Our Practical Uses of Amateur Radio – Part 2, by Mr. & Mrs. Alaska

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) For my husband’s volunteer work with Civil Air Patrol, joint service MARS (military association radio system) and SHARES (a program of homeland security), we have quite a bit of copper wiring strung high in the birch and spruce trees of our property, as well as a large log periodic antenna attached about 70 feet up the metal power tower he built at the highest part of our land to hold the wind turbine, solar panels, and satellite dish. Our location has several advantages for HF radio use.  Obviously, we have no HOA …


Details on The 2005-2023 SurvivalBlog Archive USB Sticks

The new batch of 32-gigabyte waterproof SurvivalBlog archive USB sticks is pre-selling very rapidly!  Many readers are ordering 2, 3, or 4 sticks. I’ve had some folks write to ask about what is included in the new 2005-2023 SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. There certainly is a lot! These sticks of course have everything that has ever been posted in SurvivalBlog, dating back to its launch in August, 2005, and up to December 31, 2023. In my humble opinion, these feature articles, product reviews, columns, and quotations just by themselves are worth the price of the archive stick. But then there …


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at some predicted risks in 2024, and personal threat remediation steps taken by some billionaires. Billionaires Prepping for Doomsday Over at Daisy Luther’s The Organic Prepper …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The defeat of the enemy . . . . presuppose[s] great physical or moral superiority or else an extremely enterprising spirit. . . . When neither of these is present, the object of military activity can only be one of two kinds: seizing a small or larger piece of enemy territory, or holding one’s own until things take a better turn.” Thus “two kinds of limited war are possible: offensive war with a limited aim, and defensive war.” – Karl Von Clausewitz, On War


Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — January 17, 2024

On January 17, 1995, a large-scale earthquake struck the Ōsaka-Kōbe (Hanshin) metropolitan area, killing an estimated 6,400 people and causing major damage. 30 years ago today, (January 17, 1994) the 6.7 magnitude Northridge Earthquake struck Los Angeles. It caused about $20 billion in damage and killed 61 people. On January 17, 1920, the 18th Amendment to the United States Constitution went into effect, establishing Prohibition. By one account, 286 distilleries, 992 breweries, and more than 300,000 bars and saloons were closed. And today is the anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. This small battle was the turning point …


SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This 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. — National Park Service Plans to Remove William Penn Statue From Philadelphia Park. JWR’s Comment:  This trend of politically correct historical revisionism has completely escaped the bounds of rationality.  While they are at it, they should just as well rename their state “Fettermansylvania”.  They could erect a bronze statue of John Fetterman, complete …


The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“[T]here seems to have been an actual decline in rational thinking. The United States had become a place where entertainers and professional athletes were mistaken for people of importance. They were idolized and treated as leaders; their opinions were sought on everything and they took themselves just as seriously-after all, if an athlete is paid a million or more a year, he knows he is important … so his opinions of foreign affairs and domestic policies must be important, too, even though he proves himself to be ignorant and subliterate every time he opens his mouth.” – Robert A. Heinlein


Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — January 16, 2024

The Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq‘s occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began on this day in 1991 with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28. — On January 16, 1556, Charles V, Holy Roman emperor and king of Spain, renounced his claim to Spain. — The Persian Gulf War, triggered by Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait in August 1990, began on this day in 1991 with a U.S.-led air offensive against Iraq that continued until a cease-fire was declared on February 28. — The Space Shuttle Columbia launched from Kennedy …


SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today’s news: Snow and cold weather belatedly returns to the Inland Northwest. Idaho Snow day in Boise!! Kids hit Camel’s Back Park to sled down the hill. o  o  o Regulators restrict medical license of Idaho health official who spread COVID-19 disinformation. o  o  o It …



Preparedness Notes for Monday — January 15, 2024

On January 15, 1919 a storage tank collapsed in Boston, sending more than two million gallons (eight million litres) of molasses flowing through the city’s North End; the Great Molasses Flood, as it became known, caused extensive damage and killed 21 people. This is the anniversary of the 2009 “Miracle On The Hudson” engines-out emergency water landing. And this is the birthday of Dr. Edward Teller who co-invented the H-bomb and worked on the Manhattan Project. He was born January 15, 1908 in Budapest. He died September 9, 2003 (aged 95). — I just heard that Natchez Shooters Supplies (one …


Recipe of the Week: Potatoes With Savory Sauce

The following recipe for  Potatoes With Savory Sauce is from Good HouseKeeping’s Book of Menus, Recipes, and Household Discoveries (Copyright 1926, now in public domain).  That is one of the 11 new bonus books included in the new 2005-2023 edition of the SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. Ingredients 12 small potatoes 1 teaspoonful chopped chives 4 tablespoonfuls butter Juice of 1/2 lemon 1 teaspoonful chopped parsley 2 tablespoonfuls of grated cheese 1 tablespoonful chopped red or green sweet pepper 1 teaspoonful salt Pepper, to taste Directions Wash potatoes thoroughly and boil in their jackets. Remove skins. Melt the butter, add parsley, …


Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at increasing postal rates and provide an update on real estate values, in 2024. (See the Tangibles Investing section.) Precious Metals: Gold and silver have held fairly high prices thusfar in 2024. JWR’s Comments: When I last checked, spot gold was at 2,062.00 USD per Troy ounce, and silver was at $23.41 per …



Preparedness Notes for Sunday — January 14, 2024

On January 14th, 1526, the Treaty of Madrid was signed by the Habsburg emperor Charles V (Charles I of Spain — pictured) and his prisoner Francis I, king of France, who had been captured during the Battle of Pavia in February 1525 and held prisoner until the conclusion of the treaty, when he was allowed to return to France. — On January 14th, 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. In the document, which was known as the Second Treaty of Paris or the Peace of Paris because the Treaty of Paris …