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Letter Re: Another COMSEC Warning on Social Networking Web Services
Jim,
I worked in Network Security in both the military and civilian sectors for quite a few years. The thing I would recommend is not to use any social networking site. Due to the terrible security embedded in the new web programming technology they are rampant with malicious software that can be downloaded to your computer.
Your computer would then be owned by some goon who would use it to attack others and steal your personal info, such as your bank account number, and so forth. But you say, hey I have the newest router, firewall and anti-virus. The companies that make these products are fighting a losing battle because they can only react to what the bad guys build and they have to wait for an attack to fix it and then get it to all their customers. The president of Symantec actually came out and publicly said it was "a lost cause" at a conference a year or two ago. V/R, - Don
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Letter Re: Another COMSEC Warning on Social Networking Web Services
James,
This is a communications security (COMSEC) warning: Readers may wish to think about the networking tools used to communicate between friends and associates - Facebook, Linked-In, Jaiku,
Pownce, Yammer, and others - and realize that not only do they pose a serious threat to the security of their personal information, but some of them are now apparently being used to bring new people into the non-secure comms environment by falsifying "invitations" from others to join. While tools such as Outlook, AIM, Yahoo Messenger, Gmail, Hotmail, Flickr, and MySpace should also be used with caution to limit the damage that could be caused by interception of sensitive information, I have found recently that Facebook is sending out invitations to join that did not come from the stated inviter. I was recently invited to join FaceBook by two different people that I know, but not very well. I wrote them each an E-mail and neither had extended any such invitation. One was not even involved in Facebook himself, and he said he had been getting invitations from East Coast relatives that he hardly knew. It would appear that some engine is finding past links between people and using the name of one to invite the
other to join Facebook, where information is much easier to gather than "point to point" communications such as Outlook. I had the same thing happen with Linked-In. A past business colleague appeared to send me an invite to "join her network of business associates." I checked with her directly and she denied having issued such an invitation.
Readers should be strongly cautioned that electronic communications are easily spoofed, intercepted, redirected and in many other ways rendered non-secure. Never trust electronic communications as if it were snail mail - for the moment, about the most secure way of sending information (other than to/from anyone in the military), unless you are face to face and have removed the battery from your cell phone.
COMSEC is an important part of living in today's world of eavesdroppers, both the innocuous ones and those with evil in mind. Learn about COMSEC from articles in Survival Blog's archives or from other online sources and then practice good COMSEC, as if everything sent electronically is going to be intercepted by your worst enemy and shared with everyone else in the world. - Ted in Idaho
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Letter Re: Securing Bedroom Doors Against Home Invaders
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I will try to keep this short. Hopefully my question might come in handy for a number of your readers. First, thank you for your site and your publications. I am almost finished with "How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It" and am about 50 pages into your "Rawles Gets You Ready" family preparedness course. So far I am loving them both. I am reading quickly through them first and next my wife and I will study them thoroughly together, adapting the information and creating our "list of lists."
Now, I have a question for you or perhaps your readers. I live in a suburb of Denver, though a fairly distant one. Our town is wonderful, and are area is very safe, relatively speaking. We own our home outright, and we are very blessed. That said, due to a handful of reasons, relocation is not an option for us. Therefore, my goal has been to not only stock up, but to fortify my home against those who may not be prepared WTSHTF. Your resources are getting me through most of my preparations, but my question has to do with fortification and the securing of some of my home.
Specifically, the design of our house is such that the master bedroom and my girls' room would be very defensible and secure if only I could install the most secure doors possible. It may seem like overkill, but the peace of mind I would have by doing this would do wonders for my sleeping when things go bump in the night or worse. The rooms are connected via the closets and soon I will be putting in a doorway between the two. The bedroom doors themselves have no exposed wall on either side, but instead fit perfectly into entry hallways, for lack of a better way of describing them. The girls' room is a single wide, "normal" door. Unfortunately, the master is a double wide typical door. The latter will prove more difficult to secure, which is another reason why I want a professional to help me.
While I am trying to learn more and more about these kinds of things, I would like to have secure doors installed ahead of my learning curve, and so I am looking for some advice.
Basically, I am hesitant to simply start calling around for contractors and asking them if they can do the job because, especially in this economic climate, I can imagine most of them claiming they can do anything. Money is a big issue and I don't have much of it, so I need to make sure it is done correctly the first time. So, does anyone have any thoughts or recommendations for me? I will need to have someone do it for me as I don't have the tools or know-how. I need it to be done right the first time. I am concerned about asking just any contractor to do the job, and I am not sure what I would ask for exactly either, in order to avoid mistakes and confusion. On the other hand, I would imagine that the job would be too small for companies that specialize in secure building.
So there you have it. I think there are probably a lot of people like me who are not able to relocate or establish a more secure retreat, and who will have to make the best of what they have and where they are. Securing one's home is something most of us will have to address sooner or later, and the sooner the better. Furthermore, money will often mean that building a Safe Room from scratch is out of the question and smaller measures like securing doors, walls, etc. may be all one can do. We are the people who are wanting more than the average person but are not able to take advantage of what places like Safecastle and Hardened Structures have to offer. And some are even more like me in that they are really out of their element when it comes to this stuff.
In addition to being a wise investment for TEOTWAWKI, it is also a very responsible and reassuring measure to take in case of home invasion or break-ins. If I can only get my doors established, I will have very little fear if I hear someone break in in the night. Instead, I will have time to reinforce my doors, check my outside video cameras from my bedroom, know that my girls are safe and with me, and contact help via my multiple communication options in my room. And of course, I will be able to establish a position with my firearms if for some ridiculous reason the intruder is determined to get to me. I don't believe it is overkill, but being a responsible father.
Thank you for your time. God bless you and your work. - Dan M.
JWR Replies: Typical American home construction since the 1940s has used sheetrock (aka gypsum board) for interior partition walls. So if you beef up any interior doors (typically by replacing them with solid core doors, adding longer hinge screws, deadbolt locks, and/or door bars), then keep in mind that the adjoining walls will then become the most likely point of entry. These walls can be kicked through, in very little time. Once breached, since typical stud spacing is 16 or even as much as 24 inches apart (in non-code regions), home invaders can then just walk in to the adjoining room. Therefore, short of beefing up the walls themselves, by beefing up your bedroom doors, all you've done is bought yourself a bit of extra time. Keep a cell phone handy by your bedside, since hard wire phone lines can be cut. Every teenage and adult member of the family should also be thoroughly trained with firearms, and keep both a gun and a powerful flashlight (such as a SureFire
) by their bedside at all times. Your beefed up doors will hopefully provide enough of a delay so that you'll have 911 in one hand, and 1911 in the other by the time that the bad guys breach your bedroom door or partition wall.
On a related note, for new construction, and remodels, I've recommended that my consulting clients use 3/4 inch plywood or OSB for one side of their bedroom walls. When this sheeting is attached with drywall screws, los malo hombres will exhaust themselves by the time they ever get through a wall that is thus reinforced.
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Letter Re: Parabolic Dish Shoutcasting
Mr. Rawles,
Regarding Skyrat's and other SurvivalBlog.com readers that may be interested in obtaining large C-Band dishes for Shoutcasting, I have a potential free source: I work in the satellite industry and often receive calls requesting that decommissioned and obsolete C-Band dishes be removed from the roofs or ground mounts of hotels throughout the country. When the hotel management receives the estimated cost for the removal, more often than not, they reluctantly decline to have the eye-sores removed. Some enterprising readers may be able to negotiate a deal with a local hotel manager to remove a dish at no charge to the hotel. It's a Win-Win scenario for all concerned. The hotel gets an eye-sore removed and the Shoutcaster gets a free 8, 10, or 12 foot diameter dish [to supplement] secure communications at a retreat. Best Regards - RPH
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Letter Re: Parabolic Dish Shoutcasting
Mr. Rawles:
I had thought I had seen mention of it on Survivalblog, but have been unable to find it. "It" is a commo system for line of sight communications, which could be employed between adjacent homesteads. The technique is to situate two dish type antennae, as in the "C" or "Ku" band (roughly 1.5-2 meter) earth station antennae used for rural satellite television reception, pointing at each other. With gain on the order of 30-35 dbi, they provide roughly 8 to 10 fold amplification of the signal inputted into it. Now, if I were to face the dish, pointing at my neighbor's place, and speak at a normal tone, my voice would carry roughly 8+ times farther than I could shout, and also have a beam spread of around 2-10 degrees, providing considerably greater security of commo than bellowing. (breathe).
Can you help me find the reference I am recalling? I want to toy with such an apparatus, and am looking for guidance. Thanks!
BTW, if someone has leads on how I might obtain surplus or used dishes for a song, that, also, would be welcome. Thanks, - Skyrat
JWR Replies: The letter you mentioned was posted in SurvivalBlog, way back in November, 2005. Since 90% of the blog's current readership came on board in the interim, I'll re-post it, in full, below:
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Letter Re: HF Radios and "Shoutcasting" Parabolic Dish Communications
Dish Communications
Jim:
[In response to an earlier letter,]
a HF network is a
good idea. A local network also has its merits. There are lots of
methods and frequencies for local area usage. Some use military surplus
equipment, some CBs,
some ham, some TA-1 field
phones with wire, some use Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi)
access points (a great idea if you've planned ahead for electricity
and it actually works.).
Shoutcasting
I know three people in Colorado who use
old solid [metal-coated fiberglass or sheet metal--not expanded metal mesh ]satellite dishes to be able to stand on their hills and
talk to each other over several miles using a normal speaking voice.
It must be strange facing away from someone several miles away and having
a conversation. It works surprisingly well, but I was told that the
rare scream of a hawk flying between the dishes can be slightly unnerving.
Local Networks
Many people aren't aware that the Atlanta, Georgia ham community
has a city wide internet that's not part of the [International] Internet.
All courtesy of Wi-Fi. Now that's an interesting concept. Voice,
Phone, Data and Video on a parallel internet. Kinda like the Fed,
huh?
Long Haul HF
Lots of ideas and most are good for their particular arena. But here's the but).
But HF can link the continent together so you know what is
happening all the way across the continent, even to the other end of the continent.
It beats restricting yourself to only knowing what's going on 20, 40 or 60
miles away.(Not to mention talking worldwide or just listening worldwide, Hmmm?).
Check out this article on the Regency Net and GRC-215s radios to
get an idea of how the government planned to use HF to provide trans and
post attack communications among nuclear capable units in the European Theater
and then applied the concept for use in CONUS for FEMA.
Excellent idea overall. [For example,] I look forward to seeing where people
suggest landing. One suggestion might be similar to the HF Backpack net, all USB.
Geared to HF with less than 20 watts and the ability to carry it on your back
while talking on the radio. Rough times? Conservative power requirement! Excellent
capability. Perhaps someone will show up there and suggest moving to a quieter
spot to start a discussion?
OBTW, the web page cited above states that the units could regularly
communicate over 400 miles. Not quite accurate! From Colorado, I
regularly talk to San Francisco, San Diego, Maine, and Georgia [the
U.S. state]--all from this little radio which fits in a flight bag.
It is 20 watts and has a 10 foot vertical whip antenna powered by
a 28 volt, 7 amp battery which I can (and do) recharge with solar
cells. And it's about the same size as the venerable PRC-77! Best
Regards, - The Army Aviator
JWR Adds: Please note that this letter was first posted at a point in the sunspot cycle,when HF propagation was still good. But since sunspot numbers are presently "scraping bottom", HF is now "deader than disco." I'm confident that this pitiful propagation situation will turn around in a few years, but for now, it is a good time to just accumulate bargain HF equipment, as hams give up on HF, in desperation. (In many cases selling their HF gear at "desperation" prices.)
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From David in Israel: Off Grid Alternatives to Utility-Supplied Electricity
James
One of the most troubling things I see when speaking to people about going off grid is how badly they want to keep all of their electrical appliances and just spend many thousands of dollars on a battery bank more appropriate for a U-boat and solar cells or generators to keep them topped off. Having had a minor role in a micro-satellite system design proposal one thing you learn when confronted by limited power supply is to either economize or do without.
The appliances you own for on grid use are not efficient. They are built to be inexpensive or if you are better off durable, even the fancy electrical appliances out of Europe with the Energy Star are in reality a big waste of power once you are paying by the off grid watt for solar panels and battery banks. There is no reason a normal family shouldn't consider an off grid option for their home. Even in a national emergency and societal breakdown it is very rare for supplies of diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, and LP gas to be unavailable for long periods at some price.
Dryer - Enemy number one especially in a large family, a solar clothes dryer is under $5 at nearly every hardware store, ask for a clothesline. Folding indoor drying racks are very popular in Israel. Even in winter indoor drying can be assisted by using a fan, it will also keep the air humidified. After trying the above and finding you just can't make it there are LP gas heated clothes dryers, but these still need mains power for the drum motor.
Oven/Stovetop - There is no reason to use electrical power for cooking. Excellent caterer grade ovens and stoves are available at most appliance stores which run totally on gas. Some may use an electrical ignition or thermostat but nearly all can be retrofitted either with a piezoelectric (no battery needed) spark starter or can just be lit with a match avoiding the danger of the old style pilot light since they now are equipped with a thermal safety. Most people find they actually prefer gas once they are used to it as it is a more even heat. We have had good success using MSR camping kerosene burners when the gas to our home was unavailable for a few weeks.
Hot Water - Nearly any off grid home will benefit from the addition of a solar collector in addition to a well-insulated gas water heater. Think about turning down the thermostat or using a secondary gas instant heating system and low flow shower heads to stretch your hot water supply.
Heating - Most stores and contractors can provide a wide variety of wood, pellet, gas, kerosene, or oil-fueled stoves and furnaces and space heaters. Insulation is key to keeping your alternative heat system from breaking your bank account.
Power Tools - Some older large shop tools can be powered by a PTO shaft or belt system. The possibilities from a gas motor, to steam, to hydro and beyond are limited only by your imagination.
Water pressure - In many areas there is not enough wind for a windmill to keep a water tower full so an electrical or gas pump might work better once all factors are evaluated. If your retreat is located below the summit of the hill it would probably be much easier to install a pool or cistern on the summit to provide pressure for firefighting operations even if your pump is destroyed, for every foot of elevation .433 pounds of water pressure is required for filling your tower or cistern and this pressure is returned when water is used in your home or property. Anyone living in a wilderness area should have in addition to a gravity fed water system of at least 1,500 gallons and a 300 gpm capacity, and at least one portable reservoir. There are portable swimming pools that are the same as US Forest Service uses for firefighting, and a gas powered portable pump for emergency firefighting. Descending water can be run reverse through some pumps generating electricity making it a very effective and inexpensive way to store electrical power once your battery banks are full.
Refrigeration - Most readers if their inventory their refrigerator will find mostly leftovers or things which actually will last until consumption without refrigeration. There are high quality kerosene and LP gas powered absorption refrigerators, some with secondary mains power optional, available from a few suppliers even in the US.
For those with the skills required to build and test a system which can withstand 250 psi anhydrous ammonia, copying the old Crosley Icy-Ball chest refrigerator-freezer is a thrifty option. Since anti-drug manufacturing laws make obtaining anhydrous ammonia difficult, an icy-ball can be built with drains on the absorptive water side to self distill ammonia from cleaning solution. A warning: Ammonia is a dangerous respiratory irritant and any homemade system should be used with caution and kept and recharged outside in case of leakage. One DIY design includes a shutoff valve to keep the ammonia from reabsorbing until the valve is opened allowing it to be stored in a charged condition.
Before refrigeration people would buy eggs and milk fresh in the city or if they could have chickens and a cow or goat would produce their own. A chicken is easily consumed by even a small family once cooked, in less than a day.
A water evaporation cooler cabinet is another very cheap option for keeping food.
Lighting - Gas mantle lighting once found in most urban homes is not difficult to implement using either camping lamps and piped gas or better yet certified indoor lamps. While in college I worked in a gun and camping shop which sold a reverse fitting for refilling disposable Coleman LP gas cartridges from the older non-tip over shutoff bulk tanks making camp lights highly practical for hanging. It must be remembered that gas lighting presents an increased fire hazard so precautions including avoiding clutter and considering the floor and wall surface must be taken into account. Battery powered florescent and LED lights and LED nightlights are also useful for reading and small tinkering. Metal halide lighting is much more power friendly than incandescent if large areas require illumination for security purposes.
Communications - Your radio communications system should have a redundant battery bank and power supply should your services be required in an emergency. It should be remembered the operating rule of just as much power as required and the usage of low power consumption modes like CW. Tube systems are notoriously wasteful of power and tubes have limited life so these should be kept as backup systems in most cases. Only power up satellite Internet systems after you have typed up all the e-mails and set them up to send immediately after going online. There are offline viewers which will call up all the web sites you normally visit and grab them all for later viewing.
Television sets, satellite receivers, and large stereo systems are wasteful of electrical power if left on. A small notebook computer for occasional movies and an MP3 player for music will save many valuable watts. Unplug or employ a disconnect switch [or power strip with switch] on all electronics unless they are in use. This will protect them from power surges in addition to eliminating sleep-state power draw. [Also know as a "phantom load."]
Telephone - If your retreat can obtain telephone service a secondary redundant system connecting you to selected neighbors can be set up in some areas by ordering an old style alarm or bell line to one central home, this is usually cheaper than a line with actual telephone service, and should work in most telephone systems even if the central office with its redundant power goes offline but the wires are still intact. The Telephone company will either splice the wire pairs at the neighborhood box or at the closest central office, officially only for alarm systems, it is possible to set up anything from long run Ethernet or simple voice lines with an old style "everybody rings" party line. This will not save off grid watts but is a good way to add redundancy to your retreat.
Safety - Install at least two combo carbon monoxide sensing smoke alarms in your home in addition to a smoke alarm in every occupied room. In these alarms, install long life lithium batteries and check on the first of the month and every time you change to or from daylight savings. DO NOT use rechargeable batteries for your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms!
Due to the higher fire risk using flame-based alternatives to electricity I even more strongly recommend installation of fire sprinklers in all rooms, flame hoods over all cooking surfaces with automatic sprinklers that have a manual activation, and at least two standpipe and hose cabinets with 100 gpm gravity flow minimum per standpipe, ABC-rated fire extinguisher, gloves, goggles, and Nomex face shroud. Install outdoor standpipes and stocked hose locker for wildfires, a charged mobile phone for 911 (BTW, you need not have an active calling plan to use a cell phone to call 911 in the USA) and if you have to retreat from interior firefighting. Most importantly have an evacuation and rendezvous family accounting plan and volunteer with the local volunteer fire department, learn when the fire is just too big to fight by yourself.
With an engineering eye it is often possible to reduce your home or retreat electrical requirements to an inexpensive few hundred watts once alternatives are considered. Shalom, - David in Israel
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Two Letters Re: Maintaining OPSEC in a Geographically Extended Retreat Group
James,
An idea for maintaining security: One could setup and run their own IP telephone server and use encrypted IP phones to communicate amongst their group. Asterisk is an example of an open source telephony server that runs on Linux. The server must be connected to the internet and has to be made specifically aware of the particular encrypted phones that the group uses. The phones must also have Internet connections. The entire comm channel is encrypted. If the server can be kept secure, then I think there is no point in the channel that is subject to monitoring. If someone were able to piece together all of the IP packets for a particular conversation they would then have to break the encryption.
I have not proven this out in any way, but to my understanding this could be a solution. Keep up the good work. - Michael W.
Sir,
Concerning the post, "Letter Re: Maintaining OPSEC in a Geographically Extended Retreat Group," one answer might by Skype. Video calls need not be used, calls can be made from computer to computer or computer to phone, and conference calling is possible. For some details on encryption see this article. With Very Kind Regards, - Suburban Survivalist
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Letter Re: Maintaining OPSEC in a Geographically Extended Retreat Group
My Dear Brother in Christ,
Before I get to my question my wife and I would like to express our sympathy (a overused word I now but heart felt) at the loss of your partner and our sister in Christ. I know there is joy to be had for her being with Jesus but the loss is still felt by you and your kids and our prayers are with you.
Now my main question. Do you have any ideas regarding security with it comes to putting a group together where the potential members are separated to the extent that it is impossible for them to get together on a regular basis to formulate ideas and plans? The concern over theories that "Big Brother" is out there listening to every phone call or reading every e-mail for certain phrases causes some people to balk at the idea of conference calls. What are you thoughts.
Thank you and God Bless, In Christ, - G.S.
JWR Replies: I was reluctant to post your e-mail and this reply, for fear that it might be misconstrued by someone that is new to SurvivalBlog. (Since we've never advocated doing anything illegal, but posts on security might erroneously lead newcomers to think that we have "something to hide.") With that said, since operational security (OPSEC) is a concern for many readers, here goes: Beyond a cell structure, such as those used by resistance groups, and avoidance of paper trails, bit trails, "cookie crumbs", and using the phone, there are no perfect solutions. Just don't recruit anyone into your prepping group that might do anything illegal. You have little to fear, as long as all of your preps are legal. That is, unless "hoarding" (by someone else's definition) someday becomes a crime. But just on principal, you should exercise discretion, and utilize plenty of OPSEC and communications security (COMSEC).
For extended groups, to avoid a bit trail, hard copy letters that are distributed via snail mail in a circular rotation might work--since we live in the era of inexpensive photocopying. ("Circular letters".) Each letter is given a number, and each addenda that is eventually tacked on is given a letter. Subsequent letters can reference the content of earlier ones. ("As mentioned in Letter 2-A...")
Be discreet and proceed with prayer. And it won't hurt to memorize Psalm 91.
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Letter Re: Retreat Commo and Monitoring Suggestions from a Ham Operator
Mr. Rawles,
I would like to hopefully answer some questions on retreat communications. I have been a ham radio operator since I was 11 and am the third generation of hams in my family. I was recently asked by multiple people to help them come up with a list of equipment that they could buy to have decent communications in there planning. These people are not hams and don’t know much about radios. After giving it some thought I have come up with a list of things that can be purchased on today’s market that should cover basic communications needs. I know that there are many hams out there that will disagree with this list, but they need to keep in mind that these choices aren’t for the best DX radio but are chosen for reliability, value, and ease of use.
First I would like to mention that it is illegal to transmit on an amateur radio frequency without the proper license, and that just having a good radio and not knowing how to use it is like having a rifle and not knowing how to load it. No amount of high tech gear is a valuable as good knowledge.
HF TRANSCEIVER: For a new HF radio I recommend the Alinco DX70-TH. This is HF plus 6 meters. It doesn’t have all the fancy bells and whistles as some better radios but is rugged, reasonably priced, and very easy to use. For a backup I recommend buying one of the older entry level radios such as the Yaesu FT757GX, the Icom IC-725, or the Kenwood TS-140s. These radios can be bought used online at places like eBay or QRZ.com. Having an All-mode general coverage receive HF transceiver lets you listen to signals from around the world and transmit on the amateur bands in an emergency.
VHF TRANSCEIVER: I recommend the Yaesu FT 2800M or FT 2900M. Both radios are rugged, simple, easy to operate radios that you can purchase new for 150.00. These are also the radios that 90% of amateur radio emergency responders use. It gives general coverage receive on most of the VHF spectrum, and has a built in weather radio.
Citizen's Band: I also suggest getting a basic CB radio. Any of the brand name 40 channel CBs will do. CB is one of the most common and easy to use radios available, but they are very limited. one thing to keep in mind is that because of their ease of use, and availability they will probably be the choice of the lowest common denominator. [JWR Adds: For the beast range versatility, and a hair more security, get an SSB-capable model.]
SCANNERS: A decent scanner is also a good tool, a simple Radio Shack scanner can quickly scan a large number of frequencies saving precious time. [JWR Adds: Be sure to get one of the later models that can demodulate trunked traffic.]
FRS: These portable radios are a good tool for communications in a small group. They are legal to use by any one much like a CB. I will not mention any certain brand or model, just some features. Make sure that they are the kind that recharges in a docking station and also use common batteries. Also look for ones that are weather resistant. I would have at least one of these for every member of your group.
ANTENNAS: I will not get into debate about why one antenna is better than another. I will only give specific suggestions of what to get to have reliable communications. HF antenna; an off center fed dipole for 80 meters, and the comet CHA-250B vertical. VHF; Diamond X59A. Scanner; Radio Shack discone antenna. CB; Radio Shack mobile whip with ground plane kit.
ACCESSORIES: Some needed accessories are a 12 volt 20 amp power supply [such as those made by Astron], extra batteries, and 50 ohm coax cable.
Most of these things can be purchased at Ham Radio Outlet online, or at your local Radio Shack. Even with this list of equipment if you can’t use them then they are useless. Also keep in mind that all of these forms of communications are open, non-encoded transmissions, so always exercise good COMSEC. Also, always store all radio equipment disconnected from the antenna, and in an EMP-proof container. 73s - Tim
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Letter Re: Using Direction Finding on Looter Bands
Dear Mr Rawles,
I've just finished reading your latest book ["How to Survive the End of the World as We Know It: Tactics, Techniques, and Technologies for Uncertain Times"], and let me begin by thanking you for writing it. I have just one small quibble in Chapter 9, Communications and Monitoring. This is something we both missed, and it didn't occur to me until after reading this chapter.
While I agree with you that looters are unlikely to have the inclination, hardware, and talent to do direction finding (DF) on a retreat's radio transmissions, the reverse is not necessarily true. If the readers follow your suggestions and get involved in ham radio, it's quite likely that they may have the means to DF the looters. If you know where the looters are, you also know where they are not, and this could be very useful information.
A retreat with a single DF antenna for CBs may not seem to be particularly useful, but bearings on the looters combined with a maps of the area might serve very well.
In addition, if you either have a large retreat with space for two widely separated antennas, or two retreats working in tandem and communicating on a VHF frequency
or field telephone, it's possible to get a good fix on where the looters are. Best Regards, - Jeff K.
JWR Replies: I used to do communications intercept and radio direction finding work, when I served as an Army intelligence officer. It is a skill that does take practice, but it isn't rocket science. As described in my novel "Patriots"
, all it takes is at least two intercept sites equipped with loop antennas, compasses, and enough time to get lines of bearing (LOBs) on a groundwave signal before it goes off the air. Those LOBs are plotted on a map. The intersection of two LOBs is called a "cut", and it takes three or more LOBs to establish an accurate "fix" with a half-way decent circular error probability. (Actually an ellipse, but I won't bore you with the math.) A single intercept site with a loop antenna cannot effectively do DF in part because there is no expedient way to eliminate the "front/back" loop antenna ambiguity. (You don't know if your LOB is correct, or if it is off by 180 degrees.) This ambiguity problem was solved by the introduction of later DF rigs such as the AN/PRD-11, that use an H-Adcock antenna array and some clever processing power to do precise time-of-arrival calculations--actually comparing the micro-second difference in time when the speed of light signal strikes the different antenna elements. My great-uncle Albert Michelson would be proud of the designer!
If anyone wants to become adept at DFing in the field, I suggest that they get involved with a Fox and Hound group, organized by their local ARRL-affiliated ham radio club. It is great fun, requires only rudimentary directional antennas, and it will build a very useful skill.
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Getting Prepared for EMP or a Solar Storm, by David in Israel
Electromagnetic Pulse
(EMP) of the regional effect scale is a threat during times of potential crisis with a megaton class nuclear equipped foe who also has near-space launch capability for these weapons. An EMP-like event of greater strength and duration is also possible during extreme solar flare events. These types of event are caused by ionospheric excitation of the upper atmosphere by subatomic particles and plasma ejected from a massive solar discharge, this motion in the conductive plasma generates massive amounts of radio waves.
An antenna is any conductor of electricity which inductively converts radio waves into voltage, usually grabbing signals in the microvolt range, but--like a tuned guitar string vibrates in harmony when another tuned guitar string is plucked--an antenna best resonates to a frequency resonant with its length. I would ask the readers to quickly brush up on antenna theory with one of the many excellent tutorials on the Internet.
Fortunately for off the grid equipment like portable electronics and vehicles an antenna that best receives these high energy HF radio waves is measured in tens of meters, unfortunately that makes things like electrical power lines and long antennas particularly well suited to absorbing and transmitting large induced voltages into your sensitive solid state electronics.
It is important to remember, if you are concerned about EMP follow the old instructions for during a thunderstorm, disconnect all antennas and unplug your electronics. At a minimum filter your mains power and install gas discharge tubes on antenna feeds for mission critical radios.
Why do the tube tech gadgets survive where solid state dies from HERF? When an errant voltage spike enters a vacuum tube it can just discharge itself to ground if strong enough (so ground everything electronic at every opportunity), the other large components can also mostly take a sudden flash of high voltage without being destroyed. In solid state the junction size is almost universally quite small and if a reversed voltage is applied against the bias of the semiconductor or an over-voltage is applied the gate is almost always ruined in a way that requires component replacement.
While tube tech is much more survivable in an EMP environment, and HF (shortwave) radios are at high risk being tuned to the most affected bands, I wish to remind the readers that in nearly all other categories tube tech is far less survivable and is notoriously wasteful of precious off-grid electricity. The several downsides to "hollow state" tech is mechanical fragility and short life span compared to solid state, we are talking about blown glass and incandescent filaments essentially like a box of light bulbs to the uninitiated. In a well stocked retreat a tube type radio could be an asset after serious preps have been completed, although for the price of a quality collectors item several high quality military grade (civilian ham radio) solid state radios, the tools and parts to repair them, and proper antenna line and power input traps for errant voltage could be purchased providing much better reliable communications to your retreat than tube tech could.
I actually like to play with hollow state components especially when whipping up simple DIY radios and electronics with the kids, it is a much better visual learning tool which can be used to explain how the solid state components work.
I highly recommend that any serious survivalist invest in several good butane soldering irons, quality fluxed lead alloy solder, and a good tackle box full of replacement components, these can either be harvested from junked electronics or purchased in large grab bags form most large electronics engineering supply outlets. The Brunton Fuel Tool [lighter filling adaptor] makes keeping butane in a usable form easier for a prepper by avoiding the mostly incompatible gas cigarette lighter refill cans and instead using lantern/stove cartridges. These, combined with quality test equipment means that most damaged, shot, soaked, or even EMP-damaged electronics could be saved if you have the time to spare testing out components.
If the readers fail to procure the required hollow state and solid state components and practice their electronics repair skills by kitting or repairing intentionally damaged electronics they will not be able to use these skills during a crisis where mission critical equipment might be taken offline.
You must intelligently train, equip yourself for, and practice your medical, electronics, on and off-road driving, long range bicycling, cooking, fieldcraft, armed and unarmed combat, loaded hiking, carpentry, navigation, boating, food preservation, butchering, cycling, farming, veterinary, water finding, cooking, hunting, fishing, leadership, metal smithing, mechanical repair and fabrication, engineering and other critical survival skills. Being a real survivor has nothing to do with hobby shooting, wide-eyed fanatics, or overweight dude commandos, it is about living your life with the calm confidence that you are walking in the path that the Lord has set out for you while taking reasonable precautions to protect the life you have been given as well as being a vital asset to your family and community. - David in Israel
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Letter Re: Older Technology Radio Receivers
James,
I was glad that a reader mentioned the Hallicrafters S-38 series of radios. I had forgotten to mention that the All American Five (AA5) type of radio was also sold in a multi-iband version by Hallicrafters. These are still often available for under $100 in working condition. I have a Hallicrafters model 5R10A, which is a lot like a [Hallicrafters] S-38D. It's an AC/DC design like the AA5 radio that can be run on nine or ten car batteries wired in series with no inverter. (In a test, I found that nine fully-charged "12-volt" batteries wired in series provide 113.4 volts DC.) With 50' of copper wire it picks up stations from everywhere. Just search on eBay for "Hallicrafters S-38."
While it is obviously useful to listen to foreign shortwave broadcasts, long-range AM listening (DXing) can also provide life-saving information. Canadian AM broadcast stations are easy to receive by those who live in the northern half of the country. Those who live in the south, especially the southeast, part of the US can also find English-speaking foreign stations on their nighttime AM dial. I once lived in the panhandle of Florida and I was easily able, at night, to pick up AM broadcast stations from all around the Caribbean. I can recall in particular one strong English-speaking station in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles.
After the lights go out, and nearly all modern electronic devices stop working, an old AA5 wired up to car batteries (or better yet, deep-cycle 12-volt batteries) can keep the nighttime listener up to date on such matters as US and foreign troop movements, martial law declarations, fallout patterns, city riots, and highway problems. - ME
JWR Replies: Thanks for the suggestion. To get the maximum life out of tubes and to be kind to capacitors in an AA5, I recommend using slightly low voltage DC (~110 to 115 volts) and when in both AC and DC operation, using an in-rush current limiter. This gives a gentle "soft start" to the components. In common ham radio parlance these are dubbed in-rush filters, but properly they should be termed "In-rush Current Limiters" (ICLs) or "negative temperature coefficient" (NTC) thermistors. One that is typically used by old radio restorers is the CL-90 NTC made by GE Sensing. If you are handy with a soldering iron, it is fairly simple to build your own "In-rush box", that you can plug in to a surge-protected power strip. The ICL box should have its own its own power switch. This has the advantage of reducing wear and tear on your radio's combination on/off/volume knob. (This is a part that is likely to fail, typically when the volume potentiometer gets scratchy beyond the point of minor annoyance--the classic "scratchy pot" syndrome.) By leaving your radio's power switch always in the "on" position and the volume at a comfortable level, and instead controlling the power with your in-rush box, you'll eliminate most of this wear and tear.
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Letter Re: Older Technology Radio Receivers
James Wesley,
A Zenith Trans-Oceanic (T-O) is hard to beat, especially if you could snag a [rare] R-520 militarized version. This has a spare tube rack, uses no wax paper capacitors, is fungi proof, et cetera. The T-O definitely the world's greatest portable radio (this side of the AN/GRR-6!) the G & H 500s and the 600 series as well as the R-520 all used the 1L6 converter tube which has become expensive and just about un-obtainable. You can clip a pin out of a 1R5 as a substitute but shortwave performance usually conks out around 7-8 MC. The earlier T-Os which used loctal tubes use a 1LA6 converter tube which has identical characteristics to the 1L6. People have made an adapter from a loctal socket and a 7-pin header.. There is no problem getting 1LA6 tubes. The alignment needs a little tweaking due to added stray capacitances, but it works well.
Your discussion on the All-American 5 (AA5) [120 Volt AC/DC tube radios] was great too. FYI, the typical AA5 has a sensitivity of approximately 20uv/meter. That is not too bad for a minimal mass-produced radio. The All American 6 is worth a look. It is basically an AA5 with an added RF amplifier. This is seen in some Philcos and other. It was an untuned RF amplifier, but it helps. The typical AA6 has a typical sensitivity around 5uv. Probably one of the best and cheapest is the Zenith H615, it is an AC/DC 6-tube with a tuned RF stage and a decent loop antenna. It's kind of a "Plain Jane" radio so it's not terribly "collectable" but they work great. Zeniths are always sounded good too.
Many of the Truetone radios marketed for Western Auto stores were AA6s since they were aimed at the rural market away for strong signals. Most of the Truetones that I've repaired/restored were made by Belmont, who made a quality product. The Model D2613 is a common AA6 that works very well and has general coverage shortwave. The RF amp is in the circuit on MW but not on SW.
The little National NC-54 is a great little AC/DC general coverage. It was national's answer to the Hallicrafters S-38. BTW, an S-38 is a good choice.
For what it's worth many AM DXers consider the 1960s Delco car radios one of the best AM receivers ever made. They are transistorized, but the single-ended output makes them kind of a power hog. (But nothing compared to the tube & vibrator and hybrid radios that preceded them.) [JWR Adds: And these of course also operate on 12VDC, so they are ideal for retreats with alternative power systems.]
A Select-A-Tenna
or a home-made tunable loop is a worthwhile addition. (See the National Radio Club's web site.[JWR Adds: I've been a happy user of my original Select-A-Tenna for 20+ years. They are a bomb-proof design. The standard model works inductively (when set up in proximity to your radio's ferrite rod antenna), so there is not even an antenna wire or connection to wear out! These antenna adjuncts are considered de rigueur in Alaska and in much of Canada. They really work quite well at boosting weak AM signals.]
I've been chasing electrons since I was a small kiddo. The fascination with radio never left me.Take a look at my club's web site (the Houston Vintage Radio Assn.)
On another note, I had previously disagreed with you about HF direction finding (DF). But as a practical matter [I have found that] DF-ing [skywave] HF is not that practical in the field. But tag along on a Ham "fox hunt" [to see ground wave HF-DF in action]. But at great distances, due to almost vertical skywave incidence it is pretty tough unless you have a Wullenweber [FLR-9] array! I hope this finds you and yours well. I plan to take a look at Anchor of Hope Charities. and God Bless - TiredTubes
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Two Letters Re: Older Technology Radio Receivers (Original Thread Title Was: Crystal Radios)
Mr. Rawles;
I have been monitoring the latest posts on vintage radios--pro and con--and decided to offer more information and a possible solution for SurvivalBlog readers considering vintage electronics.
M.E. is spot on in his post about the relatively anemic performance of crystal radios versus superheterodyne (as all “American Fiver” sets are known) tube radios. The biggest issue with crystal sets is their absolute lack of range. During a severe crisis, local radio stations will most likely be forced to regurgitate propaganda resulting in little, if any, useful information. As is generally known, news from afar (Canada, Australia, Europe, etc) offers the best advanced information of what will most likely be occurring regionally in our country during an extreme crisis; either government sanctioned-such as the swine flu or unexpected-such as another massive terrorist attack on our soil. This being the case, crystal sets will be useless for all intent and purpose. Regenerative sets will generally fall in this category. An added caveat of regenerative sets is the constant adjustment of the power supply (referred to as a “tickler coil”) by the user. In short, Regen Tube sets require the operator to adjust a variable resistance control to achieve high gain. Unfortunately, the gain qualities would be somewhat unstable requiring the operator to constantly keep the control (tickler coil) just short of oscillation.
Although fine-tuning a regen radio would be possible with time and experience, most of us in a high stress situation have more pressing matters and would prefer a plug-and-play device that can be dialed-in and easily monitored in an attempt to extract pertinent information.
As is often the case, the more information one has, the more complicated the matter of choice often becomes. My advice is simple: if a reader is looking for a radio with unmatched abilities it would be the Zenith line of Trans-Oceanic Radios. These are more than just simple Standard Broadcast ready radios. Zenith Trans-Oceanics are capable of picking up shortwave broadcasts from all over the world.
These radios offer standard broadcast (550-1600 AM), 4-9 and 2-4 MC shortwave (some models have a slightly different bandwidth for these ranges but it is really a non-issue) 16 MC shortwave, 19 MC shortwave, 25 MC shortwave and 31 MC shortwave.
