Day: February 4, 2026

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — February 4, 2026

On February 4, 211, Roman Emperor Septimius Severus died in Eboracum (York) in England, leaving the Roman Empire in the hands of his two quarrelsome sons, Caracalla and Geta. From his biography: “Septimius Severus was the first Roman Emperor from Africa. He ruled from 193 to 211 AD and is known for having expanded the Roman Empire through military campaigns. Severus began his career in the Roman government, rising through the ranks during a period of political instability. He became emperor in 193 AD, a year known as the Year of the Five Emperors due to its rapid succession of …


Antenna Building: Theory and Practice – Part 1, by Hoofer

As an introduction, I started building Vertical & Yagi Beam antennas in the early 1980s for CB radio.  When the FCC dropped the ‘Morse Code’ requirement in 2007, many ‘tone deaf’ people like myself, transitioned to ham radio. My entire family are either General or Extra Class hams.  Having this license and operating ability is an essential ‘Life Skill’, like the ability to read, write and speak the native language. No tool is useful, in unskilled hands – unless you’re planning on selling/bartering it away, right?  Our family and I have taught Technician, General, and Extra classes – but, none …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters. — Reader H.B. suggested a Facebook reel on how to make your own local topo maps. o  o  o At our friend Jack Lawson’s website: Do It Yourself! Building a 3500-Watt Portable Battery Bank Solar Power Unit. o  o  o Here is a free short story based rooted in an ancient legend, with …