Light Bulbs with Built-in Battery

 I think this is a really cool idea... building a battery in to the bulb for emergency lighting.

Helida SY-UV99: Prepper Radio HT w/Dynamo Crank Charger

WOW! A hand-crank #hamradio
not sure if I'll #SMH, #LOL, or buy one ;)https://t.co/jq73gqZbCN

— HamRadio360 (@hamradio360) July 13, 2017

Pelican 1400 Case for $50 - Lightning Sale

Need to build a go-box? Grab the Pelican 1400 Case for $50 during this Amazon deal - about 14 hours left at the time of this post.

Via Reddit

Outernet Lantern

Outernet, humanity's public library:

"Outernet takes the best of the web and broadcasts it from space for every human on Earth. The content we broadcast is determined by anyone who chooses to vote on the most important things to share with humanity. Outernet repurposes broadcast satellite tv equipment and we offer instructions on how to build a DIY-receiver. Once a receiver is configured, Outernet’s content can be accessed by any WiFi-enabled device. 

Oh, and Outernet is free to use, always."

And now they have an Indiegogo project for their receiver, the Outernet Lantern.


Via SWLing

The Survivor Library

The Survivor Library:

"The library contains thousands of books on technologies that can be produced by most reasonably skilled craftsman using tools not as sophisticated as what can be found in many modern home workshops."

And specifically, the Radio Library:

"The Library contains many books on telegraph systems. It has numerous books on how to build simple radios. It has books on how to build a wire based telephone system from the simplest pieces of equipment up through how to build a telephone exchange and lay wires."

Via Slashdot.org

A Tale of Two Bags

For your review...

Larry, W2LJ, is using a Krevis tactical backpack for operating from a park or other remote location.

Linoge is using a Coleman Exponent Cortez Daypack for his nondescript, low-profile, nothing to see here get home bag.

I will also add that several of the guys where I am working are using Maxpedition backpacks.

So the Hams and network guys are moving around with tactical looking bags and the actual, tactical bag is trying to blend. If enough people will start carrying the "tactical" bags because of their practicality, then maybe going low-profile won't have to be a best practice.

And then we can all start wearing "shoot me" vests, too.

Prepper Cabinet

Just write a check ($14,500) and have them drop-off a fully stocked cabinet.