One has to understand that Trans-Oceanics were designed for use in WWII to be utilized by the U.S. Signal Corps for the monitoring of both enemy and ally transmissions. Suffice it to say, any radio good enough to help the boys from the Greatest Generation win WWII will perform beyond expectations!
As an example, I am ensconced in a small town in northern Idaho completely surrounded by mountains and can pick up stations several hundred to several thousands of miles away. I listen to radio
stations from San Francisco, Russia and Japan, Vancouver, Alberta and Quebec (Canada), Denver, Boise, Reno and Brazil (South America), Florida, Havana Cuba) and San Martinique (Caribbean). (What makes my listening experience exceptional is the fact that my mother is of Cuban ancestry and fills me in on the information coming out of South America, while my Russian wife “decodes” broadcasts from Russia.)
Trans-Oceanics are still readily available on eBay and range in price from $50-$250 as an average. All though several pages could be dedicated to the different models of Trans-Oceanics, all of them will offer standard broadcasts as well as shortwave capabilities. Tubes are still readily available and most of them will require electrical refurbishment as 50 year-old capacitors will break down. I have been restoring Trans-Oceanics for quite some time and feel that these radios offer the best of both worlds: Rugged dependability and simplicity of use. If any of your readers would like to contact me
concerning Trans-Oceanics (as I have several refurbished units available and offer discreet refurbishment services as well) please feel free to contact me via email at afbaw1@uaa.alaska.edu and I will do my best to assist my fellow SB readers prepare for the trying times ahead.
Mr. Rawles, I would like to offer my sincerest thanks for continuing to be a “voice crying out in the wilderness”. God Bless. - Prof. W.
Hi James et altera:
For some years now I have refurbished tube radios bought via eBay. I replace all the electrolytic capacitors and paper capacitors, check all the tubes. Then I tune all the padder capacitors and adjustable coils using an RF signal generator. A Fluke multimeter, a tube tester, and an RF signal generator are essential for this work. I've done four models of Hallicrafters and the G-500, H-500, and 600 models of the Zenith Trans-Oceanics ("T-Os").. The 600s have provision for a dial light off a separate battery and a slide rule-like dial. One does not need the gas discharge tube voltage regulator tube in the 600s for DC use. The AM band Wavemagnet is turnable very easily. This aids in both reducing AM interference and increasing the signal strength. I like the 600s the best.
The source for parts and books is TubesAndMore.com. They sell an interesting little kit for a simple tube radio. Would be a great learning tool for novices.
Now while the All American AC/DC radios are a good choice, IMHO they may not be the best. Only a few receive any of the shortwave bands. I would try to locate one that does if you wish to go this route. The shortwave broadcast bands are going to be very important when the Schumer hits the fan. The Zenith T-Os cover the spectrum from 560 kHz up to 31 mHz. Now these models use the miniature 1.5 volt filament tubes that have low "A" battery drain. I fabricate a battery pack with ten of the 9 Volt small batteries in series for the "B" plate current, and 5 of the 1.5 volt "D" batteries in series for the "A" filament current. Five instead of six is preferable. The T-Os work fine with 5 "D" cells in series and the lower filament current makes the filaments last longer. The T-Os have a tuned RF stage, making them much more sensitive than the All American AC/DC designs. I plan to fabricate and test a board for charging rechargable batteries from a 12 VDC source by the following arrangement: connect two of the nine V batteries in series, thence in parallel with one D battery. Arrange five such links in parallel, then all will be charged by a 12 VDC source. One disadvantage of the T-Os is that they use a pentagrid converter tube, the 1L6, which is now hard to find. When the Schumer hits the fan, I will give these spare T-Os to my close-by neighbors.
The disadvantage of the T-Os is that they will not receive single sideband (SSB) transmissions. Most all military and government transmissions will be SSB. The range of an SSB signal is greater. For SSB reception I recommend one of the Hallicrafter's tube radios. The best ones have transformers and require 120 VAC, but this can be supplied by an inverter. After working on several models, I've now bought four of the S-40's to refurb this winter on bad winter days. These will receive either upper and lower sidebands. I suggest buying the reference books on both the T-Os and the later tube Hallicrafters. The source mentioned above can supply a circuit diagram for most older radios.
The 'creme de la creme' is the Hallicrafters SX-71. This tube radio has a dual IF conversion circuit. That is, unlike most all other superheterodynes which have an IF frequency of 455 kHz, this one has a second IF conversion frequency that is considerably higher. Having two such IF frequencies vastly increases what is called "image rejection" and makes for a much more selective receiver. I've one of these I've refurbished. I wish I could find another one!
Now a warning about EMP and close by lightening strikes (which have similar effects as an EMP). I had a nice shortwave antenna with a gas discharge tube next to a Grundig Satellit 800. The gas discharge tube was supposed to shunt a fast moving voltage spike to ground. Yes, it was connected by 6 gauge copper wire to an 8 foot [deep] copper ground. Well now, we had a severe lightening strike which totally fried three circuit boards in the Grundig. A several hundred dollar lesson on Murphy's Law.
To protect radios from EMP the recommendation I've found is this: wrap the radio in nonconductive plastic film. Then wrap completely with heavy duty aluminum foil. Then wrap in a 2nd layer of plastic film. Then add a second layer of aluminum foil. The "skin effect" for electrostatic charges tells us that multiple layers give better protection. If you can use copper foil, this is more conductive and better than aluminum. I've read conflicting opinions on whether or not it is best to ground the outer aluminum foil layer. My opinion is only to ground it IF the distance from the foil to the ground is very short. Else I read that the ground wire will simply act as an antenna and flood the foil with the voltage spike.
One might seriously consider a true uninteruptable power supply (UPS) for a tube radio for household use. Might well isolate it from EMP power line voltage spikes. Best Regards, - Les H.
JWR Replies: I'm also a fan of the older (pre-transistor) Zenith Trans-oceanics. I've owned four of them over the years, and still have two of them here at the Rawles Ranch. The radios of this generation are now five+ decades old, so I agree that replacing the capacitors is a must. (Otherwise you never know when one might go "bang" and make that distinctive "blown cap" smell.) When testing these radios (before re-capping them) it is best to use a Variac to bring the power up very gradually. Aside for buying a few spare tubes and perhaps a reel of extra tuning -dial string, they are relatively "bomb proof" and maintenance free. The book Zenith Trans-Oceanic: The Royalty of Radios
provides some excellent details on how to restore these gems, as well as some fascinating history and price comparisons. By the way, Zenith Trans-oceanics are often available in eBay, including some that have already been "re-capped" and re-aligned. The scarce Pentagrid 1L6 tubes are also sometimes available on eBay, but it is best to be patient and wait for a "sleeper" auction to get one at a reasonable price. It is also worthwhile to look for inexpensive "junker" Zenith Trans-oceanics and AM-only Zenith "Universal Model" radios (with beat-up cases, cracked dials, and missing knobs), as a source for spare vacuum tubes and and telescopic antennas.
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Two Letters Re: Crystal Radios
JWR,
While the concept and idea of a Crystal Radio for TEOTWAWKI (no battery or external power) sounds ideal, in practice the execution leaves much to be desired.
Many ignore the fact that if a grid down situation occurs (or worse an EMP attack) that most radio stations in the affected area will be down and out for the count. In a best case scenario if the transmitting station’s components aren’t damaged, how long will their source of backup power stay up? Many modern stations rely on satellite feeds or long line telephone circuits for their program materials to be delivered and many regional stations have a minimum of technical staff (and no announcers) to maintain their operation and some station’s technical staff actually drives or travels on a circuit to do the upkeep on conglomerate owned stations in a region. US Domestic shortwave stations are in the same boat.
My point? You will probably use your radio for long distance listening to stations that are still up and functioning. Crystal radio sets run the gamut from children’s toys to hobbyist’s expensive toys but generally due to lack of amplification are useful for local listening (and some of the children’s toy type can only pick up two or three very close AM stations – even with a good (100’ long) antenna and ground).
The sets with a mechanical cat’s whisker detector are EMP proof but the ones with a 1N34A style germanium diode are not. The junction in the manufactured diode is very, very sensitive to surges. [JWR Adds: Be sure to buy a few spare detector diodes, and keep them wrapped in insulating plastic and then in tin with a tight-fitting lid, or at least a sleeve of aluminum foil with al seams folded.]
If you want to build or use a set then my strong suggestion is to instead build a one-tube regenerative receiver using space charge technology. These don’t require special batteries or high voltages. If you do a search for a Hiker’s Radio there are a few sites that explore the building of the sets. The component counts are low, the sets are very easy to build (only slightly more complex than a crystal radio), you can use a couple of AA and 9-volt batteries to power them and they utilize the same style of headphones as a crystal set.
The advantages are that the set can be easily built to cover the AM and Shortwave bands, the regenerative receiver can detect AM, Morse Code and SSB signal. (In contrast, crystal radios are limited to AM only.) If built to use 12 volts DC can be run from car batteries, dry cells or gel cell batteries. The Armstrong regenerative circuit provides amplification to the signals and you will be amazed at how sensitive the set actually is.
Parts (including the tube) are available from many sources. (You can even find the parts to build one easily on eBay). Finally, there are a few folks who build these sets and sell them on eBay. (Do a web search for "regen receiver"). Regards, - Karl A.
James,
This is another topic about which I have some intimate knowledge. When I was a kid - when gasoline sold for 29 cents a gallon - I built three crystal radios. I build them using both a razor blade and a germanium diode as the detector. I never had a piece of galena crystal to try out.
This kind of radio receiver depends heavily on having a strong radio signal. When I built my first one my folks were living in a small town in Central Texas that had exactly two radio stations (on 1240 and 1380 AM.) I can remember hearing both stations at the same time. That was because both stations were only a couple of miles away. This is what happens when a crystal radio is used. Also, a crystal radio radio can only drive a crystal earphone, which means only one person at a time can listen to it.
Far superior to a crystal radio for survival is a pair of two superheterodyne radios. One of the two radios would be of the hand crank and/or solar cell variety, a solid state radio. Unless there is an EMP attack this will be the best radio one can have because it's light and it requires no replacement batteries.
In case there is an EMP attack a vacuum tube radio is the best radio to have. It is possible to shield a solid state radio from EMP by storing it inside of a well grounded metal box or can. But, what if you happen to have the radio out when the EMP attack occurs? You're SOL unless you have a spare radio stored in a grounded can. (What if there's a second EMP attack?)
The best type of vacuum tube radio to have is what's commonly called an "All American Five." This type of radio was built between about 1935 and 1960 by literally hundreds of US manufacturers. What distinguishes the All American Five is that it uses a set of five tubes whose filament voltages add up to about 120 volts. Since it has no power supply transformer it can be run on either 120 volts AC or DC (10 car batteries in series.)
The older version, made from the late 1930s through the 1940s used the 12SA7-12SK7-12SQ7-50L6-35Z5 tube lineup. The later version, made during the 1950s and into the early 1960s used the 12BE6-12BA6-12AV6-50C5-35W4 tube lineup. For survival use I recommend getting one of the later versions and keeping around a full set off spare tubes (especially the 50C5 and 35W4.) These radios are very sensitive and selective. At night they easily pick up stations up to 1,000 miles away.
"All American Five" radios often sell for around $20 - $30 on eBay. They make cheap insurance against EMP. Regards, - M.E.
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Letter Re: Amateur Radio for the Rest of Us
Mr. Rawles,
Thank you for including the recent article on amateur radio in SurvivalBlog. I have been an amateur radio operator for about 35 years and have been playing with radios for over 40 years.
I am amazed with the depth of knowledge of the readers on your blog. In many of the topics covered, I know very little. I have one criticism of amateur radio operators concerning "emcon" or emergency communications. Many hams like to participate in the organized drills with their local Emergency Government officials. This is a big mistake in a SHTF scenario. Think of yourselves, your family, and those closest to you first.
While it may be advantageous to be on good terms with law enforcement, they really don't care about us. Public safety agencies pay millions of dollars on high tech, complicated communications systems. If they still fail in a TEOTWAWKI situation, any civilian communications gear can be seized, upon gunpoint, in an emergency. They may also be seized to prevent any civilian communications.
Most police lack user discipline on radios. They really don't understand radios. I consider a good working knowledge of communications as complicated as a working knowledge of firearms. We would use our firearms to protect ourselves and our loved ones first. Think of communications gear the same way. Forget about all of this nonsense about amateur radio as a "public service". Think of radios in terms of communications only. The license is not going to matter in a SHTF situation. Only your knowledge of radios and communications in general will make the difference. Best Regards, - Randall S.
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Letter Re: Crystal Radios
Jim,
Something I've often wondered about prepping, but have never seen addressed is the use of Crystal Radio sets for after TEOTWAWKI. Small, portable, and they don't require any electric source. There are some high performance sets out there that get not only AM [broadcast band 560-1700 KHz], but also shortwave.
I'd love to have some input from a knowledgeable individual as to the "best" unit from a prepping standpoint. The variety and cost spans the spectrum from under $10 at Radio Shack, to antique reproductions for over $500. Confusing to a novice, to say the least. But the technology seems to offer some terrific advantages. Here is a crystal set that seems to focus on purchasing performance, rather than nostalgia, or a beginners set (which seems to be most common).
It is ideal to input into "best" headsets and used the "best" antennas--possibly "best" complete package? Your input would be greatly appreciated.
I know there are receivers out there like the Freeplay that use dynamo / spring power. But the crystal radio is completely passive. There is no way for it to break it , with regular use. - Jack J.
JWR Replies: That is a good suggestion. Not only will this provide an EMP-proof back up radio, but it is a great way to teach youngsters the basics of electronics, detector designs, and radio wave propagation. The crucial spares to lay in, in depth, are headphones of the properly-matched impedance. Headphones are by far the most fragile part of the receiver. Also, be advised that in the long term, germanium crystals will eventually develop "dead spots" after contact with a cat's whisker, so it is a good idea to buy some extra crystals or germanium diodes. These are also good "second order" barter items, for those dreaded multi-generational scenarios.
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Amateur Radio for the Rest of Us, by Jim in Illinois
In the modern world, there are few things as critical as the propagation of information. Anytime, day or night, we have access to news, weather, and interpersonal communications. When that information is
unavailable whether due to a misplaced cell phone, internet disruption, or other factor, we begin to panic, feeling cut off and isolated.
When disaster strikes, up to date information could be as vital to your survival as food, shelter, or a means to defend yourself.
We can all make plans for our retreat and relocation, but without a means of contacting one another when the time comes, all we can do is wait and hope that everyone is on their way.
What is amateur radio?
Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is a service designed for the purpose of intercommunication between individuals whether for casual chatting, emergency preparation, or in the event of an actual emergency. The FCC permits citizens that have proven proficiency in FCC rule and of reasonable technical ability to use this service. To do so, one must pass a written exam and register their information with the FCC to obtain a license. Transmitting on amateur radio bands without a license could subject a person to fines or even imprisonment. However, there is one caveat to this rule. During an emergency, when lives are at risk, anything goes.
The phrase “anything goes” rarely has as much significance as it does in a TEOTWAWKI situation. Now, I am certainly not condoning the unlicensed use of amateur radio. But there may come a time that the only thing between you and rescue is a ham transceiver.
As quoted in the FCC amateur radio rule book:
§97.405 Station in distress.
(a) No provision of these rules prevents the use by an amateur station in distress of any means at its disposal to attract attention, make known its condition and location, and obtain assistance.
(b) No provision of these rules prevents the use by a station, in the exceptional circumstances described in paragraph (a), of any means of radio communications at its disposal to assist a station in distress.
Note: With that said, I would still encourage anyone making any effort in preparation to seriously consider following the licensing procedure.
Amateur radio signals are capable of traveling thousands of miles, or as short as tens of miles.
There are many factors that will affect the distance your signal will travel.
Some of them include:
Just like with an AM/FM radio, there is a wide spread of radio frequencies that signals can be received on. Common allocations for amateur radio can be found anywhere from 3M MegaHertz (MHz) to well over 440MHz.
Typically the lower frequencies, from 3-30MHz (High Frequency or HF) provide the greatest distance with the least amount of power. This is accomplished by natural phenomena called ‘propagation’, which will be explained later.
VHF 30-300MHz (Very High Frequency) and UHF 300-3000MHz (Ultra High Frequency) offer a very high quality signal for ‘line of site’ distances up to about 50 miles. Police, fire, and private services rely on these frequencies due to the clarity and reliability of communications. FRS/GMRS (Family Radio Service) radios use 460MHz (UHF).
In amateur radio, the most important factor is the antenna. An antenna can be as simple as a long piece of wire strung through a tree, or as large as an array of directional antennas hundreds of feet in the air. Just because it’s simple though, doesn’t mean it won’t work. I have talked to a ham in Portugal from my living room in Illinois using nothing more than a piece of wire looped around my ceiling fan.
‘Any’ antenna will work better than ‘no antenna’.
Transmit power is measured in watts. While amateur radio has a limit of 1,500 Watts, most transceivers will only put out about 50-100 watts. Ideally, the more watts put out, the farther the signal will travel. You must also remember though, the more watts transmitted, the more power the radio consumes. This is something to keep in mind when battery power is in precious demand.
It is generally a good practice to keep output power low when possible, and make up the difference with improvements in your antenna. I have talked to Japan on 5 watts from Illinois. Power isn’t everything.
During the day, solar rays charge different layers of the atmosphere which create a reflective barrier for radio waves. As the sun fades for the day, so does our propagation.
Higher frequencies require a higher amount of charged particles. Radio waves that do not bounce are simply absorbed or pass right through. During times of good propagation, it is possible to send very weak signals across the globe.
We can, to an extent, control how far our signal will go by utilizing the three main types of propagation.
By utilizing an antenna that has a low take off angle, like a vertical antenna or high dipole (like your FM stereo comes with), our signals are directed at the horizon which will hit the atmosphere and bounce back to earth. (The earth is round, remember?)
- NVIS (Near Vertical Incidence Skywave)
With a lower dipole antenna or tilted vertical antenna, we increase the angle of the radio waves. Therefore, the waves go up sharply and bounce down much closer.
- Groundwave (line of sight)
Line of sight communications solely rely on the receiving station being within a straight line of the sending station. A walkie-talkie is a good example of this. Repeaters, which I will cover below, are often used to increase range of line of site radio equipment. Output power and antenna height greatly improve line-of-sight (LOS) communication.
Setting up a station
When determining what radio equipment will suit your needs, you must first decide on a few things.
- How far do I need to communicate?
- How portable will I need it to be?
- How much can I spend?
VHF/UHF
If you answered the first question with “less than 50 miles”, then you can easily set yourself up with a useable system for under $200. VHF and UHF transceivers are often called 2 meter and 70 centimeter radios, respectively. 2M and 70CM refer to the length of the actual radio wave. 2M operates around 145MHz and 70CM operates around 440MHz.
Handhelds
A handheld unit has the advantage of small size, internal battery pack, and built in antenna. On the other hand, the small size, internal battery pack, and built in antenna is a serious compromise regarding transmit and receive distance. Typical handhelds maximum power output is about 5 watts and the internal battery won’t last long at that power level. The functionality of a handheld unit relies on repeaters. Without a repeater, a handheld would be limited to about 10 miles or less.
A repeater is a transceiver with a very high antenna that receives a signal on one frequency, and retransmits on another, usually at a much higher power. Through the use of repeaters, it is possible to work stations >100 miles away with a walkie-talkie. This may sound like fine business, but repeaters are privately owned and would likely be locked down by the owners, without power, or seized by the government, should society crumble.
Mobiles
Mobile units are designed to be mounted in a vehicle and are powered by 12 volts. Although an external antenna is required, this gives the user the flexibility to decide which antenna works best for them. Most mobile units can produce at least 50 watts and can be reduced to lower power as needed. A base or even portable station can be easily setup using a mobile radio, rechargeable 12 VDC battery, and an antenna placed as high as possible. With careful planning and experimenting, this system can be optimized to reach distances of 50 miles or more, creating an efficient point-to-point communication link.
HF
For nationwide communication, HF is going to be the winner hands down. HF radios are typically capable of more than 100 watts and under good conditions can talk coast to coast and across the ocean. The greater distance is attributed to propagation, as described earlier.
The biggest stumbling block with HF radios is the cost. With a starting price of around $700, most folks will find it very hard to make room in their budget for this.
Another consideration is the antenna. To work efficiently, an antenna should be at least ¼ wavelength long. Depending on the frequency, this could be anywhere between 10’ to well over 60’. But as stated before, any antenna is better than no antenna.
Conclusion
Undoubtedly, whether your plans are staying or relocating, reliable communications will be a must for you and your group. This article is written as a primer into amateur radio and to simplify what can seem to be an overwhelming step of preparedness. There are hundreds of volumes written on the subject, and I would encourage anyone serious about prepping to research further.
I really can’t stress enough that you should take the time now to get licensed and work out any problems before they occur.
Links:
www.arrl.org Find testing locations and just about anything else ham-related.
www.qrz.com Take online practice tests for amateur radio exams
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Letter Re: Some Travel and Bug Out Gear Recommendations
Sir,
First, as promised earlier I wanted to follow up and describe the kit I take with me on my trips. As I have mentioned in the past my job takes me overseas all the time, so for the past decade I have spent 80-90% of my time in third and second world countries. As a result the type of kit I take with me becomes important – it has to be packable and lightweight (especially now that the airlines are limiting you to 50 lbs. per bag versus the old 75 lbs. per bag). I have built up a kit that fits inside a one quart water bottle that goes in my suitcase whenever I travel. In the kit I have:
1. A folding knife (not a one hand opening one … just a plain old Buck style knife). When asked (four or five times in a decade now) I explain that this is for cutting my food.
2. A pocket knife (Swiss Army knife
) [JWR Adds: Per FAA regulations, edged weapons may only be carried in checked baggage--not in carry-on bags,.]
3. A fork and spoon (titanium)
4. A small (AAA battery size) LED flashlight
5. Several packets of sugar free hydration mix
6. Water purification tablets and a water purification straw
7. A compass (Marble's Brand Pin On)
8. A waterproof container with matches in them (while technically not allowed I have packed them for years with no problems)
9. A length of 550 cord
10. A map of the region that has been waterproofed after various routes out of the area have been marked on it.
11. A waterproofed copy of my passport front page, driver’s license, and birth certificate, and contact number.
12. A couple of Krugerrands
I also have in the suitcase:
1. A small SW receiver (Grundig)
2. A first aid kit
3. A medical kit with various antibiotics, cold medicines, etc. in it.
4. A sewing kit (scissors come in handy and the thread and safety pins can be used for fishing)
I also use a backpack to carry my laptop and business stuff in. I have in the past pulled the hard-drive from the laptop and left it sitting there when I have had to evacuate. The survival kit goes into the backpack in this case. Just because the backpack is a 5.11 RUSH24, it has not raised any eyebrows by customs officials. In addition to this I have always carried a packable raincoat or poncho and a cold weather jacket in my suitcase along with a good pair of hiking boots and a couple of pairs of wool hiking socks.
Notice that other than the items in the water bottle, they are all items that one would use on a long business trip anyway.
I make it a habit to never pack and carry anything with me that I would not be willing to dump if the need arose.
I am sure this list will cause all sorts of heartache and discussion but I have used this kit or something very similar since I was a teenager (my father was posted all over the world) and unless we are talking about a complete breakdown of order it has enough in it that I can make it out of an area if need be.
Second, we are using this weekend as a chance to go enjoy the great outdoors and practice our load out at the same time. As mentioned in the past we plan on using a camping trailer to get out of our area if we are forced to. So this weekend (as we have in the past) we are practicing our load out and go skills. The kids look at it as a game, and now while the world is not as bad as it could be, we can survive if we forget something basic – and have time to add it to the trailer.
Third, when it comes to a bug-out many of us are tied to our computers and would want to take them with us. While I plan on taking one laptop with me if we ever have to leave our house (plus the K-12 educational CDs that we have for it) along with vital records, there is another way to keep your records with you. I have started to use products from a couple of different sites for many reasons – portability and security are chief among them. Portableapps.com allows you to load a basic set of applications onto a USB [memory] stick and use it in “stealth” mode on any computer with a USB port. This allows you to keep your records and a basic set of applications with you at all times (things like money management software and email are critical). I also frequent pendrivelinux.com and have a USB stick set up with a virtual linux image that allows me to do the same basic things as with the windows portable applications. I would urge you to set up several USB sticks like this so that you can get by with a single laptop/PC per family versus multiple ones. I also have the same sort of setup (using the windows briefcase function) for my critical business documents – while pulling the hard-drive does work this is a much cleaner solution.
In this way if I need to walk out of an area, a small USB memory stick is a whole lot easier to carry than a laptop. Plus with the large number of companies that are placing tracking software on your laptops these days, being able to keep certain things private has a great deal of appeal. - Hugh D.
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You're Not (Yet) Prepared, by Ted B.
You saw the warning signs years ago and decided to be the ant, not the grasshopper. You found and purchased the home on land that is now your residence as well as your retreat. You’ve gathered the materials to survive, perhaps even thrive, during the coming storms of political upheaval, food shortages, social disorder and economic distress. You took courses on weapons use and feel confident in your ability to defend home and kin with any of the weapons in your personal armory. You assembled canning materials and learned how to use them. You consume, replenish and rotate those foods regularly, not just watch them age on the basement shelves. You have the house wired for 12 VDC as well as standard 120 VAC. Your solar panels, batteries and backup generator are all positioned and tested. The neat stacks of silver rounds lie nestled in protective containers, waiting to be used for purchases when the dollar is finally recognized for the worthless paper it has become. Medical supplies are all labeled and stored in easy to reach locations in the house, barn and bunker. Manuals on survival techniques, emergency first aid, growing and preserving your own food, and a host of other critical topics are carefully filed away for future reference in an Internet-limited world. Stabilized gasoline and treated diesel sit quietly in sturdy underground drums. Your communications gear includes CB, ham and FRS radios, and you rigged up wired field sets between the main house and outbuildings.
You even took some steps not normally included in the various “Preparation for Apocalypse” articles that flooded the media and which were read by millions. You measured the firing distance to each property landmark visible from your home and wrote up landmark-specific bullet drop tables for the calibers of rifles you will use in defense. You got part of a fresh animal carcass from the local country butcher and practiced your wound suturing skills on real flesh. You picked up and squirreled away various strengths of reading glasses that you don’t need now but may need in years to come. You gathered moderate quantities of several multi-use chemicals and a book that shows how to make simple mixtures such as match head material, flash powder, and smoke grenade filler. When buying and storing your paper goods, you didn’t just lay up three years worth of toilet paper, you also remembered that "If The Momma Ain’t Happy, Ain’t Nobody Happy" and, setting aside your embarrassment, you bought and carefully stored away a generous stash of feminine sanitary products. You knew that having beans and rice for months at a time potentially could be considered a fate worse than starvation, so you added hard candy, plenty of dried fruit and other treats to the pantry.
You feel a sense of accomplishment and confidence as you fine-tune your checklists and provisions. You can’t plan for absolutely everything, but you feel you’ve done all you can to get ready for the majority of scenarios that might come about. You are prepared. Or are you?
A vital component that many people forget is preparation as a community. Self-sufficiency tends to lead to some amount of isolation. My own little slice of heaven in North Idaho is a prime example. Almost every resident of my small rural town is independent, largely self-reliant, skilled, practiced and ready for everything from extreme weather to MZB attacks. Each of us knows the neighbors who are in our immediate vicinity, and within that small area we all share goods as needed and assist when the situation calls for it. But until very recently, no one but the Postmaster could say he actually knew the majority of people in our community beyond a wave and a hello as they drove past.
Each micro-community, composed of anywhere from three to a dozen families, had social interaction at backyard barbecues, fireworks displays and 4H meetings, and teamwork interaction at such events as road clearing sessions after a big windstorm or snowstorm. But these individual micro-communities did not interact regularly, did not know what skills or provisions each could contribute in times of widespread emergency, and most importantly did not know whom to call to rapidly disseminate important, time critical information about events that could impact the entire region. We had no phone tree, no list of skill sets available within the town, and no plans for assistance beyond what each micro-community did as a matter of practice, informally developed over the years. We were not truly prepared, even though most of us thought we were.
While it is still an ongoing process of refinement, as all preparations tend to be, we took an approach that may well serve your own community. First, we advertised a community preparedness meeting, with enough advance notice that people could get it on their calendar if interested, but not so far in advance that it was forgotten by the time it arrived. The invitation, via signs at the Post Office and Fire Station, and distributed via flyers, had three key elements:
It was to be an informal meeting with no governmental spin or involvement; it was to get folks talking about community preparations for a variety of situations where we could help each other out effectively, while maintaining our privacy and independence, and finally it would include some refreshments. You’d be surprised how many people are drawn by the prospect of home made brownies, fresh coffee and Huckleberry lemonade.
The meeting itself stressed that the purpose was to:
- Help local citizens to get to know a few more of their neighbors, and
- Expand preparedness thinking from just individual parcels or immediate neighbors to the entire community.
Also mentioned up front was that the meeting was not called in order to:
- Pry into anyone’s issues with their neighbors
- Get into political debate
- Gather information about peoples’ pantry, gun safe contents, or underground bunker…
- Violate privacy – personal or property
- Pressure anyone to participate
- Fill peoples’ calendars with meetings/activities
We reminded attendees that planning was important now:
- So that preparations can be done when we have time, resources, good weather, low stress levels
- So that friends and neighbors know how the community as a whole will respond, before any action is needed
- So that critical preparations are not overlooked
- So that shortfalls can be corrected before an event makes them a critical issue
- Because some preparations may take a long time
- To avoid excessive duplication of efforts
We talked about the various scenarios that might require the community to band together instead of trying to deal with the issue on our own, including wildfire, extreme weather, a major transportation interruption, a large scale natural (or man-made) disaster, economic meltdown or further acts of governmental tyranny.
We discussed the focal areas that might be established to get people with specific knowledge or skills involved on teams of resource planners/coordinators to allow the best response to the situation:
- Communications
- Emergency Resource planning/coordination
- - Food/water/fuels (consumables)
- - Personnel/Equipment/shelter (hard resources)
- Defensive systems
- Medical
- Fire
- - Advanced Preparedness
- - First response
- Unusual hazards and situations
We asked attendees to sign up, voluntarily, for areas where they felt they could add benefit by thinking and researching, providing leadership or just helping out on a time available basis.
We established a web site where residents can find out – at their convenience – about meetings of possible interest; tips from others on various topics such as food preservation, animal husbandry, and ammo reloading; updates to community contact lists; and other information that may be of value but does not warrant continual phone calls or E-mail messages.
We created a phone tree that allows any person to make as few as three calls and be confident that within 5-10 minutes the vast majority of residents had either been personally contacted or had a message left on their phone machine. The mechanism is simple:
A small handful of people’s names and numbers are at the top of the tree.
The citizen who sees or hears about an imminent danger calls each of these top-tier persons or – if they do not answer – one of the people on the next tier down.
Each of those called passes the message along – briefly but specifically – to each of the names just below their own, on the tree.
Those people do the same until the bottom of each branch is reached, then those at the bottom make a “close the loop” call to each of the original top-tier residents.
[Note: elderly or invalid residents on the phone tree should be physically visited if they don’t answer the phone and the issue is potentially life threatening]
The close the loop step ensures that the community phone tree has been activated, at least partially, from top to bottom and allows cross-trunk communication if the line is severed unintentionally by personal or electronic difficulties. A community of >1000 people can be reached in just five vertical steps if each person makes just four phone calls without duplication; six steps if only 3 calls per person are made. For events requiring continued updates, such as wildfire location or direction of approaching zombies, the web site can then be used to stay up to date without tying up the phone lines again and again. To ensure that the phone system itself does not cause a breakdown in communications, the community should have backup schemes as many layers deep as necessary, including CBs or other pre-established radio lines, “pony express” mechanisms using car, ATV, snowmobile, horse, dogsled or whatever makes sense in your region. This one step alone can dramatically improve your overall preparedness as you will have hundreds of trusted eyes and ears scanning for dangers, hundreds of hands and minds that may be applied to a situation that would overwhelm your own family’s abilities, and a means to call on resources beyond your own wealth – as long as the spirit of give and take is kept balanced and not abused.
Beyond these steps, you might also consider establishing an appropriate number of recurring activities or meetings, whether they are weekly or quarterly as prescribed by the level of availability and interest; fleshing out or refining your community preparedness plans based on detailed threat scenarios that seem likely for your area; establishing response plans, including identification of leaders and supporters; and holding community response drills to see what holes you’ve missed so they can be corrected before a real crisis comes along. As a final thought for consideration, a hand-cranked 110 dB siren suitable for notifying all locals within a considerable distance that they need to get on “the community net” can be had very affordably on your favorite auction site…
Now you can go clean your M1A again while gazing fondly at your stuffed pantry shelves, secure in the knowledge that you probably are about as ready as you’ll ever be.
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What Divides You from The Sheeple? Plenty!
Nearly every week, I get at least one frantic e-mail from a new SurvivalBlog reader, stating that they feel woefully under-prepared. The gist of these e-mails is: "I'm behind the power curve! How can I possibly get prepared in time?"
Fear not! Just by reading SurvivalBlog and taking some small, gradual steps at preparedness, you are miles ahead of your sheeple neighbors. And even with just modest preparedness measures, you have already substantially increased your chances of surviving most scenarios.
As I see it, here are your advantages:
Awareness
Most people are clueless. They have a naive Pollyanna outlook. But SurvivalBlog readers see the Big Picture, and plan accordingly. Because you are constantly aware of current events, you won't be one of the Generally Dumb Public (GDP) masses that invariably gets petrified in a crisis. Instead of just sitting there glued to a Crackberry, you will be taking concrete, meaningful action. While others spin in circles like beheaded poultry, you'll be busy helping to get things back to normal.
Skills and Knowledge
Unlike the folks that absorbed in the mindless American Idol television culture, you've spent your available time in taking hands-on training, and reading up on practical and tactical skills. You've also assembled a home library of useful references.
Networking
Most of you have teamed up with like-minded relatives, friends, church congregants, and neighbors.
Meanwhile, your average suburbanite doesn't even know the names of all of the neighbors on his block, much less know their skill sets.
Tools
You've bought the best tools you could afford, for all foreseeable eventualities. Whether it is your Hi-Lift jack 
or your Glock, you've done your homework and acquired the most appropriate and durable gear. Meanwhile, your neighbors have frittered away their funds on jet-skis, Beanie Babies, Hummel figurines, and big screen plasma HDTVs.
Planning
You've developed both "stay put" and "Get Out of Dodge" plans, plus a few alternates.
You keep your bugout bag and even your passport handy.
Logistics
Unlike the sheeple--who aren't prepared for even a three day power failure--you have your beans, bullets, and Band-Aids stocked away, in depth. While your sheeple neighbors are flocking to the grocery store, where they will most likely find only empty shelves, you'll be sitting pretty. And while they are pondering their two gallon gas can for their lawn mower--their only stored fuel--you have laid in enough to not only be ready for a crisis, but you cane even pick and choose your time to re-stock, when their are dips in fuel prices.
Locale
A minority of highly motivated SurvivalBlog readers have taken my advice and relocated to safer regions. I hope that more of you do the same!
Communications
You already have your commo and band scanning gear up and running. While most folks will be completely ignorant when the power grids and phone systems go down, you'll be coordinating with your Group, and keeping track of where the malo hombres are moving, and where they might be heading next.
Capacity for Charity
There is room in the hearts of most SurvivalBlog readers to dispense copious charity. We consider it our duty. And more than just the willingness to dispense charity, most of us just as importantly also have the capacity--namely, the requisite materiel. If you can't spare it, then you can't share it. As I often tell journalists in phone interviews: I don't look at my food storage as a three year supply for one family. Rather, it is a one year supply for three families.
The Bottom Line
To wax a bit metapohrical, SurvivalBlog readers are what the actuarial accountants would call "low rate qualifiers"--meaning that because we have minimized our risks and maximized our potential life spans we'd qualify for the lowest possible insurance rates. There are no absolute guarantees, but your chance of achieving room temperature at an early age is far, far below that of the average man. Pat yourself on the back, and then redouble your efforts to get squared way.
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Preparedness Beginnings, by "Two Dogs"
I am a retired Marine Corps officer and Naval Aviator (jets and helicopters), commercial airplane and helicopter pilot, and most recently, an aircraft operations manager for a Federal agency.
I graduated from numerous military schools, including the U.S. Army Airborne (“jump”) School, U.S. Navy Divers School, Army helicopter, and Navy advanced jet schools. In addition, I have attended military “survival” courses whose primary focus was generally short-term survival off the land, escape from capture, and recovery from remote areas. Like most Marine officers, I attended The Basic School, an 8-month school (only five during the Vietnam era – my case), which is still designed to produce a second lieutenant who is trained and motivated to lead a 35-40 man platoon of Marines in combat. This course covers everything from field sanitation to squad and platoon tactics, artillery and other ordnance delivery, communications, reconnaissance, intelligence, firearms training, and much more. Later, I attended the Marine Amphibious Warfare School and the Command and Staff College, both follow-on schools and centered upon the academic study of tactics and strategy as they applied to the missions of the Marine Corps. I flew helicopters offshore in the Gulf of Mexico and across the U.S. I found out first hand how thoroughly corrupted is the federal bureaucracy and the government, in general. Not a pleasant experience. I’d rather have been flying. I have bachelor's and master's degrees.
As a result, my wife of forty years and I seem to have been moving endlessly from place-to-place. Nevertheless, I have tried in each place to do what I could to maintain a level of self-sufficiency for my family that varied greatly with locations and personal finances. My intention here is to try to share some of the less-than-perfect ways that I have tried to accomplish that end.
Only in the last few years, primarily as a result of the political and fiscal situation in the U.S., have I begun reading some of the huge amounts of literature about how one can prepare for serious long-term off-the-grid survival. I have found that the preparation required to be ready for that contingency seems to be endless. I do not want to talk about all of those preparations. Others have done so very well, and besides, I’m not there, yet. What I would like to do is to talk to those, perhaps like me, who are not true survivalists in the commonly referred-to sense, but who are genuinely concerned about the future of this country, and might desire, like me, to begin to prepare. Perhaps my elementary and simplistic efforts might be of help to someone else who is beginning to think about the subject of preparedness. There are many scenarios that might require this, but the two that I am thinking most about are economic collapse and electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack. I’m building small Faraday boxes, but not doing much else for EMP.
