Note From JWR:

The bidding in the the SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a copy “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course, ($149 retail) is currently bid at just $20. The course was donated by Jake Stafford of Arbogast Publishing. Please submit your bids via e-mail. This auction ends on September 15th




Letter Re: Camouflaged Swiss Bunkers

Dear Mr. Rawles, Regarding your mention of Swiss mountain bunkers on August 1st, you might be interested to know that the Swiss photographer Christian Schwager published a book on camouflaged Swiss bunkers, and also had several exhibits including one in Zurich at the Swiss Museum of Design (Museum fuer Gestaltung). A lot of bunkers were nearer to the northern borders, so there was also a lot of urban camouflage. Since the bunker designs were [tailored] due to individual units, there is a lot of variation and a range of folk artistry (so to speak). Some photos were of high valleys …




Letter Re: Recommendations on Solar Battery Chargers?

Jim, Could you maybe put the word out as to where to find a good reasonably priced solar panel for charging Ni-MH batteries? Thanks. – Gung Ho JWR Replies: I recommend Ready Made Resources for solar battery chargers, although there are several other Internet vendors that sell comparable products. But I can vouch for RMR’s reliability and customer service. If you are on a budget RMR’s compact Universal Solar Charger at under $28 is the way to go. But this model charges just two batteries at a time. If you have a bigger budget, any of the Global Solar brand …




Letter Re: U.S. Military Surplus Backpack VHF Transceivers

Jim and Memsahib: I talked with a fellow on 6 meters FM yesterday. He is a military radio collector. I wish that you could have heard this conversation. He collects everything, and has about every military radio. He said that he stopped buying more a few years ago because the prices got too high. After 9-11 prices skyrocketed. He also said the AN/PRC-77 is one of the radios to stay away from. The blow out their finals too easily. The older AN/PRC-25 is much better. Also that the new AN/PRC-168 are superior [in reliability to the AN/PRC-77.] Also, he said …




Odds ‘n Sods:

The White House warns: a weak strain of Asian Avian Flu may already be in the U.S.    o o o SurvivalBlog reader MP dropped me a line and mentioned that Orson Scott Card, the author of the military sci-fi classic “Ender’s Game,” has posted the first five chapters for his newest book, “Empire.” From the description on Card’s web page: “The American Empire has grown too fast, and the fault lines at home are stressed to the breaking point. The war of words between Right and Left has collapsed into a shooting war, though most people just want to …