+ Cabinet De-Humidifier, Dry Rod
+ Power Bar - 6 Outlet, included with cabinet
+ 12 ft 20 Amp Grounded Extension Cord
+ 3 Prong Adapter
+ Master Lock with Changeable Combination
+ Adhesive Contents Decal for Interior Left Door
+ Wolfram Decal for Doors
+ Sea Bags for Taking Items with You
+ New MillenniumEnergy Bar Pack, 36,000 Calories, 5 Year Life
+ Mainstay Food Ration, 36,000 Calories, 5 Year Life
+ S.O.S Emergency Food Ration, 36,000 Calories, 5 Year Life
+ Aqua Box Case, 24 - 8 ounce water packs, 5 Year Life
+ Water Filter, Katadyn Base Camp - Gravity Blue Bag
+ Water Purification Tablets
+ Coffee Filters, Tapered, Brown, Premium - Qty 100
+ 100 Gallon Bathtub Liner, with pump & pipe
+ 5 Gallon Collapsable Water Container, Clear Plastic
+ 5 Gallon, Square Water Containers
+ 2.6 Gallon Collapsible Bucket
+ Siphon Hand Pump
+ Counter Rack for 5 Gallon Water Bottles, Silver Metal
+ Dispenser & Valve for 5 Gallon Water Bottles, 55 mm,
+ Multipurpose Threaded Valve Cap for Water Jerry Can
+ 4 ft RV hose to attach to hot water tank
+ Garden hose shut off nozzle
+ Solar Charger - Nomad 13 with Battery Pack
+ Goal Zero Guide 10 Plus Power Pack w/4 AA NiMH Rchrg Bttrs
+ Midland - Hand Crank Radio, ER102 NOA AM/FM Emg
+ Midland - 24 mile Rand Two Way Radios
+ Lanterns, Coleman CPX 6
+ Coleman CPX Rechargabel Power Cartridge
+ 100 hour liquid parafin candles, package of 6
+ Spot Light, Waypoint
+ Solar Rechargable Flashlights
+ Flashlights, Stream Light
+ Petzl Duo LED Headlamp
+ Enduro Streamlight, Small Headlamp
+ Waterproof Match Case with Stormproof Matches
+ Stormproof Matches
+ All Weather Lighter
+ Marine Rescue Flares - 4 Pack
+ Butane Cartridge for Lighter
+ Marine Rescue Horn, 8 Oz
+ 12 Pack Glow Sticks, 3 Colors - Orion
+ 3 minute smoke flare, 40,000 cubic feet, Pack of 12
+ 1 minue smoke flare, 13,000 cu ft, Pack of 12
+ Orion USCG Orange Distress Flag
+ Orange Spray Paint
+ Rite n the Rain Full Size Notebook
+ Lumber Crayon
+ Pencils, box of dozen
+ Batteries - AA, Rechargeable, NiMH
+ Batteries - D, Alkaline
+ First Aid Kit - AMK Guide 1
+ Women’s First Aid Kit
+ Trauma Pack
+ SOL 2 Person Emergency Bivy
+ 12 x 14 Tarp
+ General Poncho
+ Hot Hands Hand Warmers, Box
+ 100 ft bundle of 3/8 Roap
+ Surgical Masks, 3M N95HC Particulate & Surgical,R Qty 20
+ Nitrile gloves, 30 pack
+ Collapsable Sea to Summit Bucket, 2.6 Gallon
+ Fresh Bath Body Wipe - 10”x8”, 8 pack
+ Dial Soap - 4 Bars
+ Luggable Loo
+ Lava Hand Soap
+ Toilet Paper - Charmin
+ Cloth Hand Towels - 18 Pack, Micro Fiber
+ Luggable Loo Double Duty Bags - 32
+ Therma Cell - Olive Green Standard
+ Therma Cell Replacement Pack 4 Butane, 12 Mats
+ Natrapell 8 hour, 12 individual wipes - DEET Free
+ Bleach - 1 Gallon, Concentrated Bleach
+ Vinegar - Household 2 Qt
+ Contractors Weight 42 Gallon Plastic Bags, 24 count
+ Propane Camp Stove, 2 Burner Coleman Titan
+ Propane Tank Adaptor - to grill style propane tanks
+ Propane Cylinders Small for Stove
+ Coleman 5 Pc Family Cookset, non-stick, red
+ Camp Coffee Pot, 9 Cup blue enamel
+ Polycabronate Plates, Bowls & Cups - 4 Setting
+ Box Disposable Silverware
+ 3 Piece, Non Stick Camp Utensil Kit, Spatula, Fork & Spoon
+ Sturdy Can Opener
+ P-38 GI Can Opener
+ Collapsable Sea to Summit Sinks
+ Kitchen Towells - 12 Pack, 100% cotton
+ Dish Brush, 12 inch
+ Hard Nylon Scrub Pads, Scotchbrite Heavy Duty Pads, 3 pk
+ Paper Towell Roll
+ Kitchen Knife
+ Liquid Dish Soap - Dawn Ultra 24 oz
+ Box of ZipLoc Bags - 1gallon, 24 count
+ Fuel Siphon Kit
+ Funnel - Goose Neck, Fuel, Galvanized
+ XRP Sawsall & Hammer Drill w/Batteries & Case, 18 Volt
+ Sawsall Course Pruning Blades - 12”, 6 pack
+ Sawsall Metal Blades - 9” General Purpose, 6 pack
+ Drill & Tool Bit MultiPack (3 Sets), 77 Pc Drl,Drv,Impc Ready
+ Biel Fire Axe Tool & Hydrant Wrench
+ Gerber Camp Axe, Extra Long
+ Bow Saw - 36”
+ Bow Saw Blades, 36” Replacement Blades
+ Crow Bar - 36”- Bostich
+ Sledge Hammer - 8 lb, Fiberglass Handle Smooth & Check Faced
+ Short Handle - 24” Mini Fixed Blade Square Shovel
+ Short Handle - 24” Mini Fixed Blade Spade Shovel
+ 18” Bolt Cutters
+ Framing Hammer, 22 oz, steel shank, checkered face
+ Crescent Wrench - 12”
+ 8 Piece Screwdriver Set
+ Channel Lock Pliers - 12” Square Bite
+ Sheet Metal Shears, Yellow center cut, 18 gauge
+ Vice Grip - 12”
+ Razor Knife - Classic 99
+ Razor knife blades, 50 pack
+ Box of 3” Coated Coarse Thread Deck Screws, Phillips
+ Nails, 16 Nails, 5 lbs, Common, Bright
+ Canvas Military Style Tool Bag
+ Wire Nuts, min 2, #14, max 4, #12 - qty 100
+ Small Zip Ties, 8” - 30 Pack
+ Large Zip Ties, 18” - 15 Pack
+ Electrical Tape, 60 ft
+ Duct Tape, 1.88 x 55 yds, Highgrade Scotch
+ 4” Pipe Plug, Threaded, Test Titan Mechanical Plug
+ 3” Pipe Plug, Threaded, Test Titan Mechanical Plug
+ Goggles
+ Safety Glasses/Goggles
+ Ear Plugs, 8 count, multicolor, foam disposable
+ Dust Masks - Box of 20, Fiberglass & Gypsum
+ Rubber Coated Work Gloves - XL
+ Leather Work Gloves - Large, Cowhide Basic
+ Leather Work Gloves - XL, Cowhide Basic
+ Blaze Orange Work Gloves
+ Utility Shutoff Tag - Water
+ Utility Shutoff Tag - Gas
+ Utility Shutoff Tag - Electric, with double sided tape