My thinking on begins with my own estimation of the basic problems: shelter, water, food, fuel, and security. I view these as the most critical needs, whether living in a tent or other outdoor shelter or here in our rural home in West Virginia. Here I have and often take for granted what I have -- shelter, well water, a small stream, a pond, a rain barrel; canned, dried, frozen, and freeze-dried foods; fuel for the generator and portable stoves, kerosene heater and lanterns; factory-made and reloaded ammunition for any one of several firearms. Edible plant books. Gardening books. Encyclopedia of Country Living-type books. Reloading books. Hunting books. Tracking books. A few novels devoted to the “what ifs” of the future, including Jim Rawles' excellent "Patriots:
A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse", for example. Books to fill an entire bookcase. The Boy Scout Field Book sits right there next to the military survival manuals, as do Tom Brown's Field Guides, the The Foxfire Book series, a canning book, field medical books, and quite a few others.
Those are the basic things about which I think. I have been thinking about them for quite a while, in fact, longer than I even realized. Perhaps I’ve been thinking about them ever since I was a young lad. For example, my very first “survival book” was the Boy Scout Field Book, the original of which I still have (circa late-1950s edition). It is still a great reference if one is looking for an all-in-one manual for starting fires, making simple shelters, recognizing game tracks, tying knots, and much more. I note that it is still available on Amazon.com. (It’s probably been scrubbed to favor the politically correct, but don’t know [JWR Adds: Yes, I can confirm that unfortunately it has been made politically correct--with the traditional woodcraft skills showing any injury to innocent and defenseless trees duly expunged. So I advise searching for pre-1970 editions!] ) One does not necessarily need the SAS
Survival Handbook
or the U.S. Army survival manual. I have them and have read them. They do cover security problems, but then don’t cover other topics. Alas, there appear to be no “perfect” manuals, and the Boy Scout Field Book is no exception. But it’s not a bad beginning. And so I was beginning the journey even before I knew that I was.
I think that my first education in “survival” came at about fourteen. That’s when I first shot a .30-06, an old [Model 19]03 Springfield. It pretty much rattled my cage. Mostly, my older brother and I used to track and shoot small animals in the deep woods of Missouri as youngsters. We were “issued” ten rounds of .22 LR ammo by our father, a retired USAF pilot, to be used in a bolt action, single shot, .22 rifle with open sights. One would be surprised what that meager handful of loose ammunition could do for one’s choice of shots, one’s ability to be patient in waiting for the shot, and for one’s great satisfaction at having brought home six or eight squirrels for the cooking pot, having used just those ten rounds – and sometimes, but not often, less. My point is that the knowledge of firearms is, in my view, basic to the notion of preparedness and in surviving in the wild. And it need not be exotic or overly complicated in nature. One can surely attend modern schools that will teach one to double-tap a cardboard target or silhouette at seven yards with a semi-auto pistol, as well as basic and advanced tactical rifle courses, but very basic survival skill with a rifle can be had without much cost if one is committed to learning the skill and if one disciplines oneself. Start with only one round, and work up from there. As Col. Jeff Cooper used to say, “Only hits count.” In a purely off-the-grid survival scenario, I can envision that .22 LR rounds would be very precious, indeed.
Consequently, and even though I own handguns and rifles that will shoot .45 ACP, .44 Magnum/.44 Special, .357 Magnum/.38 Special, .380 ACP, .223, .25-06, .270, 7mm-08, .308, .7.62x39, .30-30, .30-06, and .45-70/.457 WWG Magnum (a wildcat), I shoot a .22 rifle and pistol more than all of the others, combined, and normally at least twice a week. And I’m hoarding them, as well as shooting them. I have the capability to reload all the calibers (except .22 LR/Magnum, of course) above, as well as shotgun ammo in 12 and 20 gauge. I wasn’t really thinking of “survival” when deciding to do this about twenty years ago, but was interested only in having the capability to shoot more, and to do it more cheaply. Yet it appears that much of that ammo could be used for barter. I had never even considered this until reading some of the recent “survival novels.”
My apologies. I’ve wandered into the weeds here, as I could do forever on my favorite subject. Suffice it to say that whatever firearm one chooses – and make no mistake, one is necessary in my opinion -- there are all kinds of reasons to choose one over the other, depending on the situation and the person. One must endeavor to shoot it well. Owning a firearm is of almost no consequence, at all, unless it is properly employed. Personally, I prefer a M1911 .45 ACP pistol and a 7.62 M1A SOCOM, while my wife is comfortable with the milder .38 [S&W] revolver and 20 gauge. pump shotgun. I won’t even begin to get into the debate over .223 vs .308 and 9mm vs. .45 ACP. Suffice it to say that in Vietnam I had the opportunity to see the effects of all of these, and I chose for my own security the .308 and .45 ACP.
Having got my favorite subject out of the way, I’ll talk about one that is likely even more important. Water. It is amazing how complicated this can be, and how many choices one has to solve this problem. I have not yet solved it. I have put up a rain barrel, and plan to get a couple more. It’s amazing how rapidly a 55 gallon barrel will fill in even a moderate thunderstorm. I got mine from Aaron’s Rain Barrels. http://www.ne-design.net/. I’ve camo-painted the first one to make it recede into the bushes that surround it.
We have a very shallow stream down the hill that I need to dam so that it keeps only about a foot-or-two deep pool for gathering some water. It flows into a large pond, of which we own half (The owner of neighboring property owns the other half.). But that’s over a hundred-yard trek downhill with empty buckets, and the same distance uphill with full ones. Now, while that is okay for a backup, in my thinking, because I’m going on 63 years, I prefer to have something closer. So my next “big” purchase will be a Simple Pump that allows one to drop a pump and pipe though one’s existing well casing down to below water level and extract water by means of a hand pump or DC motor attached to a battery which, in turn, will connect to a solar panel. This is much, much cheaper than a Solar Jack. At $1,200 for the hand pump capability (I’ll add on the DC and solar later), it’s a bargain, for me. See: http://www.survivalunlimited.com/deepwellpump.htm.
I’m not recommending it for anyone, yet, as I haven’t got one. It has plenty of good reviews, and I’m willing to try it. My apologies, but I am just talking about how I, for one, intend to solve my “water problem.”
I’ve also started collecting clear plastic soda bottles for use in Solar Disinfection (SODIS), see; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_water_disinfection. I’ve set up a rack for putting out the bottles in a sunny place. Again, that’s a backup, but I’ll use it.
I have bought three different water filtering devices, the best of which is the Swiss-made, all-stainless Katadyn Pocket Microfilter. It works wonders in that shallow stream and pond down the hill.. [JWR Adds: The same Katadyn filter model is available from several SurvivalBlog advertisers. They deserve your patronage first, folks!]
With the exception of the Simple Pump, these solutions are relatively cheap and effective, if not producers of great volume. So far, they are what I’ve come up with.
I won’t go much into the food problem. It isn’t quite as complicated as the water problem. I’ve either got to have it [stored], grow it, or kill it. I’ve started storing all kinds of Mountain House freeze dried #10 cans (with expiration date dates in 2034), two-serving meals from Mountain House (expiration dates circa 2016), and numerous grocery store-type canned foods (expiration a couple years), in addition to dried beans, rice, Bisquick (sealed in plastic bags with desiccant inside), salt, sugar (Domino, which are sold in one-pound plastic tubs), olives, peanuts, wheat, etc. Basically hit-or-miss, so far. I need to get this “food problem” organized and do it right. But it’s a start. I think we’ve got only about a 60-day supply now, for two.
I’ve got two Coleman two-burner stoves. One is a butane stove, and the other a dual fuel (white gas or unleaded gas), as well as several small backpacking stoves, the best of which is a MSR Whisperlite International
, which uses virtually all fuel (unleaded, white gas, kerosene, diesel, and maybe even corn oil). I was heavily into backpacking when we were stationed in Hawaii in the late 1970s, and still have all the gear. After having one knee replacement and hedging doing another, I’ll not be backpacking if I can help it. Nevertheless, I have two bug-out bags with essentials in them, ready to hit the trail if need be. I’ve saved up and bought two good Wiggy's bags and a couple of his poncho liners.
Concerning backpacking stuff, I can recommend a book that I read back then called The Complete Walker, by Colin Fletcher. I haven’t read it in at least a decade, but its import is such that I remember much of it. He emphasizes simplicity in gear. That is to say, don’t pack a tent if you can get by with a tent fly – which you cannot in cold weather. I’ve still got my old three-season tent, but am saving up for a four-season. And he emphasizes: don’t worry about pounds – worry about ounces. That is to say, if one is packing tea bags, remove the labels from the bags. Ounces. Remove all packaging material unless it is absolutely necessary (usually never). Don’t carry a “mess kit,” nor a knife, fork and spoon set. A spoon will do (I’ve done it) along with a pocket knife. Now I have so many knives of so many types that I can’t remember them. Personally, I’d go for a multi-tool. But it’s heavy. I never used to carry a weapon while backpacking. Of course, it was (and is) illegal in Hawaii, but I think one would be remiss in not doing so today. There was so much good advice in that book that helped me in the USMC, if nothing more than when packing my helicopter before a mission, or a car, trailer, or truck to move across the country. “Think ounces, not pounds.” I always think about Mr. Fletcher’s advice when I pack.
Anyway, I think I’ve got the camping stove angle covered in spades. That is, until the fuel runs out. Same goes for kerosene heater and lanterns (5). My plan is to pull out our pellet stove and replace it with a free-standing wood stove. Pellets are nice, but they must be bought, and the price is getting exorbitant, according to my pocket book. They likely will be non-existent in a crunch.
I connected a 12,000 Watt/50amp gasoline generator when we moved into this house nine years ago, as I have with every house in which we’ve lived for the last two decades. I’ve got it wired through a transfer box to the circuit-breaker panel, a job that I did myself. It works, and it’s safe. The main reasons for having this were to run the 220V[olt AC] well water pump and to run the refrigerator and our free-standing freezer during power outages. But I’ve got it wired, anyway, to nearly every circuit in the house, except the other 220V appliances – water heater and heat pump. It is somewhat selectable. That is to say that I can choose which circuits I want to power by engaging or disengaging the switches on the transfer box. The problem is that it uses gasoline. So in a long-term outage it would soon become useless. I’ve had the propane gas company come out to estimate what it would cost to get a dedicated 100 gal propane tank for the generator. It would be about $500, but then, in addition to the 50+ gallons of gasoline, butane tanks, and white gas that I keep stored in a separate outbuilding, it would make a great explosion when hit with a tracer round.
Which brings me to the subject of security. We live in a split-level home on about ten acres of forest. The property is surrounded by other similar-sized properties of seemingly like-minded individuals. I gleamed this because everyone out here shoots. The sweet sound of gunfire can be heard at times in a full circle. West Virginia, at least, has still got its priorities straight in this regard. But I digress. This is a frame house with half of it below ground in front, but framed in back, which faces the forest. The forest, itself, is a maze of downed pine trees blown over by the wind, interspersed with small saplings, vines and low brush. Not a likely avenue of approach for anyone but the most determined. For those who are determined, the downed trees would make excellent cover and concealment. So I have a security problem to solve there, as well as at the front.
I’ve started buying rolls of barbed wire and baling wire. Unfortunately, I do not have access to dynamite, which we used to be able to buy in a hardware store in the 1960s. We used it back then to blow stumps while clearing the land for our house. I am thinking of buying a bunch of used railroad ties to build cover in the back; I’ve thought also of bricks and sandbags. Problem is we’re reaching the point in all of this where the house would begin to look like a fortress, of sorts, to all but the most ignorant observers. So there’s a line here concerning security versus “normalcy” that I must cross sooner or later. Inasmuch as my wife is a few years older than I and is on constant medications, I’m afraid that finding a retreat (if we could even afford one) would be out of the question, as access to doctors, hospital and pharmacy are a necessity. Nevertheless I’ve got the bags packed and gear ready to throw into the pickup (Toyota 4x4 – like to have one of those older model American trucks, but I think they are getting rare, at least around here. And what there are will likely go to the Cash for Clunkers Program….grumble, grumble. What will they think of next?).
So it looks to me as if we are here for the duration of the crisis, or sooner, if they try to take the guns from my cold, dead hands. Speaking of, I still have to build a cache or two for guns and ammo and a few other necessities.
And since I’ve more-or-less made that decision (here for the duration), I’ve thought of organizing the apparently gun-loving neighbors. I’ve begun to buy walkie-talkies, if not field phones and commo wire. I’ve got solar panels and several batteries (need to get a mega deep cell or two, however) to run the small battery chargers and the CB radio. My shortwave is up and running.
I will have to wait to talk to the neighbors, whom I rarely see, much less know. I can just imagine the words that would come out of their mouths if I were to mention to them the notion of forming a security “company” and establishing a perimeter. “That old retired Marine down the road is nuts!”
So that’s what I’ve got to say. I do hope it at least stimulates some thought for those who are starting out trying to prepare, as I am. All of this shows me that one “problem” in this “survival” business leads to several more, and they in turn lead to even more problems. Lots to do. So I’m glad I’m retired. I’ve got time to think about it. If I were rich, I could do a lot more and likely in a far away place, but as it is, we do with what we have. I have to use the lessons taught to every Marine: Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.
Long Live America. Keep the Faith. - “Two Dogs”, Col. USMCR (ret.) in West Virginia
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Gear Up -- Appropriate and Redundant Technologies for Prepared Families
I frequently stress the importance of well-balanced preparedness in my writings. All too often, I've seen people that go to extremes, to the point that these extremes actually detract from the ability to survive a disaster situation. These range from the "all the gear that I'll need to survive is in my backpack" mentality to the "a truckload of this or that" fixation. But genuine preparedness lies in comprehensive planning, strict budgeting, and moderation. Blowing your entire preparedness budget on just one category of gear is detrimental to your overall preparedness.
Another common mistake that I see among my consulting clients is an over-emphasis on either very old technologies or on the "latest and greatest" technologies. In the real world, preparedness necessitates having a bit of both. At the Rawles Ranch we have both 19th century technology (like hand-powered tools) and a few of the latest technologies like passive IR intrusion detection (Dakota Alerts), photovoltaics, and electronic night vision. My approach is to pick and choose the most appropriate technologies that I can maintain by myself, but to always have backups in the form of less exotic or earlier, albeit less-efficient technologies. For example, my main shortwave receiver is a Sony ICF-SW7600GR. But in the event of EMP, I also a have a pair of very inexpensive Kaito shortwaves
and a trusty old Zenith Trans-Oceanic radio that uses vacuum tubes. Like my other spare electronics, these are all stored in a grounded galvanized steel can when not in use.
Here is my approach to preparedness gear, in a nutshell
- Redundancy, squared. I jokingly call my basement Jim's Amazing Secret Bunker of Redundant Redundancy (JASBORR)
- Buy durable gear. Think of it as investing for your children and grandchildren. And keep in mind that there'll be no more "quick trips to the hardware store" after TSHTF.
- Vigilantly watch Craigslist, Freecycle, classified ads, and eBay for gear at bargain prices.
- Strive for balanced preparedness that "covers all bases"--all scenarios.
- Flexibility and Adaptability (Examples: shop to match a 12 VDC standard for most small electronics, truly multi-purpose equipment, multi-ball hitches, NATO slave cable connectors for 24 VDC vehicles, Anderson Power Pole connectors for small electronics--again, 12 VDC)
- Retain the ability to revert to older, more labor-intensive technology.
- Fuel flexibility (For example: Flex fuel vehicles (FFVs), Tri-fuel generators
, and biodiesel compatible vehicles)
- Purchase high-quality used (but not abused) gear, preferably when bargains can be found
- If in doubt, then buy mil-spec.
- If in doubt, then buy the larger size and the heavier thickness.
- If in doubt, then buy two. (Our motto: "Two is one and one is none.")
- Buy systematically, and only as your budget allows. (Avoid debt!)
- Invest your sweat equity. Not only will you save money, but you also will learn more valuable skills.
- Train with what you have, and learn from the experts. Tools without training are almost useless.
- Learn to maintain and repair your gear. (Always buy spare parts and full service manuals!)
- Buy guns in common calibers
- Buy with long service life in mind (such as low self-discharge NiMH rechargeable batteries.)
- Store extra for charity and barter
- Grow your own and buy the tooling to make your own--don't just store things.
- Rust is the enemy, and lubrication
and spot painting
are your allies.
- Avoid being an "early adopter" of new technology--or you'll pay more and get lower reliability.
- Select all of your gear with your local climate conditions in mind.
- Recognize that there are no "style" points in survival. Don't worry about appearances--concentrate on practicality and durability.
- As my old friend "Doug Carlton" is fond of saying: "Just cut to size, file to fit,, and paint to match."
- Don't skimp on tools. Buy quality tools (such as Snap-on and Craftsman brands), but buy them used, to save money.
- Skills beat gadgets and practicality beats style.
- Use group standardization for weapons and electronics. Strive for commonality of magazines, accessories and spare parts
- Gear up to raise livestock. It is an investment that breeds.
- Build your fences bull strong and sheep tight.
- Tools without the appropriate safety gear (like safety goggles, helmets, and chainsaw chaps
) are just accidents waiting for a place to happen.
- Whenever you have the option, buy things in flat, earth tone colors
- Plan ahead for things breaking or wearing out.
- Always have a Plan B and a Plan C
If you are serious about preparedness, then I recommend that you take a similar approach.
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Three Letters Re: The Simple Reality of EMP -- Different Than You Might Expect
Dear JWR,
I read the EMP article by Andru and thought it very well done with one minor correction in the power generation area (worked in the nuclear power industry for 20 years before changing careers). The EMP E3 pulse is very dangerous to the transformers in the transmission and distribution system, and hydro-electric and nuclear will also be severely affected. Commercial generators of any output run at 8,000-10,000 volts which is fed immediately to step up transformers to feed the transmission system. The most common voltage for the transmission system is 250,000 to 500,000 volts (3 phase) which reduces amperage and therefore reduces line losses. The power goes from the power plant through the transmission system to one of the many interchange grids which direct and control where the power is going to. The power is bought and sold in commodity markets by these interchange systems. Even if you live next to a power plant its output will go through the transmission system first, and then to a series of step down transformers in the distribution system before finally being delivered to the customer. Much of the time my home power was not supplied by the power plant I lived next to and worked at.
The transformers are the weak link. A severe solar storm can induce currents that will destroy them (this has happened). Safety interlocks may not work as the pulse can increase current too fast for the breaker to trip before the contacts get welded shut or else it can cause winding damage before it trips. As Andru says the extent of the damage will be the problem. None of the high tension step up/step down transformers are made in the US anymore. And the lead times for their manufacture are measured in years. I expect in such a scenario desperate measures will be taken to produce transformers (or repair them – very difficult and not possible if the damage is severe enough).
If we suffer an EMP attack plan for the power being off for years. I would suspect that power recover would be prioritized in the major metropolitan areas as that is where most people and industry are. The rural areas will probably be the last to be worked. This is standard operating procedure (SOP) for power restoration, you do what brings the most people back online first. - James J.
Mr. Rawles,
Mention was made in your blog of an article entitled, "EMP 101 - A Basic Primer" concerning the results of an EMP attack on the United States. The article was written by William R. Forstchen, the author of the novel One
Second After.
I followed the link and read the article. For the most part it was very informative, especially the part about all modern airliners being "fly by wire" and controlled by computers. From my aviation background I know that the control surfaces of most large aircraft today are simply too large to be moved around by the pilot's own strength, as they were in aircraft designs up to the 1950s. Still, it was a graphic reminder that most large aircraft today are completely dependent on their on-board computer systems to operate. There is no "manual backup", just another spare computer system that could possibly also be damaged in an EMP incident.
But there was one section of his article discussing advance preparations to mitigate the effect of an EMP blast that I did not understand. That was the paragraph:
"An off the shelf purchase of hand held two way radios by every local police, fire, sheriff, and emergency response department in the country
would mean, that if then properly stored along with a large stock pile of
batteries that within minutes after an attack, a nation wide network of
communications would be back up and running. This can not be emphasized
enough, that proper communications and what the military calls "command and
control," will go a long step towards maintaining public order."
I'm not quite sure what Mr. Forstchen is referring to with the term, "off the shelf purchase of hand held two way radios"? If he is referring to the commonly available Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) walkie-talkies that use AA and AAA batteries, then he is not aware of their severe limitations. FRS radios only have 14 UHF channels and 0.5 watts of RF output power. The GMRS radios have 22 UHF channels and typically around 2 watts of RF output power.
Both radios operate on relatively low power and on UHF frequencies, a combination that will limit their effective range to a few miles typically. At best perhaps 10-miles with the higher powered 2-watt GMRS radio (don't believe the advertising hype on the package). The UHF frequencies do a better job of penetrating building walls, but they don't propagate as far as VHF signals. They provide "Line of Sight" operation - if you can see the other person in the distance, you should be able to reach them on the radio.
Based upon these obvious limitations, I don't understand where the author comes up with the statement that equipped with these consumer-grade walkie-talkies, "within minutes after an attack, a nation wide network of communications would be back up and running." With their short range and limited channels, it is impossible to create a "nationwide network of communications". When used from inside a vehicle, the range of the low power FRS radio can be measured in feet! Usually the range is only a few car lengths, which makes for limited convoy use. In addition, the limited number of available radio channels will ensure a pandemonium of signals and the resulting radio gridlock reminiscent of the peak of CB radio activity in the late 1970s. This is especially true when you realize that every man, woman, and child could potentially be attempting to communicate on these same channels with their personally owned FRS or GMRS radio. The public service functions will no longer be operating on radio frequencies reserved and licensed exclusively for their use.
If the author is referring to the purchase of additional two-way radios of the type already in use by police, fire, sheriff, and emergency response departments, then he is unaware of how they operate. Most "business band" or "professional" hand held radios have a RF output of 5-to7 watts. They are still limited in range by their inefficient "rubber duckie" flexible antenna, frequency band, and power output. The only reason they seem to operate so well over many miles of varied terrain is because of the supporting infrastructure, mainly the radio repeater system. The radio repeater extends the range of the low powered hand held radios by retransmitting their signal [typically] from a mountaintop repeater site. A network of repeater stations located on high terrain can vastly improve the coverage of a hand held radio, providing excellent range throughout a county or even an entire state depending on the size and extent of the repeater network.
Unfortunately, the weak link in all of the radio systems used by public service agencies is their radio repeater system. With all the repeater stations off the air due to EMP damage (or even a lightning strike) the entire radio network falls apart. Most public service radios are programmed to operate exclusively through the repeater system. If the repeater system is down, the radios no longer work. Sometimes a sheriff's department will have their radios programmed with a "car-to-car" channel, which is a simplex frequency where the radios transmit & receive on the same frequency (without the need for a repeater radio). But these "direct" channels are very few, and are often the only simplex channel available out of a radio system with five or more radio channels. To provide adequate coverage over a large city or county, all the normally used channels are duplex frequencies going through the radio repeater system. An additional limitation is that each public service function is limited to their specific allocated and assigned radio channels. The radios are pre-programmed by a radio technician at his shop. The radios are not field programmable by the user.
In addition to this vulnerability, professional two-way radios use rechargeable battery packs - usually Nickel-Cadmium or Nickel-Metal Hydride. The sealed battery packs are designed to work with a specific model of radio. The radios do not use AA, AAA, C, or D-cell batteries. So unless there is a back room filled with chargers and a person assigned to keep all the spare batteries charged up and rotated out of the charger at all times, there is no simple approach to having charged batteries ready to go to support a stash of spare radios. In fact, most public service agencies can barely afford the minimum number of portable radios needed to equip all their personnel. There is no budget for an additional stash of spare batteries and radios.
The only radio service I know of that has the flexibility to adapt in a "repeater down" situation is the Amateur Radio Service. Instead of specific frequencies or channels, "Ham" radio operators are allocated entire radio bands to operate on. The VHF and UHF radios used in the Amateur Radio Service can be user programmed to operate on any desired frequency within a radio band, and all will switch to simplex operation at the press of a button. Manufacturers of ham radio equipment often offer an optional alkaline battery case for use with their hand held radio models. While looking like the typical Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) battery pack from the outside, these battery cases can be opened up and AA batteries inserted into the slots. The battery case is then attached to the radio the same way as the regular NiCd battery packs do. This allows the ham radio operator to stockpile a stash of spare AA batteries for use during an extended power outage that prevents the usual recharging of the NiCd or Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH) battery packs.
So, unless you are a ham radio operator, expect a long delay before normal radio communications are restored. Due to the limitations and vulnerabilities of public service two-way radio networks, reestablishing a nationwide network of radio communications is going to take time. Sincerely, - Bruce C.
James:
Andru’s outlook about EMP is in part misleading. The main item that Andru got correct is that an EMP attack will be more devastating that any other attack on America. I am an engineer and have read the Critical National Infrastructures (CNI) Report and this report is based on educated opinions without large scale testing since large scale testing has not been performed due to banning of nuclear testing. Localized EMP testing generally wipes out the electronics depending on how close the EMP generator is to the electronic equipment. It is all supposition as to the amount of damage that an EMP attack will create but it is know from a nuclear weapon test in 1962 that was 800 miles from Hawaii and the EMP created damage to Hawaii even with the minor amount of [microcircuit] electronics existing at that time. Think what the damage would happen in our electronics world of today.
Nuclear Electromagnetic Pulse by Jerry Emanuelson: "Although nuclear EMP was known since the earliest days of nuclear weapons testing, the magnitude of the effects of nuclear EMP were not known until a 1962 test of a thermonuclear weapon in space called the Starfish Prime test. The Starfish Prime test knocked out some of the electrical and electronic components in Hawaii, more than 800 miles away.
When the 1.44 megaton W49 thermonuclear warhead detonated at an altitude of 248.5 miles (399 km), it made no sound. There was a very brief and very bright white flash in the sky that witnesses described as being like a huge flashbulb going off in the sky. The flash could be easily seen even through the overcast sky at Kwajalein Island, about 2,000 km. to the west-southwest.
In a phenomenon unrelated to the EMP, the radiation cloud from the Starfish Prime test subsequently destroyed at least five United States satellites and one Soviet satellite. The most well-known of the satellites was Telstar I, the world's first active communications satellite. Telstar I was launched the day after the Starfish Prime test, and it did make a dramatic demonstration of the value of active communication satellites with live trans-Atlantic television broadcasts before it orbited through radiation produced by Starfish Prime (and other subsequent nuclear tests in space). Telstar I was damaged by the radiation cloud, and failed completely a few months later.
EMP is a potentially massive, severe problem that can essentially devastate our nation. America as we know it can not survive even a moderate EMP attack. Society will collapse.
The EMP pulse flows through the air at the speed of light until it hits antennas, power lines, cabling, etc. then the pulse flows through this cabling at the speed of light into the electronic equipment and the electronics fail.
[Here is a roughly analogous event that is illustrative:] Our television cable system was struck by lighting and all electronics that were on and all electronics that were off and that were connected to the TV cable were fried. Similarly, EMP will fry any unprotected electronics. The only way to protect your electronics is to have the equipment inside an adequately grounded Faraday cage (metal box) that does not have power or cabling running into it. Your electronics that are not in use should be stored in a grounded Faraday cage everyday.
Even if repair parts for your electronics were available, how would you obtain the repair parts since there will be no mail or transportation services. If you have an auto that still runs after and EMP attack, the last thing that you will wish to do is take your vehicle out and show everyone that you have an operating vehicle.
We are acquiring extra [CPU] "brains" for our diesels and SUVs. We also are acquiring carbureted vehicles.
Even if an EMP strike only caused the death of 10% or our population (30 million citizens) just how do you survive this as a nation? Prepare for EMP and pray that it does not happen.
Analysis:
Severity of potential failures: From least to greatest [Some causative details and conjecture deleted by JWR, for brevity]
1. Swine Flu – World Wide – Population loss 1 to 10% – could trigger Item Number 3.
2. Civil War – America – Population loss of up to 40% – could trigger Item Number 3.
3. Financial Collapse – World Wide – Population loss up to 40%. Loss of 50+ years of progress. Will probably lead to nuclear war or EMP strike. No economy remains.
4. EMP Attack – America – Population loss of up to 80% - No economy remains.
5. Nuclear War – World Wide – Population loss up to 60%. No economy remains.
Regards, - TD
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The Simple Reality of EMP -- Different Than You Might Expect, by Andru
One topic I have paid close attention to for the past 10 years has been our nation’s risk to Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP). There are a few points I would like to make that are often overlooked—mostly dealing with the magnitude of the threat. I don’t claim to be an expert on the subject, but I have consumed as much information as possible that doesn’t delve into the high-level physics—the kind of knowledge required to truly be an expert. What may set me apart the most is the simple fact that I actually read the 181 page Critical National Infrastructures (CNI) Report released in April of 2008 and in my opinion, it has shed more light on the subject of EMP effects than any other research conducted since EMPs were first discovered more than 60 years ago.
Had this information been available a few years earlier to authors like William R. Forstchen in his novel One
Second After would have likely painted a different picture of the effects of an EMP and how it would impact a society. His lessons are still valid, but a little more accurate information can have a huge impact on our preparation decisions.
Anatomy of an EMP:
Among the most commonly listed elements that determine the magnitude of an EMP, one deserves special emphasis and that is altitude. In most discussions, altitude is correctly identified as a significant factor in EMP effectiveness as a weapon but there are two distinct reasons why altitude is so important. The first and most obvious is the LOS (line of sight) influence of electromagnetic pulse. The higher you go, the greater distance the pulse can affect across the curved surface of the Earth. However, the point that most people don’t understand is the impact the atmosphere has upon the strength of an EMP. Logic would suggest that the closer you get to an EMP, the greater the impact upon sensitive electronic equipment. This is not necessarily the case and this is why a high altitude detonation not only increases the range of the EMP, but actually increases the magnitude as well.
An EMP is actually created when gamma particles from a nuclear explosion interact with the earth’s atmosphere at a sufficient altitude to cause a uniform disturbance in the earth’s magnetic field. It is the fluctuations of the earth’s magnetic field that causes the EMP and not the nuclear explosion itself. If the detonation occurs within the earth atmosphere, the gamma particles are absorbed by the air before creating a significant enough fluctuation in the earth’s magnetic field. Generally speaking, a detonation within the earth’s atmosphere will not produce a significant EMP beyond the actual radius of the nuclear blast. In other words, the radiation will kill you before the EMP fries your I-pod.
To be most effective, the detonation needs to be outside the earth’s atmosphere—even higher than the International Space Station and many satellites. This allows the gamma rays to interact with the earth’s atmosphere (and magnetic field) over a broad area at roughly the exact same time.
We could spend time discussing the three different types of EMPs generated by a nuclear detonation (E1, E2, & E3), but suffice it to say that E1 tends to quickly damage sensitive electronics, E2 is slower and not so much of a threat with modern fuses and surge protectors, and E3 is slow but massive and turns the earth’s magnetic field and any long continuous conductors (long-distance power lines) into a huge electrical generator—overpowering surge protection and destroying connected transformer equipment on either end of the line. Individuals tend to be concerned with the E1 pulse and infrastructure professionals tend to be concerned with the E3 pulse.
Consumer Technology Risks:
Most people think that anything with a computer chip will be wiped out by an EMP attack. The findings of the commission who produced the CNI Report actually prove otherwise. While the most sensitive equipment almost always failed, the failure was sometimes resolved with a re-boot, or with the replacement of a few damaged parts. Due to the unpredictability of the EMP effects, we can assume that many televisions and radios would still work and public broadcasting capabilities of one degree or another will likely be available—if not immediately, then shortly after an event for as long as power can be supplied for the broadcast. This can also be attributed to the fact that the strength of the EMP will vary from one place to another. For example, the further north you travel, the more intense the earth’s magnetic field and resulting EMP. You could expect the impact felt in New York would be more intense than that of Atlanta.
According to the CNI Report, modern automobiles are not nearly as susceptible to EMP as previously thought. It seems that while equipment and circuitry has become more sensitive, manufacturers have also beefed up the shielding on these components to reduce electromagnetic interference from non-EMP sources thus reducing susceptibility to an actual EMP. According to the report, only 10% of the vehicles on the road will stop functioning even temporarily after an EMP and one third of all vehicles won’t even suffer any nuisance failures such as a blown fuse or damaged radio (pg. 115 of the report). The risk here is still significant, but mostly overstated when compared to other risks. For instance, we’ve all seen what one accident does to rush-hour traffic. Now imagine 10% of the cars on the road shutting down at the same time—accidents would result and gridlock would be intense on the major highways—stranding even those with operable vehicles. But if your car was parked at work at the time of an EMP, chances are you would be able to start your car and at least attempt to drive home.
What are the Real Risks:
To put it simply, there are really two big threats we face as a society when it comes to EMPs. The first involves the entire electric grid as long-distance power lines convert the slower E3 pulse into extremely high-voltage power surges. These surges subsequently blow out transformers at either end of the lines and render the grid virtually useless until these custom-designed transformers can be repaired or replaced. Based upon the current rate of production for these transformers worldwide, it would take 20 years to replace all the high-capacity transformers in the US power grid (see report pg 49). Now imagine the difficulties of trying to make these repairs in a society that has collapsed.
The other significant threat posed by EMP lies in a commonly used automated control system called supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA). In essence, SCADA systems are similar your typical computer except that they are designed for specific uses—such as monitoring and controlling our electric grid, telecommunications infrastructure, oil and gas transmission lines, and even our water treatment plants. Under the testing conducted by the EMP Commission, every SCADA system failed to one degree or another (see report pg. 6). While some failures might be as simple to fix as rebooting, others would permanently disable a particular control unit. Taken together at the exact same time, this combination of minor and major failures becomes catastrophic to whatever infrastructure these SCADA units control.
The Reality of a Post-EMP Attack:
Obviously, the risks to our electrical and utility infrastructures are sufficient to categorize an EMP attack as TEOTWAWKI. However, the picture painted by most EMP alarmists doesn’t do us any favors as we consider our own personal preparations. I’m convinced that many preparations are either completely ignored, or resources are allocated in less-effective ways because we haven’t focused clearly on what a post-EMP society will look like.
First of all, the lights will likely go out; and for most of the grid they will stay out for a long time. However, most of the cars we drive will keep working with minor electrical problems. Most gas-powered generators will start up, and as long as the back-up power supply holds out, we might even have land-line and perhaps even cell phone telecommunications. If service stations have back-up power generation, then gas will still be pumping (plan on paying with cash though) until the tanks run dry. A national priority will be getting the gasoline distribution lines back up and running and with back-up power at key points, this could be accomplished in a matter of weeks or months. If we can get the gasoline flowing, then harvesting equipment will work, the food supply will begin flowing again, and crews will be able to repair the electrical grid.
Don’t get me wrong, an EMP attack would be catastrophic and would probably be the worst attack ever to affect our nation. Millions would die as a result, but I don’t expect it to be the end-game that some make it out to be. It should be entirely survivable for a well-informed and well-prepared groups and individuals.
Lessons for Preppers:
Preparing for an EMP can be overwhelming—especially when one fully grasps our reliance upon technology. Few of us are in a position to buy and move to a resource-rich piece of farmland and then be able to plow, plant, and harvest a decent crop with nothing but 19th century farm implements. The good news is that even after an EMP, society may remain intact—at least initially. And just like we see in the novel Patriots, some areas of the country can be expected to escape societal collapse indefinitely. For those of us who can’t relocate to a retreat property, the proper selection of our current residence can play a significant role in how we might fare after an EMP attack. Here are some considerations:
- Do you know where your power comes from? How far does it travel before it gets to you? Hydroelectric, nuclear, and wind -powered generators will likely be back online soon and have enough supplied fuel to run indefinitely. If you live close enough to one of these, then less equipment needs to be repaired before getting your town or city back online.
- Do you know where your water comes from? How much treatment is required to make it suitable for human consumption? Those living in mountainous areas will likely see minimal impact to their water supply after an EMP. Fresh gravity-fed water usually requires less chemical treatment and no electrical pumps to fill water storage tanks. Those living in flat areas and who rely upon treated river or ground water pumped into water towers will likely suffer the most from water shortages after an EMP. Hygiene-related diseases will spread quickly; and if you also happen to live in a relatively dry climate, then dehydration deaths will soar as well.
- Do you know where your gasoline comes from? Do you live close to a refinery, or does your fuel come from a combination of pipelines and tanker trucks. If you live close to a major gas pipeline terminal then your location will likely be better supplied than areas located off the main trunk lines. Refining capacity will be limited and gasoline will be rationed, but expect those towns closest to the source to be in better shape than those further away and to be among the first areas where order is restored—if lost.
- Do you know where your food comes from and could your area be food self-sufficient if needed? Those living on the fringes of America’s bread basket will be better off than those living in the large cities on the East Coast. Your grocery store has about three days worth of food without an EMP and about three hours worth of food with an EMP. Regional food distribution warehouses carry about 30 days worth of food—much of which is dependent upon refrigeration. Do you know how close you live to one of these regional warehouses? Living close to the regional food distribution centers could buy you and your town some time, but the best solution is to live close to a productive agricultural region—supplemented with your own stored food. The apple you eat today could have been picked 3,000 miles away almost 8 months ago. It has been stored in one of these warehouses in a carefully climate-controlled environment. How will your location be affected by a lack of modern food distribution?
- Do you know the kind of people who live in your area? Not all demographics are created equal when it comes to EMPs. Do you live in an area where people are looking for an excuse to riot or loot or do you find yourself among hardworking, religious people who tend to support each other? Notice the different responses between a tornado hitting a small town in Oklahoma and a flooded neighborhood in New Orleans, or even something as inconsequential as a national basketball championship in Los Angeles? Not all big cities are created equal and not all small towns are created equal either. If there is a large number of welfare-dependent residents in rental housing nearby, I would seriously consider moving. A demographic with a low-income, highly liberal population will pose different threats than a demographic with a high-income, conservative population after an EMP. Populations who support a larger role of government in providing security and livelihood tend to react negatively when neither is provided on demand. A good resource to analyze these risks on a state by state and county by county basis is the book Strategic Relocation
by Joel Skousen.
When it’s all said and done, we need to accurately understand the threats we are preparing for in order to make wise decisions regarding our limited resources. An EMP would be catastrophic for sure; but the reality of life “post-EMP” is likely to be much different than the most-common pictures being painted these days. Do your own due diligence, research the risks and how they affect you specifically, and you will be much better off than just taking the arm-chair advice of even the loudest prognosticators—this author included.
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Letter Re: Some Details on the High Altitude EMP Threat
Mr. Rawles,
Within our Christian survivalist group in Washington State, we use your novel Patriots, as a primer for friends. Keep up the great job you do.
Please consider the following statement with your readers. I believe that an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack by satellite can happen to the U.S. without any notice at all, and many nations already have the satellites in order to produce the end result. This is not meant to scare, but just an observation on how our great country can be taken back to the 1800s technology and a Third World country economic level, in a microsecond. Please consider my train of thought on this line of reasoning which I send you. I think you "have" to agree that this method is so, so simple.
