive fishing kit could not go hungry if he spent 4 hours a day working for his food!
Up in the Northern Territory, even with the snakes and crocks a 22LR would keep a man fat and happy as long as he stayed away from water w/crocs, a bit dicey that, but doable!
In the NT it is not lack of shelter, water, or food. It is crocs, snakes, microbes and bad weather that will kill you.

Cant agree enough, but you forgot the sharks[/QUOTE]
Naw Mate, the Crocs killed off the sharks years ago
Dropped several large trees

 

[rick benjamin]

Power died a few days ago.
Tripped the main disconnect, went to the barn started the genset.
Connection cord had an open neutral.
Both legs swung from 80 to 175 volts.
3 ups units (one caught fire)
>15 light bulbs
5 plug-in transformers
Microwave
Oven
DSL modem
Finally back online

 

[CoastRange57]

Gas rotation yesterday. 15 gallons into the Explorer and 15 new stabilized gallons sitting there. Had a redtail kill two chickens the last two days. Wife is upset, but the chickens are 4.5 years old. Would not bother me if the redtail took a couple more.

 

[ZA_Survivalist]

Have a chainsaw?
Have a neighbor whos tree fell down who doesnt want to pay much to have it removed? Aside from dumping the brush it was free. Cut up the bits I could and made some decent tinder.

I cut up a thick 35ft tree and kept the entire trunk. Cut it all up and I now have a secret stash of wood for emergencies. Wood is kept in tubs to avaid moisture and wood boring insects. Desiccants added to aid in moisture control.

Going to be providing that service for a few folks now and I wont have to pay anything aside from ditching the brush.
Gas fireplaces so its really just a prep wood cache.

 

[Doc In UPlace]

Got a pair of heavy-duty backup eyeglasses.

 

[erudne]

Gas rotation yesterday. 15 gallons into the Explorer and 15 new stabilized gallons sitting there. Had a redtail kill two chickens the last two days. Wife is upset, but the chickens are 4.5 years old. Would not bother me if the redtail took a couple more.

Pressure cook the chickens and make chicken soup!

I tried some of the large zucchini I skinned and froze in August; nuked it and fried it, not as good as fresh but acceptable. I might add it to stew next time as it retains a lot of water, maybe spaghetti sauce, along with my frozen tomatoes??