Via Uncrate

Digital Radios and Preppers

I talked some about ham radio and prepping after reading "Patriots - Surviving the Coming Collapse," but did not think about the potential benefits of something like the Kirisun S780:

"Preppers usually like to have communications equipment prepared for possible times of disaster.In a WROL situation, where someone could loot you for all your preparations if they knew about them, I'm sure preppers would like to have encrypted communications, so that anyone with a scanner can't find out where they keep their food stores or secret stash of fuel. 

These Kirisun radios provide inherent security, in that not many people will have radios that use the same vocoder, and it is unlikely anyone around you will have one. This could be called "security through obscurity". That is even if you don't turn on the encryption. To a scanner listening in analog, these radios just sound like a load of noise. Now, if someone were to buy a radio the same as you, and program it up to the same frequency, they would be able to listen in to any unencrypted comms. That's where the encryption comes in handy. Switch over to an encrypted channel, and they will not be able to understand it at all. All you hear when listening to an encrypted channel on a radio without encryption, is a few funny digital noises."

Tactical Helmets

Since I have an account at at AliExpress, I get e-mails with suggestions of things I might also like. For example, this tactical helmet ($41) for operators operating in operations on a tight budget.

Baojie Repeater Backpack

Like ham radio?
Like repeaters?
Like backpacks?
Like prepping?

Then Hans has a post for you: the Baojie Backpack Repeater. (Click here for my other prep related posts.)

Baojie Backpack Repeater

Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse & Ham Radio

Recently, I read Patriots: Surviving the Coming Collapse* as an apparent attempt to push myself into a state of depression. I've seen it billed as a how to manual for preppers with a story slapped on top of it. (It made me think of The Goal: A Process of Ongoing Improvement* - a story about a plant manager who implements several changes related to the Theory of Constraints.) It is not a manual for preparedness by any stretch, but it does try to present various scenarios for one to consider. One of the more interesting parts for me was toward the end when a character was getting a lesson in Communications Security from Edgar, the communications expert:

"My goal today is to first let you know what sort of equipment is out there -- friendly, enemy, captured enemy, and to teach you ComSec in a nutshell, so you won't get yourself killed or give the enemy valuable intelligence."