Can the U.S. be hit without any notice whatsoever by an EMP attack? Yes, and the answer is in the line of thinking to follow. Before you can read this reasoning statement post to it's conclusion, we could be back to the 1800s in technology. And by the Congressional report of 2008, 90% of Americans could be dead in 12 months [following a nationwide EMP attack.]
I just didn't realize how many satellites were orbiting the earth at 200 miles up and from so many different nations until today.
Another question to ask oneself: Does another country hate the U.S. to the extent to want to destroy us? Yes, several nations.
Can EMP be delivered by [a nuclear weapon onboard] an already existing and orbiting satellite to devastate our economy? The answer is yes. We’re on borrowed time, preppers.
For a comprehensive assessment of likely damages to electronics equipment and electrical infrastructure, see the 2008 Critical National Infrastructures Report written by the EMP Commission of the Federal government.
A cataclysmic attack throws the United States back to the dark ages, with no electricity, no communication or transportation networks, and no medicines. The most vulnerable members of society—the very young and the very old—begin to die off first, but soon hundreds of thousands of people, and then millions of people, begin dying. Rogue bands of lawless predators, living by rule of force rather than by rule of law, prey on weakened communities. The government, crippled, can’t come to anyone’s rescue. And all it takes is a single bomb detonated high above the atmosphere, two hundred miles above the continental United States.
At first thought, it might seem far-fetched to imagine a single bomb wiping out the entire country. But it wouldn’t be the power of the explosion, per se, that would cause the problem. Instead, the real problem would be the EMP generated by the explosion. Traveling at the speed of light, the EMP would act like an enormous ripple in the earth’s electromagnetic field. As that ripple hits electrical systems, it would get coupled and be way beyond anything hat a typical circuit breaker could handle. William R. Forstchen, the author of the popular novel One
Second After in an article titled "EMP 101" A Basic Primer & Suggestions for Preparedness writes of high altitude EMP: “This energy surge will destroy all delicate electronics in your home, even as it destroys all the major components all the way back to the power company’s generators and the phone company’s main relays,” Forstchen writes. “In far less than a millisecond, the entire power grid of the United States, and all that it supports will be destroyed.” And if the power grid goes, then everything goes.
In July 1962, a 1.44 megaton United States nuclear test in space, 400 km (250 miles) above the Pacific Ocean, called the Starfish Prime test, demonstrated to nuclear scientists that the magnitude and effects of a high altitude nuclear explosion were much larger than had been previously calculated. Starfish Prime also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, more than 800 miles away from the detonation point, knocking out about 300 streetlights, setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link
According to Wikipedia, there are several major factors control the effectiveness of a nuclear EMP weapon. These are:
1. The altitude of the weapon when detonated;
2. The yield and construction details of the weapon;
3. The distance from the weapon when detonated;
4. Geographical depth or intervening geographical features;
5. The local strength of the Earth's magnetic field.
A Federation of American Scientists (FAS) article stated that an EMP "can easily span continent-sized areas, and this radiation can affect systems on land, sea, and air. A large device detonated at 400–500 km (250 to 312 miles) over Kansas would affect all of the continental U.S. The signal from such an event extends to the visual horizon as seen from the burst point.
Could a Satellite with a nuclear payload already be orbiting Earth? So let’s ask the question, do any satellites orbit at 200 miles above Earth and how many countries have satellites at that altitude? Look at North Korea and Iran, Why are they so interested in building small-scale nuclear missiles? Only one model fits. Forstchen says: ”It’s the fact that the U.S. is so vulnerable that our enemies are even contemplating such an attack." Iran is in the space race. North Korea is in the space race.
Earth is ensnared today in a thick spider web of satellite orbits. Satellites with different assignments fly at different orbital altitudes. Russian and American navigation satellites orbit from 100 to 300 miles altitude. Civilian photography satellites, such as the American Landsat and the French SPOT, orbit at altitudes ranging from 300 to 600 miles. American NOAA and Russian Meteor weather satellites are at these same altitudes.
Does this seem too difficult for other nations? No. Just load up your nuclear weapon payload, orbit it as long as desired, and then hit the button when the satellite is above Kansas.
If Osama bin Laden - or the dictators of North Korea or Iran - could destroy America as a twenty-first century society and superpower, would they be tempted to try? Given their track records and stated hostility to the United States, we have to operate on the assumption that they would. That assumption would be especially frightening if this destruction could be accomplished with a single attack involving just one high yield nuclear weapon, and if the nature of the attack would mean that its perpetrator might not be immediately or easily identified. Unfortunately, such a scenario is not far-fetched. Frank Gaffney, in an essay titled: "EMP: America's Achilles' Heel" wrote: "...a report issued last summer by a blue-ribbon, Congressionally-mandated commission, a single specialized nuclear weapon delivered to an altitude of a few hundred miles over the United States by a ballistic missile would be "capable of causing catastrophe for the nation." The source of such a cataclysm might be considered the ultimate "weapon of mass destruction" (WMD) - yet it is hardly ever mentioned in the litany of dangerous WMDs we face today."
JWR Replies: Iran and North Korea are currently developing fission bombs, not fusion (hydrogen) bombs. A large fission bomb would produce an order of magnitude less EMP than a typical fusion bomb. High Altitude (space-based) EMP with a hydrogen bomb is presently a capability of only a handful of nation states. China is the biggest threat, in my opinion. As for fusion bombs concealed inside satellites, that is conceivable, notwithstanding the Space-Based weapons treaty. (The US and the former Soviet Union were signatories, but China was not.)
In my opinion, of far greater concern is EMP from a nuclear bomb on-board an aircraft. Assuming detonation at a high altitude, detonated suicidally, inside the aircraft, rather than being dropped) that would provide a broad line of sight (LOS) for EMP to provide a "footprint" radius of perhaps more than 200 miles, and far beyond line of sight (BLOS) indirect EMP coupling (via power lines and telephone cables) to a much larger radius. I first discussed LOS calculation for EMP in SurvivalBlog back in October of 2005, and I wrote the following more detailed piece in April 2007. Since it is relevant, I'll post it here again:
The
[LOS] answer is both
easy and
impossible to determine. Let me explain. First, the easy part. The basic
line of sight (LOS)
footprint range calculation is really simple. It
is essentially the same as the calculation that is used to determine the
maximum
effective
range for a VHF or UHF radio
onboard an aircraft. Referring back to one of my unclassified notebooks from
my Electronic Warfare (5M) course at Fort Huachuca, I find: Assuming level
terrain, the maximum potential radius of LOS in nautical miles (nmi) = square
root of the emitter's altitude (in feet) x 1.056. Hence, that would be 149.3
nmi at 20,000 feet above sea level (ASL),
or 191.8 nmi at 33,000 feet ASL. (A typical jet or C-130's service
ceiling.) SurvivalBlog reader "Flighter" mentioned: "...some
of the larger business jets such as the Airbus ACJ, Gulfstream, Challenger,
and Citation are certificated to fly at or above 41,000 feet. The Sino Swearingen
SJ30, is perhaps the highest flyer with a certificated ceiling of 49,000
feet. Hypothetically, a dangerous parabolic flight profile could with supplemental
oxygen for the flight crew and perhaps even supplemental JATO rockets
might push apogee to 75,000 feet in a few aircraft models. (Hey, it would
be a suicidal flight anyway.)
That
is
probably
the
highest altitude that could be expected for a terrorist to touch off a nuke--at
least in the near
future. That would equate to a footprint with a 280 mile radius.
Oh, yes, they might also get really creative and use an unmanned balloon. (The
word's record for those was 51.82 km (170,000 feet / 32.2 miles) But that is
highly
unlikely. What is likely? A ground level detonation. The
EMP
footprint
of
fission
bomb
detonated
near
ground
level
on
dead
level
ground
(plains country) might be no more than a 45 mile radius.
Now on to the part that is impossible to predict: long
range linear coupling. Because telephone lines, power
lines, and railroad tracks will act as giant antennas for EMP, the
EMP waveforms will be coupled through those structures for many,
many miles beyond line of sight (BLOS).
Just how many miles BLOS is not yet known. I believe that if it were
not for the advent of the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963 (which
banned atmospheric and space nuclear weapons tests), the DOD and AEC would
have had the opportunity to conduct far more extensive tests to further
characterize the panoply of potential EMP effects. But those test
bans have kept us in the dark. In the absence of practical data,
there is a lot guesswork, even among "applied physics" expert
nuclear weapons physicists. We may not know the full extent of
the EMP risk until after we see that bright flash on the
horizon.
For planning purposes, you can probably safely assume that if you
are living more than 280 miles from a major city, then your vehicle
electronics will be safe from a terrorist nuke's EMP. (Since
you will be BLOS to the EMP footprint of a nuke that is set off below
75,000 feet ASL.) Your home electronics, however, anywhere in CONUS might
be at risk due to long range linear coupling--that is if your
house is on grid power. This, BTW, is one more good reason for you
to set up your own off-grid self sufficient photovoltaic (PV) power
system. The folks at Ready
Made Resources. offer free consulting
on PV system sizing, site selection, and design.
There may be other high altitude delivery methods that I haven't considered, that would provide a broader LOS. But at least the hydrogen bomb club appears fairly small, so there is less risk of widespread EMP . It is conceivable that a Russian fusion bomb might have fallen into terrorist hands during the chaotic 1990s, but if one had, then it probably would have been used by now. Thus, at present, the terrorist and rogue state threat is just for fission bombs, which makes the EMP threat much smaller and more localized.
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Going the Extra Mile in Amateur Communications, by Extraman
I really enjoyed reading the great novel "Patriots". In reading it, I picked up lots of good tips along the way. But I felt it really had very little contemporary information about communications, other than the chapter "Radio Ranch" which finally touched on an individual with a serious interest in radio communications. The use of Single Sideband (SSB), Citizens Band (CB) 27 Mhz radios, along with slightly modified "old" style low cost hand held "cheapo" radios really leaves a lot to be desired regarding how it could be done, on a fairly low budget.
It is my sincere belief that anyone even remotely interested in being prepared for what may come should obtain a Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Amateur, or "ham" radio license.
While years ago, It was difficult to learn Morse code and pass the written exam for such a license, the code requirement has now been totally eliminated from all classes of amateur radio licenses.
These days, several companies sell printed books that contain the entire question pool (along with the answers) that will be on the written exams. Simply "highlighting" the correct answer to each question only, And then reading the question along with the highlighted Correct answer (only) After a few short weeks of about 10 minutes per day of such reading will easily allow most anyone to pass the written exam. Sample test runs are available online, free of charge.
The "Technician" class test is very easy to pass, which allows unrestricted operations on VHF and UHF). But I suggest spending the extra effort to get the "General" class license which also permits HF (High Frequency) world-wide communications. For general background on licensing see this site, and this one.
The main "bands", or [ranges of] frequencies that can be used by a ham operator range all the way from 160 meters (1.8 MHz) Up through 1.2 GHz and above. For more information about ham radio operation, A simple Google search will bring lots of results and information about this neat hobby, That could very well turn out to be a life saver in times of disaster. (In fact, Amateur radio does provide the main links in and out of disaster areas when normal modes like cell phones fail. This is proven time and time again. Most every large hurricane in the U.S. finds ham operators being the only means of communications in and out of the hard hit areas until normal services are restored.)
Once a person has talked halfway around the world with nothing but a radio, A piece of wire strung in the trees for an antenna, and a 12 volt car battery, with no infrastructure. (Like the commercial cellular or land line phone, Internet, etc systems that WILL fail at the worst possible time.) They will be "hooked" on the newfound ability to communicate without any outside help whatsoever (The commercial cellular and land line telephone systems fail during times of disaster as much because of simple "overload" (everyone trying to call someone at the same time) as the do because of infrastructure failure.
Many modern-day amateur radios are now designed to receive not only the "ham" band frequencies, But a wide range of other frequencies. So a VHF/UHF mobile type radio is also capable of receiving the AM aircraft band, FM Police, Fire, Ambulance, Business bands, Marine band, Including the NOAA "Weather" channels, etc etc. (But they may not decode some "big city" police trunked, and or encrypted communications) The lower frequency ham grade radios (HF) will also receive most everything from the AM broadcast band right up through VHF low band radio. This includes the international short wave broadcast stations like BBC (British Broadcasting Corp.), etc.
What many do not know is that with the simple "snip" of a diode or resistor inside these radios, They can be made to also transmit over that very wide frequency range! (This is the so-called MARS Military Affiliate Radio System (MARS) or Civil Air Patrol (CAP) modifications, and is public knowledge all over the Internet. It is not illegal to thus modify these radios. It is illegal to use them to transmit outside of the ham bands unless you hold a valid MARS license, and then only on authorized frequencies for that use. (I have used old dental "pick" type tools to do this modification. (BTW, when you go to a dentist, ask for old used dental tools, Usually they are happy to give them to you.) to remove the [transmission mode blocking] resistor or diode mentioned. (The online sites will provide nice photos, I suggest a very bright light and a big magnifying lens. However, in a life-threatening emergency, FCC rules provide that pretty much "anything" goes........ So even though your radio that can now also operate on the 27Mhz CB band, it would not be legal to use it for that under normal circumstances, unless a genuine emergency exists.
There are a few radios that I have owned and experimented with and can confirm such operations. One of the very best mobile radios available is a Yaesu FT 8800 "dual band" VHF/UHF. This radio, After the simple snip of the diode can transmit all over the VHF and UHF band. This includes the business band portion (Which also includes such services as MURS (Multi Use Radio System), a license-free system on VHF FM, the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS),and Family Radio Service (FRS). It is really neat to have but one radio that can do all these things, Even though you cannot legally transmit on those other frequencies under normal circumstances.
The Yaesu FT 8800 radio will also "Cross Band" repeat, Right out of the box with no modifications. This means a person can set up two channels and talk through the radio from a small low power hand held radio, At the full power of the mobile radio. (Cross band repeat means to talk to the radio on one band, VHF for example, and the radio will automatically retransmit your signal on another band, For instance UHF, and vice-versa)
Speaking of hand held radios, My current favorite is the little micro size Yaesu VX 3. A tiny radio that can receive a very wide range of services, including commercial AM and FM broadcast. The simple snip of one little diode allows it to transmit on the GMRS band, Marine band, etc. A major advantage to the little micro size VX 3 is that it uses very common digital camera batteries that are available everywhere for a very low cost. (less than 5 bucks each for a nice Lithium ion battery including shipping!)
For a few dollars more, The Yaesu FT 60 has the full 5 watt power of larger hand held radios, Along with the full touch tone pad, (But is slightly harder to "snip" that diode..... The radio needs to be taken apart to get at it....)
Other good hand held radios include the Yaesu VX 7, VX 8, And the Icom T 90. These are all proven workhorse radios that will do the job.
For a base station type HF radio, The very best "Do it All" radio is the Kenwood TS 2000. The TS 2000 covers 160 meters through 440Mhz UHF, And even goes up to 1.2Ghz with an optional module. The same simple modification will allow the TS 2000 to operate all over, and the TS 2000 can "Cross Band Repeat" from not only VHF to UHF, But from HF to UHF! This means a person can monitor (And or also talk back) on HF through the TS 2000 from out in the field with the small hand held radio! Really neat to not being "stuck" indoors in front of the radio. You can be out in the garden monitoring your HF (or VHF) frequencies from the tall base station antennas, With nothing but the little shirt pocket size hand held radio! The TS 2000 is selling brand new right now for under $1,500.00 if you shop around. (Yes, Such radios after the aforementioned snip of the diode ARE capable of talking on 27Mhz CB etc in the event of a true disaster)
If a "better" quality HF radio is desired, Check out the Icom 756PRO series (PRO II, PRO III) The original PRO sells good used for $900 and up. These are high quality radios with a wide range "spectrum scope" that shows other signals on the band. But the Icom 756PRO series is HF only, no VHF/UHF, and it cannot crossband repeat.
There are lots of other radios that can operate on a wide range of frequencies, And have certain advantages (Along with disadvantages) For example, the Icom 706 series will do HF through UHF, And is a small light radio very capable of mobile operation. (The Icom 706 series is also a proven good radio). However, such radios cannot dual receive like the TS 2000 (Ability to monitor two frequencies at the same time, or cross band repeat) There are many others, such as the Yaesu FT 857, et cetera.. They all mostly operate from "menu" driven operation. (Not nearly as easy to operate for old timers like myself as a radio with more "knobs and buttons" Maybe younger computer types would enjoy them more.)
It is possible to operate on both the ham bands and your business band with one radio and not violate the law on a daily basis, but t needs to be done the "other way around" . You could take a commercial radio certified for the business band in question and simply program in the ham frequencies you want. This is 100% legal to do and operate on a daily basis. The drawbacks are that commercial radios are single band only. So if you wanted to have one on the two meter ham band and your VHF business band, And you also wanted to operate on UHF, then would need to have a second radio.
(All of these base or mobile radios operate from 12 volts DC (or 13.6 VDC) So will work fine from your solar panel battery bank) Speaking of which, I have been running all of my radios for many years now on just a single 12 volt "Marine" Deep Cycle type battery, Kept on a fully automatic 10 amp charger connected to commercial power--- In the event of a widespread and long term "power grid failure" that same battery can be kept charged with a solar panel. (I have several panels and have experimented with them, They do work well, But I have not resolved the overcharge regulation problem yet. (I have not yet spent the money for a commercial grade voltage regulator ["charge controller"] that will work with solar panels. Quality ones are expensive. Of course wind generators and other means of producing 12 volt power will work as well.
I suggest LED (Light Emitting Diodes) If electric light is desired, for their very low current consumption, to save precious battery power.
All radios need an antenna to be effective. All that is really needed to operate on the HF bands is some wire and some simple plans to cut dipole antennas. Stock up on electric fence wire and insulators from your local farm supply store for cheap antennas for the low HF bands! Although copper wire will work better than galvanized steel or aluminum fence wire, it costs lots more. And the cheap stuff will do the job.
For VHF and UHF radio operations, It is also possible to build your own antenna from scratch, But in most cases it is lots easier to just buy a decent VHF/UHF dual band antenna along with some good quality coax feed line cable. (For VHF/UHF, Keep the coax length as short as possible. TIMES LMR 400 is the coax of choice by the professionals for shorter runs of less than 70 or so feet)
For those on a real budget, It is possible to ask for "spool ends" of cable television "drop wire" from your local friendly cable TV guy. (Offer him a bag of donuts.). Even though that coax is 75 ohm and not the 50 ohm suggested for ham use, In most all cases it will work just fine, especially when you consider the very low cost! (On the lower HF frequencies, Coax cable "loss" is not really a [significant] factor or problem. Most any skinny cheap coax should work just fine. But as you move higher in frequency, coax feed line loss becomes critical- Use only short lengths of the very best at VHF and UHF.)
All antennas should be installed as high as possible. Which of course kind of makes them a lightning target. There is an article in the May 2009 issue of Popular Communications magazine on how to protect from lightning on a low budget.
You may have read or heard about the threat of EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) from a nuclear event. This is a real threat. However, not nearly as much of a threat to most of us that many would have you believe. If your radio station is well protected from lightning, and you are more than a few hundred miles away from the nuclear event, unless that is a special high intensity EMP device then you should have
no problems. (EMP acts like lightning, with a faster rise time). I plan to address EMP and lightning more fully in a future article.
Like owning a firearm and lots of other things, It is not enough to just buy the above mentioned radios and equipment and leave them in a box. It is important to use them on a day to day basis to really learn how they operate, And all that they are capable of.
Amateur radio is a fun hobby, and it provides you with some real communications when the other services fail.
Get yourself a license and enjoy it today!
Besides the advantages of being able to talk with friends, neighbors, your [preparedness] "group" if you have one, And other "ham" operators, Just think of the ability to also be able to talk to others on the marine band, Business bands, GMRS, etc with the same radio if TSHTF!
In addition to ham radio, I suggest getting a number of GMRS small hand held radios (UHF FM) for all unlicensed family members and friends and neighbors. I got a number of "store return" Motorola 9500 series GMRS hand held radios on Ebay for just over $20 per pair, complete with drop-in chargers! Do monitor the channels in your neighborhood and choose a channel with little activity, And then also change the "privacy code" (Which is actually a subaudible tone) to something other than what they came programmed for to
further make your system a little more private. While I would never consider any of the GMRS frequencies of much value for "tactical" use, These little radios do work very well,
And can provide good communications and teach youngsters (And oldsters alike) the ins and outs of radio communications on a very low budget.
« Letter Re: It Will Be Skills, Not Gear That Will Count in TEOTWAWKI |Main| Going the Extra Mile in Amateur Communications, by Extraman »
Letter Re: Cuban Spy Ring Arrests Raises Concern of Ham Radio Restrictions
Jim:
This article concerns me: Cuban spies' shortwave radios go undetected: Low-tech transmissions no big deal for U.S. intelligence. The journalist mentions: "The International Amateur Radio Union said there are more than 700,000 amateur radio operators in the United States." I hope the governmental paranoia does not try to constrain the best method of rural emergency communications. - KAF
JWR Replies: Without mentioning anything classified, I can safely say that they are describing clandestine operatives in in the US. receiving the old-fashioned HF "Numbers" broadcasts from Cuba. These are typically code groups of five numbers, read aloud by a woman, in a monotone, such as : "Ocho, Cinco, Cinco, Uno, Nueve..." These codes are very hard to break without a huge sample for brute force computer cryptanalysis.
This modus operandi has been used for 40+ years, and is well-known to both amateur operators and the signals intelligence (SIGINT) community. To the best of my knowledge, receivers are a non-issue vis-a-vis regulating amateur radio equipment. But clandestine transmitters may be another matter. Given our fluid borders and the ubiquitous "diplomatic pouch" it is absurd to think that regulation on the possession of HF radio transmitters would have any meaningful at stopping clandestine traffic. Licensed radio amateurs are largely self-policing. They fairly quickly identify and locate unlicensed broadcasts in their their vicinity.
The Cuban DGI is an odd anachronism. While most intelligence agencies have leapfrogged their communications to exotic methods such as steganography to imbed messages in in photos sent as .gifs via the Internet and using low-power spread spectrum transmissions, the DGI's modus operandi is at least 30 years out of date. It is somewhat analogous to Cubans still driving around cars that were manufactured in the 1950s. The last I heard, the DGI still had offices that primarily used typewriters made in the former Yugoslavia. Picturing that, you can practically smell the Cuban tobacco smoke.
« Letter Re: Anesthesia for Traumatic Times |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Two Letters Re: Protection from EMP Effects for Photovoltaic Panels and Communication Gear
Jim,
I'm not very certain Solar Panels or photovoltaic (PV)
Modules if you prefer) are up to surviving electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
Solar Panel manufacture is akin
to
basically
creating large scale photosensitive semiconductors and few manufacturers will
quote
even static electricity resistance,
much less EMP resistance. Additionally, most PV modules have bypass diodes
to protect cells. Some designs put these diodes in the junction boxes, while
others incorporate them more integrally
in the PV assembly.
Obviously the controllers are at great risk, but the modules themselves are
not free from risk.
About the only references to PV and EMP you can find are discussions concerning
space deployed PV Modules being at risk to solar flares, which have many characteristics
of an EMP event.
I just made some queries with contacts at University of Manchester and Michigan
Tech. They told me that there that almost no EMP test results have been released
to public domain, but
that their Aerospace departments feel that PV Arrays are vulnerable at
the junction level as well as the wiring diode matrix and controller levels.
The [PV-powered] satellite literature repeats the observation that even a minor
solar flare can wipe years to decades off of the life of a PV array and a full
coronal
mass ejection (CME)
will take the array out. Though an EMP [cascade waveform] is not exactly the
same radiation, the corollary is there.
Several of the Disaster Shelter Builders state that PV Panels are at risk in
EMP and include shielded storage for "after the event panels." I
wonder whether
that is marketing hype or good science? For now, this is the best that I can
find. - Steve W.
Mr. Rawles,
There is a very detailed 4-part article about EMP protection for Amateur Radio
equipment. It's a study that was done by the ARRL in
the mid 1980s. Product model numbers and such have changed, but the basic
concepts haven't. If you want to just skip to the recommendations, go to "Part
4 of "Electromagnetic
Pulse and the Radio Amateur".
In a nutshell,
they make the following recommendations:
1. Your equipment will not survive a direct lightning hit no matter how well
protected. EMP or near-misses can be protected against.
2. Install a high-quality surge protector on all AC power cords. You'll need
to shop around to find one with the highest possible rating.
3. Install coax surge protectors (available from most ham radio suppliers)
within 6 feet of the radio equipment to be protected.
4. Install a grounding antenna switch and keep the antennas grounded when not
in use. (Note: antenna switches are often used when folks have multiple radios/antennas,
such as a CB and ham radio or a 2 Meter VHF radio and a scanner. Make grounding
the antennas part of your checklist when shutting down the station after use.
5. Get a piece of Copper plate or thick sheet metal, install it on the wall
or workbench your equipment is on, and attach all equipment grounds and protection
devices to this. Install a good Earth ground, per their guide. This basically
consists of 2 or more standard electrical grounding rods connected with #6
solid Copper wire that is buried. I've found that the
electrical panel bonding lugs sold in [building] contractor stores work great
for this.
Finally, the book Nuclear
War Survival Skills by Cresson H. Kearney [Available for free download]
states that equipment such as hand held radios with short antennas (less than
14")
should be okay against EMP. Grid connected electronics would be more vulnerable,
and stuff with long antennas worse still.
Here are some quick links to EMP protection devices:
Solar Panel charge controller
protection.
Coax lightning protection (manufacturer)
Cheers, - JN-EMT
« Letter: Re: Long Term Health Care Needs in TEOTWAWKI |Main| Note from JWR: »
Snippets From the SurvivalBlog Archives: Communications and Monitoring Advice
Plunging into the world of two-way radio communications and monitoring can
seem daunting for newbie preppers. It is a technical field that has more
than its share of jargon and acronyms. I suggest that you team up with someone
that is a licensed amateur “ham” operator, and have them walk
you through the basics of the frequency bands, radio wave propagation, the
various equipment, and the legalities. Yes, there are plenty of legalities.
Stay legal!
A ham who mentors new hams is called an “Elmer”. You can find an
Elmer through your local ham radio cub. They are almost always very willing
to help, and quite generous with their time.
The radio band designations can be confusing to folks who are newcomers to
the short wave listening and amateur radio worlds.
One major source of confusion
for newbies is hearing hams mentioning things like “…on the 40
meter band, or “I was talking on 2 meters.” So here
is a link for a useful band allocation chart from the ARRL that will put
the band designations in an easy
to grasp graphic format.
Getting Started
I highly recommend that all SurvivalBlog readers at the very minimum buy themselves
a short wave radio and a multi-band police scanner, and become familiar with
their use. In a "When The Schumer Hits The Fan" (WTSHTF) situation,
hard wire telephone, cellular phone, AM and FM commercial radio, the Internet,
and television may be essentially unavailable. Read: Off the air.
Most radio and TV stations only have enough fuel to run their backup generators
for few
days. Ditto for the telephone company Central Offices (COs.) After that, there
will be an acute information vacuum. You may find yourself listening to overseas
short wave broadcasters for your daily news, and to your police scanner for
updates on the local situation--to keep track of the whereabouts of looter
gangs. Be sure to buy a CB radio and few walkie talkies so that you can coordinate
security with your neighbors. (The CB, FRS, and MURS bands do not require any
license in the U.S.)
My favorite band for walkie-talkies is the Multi Use Radio Service (MURS) band,
since most MURS radios can be programmed to operate in the 2 Meter band, and
because they have much better range than FRS radios. But like FRS, they are
unregulated in most private use. (No license required!) It is also important
to note that the CB channels, FRS channels, and 2 Meter band frequencies will
likely be very crowded WTSHTF, particularly in the suburbs, but the less well-known
and less populated MURS frequencies will probably be largely available at any
given time.
Once you've mastered short-range communications and public service band monitoring,
the next step is to join your local Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) affiliate
club and study to get your amateur license. Someday you may be very glad that
you did!
General Advice on Disaster Communications and Monitoring
Your first receiver should probably be a compact portable
general coverage AM/FM/Weather Band/CB/Shortwave receiver. There are several
brands on the market,
most notably Grundig, Sangean, and Sony. I consider the Sony
ICF-SW-7600GR receiver among
the most durable portable general coverage receivers for the money. It is about
the size of a paperback book. I've had one (actually mine is an earlier "pre-G
suffix" model) since 1992 and even with very regular use it still works
great. In my experience, the secrets to making them last are to buy a couple
of spare hand-reel antennas (the most fragile part), show care in putting stress
on the headphone jack and power cable connections, and to always carry the
radio and accessories in a sturdy well-padded case. (Preferably a waterproof
case. I found that a small Pelican brand case with "pluck
and chuck" gray foam inserts proved ideal for my needs.)
One low cost
alternative to buying Pelican cases is to cut closed-cell foam inserts to
fit inside a .30 caliber or .50 caliber United States Government Issue (USGI)
ammo can. SurvivalBlog reader MurrDoc
calls
GI ammo
cans "The poor man's Pelican Case." These steel cans are very sturdy,
inexpensive (under $10 each, at gun shows), and they also provide limited protection
from nuclear EMP effects. (They would make near-perfect Faraday cages if you
removed the rubber gasket and replaced it with Electromagnetic Interference
(EMI) gasket wire mesh, but then of course the can would no longer be waterproof.
Sorry, There Ain't No Such Thing as a Free Lunch.)
Your first transceivers should probably be a pair of MURS
walkie-talkies, such as those sold by MURS
Radios.(One of our loyal advertisers.)
Next on your list should be a SSB-capable CB radio, such as the time-proven
Cobra
148 GTL 
(BTW,
this model is also readily
adaptable for "freeband" frequency range modification.)
Then, before moving on to sophisticated ham gear, your next purchase should
probably be a
pair of military surplus field telephones,
for coordinating retreat security.
Welcome to the world of communications and monitoring. I hope that you find
the dozens of articles on these subjects in the SurvivalBlog Archives useful.
« Three Letters Re: Some Practical Lessons with Daily Concealed Carry |Main| Note from JWR: »
Old Frontier Forts as Alternative Bug Out Locations?, by R.D. in Wyoming
I wish to present an alternative prep situation that I have not really seen talked
about on your blog and at other other sites. First a small bit of biographical background and anecdotes to explain
my reasons for what I (now recently we) are doing.
Ten years ago, I retired from the military (26+ years, Life Scout (in a younger
form) and an ex-scout leader (both Boy and Girl Scouts), fixed income with a
part time job, never lived at one address longer than three years (requirement
of
military
lifestyle), hobbies oriented to colonial/fur trade eras (see anecdote), recent
earnest prepper (caused by that feeling in the pit of my stomach and head that
things really aren't right and not going to get better). Fiscally responsible
but bought the "earned your retirement" false dream long ago--that
can't be changed now.
While in the military a lifestyle of semi-preparedness was necessary because
of my low income. (I suffered through the
Carter and Clinton administrations). We canned food from our garden wherever
we
were
stationed
to
stretch
the food budget and teach our children how to make their own food; we cut firewood
for heat in some locales; we relied on kerosene lamp back-up lighting and camp
stove cooking because of unreliable base power grids. At one base I was even
visited by the Public Works officer to find out why my quarters had lights during
a power outage. Imagine his surprise to find both lights and heat off the grid,
plus all my neighbors and their children warm and well fed.
At times, while in the service, we qualified for assistance food and
based upon those experiences have reached some unconventional decisions. Assistance
food usually meant a five-pound block of USDA cheese, #10 cans of dehydrated
soups or powdered eggs, surplus breads and very large containers of dried milk.
When
you
open these it becomes a use-it-or-lose-it menu even for a family of four!
My colonial/fur trades hobbies came about with involvement in Scouting, teaching
merit badges, Indian skills and camp crafts. They are both enjoyable and practical
from a barter-trades aspect: hide tanning/leatherworking, moccasin and footwear
making, non-manufactured clothing making (no zippers or buttons) and
using trade cloth/blankets), primitive cooking and camping skills and pioneering--the
art of using logs and rope to construct bridges, platforms and watch towers,
cranes and jack-legs, and other basic heavy lifting rigs. I highly recommend
adding Scouting handbooks and merit badge books (older printings) to family
preparedness libraries. There is a
wealth of information there!
Last year, while looking for our current home, I was really taken with a 1950s
home that still had a primo Civil Defense specification bomb shelter in the
back yard, primarily as a safe place for my reloading and weapons storage.
It was
the
high end style
that
was connected to the basement of the house with a concrete tunnel, doored at
both ends, and three feet underground. It was in mild disrepair: vent system
damaged and entrance sealed off at the house, but repairable. We passed on
that house because it was in the end too small for our needs and in a shall-we-say
"unstable" neighborhood.
Six months after purchasing our current home my wife, out of the blue, says
that
maybe we should have bought the other house! This from a woman that has made
disparaging remarks when I have added to our LBE kits and checked the status
of our "homeland defense" items.
She seems to have had an epiphany after our taxes were prepared when she wanted
to know why we had not taken the $3,000 credit from our small investment nest
egg
before and I explained that we had never lost over half of it to the economy!
When the "boss" changed
her attitude and became interested in my "below the radar" preps,
I started to include her in the decision and prioritizing of what to buy and
the impacts on our limited budget.
"Below the radar" preps means passing off a purchase as some other
need (diplomatic when not everyone is on board with the idea): a small generator
was
for our tent camper, food items were for this summer when our grandson visits
or to replace things lost in a move, water jugs were because of the places
where we camp, extra gas cans were for the lawn mower (a stretch but it worked),
the
FRS radios
were an aid when we are out hiking, though there was no need to disguise the
increase
in reloading components when the election results were in.
All this brings me to our different style of prepping.
While I would like to be able to stock up as is generally noted and advocated,
our finances and storage space do not permit the expenditure of the amounts
necessary to buy in bulk. Also from my experiences in the military I don't
like to place all my eggs in one basket. I will admit that while
it is more expensive per unit cost, it is also more "do-able" in
an on-going practical sense on a fixed income and has an unforeseen future
benefit.
We make our storage food purchases with only the two of us in immediate mind,
to aid in use and rotation, by buying individual serving packages for most
of the items that we get: boxes of rice sealed in boil-in-bag pouches, powdered
milk in boxes that have quart size servings inside, individual packages of
Ramen
style noodles, small cans of fruits and vegetables (the type with the pull-off
lids), non-refrigerated microwave meals that serve one (these are very practical
as they go in our lunches on a daily basis), individual packet boxes of instant
oatmeal, and normal sizes of canned meat, chicken and fish. Some items naturally
are bought in what would be normal sizes but for only the two of us they seem
to last forever: Five pound bags of flour, sugar, cornmeal, coffee and pancake
mixes. The primary factor in these purchases is getting the longest expiration
dates
that we can find. All this gets put into 22 gallon Totes that have latches
for the lids but only one container of each item per Tote: a box of rice, a
box
of milk,
salt, coffee, etc., 4 each of the fruits and vegetables (36 total), 4 rolls
of toilet paper and towels, strike anywhere matches, sets of durable plastic
knife, fork and spoon, zip-lock bag of 28 individual size soap, 4 empty plastic
bullet boxes that hold
4 Bic style [disposable butane] lighters, 2 packets each type garden seeds.
This list is not complete, but you get the idea. The content of each Tote equate
to one
month's
food and paper needs and is movable by even our 13 year old grandson. We currently
have six totes filled, after only four months of serious additions. We are
trying to add
one Tote a month in addition to the other things that we are getting. My part-time
job provides the funds for this so what we can get depends on what else is
on a priority that month. We do have an additional Tote that holds 36 MREs
and is
marked for priority loading. Our water is stored in the newer G.I. five-gallon
plastic water cans, available at flea markets. These are stored in a dark storage
room.
Our
small
camper
is
always stocked and ready to go no matter what season of the year.
Now for the reasoning behind this method. If TSHTF or TEOTWAWKI occurs
it may be gradual or a traumatic event requiring different tactics. If gradual
and
we can hunker down while finishing up necessaries, only one Tote at a time
needs
to be opened to augment what we have. If traumatic, anyone can carry/load the
Totes into one of several available G.O.O.D. vehicles or the trailer while
another watches their "six". The urgency of a bug-out may dictate how much
can be loaded
in the time available. The more Totes that can be grabbed, the longer we can
make do but the MRE Tote and water is always loaded first. This is in addition
to B.O.B.s and
homeland defense items.
Now for the unforeseen future benefits that I mentioned. As you have noted
several times and places, I too could not turn away others that are in need
if I can
help. But giving someone a #10 can of beans or soup will not really help them.
A grocery bag of individual servings that they are familiar with and provide
variety and full meals for one or two days plus a means to heat it will help
while not depleting our stores. Secondly, if a bad guy finds a single Tote
with a few of everything in it, they may assume that's all there is
and not attempt to engage in a protracted search for more.
One last item that may not meet with approval but is out-of-the-box thinking
in the selection of several fallback retreat sites that most others probably
will not think of. If we cannot stay in the city, as small as it is,
I have found a couple of locales that would prove ideal. One is a semi-restored
1870s military post. Yes, I know that I don't own it in the
traditional sense though I have paid for it through my taxes, but if there
is no more
authority in force, it could prove useful. The fort is already set up to function
without power as we are used to, just coal
or wood heat and cooking (there is no electricity on site), bulletproof buildings
and pre-determined fields of fire, close to a year round water source, small
homes
for families
and barracks for singles and designed by some of the best military minds of
their times. Even has a powder magazine and jail! It also has a very low visitor
count.
If it is occupied or contested, no problems, as there are others at regular
distances closer or farther. If not, then it allows for a rally point and the
expansion of a
Group as others arrive that are aware of my thinking. And they are not unique
to our Area of Operations (AO).
I have been to some really complete ones back east, in the south, and
on the west coast. Let your mind do the walking.
I didn't realize how long this became. If you find it suitable for
others to see to help them achieve their goals with limited or minimal means,
please feel free to chop it as necessary.
Very Respectfully of your efforts to aid others, - R.D. in Wyoming
JWR Replies: That is an interesting concept, but implementing
as you describe would require a quite unique set of circumstances. Namely,
it could only happen if there were
a sudden an near total collapse of society, and if all law
enforcement evaporated overnight. It is far more likely that we will witness
a "slow slide"
from recession
to
depression, (and then, much less likely) to collapse. For most that continuum, your actions would be seen
as criminal, and you'd quickly attract the attention of government. So then
you might end up behind some other very
stout walls. And BTW, any of these forts that are on National Forest or National
Park land are considered Federal property, so any occupation deemed "trespassing"
would be a Federal offense and likely carry a much more severe penalty than
trespass on state or county parklands. So it is best to make this a "very
low likelihood"
contingency plan.
In my estimation the only pragmatic way to occupy an old
fort in the midst of a slow slide situation would be to include representatives
of county, state or perhaps even Federal government as part of your planned
cadre, and characterize
it all
as a "continuity
of government" (COG)
endeavor. Bureaucrats often enjoy thinking (or pretending) that they come up
with original ideas. Given the promise of safety for "selected"
people, this should not be too difficult to orchestrate, especially as the
economy worsens and the crime rate escalates. Creating a nexus with a governmental
organization could be as complex as getting qualified as an EMT, or as simple
as joining a
Sheriff's Posse,
joining a County
SAR team,
or becoming a RACES-affiliated
ham radio operator.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Two Letters Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don't Need for TEOTWAWKI »
Two Letters Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm--A Natural EMP Equivalent
Jim,
When looking for places to store sensitive electronics, consider the old-fashioned
galvanized steel garbage can. For about a buck a gallon, you can store just
about any and all electronics a household might have, safety protected against
EPM and other damaging fields. - Jake Stafford, publisher
of the "Rawles
Gets You Ready" preparedness course and loyal
SurvivalBlog reader
Sir:
Here is another perspective on the problems associated with a Carrington event
[, from the Mostly Cajun blog]. Sol
assaults Mother Gaia - for real? Regards, - Hunter in Alaska
« Letter Re: Barnyard Junk: The Things that You Do and Don't Need for TEOTWAWKI |Main| Jim's Quote of the Day: »
Letter Re: A Carrington Event Space Storm--A Natural EMP Equivalent
Jim-
New Scientist magazine article recently published an important article
titled "Space
storm alert: 90 seconds from catastrophe." The article outlines
possible scenarios for the risk of solar storms that could severely damage
national grids and vital electrical and electronic systems. The effects would
be catastrophic and devolve societies into a desperate survival situation for
individuals.
One quote from the article:
"Over the last few decades, western civilisations have busily sown the
seeds of their own destruction. Our modern way of life, with its reliance on
technology,
has unwittingly exposed us to an extraordinary danger: plasma balls spewed
from the surface of the sun could wipe out our power grids, with catastrophic
consequences."
Could off-grid standby equipment such as power generators or solar cells also
be damaged? See the
National Academy of Sciences report. (After registering,
you can download a free PDF file of the report): Best Regards, - Gregg T
JWR Replies: I've received more than 20 letters in the past
48 hours from readers concerned about this article. In my opinion, this natural
"EMP-like"
effect is just another reason to get prepared. The probability in any given
lifetime is quite low, but the impact if it were to happen would be
devastating.
Most home non-grid-tied photovoltaic,
micro-hydro, and wind power systems will probably be safe from a Carrington
Event. (The field strength and coupling effects will be roughly analogous
to that of nuclear
EMP.)
If you have a microprocessor-controlled battery charge controller, then one
fairly
inexpensive
measure is to buy
a spare. But for most of us, buying a spare large inverter is
cost-prohibitive. In the event that your large (whole-house) inverter get
fried, then perhaps your could plan to revert to DC-only
system, and store a couple of spare small inverters for crucial
AC loads.
As with any
other "EMP redundant" radios and other electronics, you should store
your
spares
in ammo
cans, all-metal
cookie
tins,
or similarFaraday
cage structures.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: A Test Load-Up Shows a G.O.O.D. Inadequacy »
Letter Re: Military Surplus Field Telephone Commo Wire Variants
Dear JWR:
In the 19 March Odds 'n Sods you noted that:
Ready Made Resources just got in another small batch of 1000-foot
long rolls of WF-16/U (2-pair) commo wire.This type of wire is fairly
scarce on the surplus market. It can be used with TA-1s, TA-312s, and the
newer TA-1042 (DNVT)
digital field telephones.
Just so, and WF-16/U works as well with the older and long-standard pre-WWII
through Vietnam era EE-8 "bag phones".which my maternal grandparent helped
develop while a Signal Corps officer at Ft. Monmouth.The old double-E-Eight is
also compatible with the TA-1 and TA-312, though I've never tried one with
DNVT
equipment. They will however also function with the surplus early German
field telephone equipment also in use from WWII to the 1980s [we had one in
our bunker on the West German side of the five-kilometer militarized zone on
the Iron Curtain in 1982, and very much still in use in the Balkans and elsewhere.
The German units are available from Cheaper Than Dirt as their item
# KEY123 for around $60 a pair.
TA-312 Field Phones are available from Fair Radio [ http://www.fairradio.com/
]as their item # 3856 for $110 each, and they have in the past had parts
and WD1-TT wire for the EE-8s as well. My own pair of EE-8s came from the Dayton,
Ohio Hamfest, probably originally from Fair
Radio.
Cheers! - Archy
« Letter Re: Private Gated Communities May Not be Gated After All |Main| Note from JWR: »
Cold and Dark--An Account of an Ice Storm, by Steve S.
Preparations
In January, 2008, the outlook for people in the United States appeared bleak.
I told my wife that we needed to stock-up on food because I felt that the supply
lines were thin and vulnerable. I began my preparations by Internet search.
I found JWR's SurvivalBlog and I bought a copy of his novel. In the meantime,
I started buying cases of canned goods. I bought food that we generally ate.
I looked at the expiration dates of every purchase. I tried to buy what would
last through 2011. Not much would, so I bought with the idea of buying more
later, looking for one year at a time.
The pantry was full. I had read Jim's book, and had found many links
on the SurvivalBlog that helped me know how much of what to buy to be balanced.
I bought a freezer at Sam’s Club and filled that also. I noticed that
food prices were increasing at an alarming rate in August. They were up 18%
on same item purchases, on average. Later that figure would reach 35%. I only
talked about this to a trusted few. My wife was starting to wonder about me.
Soon thereafter, a Harbor Freight store opened in Jonesboro, Arkansas, my home
base. There, I purchased several more items I saw as essential. I got a two
burner propane stove with a center grill feature. I bought some LED flashlights,
ropes, staple guns, and other miscellaneous items. Being a hunter and former
U.S. Army officer, I had a lot of camping (survival equipment) on hand. Sleeping
bags were there, polypropylene long johns, butane lighters, three 20 gallon
and one 100 gallon propane tanks were filled. I use them for my barbeque grill.
I told my wife that we should buy a generator. She said that if I thought we
should buy it, that I should. I didn’t.
I found some water barrels at a local food processing plant. I now have eight
55 gallon drums. I found 4 red 35 gallon chemical barrels that were set aside
for gasoline. I had about six 5 gallon gas cans to operate my 4 wheeler, fishing
boat, and sundry other small engines like lawn equipment and field water pumps.
Day to day, I am an NRA certified training counselor/instructor. Starting in
November 2008, my business started to boom. I had a 300% increase in Arkansas
concealed carry classes. That hasn’t stopped to this day. I have a 35
acre facility that is a former bean field, surrounded by thousands of farmland
acres and two liquor stores. I have a 1,200 square foot building for classroom
and office space, a 52 foot trailer for storage. My plan for survival guns
was simple. All guns were to be military calibers. Handguns would be .45 and
.38 calibers. Rifles would be .22 rimfire, 7.62x39, .308 and .30-06 calibers.
Shotguns would be 12 gauge. Stocks of ammunition were increased starting early
in 2008.
Shelter, food, security. What is left? Communications. I bought a set of 25
mile range pair of Motorola hand held communicators with recharger on sale
for $38. Stores of batteries were laid in. Cell phones. Transportation was
what we already had. 2001 Dodge Durango 4x4 and a 2005 Chevrolet 4x4 extended
cab pick-up.
The Storm
January 28, 2009. KAIT –TV weather in Jonesboro, Arkansas is forecasting
a wet winter storm cold front with frigid weather following out of the Northwest.
When it began, the outside temperature was about 27 degrees Fahrenheit. Freezing
rain collected on everything in near biblical quantity.
I was awakened in the early morning of January 29th and you could hear branches
starting to snap with a sound like gunshots. Outside, you could see flashes of
light as one by one, the transformers on the light poles blew out. The power
was off. It was time to go to work. First, open the flue and light the gas logs
in the fireplace. Inside the house, the temperature had quickly fallen to about
40 degrees. I thought to crack a window for ventilation draft to reduce the chances
of carbon monoxide poisoning. Then I set up a propane heater and went about blocking
off all rooms except the den and kitchen, which were adjoining. I used 4 mil
plastic to cover two entrances to the den. The temperature quickly found about
62 degrees. We placed a carbon monoxide detector in the room to keep us from
being statistics. The propane stove was set up over the electric range for cooking
and a 20 pound bottle of propane was connected to it. I started thinking about
how I should have bought a generator.
By morning, we felt isolated in our home. Very few vehicles were moving. The
world outside looked like a war zone with ice-laden limbs and the things they
crushed. With no electricity, the phones didn’t work. We ate breakfast
normally. The whole world became our refrigerator. No cable TV so we cranked
up the radio and began to listen to the results. Reports of some break-ins started
coming in as people abandoned all electric homes for the designated shelters
in town. Outlying areas quickly ran out of gasoline and propane. Stores emptied
out their goods and shelves became bare. Generators and flashlights were nonexistent.
Batteries and power supplies followed suit. Many businesses were unable to sell
anything as their computers were down and lights and heat were out. Sadly, no
one has a backup plan for how to sell anything without electricity. Gas cans
were a faint memory. I checked on our neighbors to make sure they were coping,
and to exchange cell phone numbers. The telephone system actually works without
outside electricity if the type of phone you use doesn’t need 110 volts
from the grid. We had one emergency phone for that reason, and it was operational.
I wondered how many people knew about that?
The day passed relatively uneventfully. We had everything we needed to exist
in a minor disaster. Some people didn’t. A few died for their lack of
preparedness.
After the passing of the first day of “survival,” tree limb removal
became the priority, while everyone fought what southerners call severe cold.
It was the 30th of January. The temperature was unrelenting with nighttime lows
of 9 degrees and daytime highs of 20. I was able to venture out for things that
would be nice to have, like a generator. You see, with a generator, our gas furnace
would work. All you need it for is the electric blower. It was the only hole
in the preparations. I went in to the local Lowe’s, after checking a couple
of other stores. In the back of the store there was a line of about 13 people.
I asked why they were there. There was a truck inbound with 75 generators. I
got in line. Twenty minutes later I was in the electric department buying the
necessary wire nuts and power cords needed to hook my [newly-purchased] generator
to
the
power
panel in my house.
When I got home, the first thing I did was to disconnect the house from the grid
by turning off the main breaker, outside the house. You must do this before attempting
to connect a generator to your power panel. Failure to do so could kill workmen
repairing downed power lines and connecting transformers. To get things operational
quickly, I used the cord provided with the generator, which used four grounded
plug outlets. To operate the [selected] areas to connect, I bought 10
gauge wire. We turned off all appliances and I pulled out the circuit breaker
for the
selected
rooms. I disconnected the wire from the circuit breaker and wired it directly
to each wire with a male plug on the other end to mate with the wire from the
generator. I did this for the heater circuit, the den wall circuit, the kitchen
wall circuit, and the master bedroom wall circuit. The heater kicked on.
I offer one final note about using a generator. The operation book has a chart
in it showing the watts used by each type of appliance. You must calculate the
[load] amount used by your appliances. It has to add up to less than your generators
running wattage rating.
We were on a main highway in town, and we had our electricity hooked to the grid
after spending only a few nights without. Many in town were without electricity
for three weeks. In outlying areas, some are still not connected. The line crews
working to restore power were fantastic. Limbs still line the highways and yards
a month after the event began.
Lessons Learned
It was nice to be confident in the preparations that we had made. It was also
easy to see the holes in the plan. I now have the generator that I knew I would
need when the grid goes down. After the fact, I also bought the connections necessary
to hook up the generator just by turning off the main breaker, plugging the generator
to an installed wall socket, and cranking it up. Cell phones go down after only
a few days without a charge. I bought a portable power battery for that purpose.
If we had been out of power long term, the generator would have had to have been
used on a part time basis, at night. That means that daytime operations would
have been using only one or two rooms, again. When power goes down, the best
fallback is natural gas, if you have it. I am in the process of planning where
to install additional natural gas stubs for appliances that can be added. The
natural gas hot water heater was a blessing. It was on from the start. The warmest
place in the house was the utility room where the water heater is located. Remember
to have books and games for those evening hours when you would have been watching
television. Make sure all of your gasoline cans stay filled and stabilized. Make
sure
all of your propane bottles stay charged. Make sure you have plenty of batteries
for radios and flashlights. Make sure you have enough essential medicines. Roger’s
Rangers rules #1 rule is "Don’t fergit nuthin!"
I may have missed a few issues, but I want to talk about future plans. I am going
to install photovoltaic panels to run an emergency LED lighting system. This
would
be
a small solar panel, probably 45-60 watts [and a deep cycle battery], as a precursor
to getting
a more comprehensive system. LED lights use very little electricity and they
are
very
long lasting.
More technology will be added as it becomes available. Reducing reliance on the
grid is the ultimate goal.
Final Words
You can war game and "what if" emergency situations as much as you
like. It is good to exercise your plan. The problem is that real situations
have a
way of
waking you up to the holes in your plans. Do not wait to begin planning for the
next disaster. People in tornado and earthquake zones know about being ready
for these things, but Mother Nature will have a surprise for you no matter
where
you are.
Prepare for the worst and pray to God that it doesn’t happen.
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Two Letters Re: Advice on Night Vision Gear »
Three Letters Re: The Feeding Frenzy Continues--Gun Store Shelves are Depleted
JWR:
I saw the article on how Cabela’s shares surged based on gun sales.
Let me tell you, we are in the midst of a feeding frenzy here in Colorado.
First, its not just guns, its all of the accessories as well. I had to return
some items from Christmas to Sportsman’s Warehouse and found that the
whole gun department was basically empty. They only had some black powder firearms
and a couple of shotguns. Nothing else. I had run into this before Christmas
when I bought my two oldest boys new elk rifles – and got the last .308
bolt action and the last .30-06 bolt action to be had. But I figured after Christmas things would be better. Well, they
are not. So unless you shoot something
odd like a .22-250 forget getting ammunition right now let alone a gun. And
the cleaning kits were sold out as well. And holsters, ammo belts – you
name it and if it was shooting related it was gone.
Now in my wanderings in the store I also found that communications
gear is also disappearing off the shelves. I had a brief conversation with the kid
that was working there and it turns out that this is another trend they are
seeing. Basically all of the walkie-talkie units that can take ear buds or
microphones are gone. The only things left are some cheap FRS units. The same
thing was at work with the flashlights – all of the better units (like
the Surefire models) were gone. I begin to wonder what is at work here – am
I being paranoid or is this the next run on “near tactical” equipment?
Now I shoot as much as I can when I am in country so I go through a lot of
reloading supplies and bulk ammunition. I have been told by some of the national
dealers that I buy from (in bulk lots of 10 cases per caliber per order) that
they are almost all sold out as well. One sales person related to me that they
had run through over 10,000 cases of .223 that week alone and could not keep
any in stock. Common calibers are gone – 9mm, .45 ACP, .38/.357, .223,
.308, 7.62x39 – and less common ones such as the .40 are hard to get.
So unless you happen to be shooting something that is very uncommon, keep your
eyes open. I did however with a week of scrounging manage to come up with
one box of 7.62 match grade ammo – the 175 grain M118 loading. Fortunately
my long range precision gun likes this ammo so I bought it.
This is one trend that if you were not way out in front and loading up on ammunition,
guns, and accessories, you would not be able to catch up now. - Hugh D.
Hi Jim,
FYI, just got done shopping at Midway [for ammunition handloading components]
and all of the .308 150 grain soft nosed bullets priced at $25.00/100 and
under are
gone.
All
gone!
This
includes
all round
nose and flat point for 30-30. Only some of the
premium stuff is available. The next best
deal is a Lapua 150 grain at $42.00/100. Guess I'll have to top off with
the only decent spitzer, a 125 grain Sierra Pro-Hunter at $22/100 if I can't
find 150 grainers
elsewhere. I suppose these can be reliable through a[n M1]
Garand and are
certainly adequate for deer. I've also shopped all over for loaded 9mm Luger
JHP and
it's all gone as well. Yes I shoulda got the XD-.45 instead,
yet common ammunition that can be shared with the rest of the family and
in case the gun fails
the ammo would not be wasted. I have plenty, but more would be nice. The
same can be said for the cheap 7.62x39 and M2 ball (.30-06). All gone, everywhere.
There does appear to be some 7.62 NATO out
there.
Cabela's seems to have a fair selection of all .308 spire point bullets
and 9mm/.45ACP
JHP,
and a very limited amount (500 rounds) of the cheap 7.62x39, and limited
quantities
of .223 and .308.
The run on ammunition continues and is amazing. A report from the latest
gun show in our area described [buyers with] dollies stacked with cases
that emptied the place within
three hours. What is the most shocking is that reloading components are also
disappearing. - E.L.
Jim:
News of the [U.S.]Attorney General asking for renewal of the Assault Weapons
ban (on behalf of Obama) went out across the Internet last night [Wednesday,
Feb.
25th.] Here was the result I saw: There was a line of about eight guys
in front of my local gun shop this morning, waiting for the doors to open.
This was at 9 a.m. on a Thursday morning, mind you. I was one of them.
Most of the guys looked to be in their 30s and 40s--so we were taking time
away from work to be there. (In my case, it was a "dental emergency".
Obama has
me grinding my teeth at night!) We got in the door, and I immediately saw there
wasn't much left on the shelves--mostly just pump [shot]guns
and
bolt-action
[rifle]s.
There
were
just
two centerfire semi[automatic]s in the rack: some POS no-name
AK that
looked like it was built from a beater parts kit, and one of those woosie S&W AR[-15] clones
with no flash hider on but with the Mossy-Breakup camouflage
paint job. Those both sold in the first few minutes. The owner said that he
doesn't
expect
[to
receive] any more black
guns for three or four months!
One thing you definitely
had nailed: They did not have a single high-cap magazine
left in the store,
except the
one
that
came
in the
mag well of the AK I mentioned.
I cleaned out the last of their .45
and .308 ammo--just a few boxes. There was not a round of 9mm, .223, of
7.62 [x39mm] Russian to be found. Those was some slim pickin's! I wonder:
What will they have
left by
Saturday night? - Ray H. in Virginia
« Economics and Investing: |Main| Letter Re: Real World Observations on Fighting Crime and Criminals »
Letter Re: eXRS Radios and Texting in the Field
James:|
A current discussion
forum thread {at AR15.com] on eXRS two-way radios is worthy of mention.
Also see this
description.
In searching the SurvivalBlog archives, I only found one
post mentioning eXRS Radios. Here is a
description of test by a paintball team.
What are your thoughts for secure short range comm? Text messaging could have
some uses for silent comm. - Craig W.
JWR Replies: The eXRS radios are fine in the voice mode,
but I am very dubious of the tactical
practicality of text messaging, at least once the lead starts flying. Who
in their right mind
is going to want to take their eyes off the immediate situation for that long?
The US military uses handheld text and graphics devices only in very limited
situations, such as artillery fire control, and relaying information for close
air support.
Special
Forces
field tests with sophisticated graphics systems such as the
Inter-4 Tacticomp (made, BTW by one of my former employers) showed
that they only had genuine utility in setting up tactical situations.
Once the first shot was fired, the gadgets were often tossed aside
and
operators reverted to good old fashioned shouts and hand-arm signals.
In contrast to the complexity of texting, voice communications
are proven and fairly reliable. Also,
keep in mind that
we are
living in the
era
of light
amplification
night
vision
equipment.
This
will
turn
even
a small backlit LCD display
into a huge "shoot me" beacon at night. (I should mention here that
most currently-produced full mil spec electronics have a very dim "NVG" mode,
which these radios lack. It is probably feasible to do a modification that
would disable the back-light element(s). Failing that, an improvised cover
using a strip of ubiquitous duck tape will suffice.) You can
of course also use the expedient of working under a draped poncho. This method
has been used for
many
years
for map reading at night, with a red lens flashlight. But again, the tactical
utility of texting is doubtful. In essence:, if you are in a situation where
you are close enough that you would worry about opponents hearing you use voice
communications,
then that is also close enough (read: within rifle range) that you wouldn't
want to sacrifice situational awareness to be looking down at text messaging
device.
Ear buds and small boom microphones seem far
more practical for most short range
tactical
communications.
The bottom line: Buy the best hand-helds that you can, and when outdoors use
them exclusively with ear buds. The eXRS radios are a good option, particularly
in a signal-dense urban environment. And I am also a big believer in rock
solid radio communications and intrusion detection sensors as effective
force multipliers. (In a rural retreat situation, with limited manpower, I
can foresee that have one radio frequency for both voice comms and
intrusion detection will be ideal.)
I'll close with one big proviso: Don't make the mistake of becoming overly
dependent on gadgets. Time and weather
will take their toll. (As The
Memsahib is fond of saying; "It's entropy, Jim,
entropy.") Always have a Plan B and C for communications, and be
ready and able to revert from high tech to no tech. Train
for both best case and worst case situations, when it comes to your electronics.
Economics and Investing:
« Letter Re: Is it Deflation or Inflation Ahead? Should I Pay Down My Debts? |Main| Depression Proof Jobs for a 20 Year Depression - Part 1: The Counter-Cyclical Jobs »
Letter Re: Buying Kindle Reader for Accessing Survival References?
Mr. Rawles;
Given that even the smallest of windmills driving an automobile
alternator can keep a 12 volt DC battery charged, and from that you can run
a myriad of small
devices, what is your opinion of Amazon's Kindle [mobile book reading screen]
for keeping all the documents you might need, like the entire archives of SurvivalBlog?
Amazon
is now offering "Version
2" [of Kindle] , which seems easier to load with personal documents. Is
it worth it
as a backup library, or is it too fragile? - Sandy W.
JWR Replies: Buying a shiny new Kindle for that purpose is
like "putting
all your eggs in one basket". I
would much rather put all my archived preparedness reference documents on multiple copies
on CD-ROMs and then buy two or three used laptop computers with cosmetic
defects.
(The ongoing corporate
layoffs in the US will surely mean that the market will soon be flooded with
high quality used laptops for under $200 each, and I wouldn't be surprised to
see
some offered
for under $100 each.) Store those laptops in 40mm ammo
cans to help protect then from EMP.
Redundancy is the key. One of my mottos is: "Two is one,
and
one
is
none."
Here at the Rawles
Ranch we recently obtained a Brunton
Solarport 4.4 (4.4 Watt) compact photovoltaic (PV) panel for testing.
These produce .29 amps (at 15 volts) in full sunlight, which is enough to charge
flashlight
batteries or a cellular phone, but not enough to power a laptop. (But up to
three Brunton PowerPorts can
be "daisy chained" together (in parallel) to provide additional
current.) I consider the Brunton PowerPort a "micro" mobile solar
power solution. A more practical "mini" at-home or RV power
solution is to buy a 10 watt PV
panel
(such as those sold by Northern
Tool & Equipment
or
comparable panel such as the and a portable automobile "jump
pack" gel cell battery, (available at any local auto parts store, or from
a variety of Internet vendors). By placing the PV panel inside a southern-facing
window (indoors or inside a vehicle,
to protect
it
from the
elements) you can
trickle
charge
a jump
pack and easily get one hour of laptop use per day.
« Letter Re: Hardening a Home Against Small Arms Fire |Main| Note from JWR: »
Letter Re: UHF Business Band as Another Option for Retreat Local Two-Way Communications
Sir.
Another option for retreat communications is to license your own business
frequency with the FCC.
That is what we did. Having worked in public safety, both fire and law enforcement
for 30 years, I knew what I wanted in a radio
system. I wanted to use public safety quality radios and I wanted my own repeater,
all in the UHF business
band. Our remote area has few UHF frequencies since public safety operates
in the VHF band in our area. There are few businesses
that use radios.
The initial license cost about $400. for ten years because the initial frequency
search. Future 10 year renewals are about $135. The frequency is mine and
no one for over 50 miles can use or license it. I licensed a repeater as well
so I got two frequencies for the price of one. I obtained a permit for a repeater
site from BLM and I will install my 50 watt, solar powered repeater this spring.
The repeater spot, on a remote mountain, "looks" into the mountain
range where our ranch is and also looks 30 miles down the valley to the closest
town.
As far as purchasing quality radios, I decided on the Kenwood brand since that
is what I use at work and our local radio tech is a dealer for them. For hand-held
radios, we use the [Kenwood] 3160. I bought all of mine used on eBay for less
than $150 each. For 25 watt and 45 watt mobile radios, I bought them on
eBay
as well. I have a 65 watt mobile in the house as the base radio. These radios
have over a 20 year life in my experience.
By using these professional radios, you can also purchase military/police quality
head sets, boom microphones and bone microphones for them which is very important
to OPSEC when
patrolling or manning an LP/OP.
Sound can travel a long ways in the mountains.
Also, you can program the radios for the FRS and
GMRS bands
so you could talk to folks with their inexpensive radios from K-Mart and Cabela's.
This would
be illegal for the FRS frequencies unless you can program the radio to [limit
it to] put out
.6 watts
(600 milliwatts) on
the
FRS frequencies. You could not use the base or mobile radios legally [with
more than 600 milliwatts] on either the GRMS or FRS frequencies.
As far as antennas go, buy a good commercial or public safety quality antenna
for your base antenna. When it comes to hand held radio antennas, I have seen
the high gain antennas from Smiley Antennas, work wonders. Once
our mounted unit was working in a narrow canyon and no one in the unit could
reach dispatch on their hand held antennas when we needed a patrol car for
an arrest. I attached my expandable Smiley Antenna (VHF)
antenna to my radio, extended it out to the full four feet, and contacted dispatch
with no problem.
I was the brunt of many "fishing pole" radio jokes from my team mates,
but they all went out and bought their own!
I would recommend that groups consider this type of communications for their
needs.
Thanks for your work Jim. I just renewed my 10
Cent Challenge subscription,
with a little extra. - PED /p>
« Letter Re: Advice on AR-10 Rifles (Updated) |Main| Note from JWR: »
Building a Low-Cost, Low-Profile Shortwave Dipole Antenna, by Jerry the Generator Guy
First, you decided to get your own shortwave receiver. You wanted to be able
to listen to unfiltered worldwide news. Applause, and a pat on the back,
for taking a positive step. However, an unexpected problem may soon surface.
Any internal ferrite or wand/rod antenna, like what the radio came with,
will only effectively receive strong signals. Unfortunately, it can’t
do a good job on weak signals.
The obvious solution is to add an external antenna. But it may be spotted by
the neighborhood or local “whiners” may complain that your obnoxious
visible antenna is interfering with their television or radio reception. The
fact that you are only receiving won’t stop their perception
that it’s
your fault. A second issue is that the “typical" outdoor antenna
may not survive severe weather. It may fail in high wind/snow/ice.
Another negative is that any antenna wire in the wind will pick up static charges
when dust hits the antenna. This dust hitting the antenna is what causes the “pop” sound
in the audio during a storm. This electrostatic discharge (ESD) travels down
the lead in wire and may weaken or damage the front end [electronic section]
of the receiver. If you have an outside antenna a good antenna discharge unit
is strongly recommended.
Is there a satisfactory solution for these problems? Yes! First determine what
lengths of wire would be needed for a tuned dipole antenna to receive each
desired frequency. Many Ham or Shortwave books either tell you how to calculate
the desired dipole wire length or provide a suggested length data table for
you. If you are fortunate the manual with the receiver may provide these parameters.
My low cost recommended solution follows:
I bought some 4 -conductor telephone cable and some 50 ohm TV coax cable at
the local Home Depot. The 50 ohm cable is routed from the receiver to the center
of the antenna. Cut the telephone wire at the center of the total length. Strip
the insulation back slightly on all of the center wires. Solder [using electrical
- not plumber type solder] the center conductor to one of the wire
groups. Solder the coax shield to the other set of wires. Measure the desired
distance from
the center to the desired endpoint for a specific dipole. Carefully slit the
outer cover of the phone cable at that location. Cut and remove the balance
of an individual colored wire. Cutting the dipole for the lowest frequency
first [ longest length ] will make removing the extra wire lengths easier.
Measure, cut and repeat the same steps at the other side of the antenna. Note:
Some books will suggest reducing the length of the antenna wire elements by
5%. This reduction is to compensate for the “close” distance to
the other dipoles. Precise tune lengths are needed for transmitting but may
not be necessary if the antenna is used for an entire shortwave band. The generic “rule
of thumb” for
most receiving antennas is the more wire available for signal pickup the better.
Repeat this process for the other three wires. Cover the soldered connections
with electrical tape. Fasten
the antenna in a straight line along the cornice or eave of the house. Paint
or stain to match the color nearby and it looks like it has been there forever.
Note: If four tuned lengths aren’t enough - then the same approach
could be done with 8-conductor unshielded computer network cable.
You now have a good antenna to pick up those weaker signals. In addition, the
house now protects the antenna from any severe weather effects. If a nosey “snooper” comes
by all that they will see is a “telephone” wire.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Four Letters Re: The Gray Man in the Coming Storm »
Two Letters Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications
Good Morning Jim,
First, I definitely concur on a BFO award
for the horizontally polarized CB antenna
idea.
I am a relatively new ham. I got my license two years ago, and can highly
recommend that as you say, that everyone [in the US reading this] get their
license,
because it IS so easy now. One thing that I think needs to be pointed out
is that with the removal of the code requirements for any license, a General
Class
license is really no harder to get than a Technician license. The best way
to get your ham license it to find a local club that offers classes. Many
clubs have web pages that are listed on the ARRL web
site, and will tell you if they do classes. My club, the Edmond Amateur Radio
Society (EARS), usually runs
both a Technician, and a General class at least once a year, and usually
twice, we are not unique in this regard.
If a person lives so far
out that they can not conveniently get to a club then I can highly recommend QRZ.com.
They are a huge resource for hams with all kinds of technical information
on radios, and antennas, as well as forums for asking questions. The most
useful
thing is that they offer an online practice test program that uses the
current question pool for all licenses. So it is possible to practice
for Technician,
General, and Extra class tests with the live question pool. This is a great learning
tool. If you can't get to a class, get a copy of the current book for the
license you want/need, and read it cover to cover, then go to QRZ.com
and take the test, until you pass it.
When I was taking my Tech class exam , and got to the point that I was passing
the QRZ test every time, I decided to try the General test, just for fun.
I only missed passing it the first time by just two questions. So I got the
General
book, read it, and then took [variations of] that test until I was passing
it every time. Two
weeks later
I took both the Tech, and General tests at the same testing session, and
passed both. While I'm above average bright, I'm not that much above
average, it's just that easy. With a general license almost
all of the Amateur radio allocated
spectrum is available to you, and all modes are available in one
band or another.
After saying all of this I need to point out that while getting you license
is not hard, the book only teaches you what you need to pass the test.
Being a licensed ham is being part of a community, and there are huge amounts
of
information, and many skills you will need to have to effectively use anything
beyond your
Tech license. That's not to say you should avoid getting your General right
off the bat, but you will be much happier, and get much more out of your
time on the air, if find a local club, or at least get an Elmer (a ham
who mentors
new hams) to help you learn what you really need to know
to be a good ham. You will find that getting the hardware, and getting
it up and working is much
easier, and will work much better with the skills your Elmer can teach
you.
Recommendations:
1) Get your license, and go ahead and try for both your Tech and
General tickets, you have nothing to loose.
2) Find a club that offers classes, if you can't find one, get the books
and try anyway.
3) Find an Elmer to help you learn the ropes.
Good Luck to all, - Fanderal
Hello Jim
There has been much great "Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications".
There are a couple suggestions I would add:
If you are interested in an Amateur Radio License, there are numerous free
web-resources to help you prepare for the simple tests. The giant link site
AC6V.com links
to the vast majority of them. In mentoring students I've suggested they work
at the material until they regularly score 90% or
better on their on-line or on-computer practice tests. My most recent student
went from not having a license to passing all three levels of exams at the
same test session using this simple guideline.
I've used the Hamcram free Materials from W9PE.us to
assist over 30 students. Their on-line test site, as well as QRZ.com and
eHam.net and the audio Podcasts
at HamRadioClass.org have been mentioned by
students are helpful.
A previous letter mentioned PSK31. There is a very interesting PSK31 modem
that avoids the need to use a computer with the radio [available] from http://nue-psk.com/
One concern with transmitting is being DFed. Some simple suggestions to avoid
being found are:
* Decide whether your Emergency Communications needs to be Two-Way, Single
(Broadcast) or a Broadcast acknowledged other than by return transmission on
the same frequency.
* Don't interfere with anyone else on the air, why tip anyone that you are
even
transmitting?
* Listen first, Listen some more and make sure your frequency is clear before
transmitting.
* Avoid calling any attention to your transmissions - no whistle tones, lengthy
preambles or other attention grabbers.
* Do not transmit or broadcast on a regular schedule and certainly do not announce
a schedule unless it is an emergency. Work out a varying schedule.
* Keep your broadcasts short.
* After you sign-off, don't go back on for at least a few hours later, if not
days between transmissions.
* Never respond to an unknown call-in.
* Don't give out any information that helps locate you - even GPS coordinates
or landmarks can get your found.
* Maintain tight security, consider Transmitting and Broadcasting to be on
a Need to Know basis.
* When possible, broadcast from different locations.
* Consider operating mobile.
* Consider operating "remotely" via a line of sight RF link to your
main transmitter.
* Feed Line is Cheap and can save you. Get some distance between your antenna
and yourself.
* When you are done transmitting, pack up and get your gear out of there.
* Consider taking down your antennas between uses. Some antennas can be erected
just before use, and taken down and hidden away after you are finished, others
can be concealed, including changing their electrical resonance when not in use.
* Use a lookout (LP/OP) while broadcasting. If alerted, terminate transmission
and put the station into full countermeasures drill.
* Have a stand down drill, full countermeasures drill and evacuation drill planned
out. If need be power the station up and let it serve as a decoy for your own
safety while moving off.
* If your receiving stations can be so equipped, have them record your transmissions
rather than repeating them for lost parts of your message. They should use OPSEC in
their handling of the recordings.
* Though digital modes get through RF noise that will blank out many other modes,
they are slow. Consider using modes that operate below the noise level (check
out a mode called "Olivia" which can put a message through that neither
ear or computer screen will show a signal for!).
* Consider minimizing your message to prearranged pass-phrases. Better to type
in "Blue Balloon for Baby" four times, which gives the receiving station
a very high probability of capturing the whole passphrase which they can look
up in their passbook, than rattling off a long list of instructions once.
* In usual use the use of Encryption or Codes will get you in trouble on the
Amateur Bands (except very limited special situations such as controlling an
Amateur Radio Satellite), but in time of emergency it would be prudent to consider
anything transmitted as public. Uninteresting Codes may be useful.
* Consider using antenna designs with RF patterns matching your needs. If a finely
focused antenna with little side or back sensitivity or emissions can work, use
it.
* Don't forget about DF resistant techniques like Near Vertical Incidence
Skywave (NVIS).
This technique employs antennas which basically shoot straight up and reflect
off
the ionized layers in a fashion making direct DF difficult [except from very
close by,
via
ground wave
DF].
* Only use Radio when simpler, less exposed methods of passing information won't
work. I had a long chat with a WWII Homing Pigeon Specialist, who rode a glider
in at the battle of the Arne. He pointed out that the use of Pigeons allowed
them to maintain absolute radio silence during the launch of the assault. There
is so much more to the use of radio in a serious emergency situation. I've written
articles on various techniques for using industrial equipment as transmitters.
Be a bit wary of the Amateur Radio "Emcomm" groups. They are training
to be part of the government system and in some areas border on paramilitary
auxiliary government units. They also tend to never really look at the sort
of serious situations we might, nor do they do much for protecting the individual
participant, as most require the Emcomm Responder to go unarmed and have SOPs that
are basically counter-OPSEC [and
counter-COMSEC].
Hope these little bits of information are of
use! 73, - Steve W
JWR Replies: Thanks for those suggestions. OBTW, some other
COMSEC and OPSEC issues, do-it-yourself cryptography, and counter-DF
techniques
are described
in the "Radio
Ranch" chapter of
my novel "Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse"
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Letter Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications
Jim,
CB is potentially a good choice for folks that are not licensed amateur operators
if they use directional antennae and phase the antenna for horizontal
polarization instead
of the
normal vertical antenna. I am thinking base to base operations here.
Using antenna
with horizontal polarization can attenuate signals transmitted by a vertical
antenna by 20 dB.
Every 3dB of attenuation cuts the signal by 1/2 so that would be 1/64th or
slightly less signal power! [JWR
Adds: The means very low probability of intercept by anyone outside
of your private family or survival group "horizontal antenna network"! That suggestion just earned
you a Blinding Flash of the Obvious (BFO)
award. Yes, I know BFO means something different to hams (Beat Frequency Oscillator),
but here at SurvivalBlog it
means that I like your idea so much that I'm sending you a free book to thank
you for it!]
A Yagi-style antenna can give 10 or more dB of gain. That means the effective
radiated power of a 5 watt radio (which is actually about 3 watts) is ten
times more or about 30 watts in this case.
Propagation can cause skip signals to give interference. The antenna should
be a minimum of 1/4 wavelength above ground for best results. A directional
antenna can be something like a flashlight [beam] if chosen properly. It can
send and receive signals from the direction of choice and attenuate
signals from other directions. A cheap wire antenna beam is called a Moxon
beam [, named after the late Les Moxon, call sign G6XN.]
A ham license [in the US] is now so easy to get that people should just
get the ham license and that will open up more bands and allow the right
equipment
for
the
situation. See www.ARRL.com for
testing locations and times.
The first level ham license is the Technician class. To quote a recent ARRL
article: "Some Technician licensees who gained new privileges on February 23,
2008 remain unaware or
uninformed
as to what they may and may not do on the HF bands", says ARRL
Regulatory Information Specialist Dan Henderson, N1ND. In addition to all
Amateur Radio operating privileges above 50 MHz, Technicians who never passed
a Morse code test now have CW privileges
on certain segments of 80, 40, and 15 meters plus new CW, RTTY,
data and SSB privileges
on certain segments of 10 meters. And that's it. "Know your privileges," Henderson
advises all Amateur Radio licenses. He says some Technicians apparently believe
their new HF phone
privileges go far beyond what they really have. "Technicians
have no phone privileges on any HF band other than 10 meters, period!" Henderson
emphasizes. "That's the bottom line. If you want to operate phone on
the other HF bands, you'll have to upgrade to General or Amateur Extra class." [The
good news is that there is now] no
code test for any class of license now! However, code can get the message
through poor band conditions when voice is impossible.