Edgar covers a lot of ground over the next few pages:

• HF
• VHF
• signals propagating, bouncing off the ionosphere
• sunspot cycle
• sky wave
• ground wave
• direction finding
• near vertical incidence
• line of sight
• 2M HTs
• modifying radios that could transmit 118 to 180 megahertz, but limited by FCC to 144 to 148, so they opened them up to 140 - 170
• frequency agile radios
• mods to CBs
• SWR
• antennas

He recommends trying to find a particular radio:

"Speaking of CBs, you should try to and locate a Uniden President HR2510. This is a ham radio that you can modify to transmit and receive in the citizen's band range. You can open this model up all the way from 26 to 30 megs. It has a frequency counter that you can finetune down to 10 kilohertz."

He then continues the lesson talking about:

• modifying cellular telephones
• working split
• Kenwood TH-79A
• cross-band operating
• operating AM on typical FM frequencies

As a ham, it was a fun chapter to read. It also made me interested in the Uniden President HR2510, so I had to look it up. I found this site with a long list of tip and tricks for modifying the HR2510.

* Links via my Amazon Associate account. You don't pay any extra, but I get "rich" if you buy through the link.

Prepping

ConanOBrien In a survival situation, you can drink your own urine. Fortunately, my Wi-Fi came back on just as I was filling the can.Wed, Nov 14 19:23:31 from web

KF9ZA's Go Box for Ham Radio ARES - RACES

Another project to add to the ever growing list. He's got a list of links for the parts he used to build his Go Box here. I would, of course, throw in a UV-3R.

Baofeng UV-3R: Survivalists and Preppers

Looks like the preppers see the UV-3R as a handy rig to have around... Survivalist Boards, Survive Kits, and Urban Survival.

Baofeng UV-3R: Popular Radio

I really think Baofeng found a sweet spot with the price point of the UV-3R. They may not have a huge profit margin in each radio, but they make up for it in volume. Given things like the group buy from the Indiana Gun Owners forum and interest on survivalist/prepper blogs, it isn't just hams who are buying it.

EDC Rap

It is amazing what you can find on the internet - the usual knife makers make an appearance along with Youtube favs, CountyComm, etc.


Via ENDO

Ten-Tec Go-Bag

Ten-Tec is jumping on the Go-Bag bandwagon with a 40/30 Meter QRP Go Pack. It includes:

"R2327 Custom built, high performance portable multiband wire antenna which includes light weight coax,BNC connector, center balun, tie downs, plus Dacron rope.

R4030 two band QRP CW Transceiver. Light weight, trail friendly dual band transceiver built by YouKits and sold exclusively in the US by TEN-TEC. Covers 40 and 20 meter bands. Receives SSB and CW. Transmits CW only. No filters to buy. Fully assembled transceiver (not a kit).

R9920 Rugged Shoulder Bag with adjustable shoulder sling strap that contains a tactical non-slip shoulder pad. Includes a mesh compartment for your water bottle. Rapid accessibility for all of your QRP equipment. Loads of room for your antenna, rig, battery, key paddle, and much more. Water resistant storm collar can be deployed by pulling a cordlock draw string."

The web page says just add your favorite key and you are ready go. That and a brain transplant with a donor that knows CW and I would be all set!

Stocking Stuffers - Faraday Bag

Uncle links to ZCOOR, who suggests some anti-corrosion bags as stocking stuffers for the gunnie prepper in your family. That reminded me of the Faraday bags for protecting your electronic equipment from EMP - for your geek prepper.

Grey Man

The Grey Man:

"An individual who possesses the skills, ability and intent to blend into any situation or surrounding without standing out, concealing his or her true skills, ability, and intent from others."

I agree with the concepts, but the presentation is a little cheesy.

The Girls' Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse: Know Your Idols

At The Girls' Guide to Surviving the Apocalypse, we have the Know Your Idols list. I knew most of them and really appreciate the old school additions like Private Benjamin. I do think Buffy should be ranked much, much higher. Buffy, River, Ripley, Sarah, and Hermione would be my top five.

I would also include Arya, Nikita, and Tam.