A digital mode called PSK31 can, with a laptop computer and a low power HF
transmitter, communicate under severe band conditions even better than code!
Technicians
have phone privileges from 28.300 to 28.500 with a 200 watt power limit. When
band [signal propagation] conditions are good, California can talk to the UK
on 5 watts. Band conditions for HF are poor right now [because of low sunspot
numbers] but there are always openings
on
the various
bands
due to changing conditions. I called a local Boise station last night on 75
meter phone using 10 watts and was answered by a Southern California station,
but at the same time a Northern Wisconsin
station with a super antenna farm was having trouble hearing me with 100 watts
power. I hope that this has not bored you to death.
See QRZ.com for practice
tests and a search engine to locate a ham radio operator in your zip code to
contact for more information. 73s, - The Other
Mr. Delta
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Letter Re: Advice on Two-Way Radio Communications
Mr. Rawles,
I have read "Patriots," and am finishing up your ["Rawles
Gets You Ready"] preparedness course and I
have a question: What brand, or type of two-way communication do I look for.
I live in Kansas, about as far inland as we can go. I have several
family members in
the same small town and would like something that we all could communicate
with. Ready Made Resources recommends a GMRS system,
is that something to consider,
or are CBs
the answer?
I appreciate all that you post on your blog, consequently, I have just purchased
the "SurvivalBlog: The Best of the Blog" book to look back on what
I have missed since I started reading late last year. I have found your articles
to
be so
beneficial
to me
and have
recommended your site to others. Sincerely, - Thea
JWR Replies: I expect the Citizen's Band (CB) to be quite
crowded with "chatter" in the event of a widespread disaster. And
it will probably
remain crowded if the power
grid stays
up.
If you want a low-power system (assuming that you don't have a large PV battery
charging
system), I
would
recommend
MURS
band radios.
Inexpensive used MURS band handi-talkies are
available
from MURS Radios--one
of my advertisers. The MURS band radios have have comparable range to GMRS
band
radios, but the MURS band has far less traffic. (In many rural areas
the band
is essentially uninhabited.) Most transmissions in that band require no license.
If you want a higher-power
system, I would recommend buying using Marine Band radios
on
eBay. (There,
search
on "Marine Band Radio".) These do not require a license except
for "vessels over 65 feet in length". (But be advised that there are FCC restrictions on "inland" use. Reader Don K. mentioned that only radios that are "Type Accepted by the FCC for part 80 use may
transmit on radio frequencies in the Maritime Radio Services.
Equipment used for Land Stations must be specifically approved by the
FCC for this use; most shipboard equipment is not approved for Land
Station use. Fines by the FCC can be and usually are substantial.")
Since most Marine band radios draw
more current than a MURS handi-talkie, you will need a more capable backup
power system for battery
charging. I suggest
a
couple
of large 6 volt DC deep-cycle ("golf cart") type batteries for
each radio. The beauty of the MURS band and the VHF Marine
band is that they are both essentially "private
bands" in many areas. But of course don't consider them "secure",
since they
can still be detected and monitored with a multi-band scanner.
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Letter Re: Field Test with a MURS Band Dakota Alert Intrusion Detection System
James;
I just recently purchased a MURS band Dakota Alert and Radio setup from [MURS
Radio] that advertises
on your site. Needless to say I got a screaming deal! I live in the
Pacific
Northwest, literally in the middle of dense woods. My radios and sensors arrived
during one of the best snowfalls we have had in a while. All of the trees were
loaded [with snow]. The temperature was in the very low 20s. Our terrain is
mountainous.
Here are my results (which may be helpful to your readers who may be thinking
about purchasing them):
[Dakota
Alert MAT] Sensors: Solid
transmission to Base station (located in a metal building) at 3/4 mile. Longer
range not tested (It was cold, and I did
not require longer range.)
Hand held transceivers [handi-talkies (HTs),
[also made by Dakota Alert] to and from base station, solid to 1/2 mile,
sketchy at 3/4 mile.
Sensors to HT solid transmission to 1/2 mile sketchy at 3/4 mile.
HT to HT solid at 1/2 mile sketchy at 3/4 mile.
Problems:
The sensor does not have enough transmission time to finish the third [repetition
of the] "Alert
Zone 2" message due to [an error in] the speed of the person recording
the message. I contacted the manufacturer about it, and they said that all
their current units are all
this way. No one wants to be #2. (All other alert messages are fine) This is
not
a problem, but one does have to chuckle.
A cold vehicle (just started) dose not always activate the sensors. This is
not a tactical problem but is an annoyance.
Suggestions:
BNC connectors and pull up antennas are leaky. In addition to the manufactures
suggestion to add a packet of desiccant inside the sensors, I highly suggest
wrapping the BNC connection
and each segment joint of the antenna with COAX-SEAL.(A
hand moldable plastic.) This will insure total water proofing of the unit.
I plan on disguising my
[chromed,
collapsible] antennas by covering them
with gray heat shrink [tubing] and a little magic marker action, then sealing
the BNC with
coax
seal.
Since I live off the grid It makes no sense to run the base station (which
is 12 Volt DC) off my inverter. I wired it up to my 12V distribution network
that I use for all my comm devices Ham, CB,
etc. Just to play it safe I contacted the manufacturer about the maximum voltage
the unit could handle as I charge
my batteries at 14.4V. They recommended some sort of voltage regulation device.
You could "fab"one
up or as they suggested, use a [voltage] regulating cigarette lighter plug.
They said the unit would function at the higher voltage
but it would be hard on it, and reduce it's life expectancy.
The only drawback is that there are only four alert messages, limiting the
number of sensors you can use at one time. If you need more than four sensors
you will
need a second receiver. I plan on calling the manufacturer and suggesting a "record
your own message" modification. I am totally pleased with these
units. Thanks for listing them. - John
JWR Replies: Thanks for the review. Here at the Rawles
Ranch, we also
use MURS band
Dakota Alert transmitters in conjunction with some gently-used Kenwood transceivers.
We bought all of these components
from MURS
Radio. Programming the transmitters to match our MURS frequency was quick
and easy. We
have
been
very
pleased
with
their
sensitivity and reliability. These are great products that provide a low-cost
solution for
detecting
anyone
entering our property.
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Six Letters Re: Home Invasion Robbery Countermeasures--Your Mindset and Architecture
Greetings Mr. Rawles,
I read your blog everyday and am learning so much. Thanks for your dedication
to helping prepare us for the future.
In reference to the recent article on home security, we lived in Argentina
for three years and we could all learn from their security measures. The first
house we lived in had steel shutters, as did everyone in the neighborhood,
and they were all shut at night. The doors have locks that automatically lock
when you leave the house. The small front yards usually have tall steel fences
with the same height gates. The gates were also locked at all times. Homes
that didn't have shutters of some kind, had bars on all the windows. Big dogs
were also the norm. The back yards were usually walled in by concrete block
walls sometimes 10 feet tall. At our second house, one of our neighbors had
concertina wire around the top of their walls.
It is a normal custom to clap your hands to alert someone you were at their
front gate. It would be very rude to try to enter someone's front yard without
being invited first, and is usually not possible due to the locks and dogs.
But, as new houses were being built, we were seeing less and less of the shutters
and bars, more American style houses were being built and that's a shame.
It was very difficult at first to live with these kinds of security measures,
but after awhile it became normal and comforting to know your house was secure.
Gun control is very strict and very few folks have guns, so home security was
very important.
Just wanted to share those observations with you. Thanks again for your hard
work.
Warmest Regards, - Beverly A.
Hello James Wesley, Rawles:
Feed lot panels are extremely useful for hardening windows against dynamic
entry.
For those who are not familiar with the product, feed lot panels are welded
wire product. They are typically 16 feet long. The height varies but is typically
54" high. The wire is very stiff (typically #4 or #6 gauge) and the wire
is galvanized for long life. The panels are inexpensive and semi-rigid.
We recently replaced a 13' x 69" bay window with a 60" by 60" picture
window (one pane) flanked by a couple of 60" high by 24" wide double
hung windows. Our primary goal was to increase energy efficiency by reducing
cold air infiltration during the winter and to improve our cross ventilation
during
the summer.
I had some fairly extensive conversation with the contractor regarding my desire
to have sufficient "beef" beside each window to be able to run several
5" x 1/2" eye-bolts beside each window (with the eyes of the bolts
aligned in the vertical direction), slide the trimmed-to-fit feedlot panel
over the eye-bolts, and then drop a cane bolt through the openings in the eye
bolts.
(Minor detail notes: Roof overhang requires that cane bolts be inserted from
bottom, but "drop in from top" is a more natural word picture. Also
desirable to use a cushioning material to hold panels away from frame of window
to eliminate scarring. Rubber or vinyl garden hose is a possibility.)
He was very happy to comply. Each window is framed in with 2x4s next to the
window frame, but then a 4x4 was bracketed into the top and bottom headers
immediately beside the 2X4s on each side of each of the three windows. Wood
is cheap.
Feed lot panels can be defeated. But defeating them requires time and tools...not
something typical home invaders want to expend/lug around. Feed lot panels
also help protect windows against airborne, flying trash during extreme wind
storms. They may be ugly, but they are cheap, durable and relatively easy
to install, given proper tools and some time and the foresight to have enough
wood to bolt into. - Joe H.
Jim,
I've already made numerous changes to my home and
property to thwart / limit any would be thefts and boosting the overall
security. A number of
ideas
came from your web site. Thanks.
Other than the simple measures of installing a Radio Shack microphone/speaker
and, locking the doors of my barns with snap links and walking out the front
and locking that door, I am worried for my horses if someone should try to
force their way inside and manage to stay very quiet. I'm very impressed
with my $149 Radio Shack investment, you can hear everything and my house
is 300
feet away.
Can you offer any additional advice on making barns more secure? I'm more
concerned about the horses than all of the tack and saddles. But those items
aren't cheap
either. Thanks, - Pete in Florida
JWR Replies: I do have one specific recommendation: Buy a
MURS band Dakota Alert infrared intrusion detection system. (Available from MURS
Radio, one of
our advertisers). Put one Motion Alert Transmitter (MAT) out
at the end of your driveway,
and one "watching" the front of your barn door. We
use Dakota Alerts in conjunction with matching frequency Kenwood MURS band
hand-helds here at the Rawles
Ranch on a daily basis. We have been very satisfied with their
quality and reliability. In our experience, this combination is ideal for detecting
intruders on likely avenues
of approach.
.
Dear Mr. Rawles,
First, as always, I am compelled to thank you for your service to all those
who would learn from your knowledge and efforts. My 2009 10
Cent Challenge contribution is forthcoming,
but it is only a small token of my appreciation in light of all that I have
learned from your excellent blog.
I wanted to add a note of my reality to your recent excellent comments on the
sorry state of home architecture in our country today. I live in a typical
recent-construction, middle class, Metro Atlanta home with a brick front facade,
and Hardiplank (a concrete-like product molded to look like wood siding) on
the remaining three sides. It is essentially three stories, with a "daylight
basement" comprising the first story. Many of the "weak links" that
you pointed out exist in my home, but we did install a fairly comprehensive
alarm system.
Last February, while my wife was at work and I was taking my son to daycare
(it was 11:15 a.m.), thugs broke into our house by kicking through the basement
wall! Evidently, the crooks suspected, or noticed, our alarm system, and tried
to bypass it by going through the wall. It would have worked if the dummies
hadn't opened the basement door preparing to depart with their loot. Of course,
opening the door set the alarm off, and they fled never having made it out
of the basement. They did steal an old rifle that I had recently bought, and
had left in a storage closet awaiting a good cleaning. All in all, we were
very fortunate.
I write not to simply share my story (which is, unfortunately, not very uncommon),
but to point out what I learned:
1. Though Hardiplank, and similar products, have many virtues, resistance to
invasion is not one of them.The concrete feel and appearance gives a false
sense of security. I was shocked to learn that the only thing between my "inner
sanctum" and the bad guys was the Hardiplank, fiberboard sheathing, and
drywall! Even if your 1st story sheathing were 5/8" plywood it would present
a much more formidable barrier!
2. If I had heeded my instincts, the burglary could have been avoided. I try
to live in "condition yellow", though I slip into white more than
I would like. That morning, while buckling my toddler into the car, I noticed
a rough-looking young man walking slowly up the sidewalk. By the time I had
buckled my seatbelt, he was ambling back down the street in the opposite direction.
All of the alarms in my head went off, but I didn't call the police to investigate
(something that they encouraged me to do in the future while discussing the
event). I did, however, step back inside and turn on the alarm, which I didn't
usually do for such short trips (things are different now). If I hadn't turned
on the alarm, I would have probably walked right into a home invasion in progress
(stupidly in condition white!) after dropping my son off. As it was, as soon
as I got the call from the monitoring service, I knew exactly what had happened,
and who had done it! During the frantic 3 mile drive home, my main concern
was, "what will I do if I arrive before the police?" At the time,
I had no firearm with me, which leads me to my final point.
3. Any time you walk into your home [after an absence] in condition white,
with no way to defend yourself, you invite disaster. Yes, I know it can be
terribly
stressful
to
admit to yourself that our society has "come to this", and some people
would rather just play the odds and hope it doesn't happen to them. I feel
that God was watching over me that day (by the way, the police were on site
when I got home - it had only been 20 minutes since I left the house) and gave
me a second chance. I guess I could remain in condition white, and hope it
doesn't happen again, but I have responsibilities. God gave me a second chance,
and I am committed to learning from this experience. You'd better believe that
I will arrive home in condition yellow to orange, looking for any hint that
something is awry - especially if my family is in tow! Oh yeah, and my next
house is going to be as solid as I can afford, and then some!
I hope you and yours had a wonderful Christmas, and will have a terrific new
year. Best Wishes, - SH in Georgia
James;
I have been an advocate for survivors of violent crimes. I would like
to point out some things that I have been tracking for almost a year now. (I
have 'home invasions" as a google search alert and get messages on this
topic many times a day). First, I have noticed that most of these invaders
are not so much interested in carting away ill-gotten booty from the residence
that they have invaded as much as the first object is to terrorize and torture
those in the dwelling. This is a major change in the high level of deprived
violence of these burglars who are now being reported as "home invaders".
The attacks are sadistic, whereas, twenty years ago true sadistic attacks
were more rare as the goal seemed to be to steal and leave. Second, these sadistic
home invasions are world wide. I have not yet figured out why this is so. It
is, however, concerning that no place seems safe from this bizarre rise in
sadistic violence. Perhaps it can be linked to violent video games? I am not
sure what else could link these acts world wide. Third, unlike violent home
crimes in years past, the home invaders are attacking during the hours when
it is more likely that the residents are home. (Most of these
invasions seem to take place between 11 PM and 5 AM). Clearly, unlike in early
times when
the criminal element wanted to avoid the residents, this new class of thugs
want that violent encounter.
I think this does require that decent folks to have a change in understanding
what is taking place. These criminals are not just getting the pleasure of
taking your property but they want to cause you and your family extreme fear,
terror, and pain. Passive conduct by the victims that might have allowed these
thugs to rob your home and leave you alone might have worked twenty years ago,
but I think today's home invaders first literally will want a pound of your
flesh. On a positive note, I have also read of numerous residents who have
successfully fended off the invaders by being properly protected within their
homes. I am 'surprised" that the media doesn't seem to do much coverage
of these heroic deeds of the victim defending himself or family members from
these sadistic invasion. - Advocate for Survivors
of Violent Crimes
Dear Mr. Rawles.
Regarding your post on Tuesday December 30, titled "Letter Re: Home
Invasion Robbery Countermeasures". I would like to see you elaborate on
the "Countermeasures" portion of the title. Specifically, could you
show some real examples that people could use as "force multipliers" similar
to this . Maybe you can do a post on with and without grid power in SHTF scenarios.
For example I live in a suburb of a city of about 80,000 people. I live on
a corner lot and have a fenced in back yard. What low-tech methods could I
deploy
to
allow full coverage around the perimeter of my property to signal of coming
trouble. It would help if the ideas were designed to not create an abundance
of false alarms and not alert the surrounding neighborhoods like a trip alarm.
I don't have a retreat location but I'm getting my finances in order to allow
a property purchase soon. If TSHTF tomorrow, I would need some simple ideas
to keep my family safe as long as possible.
BTW, I read your "Patriots" novel
and it was awesome! I am about half way thorough your "Rawles
Gets You Ready" course and it too
is great. Thanks, - Steve F. in Louisiana
JWR Replies: A corner lot is problematic. Depending on the
landscaping that is prevalent in your neighborhood, if it would not look
too out of the ordinary then you might consider planting a
"decorative" thorny hedge around as much of your perimeter as
possible, and install a
gate across the front of your driveway. Make both the
maximum height that you can get away with,
without being branded as the Neighborhood Paranoid Poster Boy. The gate should
have a spiked top of some sort, to discourage gate jumpers. Just inside the
gate, position a passive infrared Motion Alert Transmitter (MAT) for a Dakota
Alert. You should also plant thorny
bushes below each of your windows.
Motion-activated floodlights are inexpensive and very easy to install.(They
are available at home improvement and hardware stores such as Home Depot and
Lowe's.) If the power grid goes down, you really should bug out ASAP, but if
you are forced to stay, then solar-powered floodlights might
suffice. (But note that their reviews mention that they have a short service
life. So it is best to just test them but not mount them outdoors until needed.)
Under those circumstances, a pair of night vision goggles would be a must.
(And if you have those, you might want to retrofit your floodlights to use
infrared bulbs. Being battery
powered, your
Dakota
Alert
system
will
continue
to
operate without grid power.
But
of
course keep plenty of spare batteries on had for all of your flashlights
and other home security and communications electronics.
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Four Letters Re: Long Haul Voice and Data Communications in a Post-Collapse Environment
Mr. Rawles.
Regarding long range communications: If any SurvivalBlog readers are already
ham operators they can join their county
Radio Emergency Service (ARES) network.It already well established throughout
the US. There are county emergency coordinators who have Same Time "meetings" on
a regular basis. You might even become an Emergency Coordinator for your County.
I would strongly recommend that our fellow readers get their ham Operator License
no matter what. There is no longer a Morse Code requirement [for the Technician
license] and the test in relatively simple . Then you can legally buy equipment,
legally use
it,
as
well as join the ARES community based organization, You will be privy to
what's going on locally from a much larger perspective. If you choose, you
can become FEMA certified and you will gain access to a nearly endless and
very informative set of FEMA online communications. Believe me when I say the communications
coming out of FEMA can be eye openers.
I would also recommend that you set up an emergency backup power system to
a 12 volt "base station" in your radio "shack". The 12
Volt radios use about 1 or 2 watts and a battery backup from a deep cycle battery
that is solar charged will last a very very long time. I also have an older
CB system in my Shack, just in case. There are still truckers that use CB radios.
- Carl In Wisconsin
Hello again, Mr. Rawles,
I am still doing the "Ten
Cent Challenge" (about a year) and I read
the blog everyday. Since I last wrote to you that I was improving my Rifleman
skills but I have also been working on my radio skills. I decided that getting
a Ham radio license would be beneficial to me and my family and community, so
I made a goal to get knowledgeable, equipped, and licensed. Before starting I
hardly knew the difference between AC and DC power
so I first got the Boy Scout Merit Badge books on Electricity, Electronics, and
Radio. Then I picked up a
manual from the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) and started learning about
radio. I thought your readers might be interested in knowing some details about
amateur radio and it’s advantages in difficult times.
The FCC issues three licenses for amateur radio: Technician, General, and Extra.
Pretty much anyone can become licensed. There is no age limit. All you have to
do is pass the written test for the license level you want to obtain. There is
no Morse Code test anymore. The cost is $14 per test and you can check on the
ARRL web site for a test site
and
time that is convenient for you.
Just like with firearms and other tools, different radios and different frequencies
and different transmission modes are good for some things but not for others.
With a Technician license, you can transmit on certain frequency ranges (called “bands”)
that are said to be in the Very High Frequency (VHF) and Ultra High Frequency
(UHF) ranges. These frequencies really only work with line-of-site so they are
good for local communications, like with search-and-rescue or talking to your
buddies around town. With General and Extra licenses you can transmit on lower
frequencies in what’s called the High Frequency (HF) bands. These frequencies
are better for farther-than-line-of-site communications because the signals in
these frequencies bounce off the atmosphere and can go quite long distances,
hundreds and even thousands of miles, particularly at night.
There are several modes of radio transmissions, each having advantages. Voice
communication of course is the most natural mode but it also uses the most bandwidth
and requires a pretty clear signal for intelligibility. Continuous Wave (CW),
the mode used for Morse Code, uses a tiny amount of bandwidth and
sometimes
is
the
only
way
to communicate at some distances and ionospheric conditions. Morse
Code is not a quaint old mode that geezers continue to do for fun. It sometimes
is the only way to make contact, and it is used very frequently for long distance
communication. And finally there is Digital communications which also use little
bandwidth but which does require the use of some sort of computer to process
the signals. There of course are many flavors of each mode and there are other
lesser-used modes, like video, image, and satellite communications, but those
are probably less useful in a survival situation. But they are all open to amateur
radio operators.
For my equipment, I opted for the most portable configurations available. VHF\UHF
radios are readily available both in mobile configuration (meaning they are in
a vehicle) and in portable configuration (meaning something you carry). For HF
portable configurations, there are not as many options. The two leading portable
HF radios are the Yaesu FT-817 and the Icom 703. I went with the Icom 703 and
got all the necessary accessories to use it in the backpack configuration. So
now I can walk around and make contact with people hundreds of miles away.
Power is always an important consideration for radios, especially portable radios.
Mobile radios can be powered by the car battery. It seems that each radio has
it’s own power connector and I wanted to create some sort of standard power
connector that I could use to plug everything into. It turns out that the Amateur
Radio community has been dealing with the exact problem and they came up with
the Andersen Powerpole connector [JWR recommended!] for DC-powered
devices. They wanted a connector that was gender-less, did not require tools
to connect
or
disconnect, and that
could handle fairly high levels of amperage. I put an extremely short Powerpole
line with fuses on the car battery, then connected a long Powerpole wire from
this wire to the inside of the cab of my truck, and then put a four-way Powerpole
splitter on the end of it all. Then each device has a Powerpole adapter with
fuses than I can plug into the splitter in the cab (or any other Powerpole connector).
This has worked out really well and is very modular. I have an adapter to plug
any DC device into any DC power supply I know of.
Since ham radios need a decent amount of power to transmit, portable radios usually
need a fairly large battery pack, and often require Lithium-ion batteries. Portable
power is a concern because lugging around a car battery would totally defeat
the purpose of having a portable radio. When the radio receives signals it doesn’t
require much power, only when it transmits. I got an Icom T90A VHF transceiver
which comes with one Lithium-ion battery pack. Extra battery packs are quit expensive.
What I found out is that there is an battery pack adapter that lets you put in
2 size AA batteries inside it, and it is in the exact same form as the Lithium-ion
battery pack. The downside is that the voltage in this configuration only has
about 2.5 V versus the 7.3 V of the supplied Lithium-ion battery pack, which
also means that you can’t transmit on high power. But, it turns out that
there are Lithium-ion batteries that have the same dimensions as AA batteries
(but without the knob on the positive end) called “14500” batteries.
They are 3.6V each so two of them together would be 7.4 V which is very close
to the supplied Lithium-ion battery pack. Actually it turns out that all that’s
in the supplied Lithium-ion battery pack is a couple of 14500 batteries. So rather
than pay $50 for an extra battery pack, I paid about $7.50 for a couple of 14500
Lithium ion batteries. I bought a total of 20 “14500” batteries for
the equivalent of 10 battery packs for about $75 rather than $500 for replaced
Icom battery packs. Incidentally, almost all laptop batteries just have a similar
type of battery in them called “18500.” So if you wanted to replace
your laptop battery you could just carefully open the battery case and re-solder
new 18500 batteries inside. They are about $4 a piece and there probably are
only a few (4-6) of them in any given laptop battery. Note that Lithium-ion batteries
need to be charged in a charger specifically designed for Lithium-ion batteries.
And because the voltage of Lithium-ion batteries is about 3 times greater than
AA batteries, you shouldn’t try to use Lithium-ion batteries in devices
that only take regular AA batteries or you will probably fry something.
It can take a lot of time and effort (and money) to learn how to effectively
communicate using amateur radios, so why bother? I think the advantages are that
you have means to communicate that do not rely on any system at all. There is
no central radio system and you supply your own power so you don’t even
need the power grid. You are essentially using the electromagnetic spectrum itself
as the communication medium. You don’t need any other equipment besides
two radios to communicate. Short distance radios like the Family Band radios
you can buy at Wal-mart are good for very short distances, like just outside
shouting range. They are good for around the ranch, on patrol, and in a convey.
And you probably don’t really want outsiders eavesdropping on your communications.
For communicating over a few to several miles, VHF radios work well. For across-town
communication, city-to-neighboring-city, and rugged terrain operation, VHF is
the way to go. And if there is a repeater close by, you can communicate with
anyone else as long as you both can communicate with the repeater. This is why
repeaters are often on mountaintops, so that people on opposite sides of the
mountain can communicate. I bought a book of all the repeater locations and frequencies
in the nation and I keep this with my VHF transceiver.
But if you want to talk to some across the state, in the next state, or even
in another country, you would need an HF radio. In the television show Jericho,
the
townspeople
are just dying to know what’s going on outside their town. They don’t
know what the governor is doing, let alone the President. They don’t know
if the National Guard is coming. They don’t know what cities got hit by
the bombs. They don’t know who did it. They basically had no information.
If someone had an HF radio they could get all sorts of information. They could
also transmit to others what they know. They could even contact family and friends
to tell them that they were all right, and could find out if those family members
and friends were all right, too. Shortwave receivers are better than nothing,
but you are limited to only receiving information, and usually just from voice
modes (no Morse Code, digital, or even some types of voice modes) from commercial
and government broadcasts. You can’t ask questions. You are still largely
relying on the “communication systems.” But with an HF radio, you
don’t need any system at all to communicate long distance.
Sometimes you want private communications and sometimes you want to be able to
communicate with lots of people. Use short-distance Family Radio Service (FRS)
radios for more private communications. When you want to receive news and to
give out
news,
you
want to be talking on frequencies and modes that everyone else is. This is when
you’d want to use amateur radios, particular on the HF bands. Besides amateur
radios, Citizen Band (CB) radios also can help with getting and giving news.
I got a CB radio for $26 on Amazon and a $35 antenna from Radio Shack. This radio
plugs can plug right into the cigarette lighter of the car and the antenna is
just about 2 feet tall and sticks to the roof of the car with a strong magnet.
No difficult installation required. No license is required to use it and there
are plenty of people on the CB bands. There’s even a dedicated “emergency
channel,” channel 9, that is only supposed to be used when someone has
an emergency and is probably monitored more than any other channel. You get a
lot of the advantages of amateur radio (like no “system” required
to use it, people are already listening on it, it is highly mobile and\or portable)
but for a fraction of the cost and effort. I think this is a cost-effective solution
for listening to what people are saying, being able to communicate to others
with no reliance on any system, and being able to call for help if needed. All
for about $60 that you can even just keep in the trunk of your car if you’d
rather not have it out all the time.
In my last email to you, I reviewed the .22 caliber adapter for the HK91 and
how I was a “Rifleman In Training.” I am still am in training, but
I am going to Front Sight in a few weeks and I plan on going to an Appledseed
Project Boot Camp in the spring. I am committed to do it now, whereas before
I just thought it would be a good idea. I keep on trying to improve my skills
and have some other things I am going to be learning which perhaps I’ll
detail in future emails. I try to keep things simple and try not to get to clever
with preparedness. Sometimes you just gotta walk into the trade school and ask
to talk to a counselor, or buy that radio book, or sign up for a class even though
you really don’t know anyone and you don’t really know what you doing.
To me, it is my duty as a father and member of my community to consistently do
all I can to improve my skills to help out whenever trouble strikes.- Still A
Rifleman
in Training
Jim,
I am sending you this message via my VHF ham radio sitting in my ham shack
using only battery power and my laptop to reply. The connection from my radio
via airwaves into the Internet is via what is called a gateway. I could also
do this from my car, or on a mountain top using only batteries and a portable
antenna. I could also do it via HF or UHF.
I could use a mode called PSK31, and if you had a ham radio I could send it
to you in this same format peer to peer with no internet connection needed.
So, my point is that anyone with just a ["No Code"] Technicians license can
do this. The license is $15, and a simple 35 question test. I hold what is
called an Extra class license AD7VV and so can use more advanced modes to communicate.
I have many friends who are doing what the writer of that letter suggested,
but it takes practice. God bless you, and have a blessed Christmas season.-
Michael H.
Mr. Rawles,
In light of yesterday's mention of ham Radio, I thought I might offer a little
more information on how my fellow ready can get involved and equipped, and
why. It bears mentioning up front that in most countries, Amateur Radio ("ham")
is subject to some government licensure and regulation. For instance, in
the US, the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) creates the laws and
issues you the right to use Ham frequencies. In the US, it is illegal
to transmit
on the Ham bands without an FCC issued license and call sign. So
follow the rules, and get licensed. It really is easy, I did it with my dad's
help
when I was ten years old. Now the good stuff:
Ham radio is indeed a fairly robust form of communication (even capable of
running off of small solar panels in the case of handheld radios), and for
the most part, the Ham Radio community itself is very emergency preparedness
oriented. There are numerous Ham groups across the US with the sole purpose
of maintaining and practicing communication under disaster conditions, and
most local area clubs participate regularly in related drills, classes, and
actual disaster coordination.
Becoming a "ham" involves learning some of the technical aspects
of radio and electronics, and for good reason. You don't want to be without
those skills, because Amateur Radio is a very do-it-yourself hobby. You have
to hook up your equipment and know how to operate it. You have
to understand the basics of RF theory so you can buy (or build) the right equipment.You are
responsible for safety in your gear and the way you use it. But that makes
it a very rewarding and open-ended hobby. It may sound daunting, but like I
said, it's easy enough for kids to grasp. And the things you learn in the process
are invaluable steps toward greater self-sufficiency in many other areas.
Now, in the US, the FCC requires that you pass a test to be licensed as a Ham
Radio operator. Learning and studying for this test is the only real effort
required to become a ham. The good news is you can study much of the material
for free, the testing is often free, and there is only a nominal fee for getting
a license. Here are some great resources online:
QRZ.com's How To - More information for those interested in pursuing a license
in the US.
ARRL's Exam Site Index - Find the exam site nearest you.
QRZ.com Site Map - Find practice exams and lots of other information from active
hams, including forum.
FCC
Ham Site - Information on licenses, processes, etc.
Thanks, - Little Bird
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Letter Re: Long Haul Voice and Data Communications in a Post-Collapse Environment
Mr. Rawles;
In the event of total meltdown, have you thought about using bulletin board
systems (BBSes) as
a means of communicating? If, and that could be a big if, the phone land
lines were
still operating, but ISPs were down, then a BBS
would be a excellent way to keep folks informed. Pre-Internet I ran BBSes with
multiple phone
lines
with
great success. Just an idea.
Also, while on that topic, has there been any
discussion as to shortwave frequencies that you may support? Is there/are
base stations set up for relays of news and information? A survival Net so-to-speak.
I
come from a hard core marine/yacht background and the are cruiser nets worldwide,
depending on what ocean you are in at the moment. Something like that for
landbase
usage would, to my way of thinking, help to ease folks' minds, pass on latest
news and to quiet down the rumor mills that spout false info. I can't stress
the
need for people to become well versed in the ownership and usage of shortwave
amateur sets. They can be had on the cheap and be in use now! This is not
something that you have to stash away until you need it but a tool that
you can enjoy
for years to come. They are also a good way to access e-mail accounts when
your current provider is down. I won't this all this here as there are books
on this topic and pages of programs that will work with a SSB/Ham system,
either land-based or marine based. - LAS
JWR Replies: Since traditional telephone services, DSL,
cellular services, ISPs,
and the Internet are all more or less dependent on grid power, I expect them
to all go down within a few days of each other, in the event
of
major
catastrophe. There will, however, be some utility in ham radio based packet
radio and digipeter networks, that can operate like BBS servers and even
like a quasi-Internet. These can operate over long distances in the HF ham
bands. There are also some
regional 2
Meter Band networks that are partially served by photovoltaic-powered
repeaters. So parts of those networks might also remain intact. Because many
older hams are retiring, there are lots of used radios and packet TNCs
on he market, selling for very reasonable prices.
Rather than "re-invent
the wheel", I recommend joining and expanding existing packet HF BBS
networks, such as those listed at Totse.com.
One word of warning: Do not just bookmark the Totse page. Like all
the other World Wide Web pages, the Totse page will vanish if the power grid
goes down. So be sure to print
out an updated hard
copy,
roughly twice a year. (Mark your calendar.)
I also recommend joining an
existing topic-based scheduled ("same time, same frequency") HF ham call in. Perhaps
some
SurvivalBlog readers that are active hams can recommend an existing scheduled
meeting time and frequency to discuss preparedness topics.
Parenthetically, I should mention that since the sunspot number is currently
fairly low, this is now a great time to join
a
network.
(If
you
can get connectively
now--with such poor skywave propagation--then odds are that you
will be able to do sp just about anytime in the future!)
« Letter Re: SurvivalBlog is a Money Saver |Main| The Practice Load-Up, by Papa Papa »
Letter Re: Advice on an Inexpensive Solar Battery Charger?
Hi Mr. Rawles:
In your comments to the family living in Trinidad & Tobago, you wrote: "As
your budget allows, buy a small solar charger for your AA and AAA NiMH batteries."
Do you have personal experience with any of these solar chargers? Can you recommend
any? Many thanks, - Larry T.
JWR Replies: Depending on your budget, solutions can run from "micro",
to "mini", to "maxi." These
inexpensive solar chargers sold by Ready Made Resources (one of our long-time
advertisers) work fine as a "micro" solution., but be advised that
they are not waterproof. I recommend setting these up on a windowsill, inside a
south-facing window. In my experience, it is best to buy at least two of these
chargers, since they charge slowly, via "trickle charging".
Moving up to the "mini" solution, there are these
6.5 watt flexible (amorphous), photovoltaic (PV) panels. Even modest-size
PV systems with a small deep cycle battery bank can make a huge difference
in providing small scale lighting and battery charging for crucial security
measures such
as
radios
and night vision equipment. There are so many LED lights, battery
charging trays, and various pieces of electronic gear available that will
run directly from 12 VDC or from a DC-to-DC
converter, that you might be able to skip the expense of a full-up system
with a large AC inverter.
If you have a bigger budget, Ready Made Resources (RMR) and other vendors
can also supply larger
pre-packaged PV power systems, either with or without an AC power inverter.
(Without an inverter, they will provide only 12 volt or 24 volt DC power.)
RMR even has experience designing "maxi" systems--6
KW or larger.
(BTW, they offer free alternate energy system design and consulting.)
Keep in mind that starting January 1st, grid-tied
PV systems will be eligible for a 30% Federal tax credit in the US. Many
states also offer their own tax credits. In some states such as Florida
and California, the combined Federal and state tax credits may reduce your
expense by as much as 70%, when all is said and done.
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Letter Re: Some Technologies for Retreat Security
Jim
I've put together a few ideas on retreat security that I haven't seen on your
great site. I may have missed them but I think they would bear repeating.
I presently
live near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, but will soon be moving to my 280 acre
ranch in central Nevada.
What got me to write this was a realization during my semiannual chore of
servicing the
emergency
generator.
Changing out the gas (It is also set up to run it on propane) changing the
oil, and testing the circuitry, I realized that what I thought was a good
setup
was
actually lacking.
I have always made the preparedness of our home priority. If a storm knocks
out the power, I go start the generator and switch the control box. My "Ah-ha"
moment came with the realization that if the power were ever cut intentionally,
all security would be off until after I'd expose myself to go start the generator.
Needless to say
corrective
action projects (remote start, auto control panels, and UPS battery
backup for the security system) are now underway.
Education has been mentioned but I realized that I hadn't seen much about
basic electronics. Learning how to make small circuit boards is really rather
simple,
and allows
you to make a lot of toys (equipment) for the homestead. A simple IR detection
circuit to let you know if someone is coming in under cover of night. A display
can show which sensors are being activated. This way you have a choice, whether
or not to let someone know you are alert
to their presence. Pressure [sensing] pads you can make yourself to show if
someone is standing behind that large boulder, by the barn, or shed. [JWR
Adds: Commercially-made
pressure sensing pads are far more reliable weather-resistant. Used ones are
sometimes sold as surplus by alarm companies.] How about a simple circuit that
is connected
to motion/heat sensors in the house
that
light
an
LED array that not only shows someone is in your house but on which
floor or in which room. There are electronics parts vendor sites like Jameco and
DigiKey and web sites
like Instructables.com, Makezine and
similar hobby and hacking sites that show all sorts of projects and skills.
When I
get my
next batch of wire I am setting small speakers to exploit a bit of human nature
by creating a brief sound to get intruders to look in a particular direction
and then two seconds later turn on concealed 500 Watt floodlights for a blinding
effect.
These floodlights will
be good
for
general
use as well. I mentioned pressure pads for detection earlier. One of the ideas
at the ranch was to place large cover objects at strategic points to funnel
a potential intruder to a place he could hide and I could remote view the opposition
at the same time. Mini cams and mikes and alarm pressure pads will give you
a heads up.
Since my ranch a long way from law enforcement protection, a remote
defense is also installed. Behind two of the boulders I had moved with the
rented dozer, I placed a small outcropping of rock in the ground so as to leave
nothing to hide behind but left a cavity in front to set plastic bagged SKS rifles
(sans stocks) [in mounting frames with solenoid-actuated triggers and] cameras
at the scope (which by the way is a great way to aim around corners) and the
aiming
is
done
by
remote
control
units
from
the hobby shop (or eBay). Solar power and small batteries keep things operational.
(I am sure the liabilities and legalities will be questioned, so let's say
the property is set up for installation after TSHTF).
Safety is important so the units are double switched, one to turn on the power
and
the
other to
control
and fire. The third unit is similar but I made a small bracket on the tree
behind the third cover position, laid in my controls, made a cloth skirt at
the base to allow movement and then used the foam
insulation in a spray can and made a foam cover to look like a branch
and spray painted with a couple of
colors
. This made it so invisible that a visiting friend couldn't detect it even
after I told him where it was. The cost for cameras, microphones, controllers,
and sensors
is really
small--from
under $2 for sensors to perhaps $25 for the others. What you pay big bucks
for is the labor and knowledge. But you you get that by turning off the television
and
exercising your brain.
[JWR Adds: Consult your state and local laws on "trap
guns" before
considering any such installation. Also keep in mind that any semi-auto firearm
that is triggered via solenoid might be construed to be a " machinegun" if
there is any way whatsoever that more than one cartridge could be fired by
a single press of the remote "trigger". Also, keep in mind that in
the US, Federal law that restricts not only barrel length but also overall
length for a firearm.
(Rifles
and shotguns must have a minimum overall length of 26 inches.) Multiply-redundant
safeties should be designed, as a well as a safe backstop for any bullets fired.
In
my opinion,
installation
of a remotely-fired gun should only be considered in absolute "worst
case" situations.
Their use in any lesser situation might very well land your in court, on trial
either criminally and/or civilly, in a very bad light that would doubtless
be exploited by
hostile attorneys.]
Before I leave this topic I would add that on the previous
mentioned
web sites and YouTube.com and Google video you can learn how to pick locks,
scavenge old camera parts, make and run a forge, start fires, throw flame,
make thermite, generate smoke and just about anything else you can think of.
Its like having a couple hundred mischievous people in your R&D department.
How about remote cameras? There are gadget sites, military and defense corporations,
and especially university sites have many ideas, for free, such as GizMag,
DARPA, and MIT.
One topic of interest is remote viewing. You can launch a hand held and nearly
silent electronic plane
and
view all points of
the ranch in very short amount of time without exposing yourself. It could
also be used to find wild game. [This is called "First
Person View (FPV) piloting.] Try
a web search on "remote FPV flying" and watch a couple of videos. The aforementioned
hobby
web sites
are
also a
resource
on
model aircraft information. [JWR Adds: Radio control aircraft
servos have numerous uses for folks with creative minds.] Prices range from
$300-to-$400 to as much
as $1,500 This can be applied to rc cars
adding
remote
microphone
and
speaker,
and
rc
helicopters
as well.
It
only took a couple of hours to get a real good feel for it,. But I should add
that I haven't yet flown it in high wind.
To set up [for security at] the ranch property I mapped out GPS way
points and used a range finder for all the prominent features. I would also
suggest
a
picture
of
the property
and the surrounding properties from Google maps . At several strategic spots
I planted some damaged concrete sewer pipes on end--I had obtained these
free for the asking--and made large lids for them with a plastic base and the
aforementioned spray
can foam to look like the landscape, with a hollow center so you could look
out small holes without moving the lid. Inside is water and there are a couple
of ammo cans for food, and
a small seat
and space blanket, iron oxide hand warmers which are also good for emergency
in your car and coat pocket or keeping vigil at a remote hide--[a small heat
source] can be the difference between bearable, frostbitten, or dead. I've
requested more
of the free concrete pipes be saved so that I can bury them between the house
and the barn and run a little shuttle
between the two buildings. Why not,? The price is right.
For structure fire suppression and prevention, I'll just mention these two
products as a one-time fire insurance policy: ThemoGel and
Barricade. Perhaps
at some point this could also be made a remotely-triggered function. I hope
you find some of this useful. - Erik
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Letter Re: HF/VHF/UHF Amateur Radio for Preppers
James,
First, thanks for all that you do for the preparedness community. I have been
a reader since [the early 1990s] when you had the early draft of your novel
available for free download. I
did send in my the $5 in shareware you asked for I believed it to be excellent
fiction.
Second, I want to write you concerning an aspect of preparedness which is
often overlooked. I know that in the last few months I have seen more posts
on your
blog and am grateful. I want to talk about communications equipment.
As has been previously noted there are really two major types of communication
which are readily available to civilians. Naturally, I am speaking of the ham
bands which consist of the VHF/UHF and HF spectrums. In reality the modern
radio is mostly a computer or computer driven (hence the need to have a spare
protected in a Faraday Cage).
It would behoove anyone [in the US] who is prepping to first
get your Technician ham license. Any number of internet sites have the exact
question pool which you will be quizzed from. You can prepare one of two ways – buy
a book on the fundamentals of radio communication or simply go to a web site
such as QRZ.com and work through
the question pools. Currently, there is no code
to learn as there once was – therefore you will not be tested on Morse
Code. However, I would recommend that as soon as possible that one begin to
become
fluent with CW (Continuous Wave, i.e. Morse Code). At times the nature of the
HF bands are such that people can communicate with one another using CW and
not
via
voice.
Once you have your Technician license you will want to either get involved
in an amateur radio club or begin to monitor the VHF/UHF bands. The VHF/UHF
band covers 50, 144, 220, and 440 MHz (6, 2, 1 1⁄4, meters as well as
70cm respectively). Most often the easiest way to monitor the VHF/UHF is through
a handheld unit. I have had a number of different models but for my retreat
we use the Yaesu VX 7R. This model is built to mil spec standard – waterproof
and shockproof – as well as easy to operate. It is about the size of
a small paperback and has the longer lasting lithium-ion batteries. It is presently
selling for around $270.
The VHF/UHF bands are limited to line of sight communications and for long
range communications in these bands you need the services of a local radio
repeater. I will not go into the technical aspects of a repeater here suffice
to say that it boosts your signal strength and resends you signal to others
monitoring the same frequency. I often work a repeater some forty miles from
my house – but I sit atop a hill.
The HF frequencies are truly worldwide communications. You can with little
equipment work stations as far away as the South Pacific on good days. However,
to open these frequencies up you need to have either your General or Extra
license. The next step is to get your General and then lastly your Extra license.
With each further step you gain more band privileges – the Extra basically
being an unlimited ticket to ham radio communications.
HF transceivers can be expensive but don’t necessarily have to be. I
have two different types of HF radios currently in my ham shack – modern
radios (Yaesu 857D (HF/VHF/UHF radio), ICOM 718 (HF + 6m), and an old tube
rig (Yaesu FT 101E). The HF frequencies covers 160, 80, 60, 40, 30, 20, 17,
15, 12, and 10 meters. Presently with the [pitiful] shape of the sunspot cycle
only from about 20 – 10 meters is active depending on where you are and
the time you are monitoring.
Space and time preclude an in-depth examination
of
HF transmitting – I
would recommend a good beginner’s book such as the ARRL Amateur Handbook
for Radio Communications. This work will give you more information than you
really want to know about HF communications. It is truly fascinating to listen
to different stations on the HF bands. You get to such a worldwide spectrum
which is largely absent from the VHF/UHF side of the hobby.
Lastly, with the HF radios you will have to have a quality antenna. “Quality” does
not necessarily mean expensive. I have a G5RV Jr. antenna which is hooked up
to my ICOM 718 and I have picked up stations all over the world. This particular
antenna cost me a whopping $38 less than a year ago. A word of caution – antennas
have to be tuned to each specific frequency which you want to listen or transmit
on. Some HF radios have built in tuners while others you must buy an add – on
tuner. (Essentially you are really tuning the antenna to match the band frequency
which you wish to transmit). Antennas can cost as little as my G5RV to thousands
of dollars for tall towers. If you are wanting to keep a low profile I would
suggest erecting a dipole cut
to the specific frequency length which you wish to transmit on.
Much more could
be said – however, IMHO your communications will be much more operational
with ham equipment than with CBs or the like.
With Kind Regards - Dr. Joe
« Letter Re: Deflation Possibly Followed by Mass Inflation? |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: A Suggested Checklist for Preparedness Newbies
Here's a beginner's list I made for my [elderly] father today:
Food
{Brown pearl] rice does not store well. Neither does cooking oil so that needs to be fresh.
No, Crisco doesn't count.
Coconut oil would be your best bet.
Wheat berries - 400 pounds - bulk order at your local health food store
Beans - 400 pounds - bulk order at your local health food store
Mylar bags
Spices
Salt
Country Living grain mill
propane tanks, small stove and hoses to connect
freeze dried fruits, vegetables, eggs and meat if you can find them.
Water
500 gallons
of water [storage capacity. Rainwater catchment is a common practice
in Hawaii]
Water filter
Cooking
Cast Iron Cookware
Firearms
FN PS 90
10 PS 90 magazines
5.7 handgun
10 FN 5.7 handgun magazines
5.7 ammo
Training: Front Sight four day defensive
handgun course. (Note: eBay sometimes has
course certificates for $100!)
Body armor: Nick at BulletProofME.com
Medical
Personal medications
Augmentin antibiotic
Up to date dental work
Painkillers
Bandages
Iodine
Anti-fungal spray
Finances
$10,000 cash in small bills
100 one-ounce silver coins (GoldDealer.com or Tulving.com)
Transport
Gasoline in 5 gallon cans or better yet, this.
Gas stabilizer
Mountain bikes
Air pump
Miscellany
Flashlights
Rechargeable Batteries
Battery
charger
Hand held walkie talkies
Topographical map of your area
Spare eyeglasses
Shortwave radio
Home generated power
12 volt battery system
Good backpack
Good knife
Good compass
Good shoes
Bar soap
Toothbrushes
Dental floss
Toilet paper
Fishing kit
Salt licks
Connibear traps
Regards, - SF in Hawaii
JWR Adds: The following is based on the assumption that SF's
father also lives in Hawaii: Because of the 10 round magazine limit for handguns,
I recommend that Hawaiians purchase only large
bore
handguns for self defense--such
as .45
ACP.
Both the
Springfield
Armory XD .45 Compact or the Glock Model 30 would both be good choices. The "high
capacity" advantage of smaller caliber
handguns
is not available to civilians in Hawaii, so you might as well get a more potent
man stopper, given the arbitrary 10 round limitation.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Three Letters Re: Family Food Security for a Recession or Depression »
Two Letters Re: Mr. Romeo's Retreat Owner Profile
Dear Mr. Rawles,
I read Mr. Romeo's retreat plans, and I would like to add
a couple of things to his preparations list. The one glaring omission
I see in
his list is a lack
of HF communications
gear. VHF radios
are line of sight communications, which is great if you're planning on
staying within range of the coast. If he plans
on heading out to deeper waters though, HF gear becomes a lifeline to
Pacific maritime nets, weather information, and other useful resources.
Even if
he doesn't plan on transmitting, an HF receiver would allow him to listen
to
shortwave broadcasts. Radio Australia and Radio New Zealand broadcast
to the Pacific
almost around the clock, as well as other world services. I would think
he could even tune into a lot of American medium wave AM stations
at night as these radio waves carry well over water.
I think his case might be one of the few where an upgrade to a .50 caliber
[BMG] rifle might be warranted as well. If the coasts of East Africa
are any guide, the high seas could be an extremely dangerous place to
be
after a major
disruption. The 50 caliber would make his a vessel that most pirates
wouldn't want to bother with.
Just my $.02 worth, adjusted for inflation. Keep up the great work! -
Tim in Baltimore
Hello,
Thanks for all you do: I read your recent advice to a mariner to buy
several parachute flares if they are within his budget. At ~$70 USD per flare
that's a bit
steep when compared to buying a east-bloc (mine's Polish,) 26.5mm
flare gun as seen here for $30. These flare guns are not considered deadly
weapons by the BATFE, so there is no restriction on their shipment by mail.
Furthermore, a
box of 10 Czech army surplus white parachute flares will run $40. [Although
they don't reach the same altitude and are not as bright as the ones that JWR
suggested,] this would allow anyone to have 10 flares for the price of one.
Multiple colors are also available.
For full disclosure, I have no connection to the "Ammo to Go" company
other than being a regular customer of theirs who is quite happy with the service
and their prices, and I recommend them to friends. BTW, I recently got 20 rounds
of AP ammo for my 8x57mm Mauser--something that is nearly impossible to find
elsewhere!) Keep on rocking in the free world! - Eminence Frontman
JWR Adds: I also own a 26.5mm flare pistol, and recommend
them. Mine is a Bundeswehr surplus P2A1, manufactured by Heckler und
Koch (HK). I should also mention that there are chamber adapters made by several
companies
that allow US-standard 12 gauge nautical flares to be fired in 26.5mm flare
pistols. One manufacturer of these adapters that I recommend is Tactical
Innovations. And, BTW, the same company makes excellent milled aluminum
25-round magazines for Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifles. My family has extensively
tested
one of these
magazines here at the Rawles
Ranch and found that they are very reliable and
trouble-free. It might be wise to order a few of these magazines before the
upcoming election.
Any new ban on full capacity magazines will sure cause prices to triple overnight.
« Letter Re: Advice on Silver Coins for Barter |Main| Note from JWR: »
Three Letters Re: Advice on Driveway Alarms for Retreat Security
Mr. Rawles,
We've been using the Dakota Alert driveway alarm for years. We use the model
with the underground sensor that will only go off when a metal object comes
near it such as a large (or even small) vehicle. The advantage of this is it
has absolutely no false alarms. When the receiver says a car is coming down
our (long) driveway, then a car is coming. There is nothing worse than an alarm
that gives false alarm all the time and you no longer can trust it. The infrared
driveway alarms that I've tried do this especially if you live in an area with
lots of game
running
around such as deer, etc. Because of the absence of false alarms, I know when
my driveway alarm goes off at 3 a.m.that someone is coming and I can be sure
to have the appropriate welcome ready for them.
The other advantage is the unit is very discreet. With almost 50 feet of underground
rated cable, I can bury the sensor next to the driveway and put the transmitter
away from the road in an elevated position (such as a tree) and it is almost
impossible to see. The 9 volt DC battery it uses lasts us about 8-12 months easily. I
highly recommend the Dakota Alert. It's a great product and well worth
the
money. - Craig
Jim:
I can vouch for the
Reporter brand driveway alarm system. It's American-made and
is fairly reliable. I had two different chinese-made systems which used magnetic
sensors before I found out about this one. The [mainland] Chinese-made ones
would become very prone to false alerts before they both eventually broke down.
One lasted a year and the other lasted two
years. One of them ended up ringing the base unit non-stop.
I've used the older Reporter [design] for nearly three years and it has held
up to midwestern temperatures and weather extremes. It's range will drop to
100 yds if you use the supplied antennas with the receiver kept indoors. The
sensor is very constrained in how it must be aimed in order to detect vehicles.
Contrast in temperature in important. A cold vehicle that leaves your property
will probably not always set it off. On the flip side, I've never had a false
alarm with it. It will pick up small animals that get exactly within its sensor
path --including rabbits and occasionally a bird. Likewise, I had a spider
crawl onto the sensor which set it off and made for an amusing mystery until
I looked at the sensor itself. It will sometimes miss vehicles coming in due
to types of tires, position of muffler
which could escape a single sensor. This takes some experimentation and an
understanding that it isn't always going to be 100% perfect. It's like any
other piece of gear that can fail. Later, - Chris
Dear JWR:
I replaced my wired driveway alert with a wireless Dakota Alert unit
several years ago. I have been pleased with the performance and customer support.
I use a magnetic sensor to minimize false alerts, although my neighbor’s
cow and large deer can somehow trigger it from tromping down my driveway. The
9 volt alkaline battery has been unreliable in cold weather and I have purchased
lithium batteries to test this winter.
Also, the sensor and cable are enclosed in plastic conduit to keep the critters
with sharp teeth from giving me another repair project I purchased and returned
the Dakota Alert portable receiver as it was very disappointing. Thanks to
all for the tip on using the alert with a MURS
[handheld] radio. BTW, I've made
my 10 Cent
Challenge. Thanks, - Jon
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: 11th Hour Preparations: It is Not Too Late to Start »
Letter Re: Advice on Driveway Alarms for Retreat Security
Mr. Rawles,
Thanks for the perimeter defense blog today. Can you please give me your
opinion on driveway alarms? There are some cool units I found at drivewayalarmdepot.com.
They have units that are wireless and reach out to 3,000 feet. I think they
also have a unit that reaches out a mile. Are these infrared units suitable
to serious perimeter defense?
Thanks, - RP
JWR Replies: By all means do comparison pricing, but you
should beware of
the driveway alarms that are made in China. From most reports they are shoddy
and
unreliable.
(Most of them are not truly weatherproof.) The best non-Chinese brand
of wireless IR driveway alarm on
the
market
is
the Dakota Alert. These are American-made and
have long-term
reliability. The wireless models use MURS band
frequencies, which is a plus. (You can get MURS walkie-talkies tuned to the
same frequency, so you can have a portable
alerting device right on your belt, that doubles as a voice walkie-talkie.)
OBTW, our advertiser MURS
Radios sells both discount-priced Dakota Alert system components and
MURS band transceivers. They can program the latter for you to match your Dakota
Alert frequency. Tres cool.
Infrared alarms can indeed be effective for perimeter security, if properly
emplaced on likely avenues of approach. With Dakota Alerts, you can emplace
multiple alarm transmitters, each with a distinctive audible alert. (So that
you'll know which approach has an intruder--such as "Alert, Zone Two.")
« Letter Re: Suddenly Homeless on the Potomac--Some Preparedness Lessons Learned |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Good Compsec Practices for Preppers, by T.
Compsec is a subset of OPSEC that is concerned with computer
security. It can not be ignored if you plan to use computers now and after
a SHTF situation.
The personal computer is a powerful tool to help cope with any disaster or
survival situation. The capacity for enormous data storage in a very small
footprint makes it a valuable resource when the grid and net go down. You will
have all the information you need at your finger tips; first aid and medical
info, maps and topography, equipment and firearms manuals, personal records
and pictures, and the list goes on and on. Just be sure you have back ups of
your data on hard drives and DVDs
and a spare system or two stowed away in an EMP-shielded
cabinet. Laptops make sense as spares due to their transportability and lower
power consumption.[JWR Adds: Like all of you other spare small
electronics, any spare
laptops should
be
stored in 40mm ammo cans, for EMP protection.] Make sure you have
spare batteries
and chargers,
hard drives, etc. Consider having
the
rugged
laptops
that are
shock,
water
and dust resistant. Here are some examples:
Dell Ruggedized Laptop
Panasonic
Toughbook Laptop
See the recent article on how to power your PC with
solar energy in Computer
Power User magazine's November, 2008 issue. The article is titled: “Get
Off The Grid”.
Solar Laptop chargers are available from:
Basegear
Ready Depot
[JWR Adds: Compact photovoltaic power systems are also available
from Ready Made
Resources, a loyal SurvivalBlog advertiser.]
Here are some sites with useful information that you might want to stow away
before TSHTF:
USGS Topography Resources
KI4U Library
First
Aid References
EquippedToSurvive (PDF)
NIH Medline
eBooks
There are many
other
treasure troves of information on the Internet. Look around and
gather those free files now[, and make backups on CD-ROM].
You don't have to spend a fortune on software; if you leave Microsoft behind
and enter the world of Open Source software where you will find a plethora
of great software ranging from the LINUX operating system to office automation,
databases, and hundreds of useful programs. Consider that most viruses and
malware are written for Microsoft products, so open source is generally more
secure for that reason alone. Check out these web sites for some alternative
ways to go:
Ubuntu
Red Hat
SourceForge
Tucows
If you prefer to stick with the tried and true Microsoft, do indeed follow
their security recommendations and make sure you get all the updates installed
as soon as they come out. I recommend using the
automatic updates for the operating system and software packages as well as
virus and spyware scanners.
Scott McNealy, a co-founder of Sun Microsystems once said, “You have
no privacy [in the Internet era]. Get over it.” That is definitely a
true statement. There are gigantic databases all over the world with data on
any
minutiae that
may
have
been recorded from many diverse sources which can then be correlated by high
power computers to produce a pretty good picture of you as an individual should
someone wish to. Some of the data is obtained legally from public records and
news sources; some is obtained illicitly through hacking or purchasing outright
what should be private information. The data may also come from spybots and
Trojan horses right on your very own personal computer.
Anything that is stored on a computer that is connected to the internet is
susceptible to data harvesting. Anything you posted to an on-line message board,
or an email you sent, or a form you filled out, may well still exist somewhere
on the internet even after it seemingly is gone. In the unthinkably large database
of Google it may live a long, long time or on a back up tape in some obscure
data center somewhere. It may even attain near immortality in the “Wayback
Machine”, a database that archives web pages.
Even though using the internet can be hazardous, there are ways to make your
surfing safer. By all means install anti-virus and anti-spyware software and
update it frequently. Another essential is to have a firewall. Most operating
systems now come with firewalls so make sure it is enabled. It can be made
even more secure if you do the homework.It’s not a good idea to leave
your computer running on-line 24/7 unless you have a specific reason to do
so. It gives the hackers a lot of time to work on cracking your system and
once cracked hackers can use your PC in their zombie army to launch more attacks
and collect more data, all in the dead of night while you sleep. You won’t
notice the hard drive and network activity.
Use strong passwords, it’s a pain, but weak passwords are easily cracked
and once that is done, you have absolutely no security at all. Change passwords
regularly because even a strong password can eventually be cracked by brute
force cracking which simply tries random character patterns until it finds
the one that works. If you use words that can be found in a dictionary or even
words slightly modified, be aware that these are much faster to be cracked.
You can learn about strong passwords here:
Microsoft Password Checker
LINUX Password Checker
Free Ultra-Secure
Password Generator from Gibson Research
Pay attention to security settings on your web browser. I use the
Firefox browser because it has better security features [than others like
Microsoft Internet Explorer], such as clearing of private data when exiting,
the ability to manage individual cookies,
and
the
ability to disable
the “HTTP referrer” information that tells the next web site you
visit where you just came from.
Whatever browser and operating system you use, make sure that it is as secure
as it can be and still be functional for your needs. The basic philosophy of
system
hardening is to close all the open doors, install locks, and only open up those
that you absolutely must in order to operate. There are many open doors and
loosely guarded doors in an unsecured system which comes right from the manufacturer
that way. You need to look into all the setting and options that are available
with what ever hardware and software you have, and then start tightening up
as much as possible.
Another problem with most PCs running a Microsoft OS is that they become laden
with junk over time. As you install new software and hardware your registry
grows
to
a huge size and you accumulate startup programs that start up when you logon
and run even if you may not need them. They make the login slower and slower
as they accumulate and some of them may even be spybots reporting back to home
base of your activities. I’m willing to bet that most PC users are running
software for programs they never even use anymore.
Here are a few sites to learn about how to clean your PC of these start-up
parasites:
Info on start-up programs
This a database of good,
bad and optional programs that might be running on your PC.
Microsoft
registry cleaner. There are
other commercial products available, be careful to select the option to make
backups before you clean up the registry. The cleaners occasionally clean too
much and break a program that you need.
Here is a cleaner I have used successfully.
Visit these web sites to give yourself some good security check-outs:
Tons of good compsec information.
Free Tools and Utilities.
The Junkbusters site will tell you if your
browser is giving out too much information.
Gibson Research.
Click on the services tab and select Shields Up! to give your system a security
check up. Check out all their other good security info.
This page will tell you
about your Internet "persona" and check out other good information.
Surf anonymously. This will help keep those who do not have a need to know,
out of your affairs. Just remember that ‘somebody’ will know what
your internet IP addresses is, and that ‘somebody’ is the anonymity
provider or proxy server. It can be traced to your PC.
Here are two free anonymizers:
CEXX.org
ComputerBytesMan
One note of caution about encrypted files and web sites that your browser accesses:
The browser will copy it to cache and it will be in clear text allowing anybody
to read it or a Trojan to copy the page back to its home base server. The
solution is to clear browser cache immediately after accessing encrypted
pages.
Using a search engine link will provide the web site you visit with all the
search terms you used to make the search. Instead, copy and paste the link
into the browser navigation bar for a little extra anonymity. If you have a
Google
account and have logged in to check your Gmail then it is possible for Google
to link your login to your searches thus reducing your anonymity even more. [JWR
Adds: I recommend that SurvivalBlog readers go a step further and
use the
Scroogle Scraper intermediary portal to do any Google searches.]
I hope this information has been helpful for those preparing for those tough
times ahead that lay ahead. I do believe the personal computer can be a powerful
survival tool if, or should I say when, the TSHTF. Visit Set2Survive.com
for
more information, links and resources.
« Letter Re: Cemeteries as G.O.O.D. Overnight Bivouacs? |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Preparing for Survival Retreat Perimeter Defense, by O.F.
There may come a time when a survival retreat will need to be defended, and
a properly prepared perimeter will be key to the success of the defense. While
many survival-minded
individuals and retreat groups have likely considered the possibility of a defense scenario, many are
at a loss as to how to plan for such an situation. If the time comes, a well-thought,
methodically planned perimeter defense will hold up better than simply having “a
bunch guns and ammo.”
Fighting positions offer several advantages during perimeter defense. Proper
positions allow the defenders to observe possible threats with reduced risk
of detection, protect the defenders from attack, and serve as a point of reference for reporting events to other members
of the retreat. They also form a buffer between the outside world and the retreat.
Fighting would-be attackers at “arm's length” is preferred to fighting
them inside the retreat, because it keeps the threat away from important assets
and personnel.
Fighting position placement will vary widely depending on terrain, but should
always be done with 360 degree security as the goal. Follow the acronym OCOKA
[Observation and fields of fire, Cover and Concealment, Obstacles, Key terrain,
and Avenues
of approach } when considering
terrain:
Observation and Fields of Fire – Positions need to be located so that
the area outside the perimeter may be observed in all directions. Fields of
fire/observation (or sectors) should overlap. For example, if one position
is observing 12 o'clock to four o'clock, then the next position might observe
three o'clock to seven o'clock. Other positions would cover similar sectors
ensuring the entire “clock” is observed.
Cover and Concealment – Cover is protection from projectiles or other
forms of attack. Natural cover, such as logs, dirt berms, or stone are advantageous
in a rural or remote environment since they blend in and are often readily available. Man-made cover could include
vehicles, retaining walls, sand bags, furniture, or dumpsters. Concealment
is protection from observation. Good positions offer defenders a place to hide to avoid being detected and blend
in with their environments.
Obstacles – Obstacles force attackers to slow down, stop, or change
direction when trying to approach a fighting position. Some natural obstacles
include downed trees, cliffs, ravines, streams, boulders, and embankments.
Some man-made obstacles include fences, road barricades, concertina wire, parked
vehicles, debris piles, berms, and ditches.
Key terrain – Key terrain is any piece of terrain which offers a definite
advantage to whoever occupies it. For example, a hill overlooking the retreat
would provide obvious advantages for anyone wanting to defend or attack it.
Other key terrain features might include intersections of roads or paths leading
to the retreat, areas affording excellent cover or concealment, or supply storage
buildings.
Avenues of approach – Positions should be able to monitor the roads,
paths, waterways and open areas which offer access to the retreat. Attackers
are much more likely to come up a driveway than through a forest heavily overgrown
with brush. The farther the visibility on avenues of approach, the more warning
defenders will have.
After determining where to emplace fighting positions, available personnel
must be taken into consideration. If only two or three people will be defending
the perimeter, then it may not make sense to build a dozen positions. Even with a dozen people, not everyone will be
able to man the positions all the time. Everyone needs to rest some time, so
personnel will need to man the positions in shifts. In such a scenario it would probably be better to setup half a dozen fighting
positions which could each be occupied by two people at times if needed. If
the situation necessitates more fighting positions than available personnel can occupy, then decoys can be placed in unmanned positions.
Equipment will also be a factor in preparing fighting positions. A backhoe
can easily dig a foxhole in mere minutes, whereas it may take an hour or more
with e-tools or spades. There may only be enough sandbags on hand to fortify a few positions. Different types of weapons
work better in some locations than in others. Don't put the only sniper rifle
on the retreat at a position that will be guarding a 100-meter approach up
a ravine if there is a position overlooking half a mile of road leading to
the driveway. Yours should balance caliber, range, and rate of fire around
the perimeter where they will be most effective.
Once the terrain, equipment and personnel considerations have been made, the
type of fighting position should be selected. As there is an inverse relationship
between the protection offered by a position and the time it takes to construct, the type of position chosen will
depend on the opportunity cost between the two. The basic types of fighting
positions suited for most retreats will be the hasty, the one-man position, and the foxhole. Each will be described briefly here.
For more detailed information, see the following US Army Field Manuals: FM
7-8 (Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad) andFM 3-21.9 (The SBCT Infantry Rifle Platoon and Squad).
Hasty positions – These positions consist of nothing more than a shallow
trench just large enough for a defender to lay prone. The hasty offers no overhead
protection and little protection to the front or flanks, but it is the quickest
to construct. If there is plenty of time to prepare, then pick a different
option. Ideally, one position should consist of two trenches aligned in a V
so that two people may occupy it and cover a wider sector (each prone in one
leg of the V).
One-man positions – These positions are usually holes just large enough
for one person. Cover and concealment can be added to protect the defender.
Positions with only one person are the not as desirable as positions with two
or more because they leave one person responsible for an entire sector. If
something should happen to that one person, then the perimeter would have a
gap. If using one-man positions, locate them within site of each other.
Foxholes – Possibly the most recognized fighting positions, foxholes
are two-man pits which are the ideal choice for perimeter security. Foxholes
should be dug approximately two meters by half a meter and armpit-deep to the
tallest defender (shorter individuals will have to stand on something). This
will ensure the best cover and natural shooting positions will be afforded
to all personnel. Cover and concealment should be added to the fronts and sides
of the hole, leaving the two front corners somewhat open for observation/fire.
Create a sector sketch for each position. Draw a pie wedge which represents
what the position's field of observation/fire looks like from the perspective
of the person occupying it. Include direction and distance notations. Draw in trees, buildings or other obstructions and
label dead space which cannot be viewed behind these obstructions. This information
can be used for planning interlocking sectors of fire with other positions. Post a copy of the sketch in the fighting
position, so that anyone occupying it has an idea of what they are responsible
for watching and where the trouble spots are.
Also, keep a copy or each position's sketch at the retreat command post (CP)
for “big
picture” planning and situational awareness.
Fighting positions on the perimeter, once established, should be continually
improved. Sectors [of security responsibility] should be cleared of objects
limiting lines of site. Cover should be added to the front, sides, rear, and
top of the positions. Camouflage should be checked by walking out 50 to 100
meters
and observing the position; if it doesn't blend well with the background it
will have to be improved. Communication equipment should be added. TA-312 field
telephones or similar closed-circuit devices are a good choice. If practical,
stock fighting positions with first aid kits, ammunition, water and other supplies.
Details and changes should be added to sector sketches.
Crawl trenches can be added between fighting positions for a safe way to move
between them.
After fighting positions are well-established, extend the perimeter with obstacles.
Put concertina wire or brush 50 to 150 meters beyond fighting positions. Add
serpentine barriers or speed bumps to roads or paths. Fell trees across unused
avenues of approach. Put up fences. Anything that makes the perimeter harder
to breach should be considered.
Early warning systems alert defenders to a possible attack. It's better to
have some advance notice that someone is coming than to be caught by surprise.
Some early warning systems are active (require personnel to function). Once such system is a listening post/observation
post (LP/OP).
LP/OPs are positions which are strategically placed outside the perimeter in
a locations which offer observation of a likely line of attack. The object
of LP/OPs is usually not to engage attackers, but rather to communicate back
to defenders on or inside the perimeter about suspicious activity or pending
attacks before trouble reaches the perimeter. Since communication is an LP/OPs
biggest weapon, each one should have at least two forms of communication if
available. LP/OPs should be camouflaged to the maximum extent possible. Individuals
manning the LP/OP should be well disciplined at light and noise discipline
to further avoid detection.
Passive early warning systems do not require constant attention from personnel
to function. Ordinarily this might include a security system or even a dog
that always barks when a stranger approaches the house. A retreat perimeter defense scenario may call for some
less conventional options. Passive early warning devices need to be easy to
build, effective, and require little maintenance. Trip wires are cheap, and meet these requirements. A simple trip
wire can be constructed from "Spiderwire" (or other high-tensile, low-visibility
filament), a plastic spoon, a clothespin, and WD-1 commo wire
(other stranded pair wire, such as speaker wire, will work). Construct the
trip wire [release switches] as follows:
- Split apart a several inches of the two WD-1 elements and strip back a
few inches of the insulation on both wires.
- Pinch open the clothes pin and
wrap the exposed wire from one element of the WD-1 around one jaw of the
clothespin. Do the same with the other element
and the other jaw of the
clothespin. When the clothespin closes, the two exposed elements should
be in contact.
- Tie the clothes pin to a fixed object.
- Tie the spoon handle to a piece of
Spiderwire (you probably want to drill a small hole in the spoon handle).
- Clip
the bowl part of the spoon in the jaws of the clothespin in order to insulate
the two exposed wires from touching each other.
- Tie the other end of the
Spiderwire to another fixed object across the path, thus forming the trip
wire (it should be taut enough
to stay suspended
across the path, but not so tight that the spoon
pulls out of the clothespin).
- Connect the far end of the WD-1 to the the device
to be triggered.
Tripping the line causes the spoon to be pulled out of the clothespin and
the exposed wires to touch each other. This completes the circuit at the
far end of the wire. This simple switch can be used to activate flares, lights, or alarms.
If no alarm
circuits are available, improvised devices
like the following may be fashioned. (Check state and local laws, first!):
20 oz bottle blast alarm:
- Drill a small hole in a the top of the bottle cap.
- Insert an Estes model rocket igniter (available at hobby shops) into
the hole and seal with adhesive or melted plastic (cut off the safety seal ring from the cap
and melt with a lighter)
- Fill the cap nearly full with [FFF or FFFF black]
gunpowder.
- Pack dryer lint into the cap on top of the powder.
- Screw the cap tightly
onto the bottle.
- When the two ends of the rocket igniter are attached to
a power source (6-volt battery
should be enough) the bottle will explode with a loud bang.
Fuse flare (homemade flash pot, similar to devices available at theatrical
shops):
- Carefully break and remove the glass in a screw-in [AC electric] fuse.
(the kind used before circuit breakers were the norm in American houses).
- Use tin snips to cut 3⁄4 of the way
through the metal strip in the fuse.
- Screw the fuse into an ordinary lamp
socket (socket should be pointed upwards).
- Place photographic flash powder
(available at theatrical supply stores) in the fuse.
- When power is applied to the
fuse body, the flash powder will create a bright flash of light.
- A piece of Scotch
tape will help keep the powder in the fuse
- Use model rocket igniters or fine gauge (0000) ]
steel wool connected to the electric leads to light the fuse.
[JWR Adds: Although this improvised method will work, it
is both expensive and labor intensive. I recommend stocking up on large 1960s-vintage
photographic flashbulbs, such as Westinghouse M2 bulbs. These are available
on eBay for as little as 40 cents each, if purchased in quantity. (One recent
eBay auction was for 300 "new old stock" M2 flashbulbs and the winning
bid was just $77.) You might also be able to find similar flashbulbs via Craig's
List or Freecycle.
BTW, if you use extreme caution (gloves, safety goggle, et cetera), a hole can
be
drilled
into
some
flashbulbs,
so
that a pyrotechnic fuse can be inserted into the mesh core. This allows flashbulbs
to
double
as
fuse
igniters. Resist the urge to trickle in blackpowder to create a blasting cap.
This
is far too risky!]
Roman candles or other fireworks:
- Use model rocket igniters or [a thin twist of fine gauge (0000)] steel
wool connected to the electric leads to ignite the fuse on the firework.
- Tape
the wires securely to keep them from being dislodged.
A standard operating procedure (SOP)
should be developed after the perimeter infrastructure is in place. The best
perimeter infrastructure in the world is useless if those defending it are
uncoordinated. The SOP should address who will occupy each fighting position
and what their areas of responsibility are. It should also specify when, how,
and who will perform other critical security tasks including patrolling the
perimeter for weak spots, checking communications equipment, re-supplying or
redistributing ammunition in the event of an active engagement, treating casualties,
rotation of challenges and passwords, length of guard shifts, and anything
else that is imperative to the specific retreat. All members of the retreat
should be familiar with the SOP, and defensive scenarios should be practiced
on a
regular basis, preferably by battle drills or at least by talking through the
process with the aid of diagrams or sand tables.
While having to resort to defending a retreat is not desirable and may not
seem likely, it is still a realistic possibility. Taking the time to build
a well planned perimeter defense will be a real advantage in the event of an attack. Going without a plan could be chaotic at best,
and cost precious supplies or lives at worst.
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Replace Your FUD with Preparedness Action--a Pre-Crash "D" List
All of the recent economic news may be overwhelming to some. This
has left many people virtually petrified by Fear, Uncertainty, and
Doubt (FUD). Don't
be a proverbial "deer in the headlights." I strongly
encourage you get past your anxiety uncertainty and instead of sitting around
glued to CNN, wringing your hands and saying "ain't it awful". Replace that
angst with action. Get
busy preparing. Here is my suggested Crash Countdown "D"
List, for folks that are already fairly well-prepared:
1.) De-Hummelize
Sell off any collectibles that are not family heirlooms. The worst offenders
here are the mass produced "limited edition" Hummel figurines, Beanie
Babies and those collector plates from umpteen artists. Because I've mentioned
this, please don't think that I'm a misogynist.
Men can
be just as bad about acquiring trinkets! They are just manly trinkets.
Far too many men have gun vaults chock full of
"commemorative edition" guns with engraving and gold inlay that
they would never dream of shOoting, for fear that their collector value would
be diminished.
I most strongly recommend that you sell off those guns and replace them with
truly practical ones .These days, I lean toward stainless steel guns with synthetic
stocks, because of their tremendous longevity.and resistance to corrosion.
By selling off your toys and trinkets, you will be A.) clearing
space for important logistics, and B.) generating
cash to help purchase those same logistics. Trinket items have a ready market
with eBay, especially this time of year, as people are shopping for Christmas
gifts. Take nice crisp photos, start most of your items at a penny, and make
sure that you charge enough to cover your postage and tracking costs.
2.) Dumpster Dive
Watch your local Craig's
List like a hawk. It is not unusual to find people giving away or selling
a ridiculously low prices dozens of heavy duty canning jars, hand-crank meat
grinders, chest freezers, shelving,
and poultry brooder, horse tack, and so forth. I've even found running generators
available free for the asking. (You haul.)
Mark your calendar for both community yard sales and the next time that your
garbage collection service offers an "unlimited curbside pickup" day.
Hook up your trailer the evening before, and see what you can find that is
free for the taking. (Consult your local ordinances first, of course.) We've
found lots of practical items that were still perfectly serviceable, such as
rabbit cages, brooms, canes, geriatric walkers, and galvanized wash tubs ("gut
buckets") set out on the curb. It would be a shame to see useful item
send up in a landfill.
3.) De-Procrastinate.
If you have been putting off any dental work, elective
surgery, vehicle repairs, or getting new lenses for your eyeglasses, then start making
appointments!
4.) Dump Your Dollars
Roll over your 401(k) and/or IRA into a gold IRA, available
from through Swiss
America Trading Company.
5.) Double-Up Your Staple Goods Shopping
Double up your staple groceries shopping. By doing so consistently, you will
rapidly build up a supply of canned good. Make sure you mark the date of purchase
on the top of each can with a permanent marker (such as a Sharpie pen), and
put the most recently purchased cans at the back of the shelf . These are the
essential points of "first-in, first-out" (FIFO) rotation.
6.) Divert Your Expenses
Cut
out needless expenses, so that you can divert that cash into preparedness.
Pare down your expenditures on movies and eating out. But don't go overboard
and make yourself (or your spouse and kids) miserable. OBTW, here is an example:
The Memsahib's sister found that she could skip Starbucks, and make herself
an
awesome Vanilla
Latte
at a 7-11 store, for less than half the price. Do comparison pricing. Is
a NetFlix subscription less expensive than a cable movie package? Do you
really have
the time to watch that much television, anyway? I'm not say to do without
life's little pleasures. I'm just saying that there are some less expensive
alternatives.
7.) Door-to-Door Introductions
Get to know your neighbors. Go door to door, if need be. Remind folks who
you are. Connect names to faces. Make a list of phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Without being too pushy, quiz them a bit if they are "ready fort he next big
storm". Find out if any of them have
prior
military
experience,
or
advanced
medical
skills.
But
of course don't volunteer too much information about yourself. It is not wise
to brand yourself at he neighborhood Whackamo.
8.) Drums, Cans, and Fuel Tanks
Top off your supplies of gasoline, diesel, and kerosene. Add fuel stabilizer
and antibacterials (such as Pri-G and Pri-D), as needed.
9.) Detailed Contingency Plans and Packing Lists
Contact family and friends, and agree on contingency plans that you'll follow,
even if the telephone system and e-mail become inoperative. If any relatives
are planning to join you at your retreat when TSHTF, then
make sure they know exactly what
they will need to pack. They may be able to make only one trip there, so they'll
have to make it
count. (they need to have appropriate winter clothing, gloves, boots, gardening
tools, bedding, and so forth to be productive at your retreat.
« From FerFAL in Argentina: A US Crash that Will Parallel Argentina's? |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Letter Re: Some Practical Notes on Third World Living
Jim,
As this is not a competition entry, it has not been reviewed by an outside
set of eyes yet, and I'm sure its kind of disorganized, but this is some
info about third world life, as I can see it here, after things
stabilize.
My wife is from Peru. She was born during the Peruvian hyperinflation and transition
to its next fiat currency, the Nuevo Sol. (Yeah, we're young whippersnappers)
She recently started to help out in getting ready. What helped her was comparing
the current economic climate here to Peru. This allowed her to correlate things
that occur in her former patria with our situation. She is a source of info
on the Third world medium sized city way of life.
In Third world Peru, everyone cooks with propane camp stoves, with big seven
gallon bottles. There is no space built for an American style range, even
in
nice
houses. All water is boiled before ingestion, except [commercially] bottled
water. Trucks come with semi-clean water and people line up to fill up their
buckets
for
washing and drinking. (after boiling) Hopefully you have a big tank on your
roof to
gravity feed it through your pipes, as the power goes out regularly, and your
personal well and pump wont work.
Everyone had bars on every window and door. Houses not made of cement block
are broken into through the walls. They're also too cheap/poor to put enough
steel in the buildings, so they fall down easily in earthquakes. Re-bar is
[used] only in the corners. Nobody has an exposed to the street yard. A courtyard
inside
larger places is the norm, off street parking, if you can afford a vehicle,
is a must, or you wont be parking anything soon. Inyokern told me this concept:
When things go really sour, everyone steals everything so often that everyone
ends up with the same trash that nobody wants to steal anymore. e.g. I have
a nice bike, it gets stolen, I get a new bike but not as nice as the first,
it gets stolen, I buy the worst looking bike I can find. It stays. This is
very true. People with nice hats walk around with a hand on their head. Political
corruption is the norm. Most any government official can be
bought for a couple hundred nuevo sols. Farmers carry guns. People
walk on your roof at night.
Just about everyone is self employed. Selling food in the streets, tricycle
and moto-taxis, home based Liquor stores, etc. Often if you sell higher "dollar" stuff,
your customers don't even come in your building, money and product are exchanged
though the door bars. Keyed locks on both sides. There is no such thing as
a big box store. Even disposable diapers are bought one at a time.
People wear sandals
called yanki. These are said to be made out of used car tires,
but most tires I know of are steel belted, and you can't cut that with a knife.
My two
pair are made
from rubber mining belt I think, as the tread pattern is cut by hand. The poor
wear them, and they supposedly last a loooooong time.
In Peru, the power goes out all the time. Candles are common. People don't
stock up there, the stores I guess have sufficient on hand to handle the outages
and subsequent candle runs. The stores here are obviously not prepared for
that.
Traffic in her small town is nearly non existent, but traffic in Lima is suicidal.
Regards, - Tantalum Tom
« Three Letters Re: Welding Oxygen Versus Medical Oxygen |Main| Notes from JWR: »
Two Letters Re: The EMP Threat May Be Worse Than We Had Thought
Hi Jim:
I understand about an EMP attack and it's possibilities to wreak havoc. But
I can't help but wonder when I hear about a possible future EMP attack if
we are trying to convince the terrorists through disinformation to detonate
their nuclear weapons at a safe altitude instead of over the capitol during
the state of the union speech.
I am thinking that for an EMP attack to be effective they would need at least
4 or 5 high yield nuclear weapons of at least 1 megaton each . These would
have to be evenly spread over the US relative to population density. Russia
could pull it off, and I am sure they would begin a nuclear attack an EMP.
But I think the EMP effects of one 15 kiloton range weapon a terrorist would
have would be isolated.
I could be wrong, but I can't help but wonder. - David
Jim:
That EMP report is good news.It shows that an EMP attack would cause
significant but not catastrophic disruptions in our critical national infrastructure,
and only scattered failures of cars,
computers, and other electronic devices. These facts are even more favorable
than I wrote in my e-mail to you in March of 2007. As I suspected, but couldn't
prove at the time, the anti-ESD structures
in modern semiconductors are very effective against EMP.
The report shows, for example, that there is no longer any strong reason to
avoid modern cars. Of 37 modern cars tested in the report, only three were
temporarily stopped when exposed to EMP while running, and all could be restarted.
Only one car experienced permanent damage, but that was to some unidentified
electronics in the dashboard apparently not affecting drivability.
From my experience in the electronics industry, I believe that the most modern,
most expensive cars-- the ones intended to last a long time-- are the most
survivable because they are more likely to incorporate better-designed, better-protected
and thus more-expensive electronics.
As another hard data point, modern radios are basically immune to EMP. The
report states "none of the radios tested showed any damage with EMP fields
up to 50 kV/m." The same circuits that protect radios from ESD to antennas
and controls protect them from EMP.
The report is quite definite: EMP is a serious threat to anything with long
wires, but not so much to anything small, portable, or mobile.
An EMP attack from a fission weapon would be harmful, especially to our power
and telecommunications systems, but the effect would be local and temporary--
not really very different from that of a hurricane or powerful earthquake.
You owe it to your readers to set the record straight on this topic - PNG
JWR Replies: Yes, that report is good news for automobiles
and mobile, battery-operated electronic devices with short antennas. However,
the huge, almost incalculable problem is that railroad networks, power
grids,
and to a lesser extent telephone systems serve as enormous antennas for EMP
that
can carry EMP for very long distances. In the event of a high altitude
megaton-range hydrogen bomb blast, this linear coupling will carry EMP
for hundreds of
miles beyond line of sight (BLOS).
Within that extended footprint it could potentially fry the microcircuits of
any device that is
plugged in to a utility power wall socket. There could be hundreds of billions
of dollars worth of short term damage and a multiple of that in long term damage
(loss of productivity) and along with it the risk of a societal collapse and
an enormous die-off due to dislocation, exposure, and disrupted chains of supply.
Linear coupling of EMP is one of the reasons that I discourage people from
installing "grid-tied"
photovoltaic power systems. Sure, it is great fun watching a power meter
run backwards and getting a check in the mail from your utility instead of
a bill for eight months of each year. But the EMP risk outweighs the benefits.
If you go solar, then make it a stand-alone system! Linear
coupling is also the reason that I advocate keeping
all of your spare radios and computers disconnected and stored in Faraday-shielded
containers whenever they are not being used.
What I took away from the report is confirmation of what I had concluded years
ago: That for next 10 to 30 years, the EMP threat posed by terrorists will
be localized, since
they
will
most
likely
have
access to low-yield fission bombs and will be most likely to employ them in
ground bursts with small "footprints". In ground bursts or in low-altitude
air bursts, the line of sight is limited, minimizing the EMP effect. But
in any case the linear coupling through the power grid could magnify the EMP
damage.
I concur with the report's finding that there is a the possibility of a massive
population loss in the event of a well-coordinated EMP attack by a major power
such as Russia or China. That scenario is a "time on target" attack
with multiple simultaneous high altitude air bursts of multi-megaton hydrogen
bombs.
Such an attack would blanket the entire continental United States with high
field strength EMP. The word "devastating" doesn't begin to convey
the long term
effects. We'd find ourselves back to both 19th Century technology and 19th
Century population levels. And, BTW, much of the most heavily populated portions
of
Canada and Mexico would receive extensive collateral EMP damage.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Preparing for Pole Shift? »
Two Letters Re: Questions About FRS Radio Capabilities
Sir:
I'll establish my bona fides by stating that I am a General class Amateur Radio
licensee with extensive experience in the VHF and UHF radio
bands. While I applaud your promotion of the MURS radio
for general use, it is not the best choice for the gentleman residing in
the concrete condos in Florida.
Penetration of concrete and steel structures is significantly better (by
approximately
30%) at UHF frequencies (as used by FRS/GMRS radios)
than at the VHF frequencies as used by MURS. Though free air range favors VHF,
UHF penetrates obstacles
better, assuming the effective radiated power (ERP) is the same. There is a
significant amount of literature on this topic in the amateur radio community,
should anyone care to research it for themselves.
In the case in question, the gentleman would be better served by a GMRS radio,
operating in the UHF band and radiating up to 5 watts, than with a MURS VHF
unit limited to 2 watts of output. He would have the significant advantage
of both the better obstacle penetration of the UHF band, and the dramatic increase
in allowable output power. In a concrete and steel structure, the combination
would easily outperform any MURS radio by a significant margin.
Since these are to be used as emergency communication devices in hurricane
country, it is worth noting that most Community Emergency Response Teams (CERTs)
are equipped with FRS radios for inter-unit communications. Since most GMRS
radios include FRS channels as well, it would give the residents of the building
an extra (and direct) way to contact help should the need arise.
In this case the GMRS/FRS combination is a far better choice for the conditions
described. Regards, - Grant C.
Jim,
I recently bought TriSquare's eXRS radios. I highly
recommend them. I chose the TSX300 model.
They use frequency hopping technology with 1 billion frequencies (up to 10
numbers long: you choose the frequency). The best part is that it is license-free
(no $80 FCC GMRS license needed).
It may not be the best choice for everyone, but it is more secure than FRS.
Regards, - David M.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Will the War in Georgia Trigger a Russian Ammo Import Ban? »
Letter Re: Questions About FRS Radio Capabilities
Dear SurvivalBlog:
At my condo complex in Florida, we've been wondering if we could use consumer
two-way radios--such as Motorola Talkabout two-way radios--to communicate
successfully between (from inside) condo units. We would do this during scenarios
such as a severe hurricane.
The question is whether those radios (which, of course, come in several models
with different specs) use the right frequency band and and have adequate power
to penetrate the multiple concrete walls that would be line-of-sight between
the communicating radios. We assume--in planning for worst possible case--that
both line telephone and cell phone service would be down, and are looking for
ways to directly communicate with each other during the height of a storm when
we couldn't safely walk from unit to unit.
Does anyone with relevant expertise have any ideas on this? Thanks for your
assistance. Best Regards, - Gregg T.
JWR Replies: The key question is: How much reinforced
concrete? As I recently noted in the blog, reliable communication in a cluttered
urban environment is "iffy" for the typical FRS and GMRS hand-held
transceivers on the consumer market. My preference is for the MURS
band hand-helds. Not only will you get better range, but you will also
be operating in a less commonly used frequency band. This will give you marginally
better communications security. (But with the oft-repeated proviso: no radio
transmission
should be considered 100% "secure.") I recommend the MURS
Radios company (one of our advertisers) as a reputable source of transceivers.
They also do custom frequency programming, and sell both accessories and MURS-compatible
perimeter intrusion detection systems.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| The Golden Horde and the Thin Veneer »
Letter Re: Portable Two-Way Radio Recommendations
Sir,
Could you or your readers recommend any good two-way re-chargeable hand-held
radios that are sold at outdoor places such as Cabela's?
I'm particularly looking for a model that I could use while at University classes
while my wife is one mile away at our apartment.
Thanks,.- Chad
JWR Replies: Reliable communication with a one mile range
in a cluttered environment--as I assume yours is, if the city is large enough
to host a university--is "iffy" for the typical FRS and
GMRS hand-held
transceivers on the consumer market. My preference is for the MURS
band hand-helds. Not only will you get better range, but you will also
be operating in a less commonly used frequency band. This will give you marginally
better
communications security. (Although, of course no radio transmission
should be considered 100% "secure.") I recommend the MURS
Radios company
(one of our advertisers). as a reputable source of transceivers. They also do
custom frequency programming, and sell both accessories and MURS-compatible
perimeter intrusion detection systems.
« Letter Re: Advice on Finding a Retreat |Main| Note from JWR: »
A Practical Guide to the Recon Patrol, by TMC
Okay, the stuff has hit the fan, you have made it to your retreat, and you
are geared up, stocked up and ready to survive. Inner security has been established,
with LP/OPs located at likely avenues of approach. You at some point will start
to wonder what else is out there, how far away it is, and what it means for
your group. You might want to start implementing the recon patrol. While I
could write what may very well be a small manual on the subject, I will just
put out the basics that will point you in the right direction to successfully
run a patrol. As most retreats will not be in the desert, I am using the normal
type terrain expected in a well selected retreat. Your mileage may vary. I
will also not go into detail on certain subjects that can easily be researched.
If I did, I would surely exceed any limit on how large a document on the subject
should be. Rather I will concentrate on things learned in the field,
not in any manual.
What exactly is a recon patrol?
Field reconnaissance is the gathering of information of your surroundings in
a stealthy manner. You will use this information to determine the safety of
your
current
position
and it will most likely be a determining factor for your daily operations planning.
Information gathered can give you an idea of opposing force (OPFOR) strength,
intentions, direction they are traveling and the likelihood of them coming
in contact with
your base element.
While much of the doctrine is the same a standard patrol, the recon patrol
is a bit different than a regular patrol. The recon patrol is to gather information
on your surroundings without making contact with other elements. That being
said, I have on occasion been ordered to use harassing techniques to slow down
or try to change the course of an element, which I will touch upon later.
Patrol Size
The size of a recon patrol is going to be smaller than the standard squad patrol.
You are trying to be invisible and the more boots you have on the ground the
more noise you will make. In my experience, a four person team is the size
limit which I would recommend. Three is the optimal number, and two being the
least that should
go out. This is in comparison with the standard squad patrol size of nine (if
you are lucky enough to have that many in your squad. [Even active duty military
units are often short of manpower versus their authorized strength under their
table of organization.]).
Patrol Equipment
Travel light, flee the fight. Unless you come across a solo element, you will
most likely be outnumbered and if compromised you will need to hastily retreat.
The preferred engagement ratio is 3:1, so bear that in mind.
Weapons
Take light carbines such as the M4 or Mini-14. I choose the AK-47 for myself
as I believe it has a lot to offer for this type of mission. Should you get
compromised, you will need to lay down a furious wall of fire to make the enemy
think they just encountered a platoon or a least squad sized element so semi-auto
is in my opinion a bare minimum. Larger weapons such as the M1
Garand or long
barreled assault rifles will slow you down as they are heavy and cumbersome,
but if
that is
what you have you will have to make do. Even though I sometimes carried a sidearm,
it would be better just to take a couple of extra mags for your primary. This
is much better added value weight. You should pack two reloads for your combat
load just in case you keep getting paralleled by OPFOR and have time to refresh
magazines.
The “light” part seems to be getting to be a stretch
with this type prep, which is why I stress lighter ammo such as 5.56 or 7.62x39.
The 7.62 NATO ammo gets pretty heavy with this type of packing and does not
add much value in a reconnaissance mission. If you do have a mule in your team
(a human
one) and he has skills with a sniper rifle, you may want to consider taking
it along
in an appropriate style carrier as a target of opportunity may come up that
may be just way too good to pass up. This does violate the "no contact" premise
of the recon patrol, but proper escape route planning can be implemented to
help with this scenario. Just a thought and should only be done by experienced
personnel.
Optics
Optics such as binoculars or [spotting] scope are pretty much necessities.
The further that you can stand off and observe your objective the better off
you are.
Binoculars
with some type of "flash kill" device are recommended. Also make these quality
optics that you are comfortable using. I don’t mean you have to buy a
$1,000 pair of Steiners. For under $40 at WalMart you can get Bushnell’s
10x42 hunting binoculars that are clear as a bell and very rugged. You can
use a sheer sniper veil over them as a kill flash. Rifle scopes are okay, but
require
that you expose yourself a little more than with binoculars. Generally, you
also have a better field of view with binoculars. In my opinion binoculars
are a better choice.
Food
You need to travel light, so try to keep this to a minimum. A recon patrol
should be fairly short, a day or two probably at most. If it is going to be
extended,then pack 2-1/2 times the food you think you will need. Utilizing
light foods like jerky that you can carry a lot of will go a long way. I learned
that one the hard way. When a two day patrol turns into six days that extra
little bit of "Pogey bait" is worth it and can be rationed. Also learn what
is edible
in your surroundings as this can help sustain your mission without being a
burden on your supplies. Take foods that need little or no preparation. Jerky,
trail mix, MREs
and foods of that nature are recommended.
Try to avoid foods that are particularly aromatic, such as curry, onion, garlic,
etc. I can’t tell you how many times I have found an OPFOR element’s
area of operations (AO) just by smell. While in Korea, I could find Korean
[troop] elements by their body odor due to their diet of kimchi sometimes up
to 400 meters away,
depending
on the wind and how long they had been out. This odor discipline also includes
cigarettes,
No smoking! Obviously colognes and other “smelly goods” have no
place on a recon patrol.
Communications
Radios should be carried but utilized only when absolutely necessary. Chances
are your patrol might take you out of radio communication reception distance
especially if you don’t have high power equipment. This is risky, but
sometimes necessary. You need to know the operating limitations of your comms
equipment
and operate accordingly. Designate times and places to transmit from if you
cannot [continuous] maintain radio contact during the patrol.
Uniforms
Camoflage should go without saying. The type will obviously be determinate on your
terrain and season. Burlap with proper color spray paint is a great way to
make cheap [outline] breakup for weapons. It can be manipulated to just about
any
terrain out there.
You can use [burlap strips] to throw off scent-detecting animals such
as dogs
by using fox urine or other types of masking scents. A very useful item indeed.
Helmets and body armor are optional, but I do not recommend them on a recon
patrol. The body armor is heavy and can impede your quick getaway. It merits
are known
factors in the safety of soldiers, but in this mission you need to be able
to flat out run if compromised. The ballistic helmet is also heavy, but its
main downfall is the fact that it masks your environment. It can impair your
vision and it mostly covers your ears and keeps you from hearing sounds that
may be the enemy. A boonie cap is the first choice, patrol cap is second for
traditional headgear.
Plan the Route
Route planning is essential. Pick a route that will minimize danger area crossings
and contact with high traffic areas. Do not use roads, rivers, trails or any
other obvious routes of travel. You may skirt these areas to view them. Never
plan a straight route. Use various patterns of travel such as zigzagging or
button hooking. This keeps the enemy off guard as to where you came from. Also,
should you think you are being trailed, do a wide 360 until you come back on
your own tracks. If you encounter more tracks than yours, then you are being
followed. React according to your [contact] SOPs.
Learn to use a compass and map. While GPS systems
can be useful tools, they are not always reliable and in a Grid
Down situation
may not even function.
Know this: the US Department of Defense owns all the GPS satellites and merely
provides data to GPS companies like Garmin so their GPS devices will work.
Should the
government
choose to, they can encrypt them at will and leave your commercial GPS worthless.
Learning how to use a compass and map can be a fun experience for everyone.
It can give kids and adults alike a great sense of accomplishment and help
get you or keep you in shape. Map and compass skills can trump a GPS any day,
and on many occasions I have been right on the mark while the guy using the
GPS has been wandering around waiting for the satellites to give him a decent
grid. Rely on basic navigation skills. Technology is a crutch for the weak.
Plan Actions
Make sure to plan out the time you are leaving, time to be on the objective,
time you will transmit information if necessary, and time you expect to be
back. Plan for contingencies, such as what to do if you make contact, where
to meet if you get separated, and what frequencies to be on at what time of
the day. Most of these will be dictated by your groups prior established SOPs.
Follow them.
Preparing for the Patrol
If you follow proper procedure when you leave the base of ops you will conduct
"stop, look, listen, and smell" (SLLS).
This is to get you oriented to your environment. However, I have found that
a short 10 minute halt like this is
not nearly as effective as having the recon team acclimate [to the natural
environment] over a day or so without
distractions such as television, radio, or any other man-made devices that
are not essential to ops. In a grid down situation this will most likely not
be
a problem.
Your
sense of smell, hearing, and vision get better the longer you are out. If possible,
do this and you will be much more inclined to pick up on enemy positions and
movement long before they pick you up.
Make sure all equipment gets inspected, including weapons and optics. Make
sure all equipment is quiet and free of protruding gear or things that will
snag on foliage. This includes weapons that have a multitude of “Mall
Ninja” gear hanging off of them. While it may be value added in a MOUT situation,
it is just more junk to hang up on vegetation and obstacles. Have each patrol
member jump up and down and run in place with their gear on to
identify anything noisy and use 100 m.p.h. [olive drab duck] tape or 550
[parachute] cord to lash
it down. Make sure food and water are easily accessible as you may be eating
on
the
fly.
Check for proper and complete camouflage. Get ready to roll, get your mind
right.
On the Patrol
Use your wits. Be aware of your environment, and anything that may not be right.
Learn to use nature to warn you of potential danger. Have you ever been close
to a squirrel’s nest in the woods? He will let you know you are too close
by making a lot of noise. This type of natural warning device can serve you
as well as hinder you. Be mindful of nature and learn to move in the woods
as part of your surroundings rather than against it. This takes time, is a
learned behavior, but can be done by just about anyone. Avoid sandy terrain
where you will leave an obvious trail. Use rocks and other terrain to move
while minimizing [leaving] sign and making noise. Be mindful of how loud your
footsteps are. That is a common mistake I see soldiers make all the time. They
don’t
listen to how much noise they are making. Learn to roll your feet. This can
be practiced around the house while doing chores. Just learn to walk quietly.
On the Objective
If you are doing an area recon, which is a specific area you want to check
out, make sure you spend the time you need on the objective to properly gather
intelligence. Walk a zigzag pattern to cover as much terrain as possible.
If you are doing a point recon, which is a recon of a specific target such
as a house or a point on a road, lay your team in collect as much info as you
can. Include info you would normally not consider important as later on down
the road you may find it useful. Remember, you can never collect too much intel,
but you can collect not enough. You can sort through what is important later
on when you have time to analyze the intel.
While glassing your objective, make sure only one member of each buddy team
is using binoculars, while the other keeps an eye out for anyone who may be
using a clandestine approach to your location. Use a notebook to write down
everything
you see.
Departure
When the allotted time on the objective is complete, always leave the objective
in a different direction [than from which you approached]. Pick up any trash
or tell tale sign of you being there. Brush over where you were laying, cover
any foliage
cuts
you
might
have
made. Try to leave no sign at all that you were ever there. Maintain noise
discipline on the way back just like you did on the way in. You are in just
as much danger going home as you were going out. Don’t get complacent.
Well, there you have it. You can research the patrol by using military manuals
and implement what I have written here for a successful mission. This will
give you a heads up on what’s out there and give you an advantage over
any element that may be inbound on your location. Knowledge is power, and if
you have solid intel on your enemy and surroundings, then you have
the tactical advantage. I hope this is of use to you.
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Preparing for a Dam Breach, by A.B.S.
Many of my fellow Tennesseans awoke to headlines the other day
that two of the Corp of Engineers dams in our area that are supposed to protect
the people from floods and provide water and electricity are in danger of failure.
Built more than 50 years ago, the Wolf Creek Dam and the Center Hill Dam overlook
several hundred thousand people in central Tennessee, and are leaking significantly.
The Wolf Creek Dam has been classified as being at high risk of collapse.
The Wolf Creek Dam is located on the Cumberland River 190 miles up stream from
Nashville. The dam has had problems for more than a year and last year, officials
determined repairs would need to be made to the dam because of leaks in and
around it. The dam holds back 100+ miles of the Cumberland River, near Jamestown
in south central Kentucky. Now, the dam is weakening and immediate action is
being taken to stop what could be a catastrophic flood. The water level was
dropped and more testing was done on the dam. It is the results of those tests
that caused officials to put the dam at high risk of failure, though they state
failure isn’t considered eminent. A gentleman I know that works for the
Corps has stated that large chunks of masonry the size of small cars fall off
the dam weekly, so I choose to remain skeptical about the Corps position.
If the Wolf Creek Dam were to break, starting 100+ miles up the Cumberland
River in Jamestown, Kentucky, the town of Celina, Tennessee would be flooded
first and most likely wiped out completely. Then, water would flow downstream
toward Carthage and Old Hickory Lake impacting the towns of Gallatin, Hendersonville,
Mt. Juliet and Old Hickory before flooding downtown Nashville's riverfront
area under as much as 30 to 50 feet of water. While Nashville would have some
warning, many of the smaller towns mentioned would be impacted so quickly that
warnings would be ineffective. The area impacted would be massive.
This has been a wake-up call for many citizens in our area. For many the threat
of a major catastrophe was what it took for them to finally learn they need
to be prepared for potential emergencies. What was startling for many of our
citizens was that these are major impoundments maintained by the Federal government.
While this was a wake-up call about the possible threat from major impoundments,
most people still are not aware of smaller private and municipal impoundments
that potentially pose a threat every day. Many of these small dams have ruptured
in the past century leading to death and destruction on a massive scale. Some
examples are the Johnstown, Pennsylvania flood of 1889 that killed an estimated
2,300 people, the Baldwin Hills Reservoir in California in 1951, and the privately
owned plantation dam that broke near Kilauea, Hawaii in 2006. So what can be
done to better protect you and your?
First, make a point to become aware of any and all dams that may pose a threat
in your area. Even small farm pond dams can cause significant flash flooding
if they breach. Floods, especially flash floods, whether from rain or dam breaches,
kill more people each year than hurricanes, tornadoes, wind storms or lightning.
About 60% of all flood deaths are people in vehicles that moving water sweeps
away. Experts advise you not to drive or wade into flood water at all, especially
if you can't see the bottom. Water over a road, no matter how deep, can hide
washed-out pavement. As little as six inches of moving water is enough to float
a small car and carry it away.
Always prepare for problems before they happen. When possible build your home
on high ground, and if possible never downstream from a dam. During the winter
of 1991 a dam on a five acre impoundment ruptured a few miles from my home.
Luckily the people a couple of miles downhill were warned and escaped harm,
but their
homes were washed off their foundations and across US Highway 70, which was
a couple of hundred feet away. These homes were on high ground, but someone
built a relatively small pond on even higher ground that had a devastating
effect.
Get a copy of the 500 and 1,000 year flood zone maps for your area. These will
tell you the most likely route the water will take following a catastrophic
breach. They will also point out the likely flood areas from heavy rainfall
or snow-melt. These are useful tools, but as shown in the previous paragraph,
don’t get overconfident. When possible don’t build in these areas.
It still amazes me how many people will build in the same location after floods
have wiped out their homes on multiple occasions. I know some may not have
a choice, but this isn’t always true.
Get a weather radio. If a large dam breaks, warnings will be broadcast through
the emergency channels, but don’t count on this when dealing with smaller
dams. If a warning comes down that a breach is about to happen, get out. I
know many of us including myself don’t really trust the “authorities”,
but I think in these cases the wise thing to do is “bug out” and
get to a safe location, then assess if it was the proper mode of action later.
To do this, plan and scout several potential escape routes. Most people will
take the route they are most familiar with, and it always seems to be the same
route, which turns the road into a parking lot. Often smaller less well known
roads can get you out of the area faster. In my area the local emergency personnel
are encouraged to learn the local off road trails in case something happens
to the main roads. This would also be advisable for the general public, as
this may be the only way out. Set up a meeting place that all the members of
your family or circle know about as a rally point. It is also a good idea to
designate a family member or friend in another county or state as a contact
person. This is so anyone who can’t arrive at the rally point can check
in with their status and location. We saw this happening many times after the
tsunami in Indonesia as many tourists became separated from their parties.
Make sure everyone has the number, email address, or whatever. This information
should be memorized in case they become separated from their wallet, date-book,
etc.
Sometimes the opportunity to evacuate is lost through hesitation or just bad
luck. In these cases one should try to find an area to “evacuate vertically”.
In many cases this means sturdy built, tall buildings, towers, or hopefully
a mountain or hill. If the water approaches too rapidly, this may simply be
a tree. Again, scout around to see what would be available if something were
to happen.
If you have to escape a flood or any situation it is a good idea to have a
emergency pack with sufficient supplies ready. This may include food and water,
first aid gear, medications, a change of clothes, communications gear, fire
starting supplies, and in my case a spare set of eye-glasses. I also suggest
having a cache of supplies in a secure location, just in case you need them.
Hopefully nothing like this will befall you, but being prepared could mean
the difference between life and death should the worst ever happen
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Questions from A Not-Quite Convinced Reader »
Two Letters Re: Disseminating Local News and Information in a Grid-Down Societal Collapse
Jim,
I think Brian raises a good question and your suggestion about using manual
typewriters and mimeograph machines is a great idea. Here's another one.
While watching the the first season of Jericho DVDs,
I noticed that in an episode titled "Black
Jack" some of the characters went to a barter fair called Black Jack.
They had to travel 200 miles to get to this town. The town's fairgrounds
were used as a barter fair location and in the middle (I assume the middle)
was a tall board with a platform and a big roll of newspaper on the top.
A writer standing on the platform would receive news from various sources
and pull down the paper and write the news on it so everyone could see. I
was thinking if rolls of paper are not available one could use black boards
screwed together. If "black board paint" is available they could
paint some 4' x 8' sheets of plywood. A place like this could become
a very important gathering place for the local community to exchange news,
barter for goods and bring some level of normal life back to folks post TEOTWAWKI.
Just My Humble Opinion. - Larry in Kansas
Dear Jim;
As a former offset press operator with an interest in Christian missions and
the underground Church, I've spent considerable time in researching simple
printing methods. There are multiple methods that are suitable for short-run
print production, though many take a degree of skill and a bit of patience
to produce.
An excellent reference book for those interested in the manual printing arts
is "The Alternative Printing Handbook," (ISBN 014046509X),
published by Penguin, but now out of print. Used copies are available on Amazon,
though
it's listed there as "The Art of Printing by Hand." It covers
multiple printing methods for the do-it-yourself, small-scale printer. I'd
like to touch
on methods that require no power and are accessible to anyone with a little
time, patience and a desire to get the word out.
You've already mentioned stencil duplicating, which I have used in the past.
The Wikipedia article you linked to is an excellent introduction to the theory
and history, but doesn't contain much on actual process. For someone dealing
with printed matter containing great quantities of text, this is one of the
easiest methods to use. One of the commercial machines would be handy to have,
but not required, as a simple flatbed duplicator can be constructed out of
basic materials found in most homes. One benefit of many commercial units is
that they are hand-cranked, ideal for a grid-down situation. Some electric
units also have a hand-crank option as well, giving the best of both worlds.
If you go this route, you will need a supply of blank stencils and the thick
stencil ink, as well as a typewriter.
Another method, commonly used today for signs and fabric, is screen printing.
Again, simple screen printing equipment can be made at home from readily-available
materials and the process is not complicated. However, due to the screens used,
it is not suitable for small type, but it is a great choice for handbills and
posters. See some samples of DIY screen printing at this
Instructables page and
at
this ThreadBanger page. Of course,
you don't have to build it all yourself if you don't want to. Many art supply
and craft stores offer screen printing kits for beginners at very reasonable
prices.
Relief printing uses involves carving a reverse image into a wooden block,
linoleum, or other substance that can be carved, inking the block and pressing
paper into the wet ink. Though a time-tested method that requires little in
the way
of specialized tools, it has many limitations. It is time-consuming to create
the block and takes a steady hand. Small type is difficult, if not impossible.
Plus, the
difficulty of working in reverse is quite challenging.
A form of relief printing that is within reach of the average person and allows
for legible text is rubber stamping. Several manufacturers produce "make
your own text" rubber stamp kits that will allow you to produce small
blocks of text. It's similar to the moveable type pioneered by Gutenberg centuries
ago, using rubber instead of metal type. The biggest drawback is that producing
anything more than a few sentences involves setting the type in a small block,
stamping out however many copies you need, removing the type, setting the next
block, stamping that, and then repeating... again. It's time-consuming and
tedious work, but for the patient person, it's better than nothing, cheap to
acquire and requires no skills to use. The drudgery involved is also likely
to do much to make your writing concise and to the point! Interestingly, the
large kits that I would recommend seem to only be offered in the UK. However,
eBay is your friend to obtain them.
[Traditional ] letterpress is also an option, but as an older technology, the
equipment is hard to come by, and much in demand by artisans who use it for
printing and
embossing.
Spirit duplication ("ditto" machines) use a dye sheet as a master,
which can be typed or hand-written. The dye is released by a solvent and transferred
to a sheet of paper. If you recall duplicated sheets in purple ink from your
school days, those sheets were made with a spirit duplicator. Used machines
can be found on eBay or from time to time on Craig's
List. Look for a hand-cranked
model. If you choose this method, you'll need to lay in a supply of the master
dye sheets, as well as the liquid "spirits."
There are other methods that might be investigated by the curious:
Gocco
Hectography
History of Duplication Machines
The biggest drawback to most of these print methods is that the ones that are
best for text tend to require consumables that will be difficult or impossible
to replace in a long-term disruption. Since some are older, near-obsolete methods,
local sources of supplies are unlikely and may be pricey via mail-order. Even
if you have a functioning print method, the availability of paper may also
become an issue. Despite these challenges, familiarity with printing methods
opens the door to improvisation at a later date: knowledge is power! As inspiration,
consider Khristianin, an underground publisher in Soviet-era Russia, which
created their first hand-operated offset printing press with gears from a bicycle
and motorcycle and rollers taken from a washing machine. Ink was derived from
burnt rubber boots and boiled moss, yet their first publication was of the
entire New Testament. If such a work could be done in secret under one of the
most oppressive modern regimes, there is no reason that it could not be repeated
should the need arise.
Remember: "Freedom of the press belongs to the man who owns one."
For
the Kingdom, - Jason R.
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Letter Re: Disseminating Local News and Information in a Grid-Down Societal Collapse
James:
I haven't seen much information about this, so I ask you: How do you plan on "Getting
the word out"? Once the ink/toner runs
out of your printer, what will a survivalist group do? We've nearly lost
the ability, and knowledge, to operate hand-presses. Moveable type suppliers
are
long gone, and there's precious little available on eBay. Certainly not an
entire printing press. You might find some blocks of moveable type, but not
enough to actually make an entire flyer, book, or other piece of information,
such as a book or even a Bible.
And we can't rely on the Internet running after a crash, right?
So I pose the
question to you, Sir. Have you considered this aspect of post-crash survivalism?
The printing press, and the ability to print, is a key technology
that I don't think we can afford to lose. - Brian in Austin, Texas
JWR Replies: As I described in my novel "Patriots:
Surviving the Coming Collapse", I advocate
acquiring a couple of used manual typewriters and a used hand-crank mimeograph
(stencil duplicator) machine. This is tried-and-true 1880s technology.
Because they are considered largely obsolete, mimeographs are incredibly
cheap (in fact usually free,
if you place a "wanted" ad at Craig's
List). Surprisingly, the
supplies to operate them are still available.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Marginal Cartridges Without Proper Placement Fail to Stop an Aggressor »
Letter Re: Novel Recommendation--"Solar Flare" by Larry Burkett
Mr. Rawles,
I have read your novel Patriots and passed it along to several people that
I know. Most of them now own their own copy as well and it has been a big
boost in helping them see the need for making preparations for the times
ahead.
It is with great interest that I have read the recent discussions about solar
flares on the blog. The novel that first piqued my interest in survival and
preparedness was the book Solar
Flare by Strategic Air Command veteran and former NASA employee
Larry Burkett. The
premise of the novel is an eruption of solar flares that destroys much of the
technology in the modern world, and how people begin to
cope and adapt. Certainly not as comprehensive as your novel but it is an interesting
read nonetheless. Before his death in 2003, Mr. Burkett was also a well known
Christian financial advisor and wrote other books such as What Ever Happened
to the American Dream?, The Coming Economic Earthquake, and Your
Finances in Changing Times.
Thanks again for your work on the blog, and God Bless! - Bryan
S.
JWR Replies: The majority of opinion is that the
likelihood of a truly massive solar flare event (i.e. a huge coronal mass ejection
(CME)
with an accompanying X-ray flare burst) is extremely low. Ian O'Neill,
one of the chief
debunkers of solar
flares and similar threats posts at the
Universe Today web site. I generally agree with him, but I don't completely
rule out the chance of a massive flare that could have EMP-like
effects. Just like the often over-emphasized "magnetic
pole shift." and
sudden-onset climate change threats, I
personally place the CME threat way over at the far end of the threat matrix.
It is the corner of the chart that I label "Extremely low likelihood in
our
lifetimes,
but devastating if it were to occur." My viewpoint on preparedness
for a massive CME event is this: As long as we are preparing for nuclear fallout
and EMP as
every family should, then we are also preparing for solar flare shielding--since those
preparations are nearly identical.
« Odds 'n Sods: |Main| Letter Re: Has Family Preparedness in the U.S. Declined Since 9/11/01? »
Two Letters Re: Some Transceiver Antenna Questions
Jim,
A few pieces of additional information about antennas: Quarter wave antennas
are traditionally used for portable radios as they match the radio's output
impedance of 50 Ohms. By matching this impedance with an antenna of 50 Ohms
you get maximum energy transfer. A 1/2 wavelength long antenna (twice as
long as a 1/4 wave) has an impedance of several thousand Ohms and is not
a suitable radiator unless you add some sort of impedance matching between
the radio or the anten
