Category: Contest

Actionable Information on COVID 19 – Part 1, by J.B.H.

Like many, I have spent arguably too much time over the last few years researching COVID 19 and many things related. I have listened to Presidents (Okay I don’t listen to Biden), health officials, pundits in the news and friends. I have read more medical studies than ever before in my life. I have read numerous articles from all sources and read thousands of comments regarding those articles, many of which have sent me to yet more articles and studies. The country, and world for that matter, is clearly divided on many of the issues surrounding COVID 19. How severe …


Reflections of an Aging Prepper, by Wayne Bosak

I was a city boy, but my wife was a country girl. In our early years while raising young children we learned how to garden and my wife used the skills she had learned from her mother preserving the food we raised. Raising our own food had become a way of life. After ten years of married life living in the city life we moved to rural Tennessee. For me, it was a huge change, but one that I embraced fully. Sometime during that first year in the rural life, I realized that I had found my home and lifestyle. …


A North American Holocaust? – Part 2, by SaraSue

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) There are so many more survivor testimonies, that I couldn’t write about all of them. You can find them on YouTube, and there are documentaries and books that have been written. You might think it terribly maudlin to spend the time to listen to the survivor testimonies. I allowed myself to mentally and emotionally descend into the horror of each testimony. My goal? I wanted to understand how a “normal society” could possibly be convinced to demonize a whole group of people. How could neighbors, friends, and family turn against one another …


A North American Holocaust? – Part 1, by SaraSue

I spent some time during the Holidays studying the history of the Holocaust. Why? Well, I had some downtime due to my body not cooperating which required my feet to be elevated. When this happens I like to research various topics while resting. Secondly, something has been really bothering me and I wanted to get some answers for myself. I thought my experience might be typical for some of yours, so I thought I would share it. These are my thoughts and observations from holocaust survivor testimonies and how I think it relates to our current reality. I have a …


Gasoline Types and Long Term Storage, by Tunnel Rabbit

I started wrenching in 1976, and have several decades of experience in this field. Diesel is the best fuel for TEOTWAWKI, but I cannot afford to switch, and I do not have diesel chainsaw.  I store aviation gasoline (Avgas) “100LL” for my chainsaws and generators.  This pure form of gasoline does not separate, nor degrade as rapidly as modern gasoline sold are regular gas stations. It is much like gasoline was in the 1960s that contain lead, and has few additives. You can buy it at most airports that cater to general aviation private pilots. If stored in air-tight metal …


Gear Review: Axil GS Extreme Earbuds, by The Novice

Axil GS Extreme Earbuds transmit and even amplify ambient noises while filtering out the dangerously loud sounds that can result in hearing loss. I found the earbuds to work well in setting like the range, running a chainsaw outdoors, running a circular saw inside, or driving while a dog is baying near my ear. These earbuds have become my preferred method of hearing protection. The Backstory I have noticed that ear muffs and rifle stocks do not always play well together. The muffs and the stock somehow seem to get in each other’s way, with the stock banging the muffs, …


Off-Grid PV Power for an O2 Concentrator or CPAP, by Tunnel Rabbit

With the advent of new variants of Coronavirus in mind, and other diseases that will be present in a collapse when no doctor can be found, we may be faced with the long-term care of loved ones. The production of oxygen, and/or running a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine could be necessary. What follows is my ‘notes on the back of an envelope’ attempt — a starting point that goes toward a solution. I am merely offering the reader my estimation of what it would take to get this done. This is the minimum PV power generation and storage …


My COVID-19 Firestorm Experience in Italy, by Z.

My trial by fire: What did the pandemic teach you about the people around you (and about yourself)? First of all, let me introduce myself: I’m an Italian Red Cross volunteer with several years of experience in emergency first response and social service. I apologize if my English is not adequate, but after discovering this blog I thought you could appreciate my insights about the COVID-19 pandemic regardless. I see that on this website there are many articles about technical preparedness, and even if I haven’t read everything that’s been published since spring 2020 to this day, I’m sure that …


The Hornady Lock N Load AP Progressive Reloading Press – Part 2, by Wingfootjr

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.) There are five available stations on the Lock N Load AP. For my initial setup, I set up the press for loading .223/ 5.56 ammo, my most commonly used practice and pleasure shooting caliber. I wanted a high production press dedicated to this caliber, so I could produce it quickly if need be. For this caliber, I start with brass cases that have been fully processed and ready to load. Cases have been de-primed, resized, tumbled (to clean, polish, and remove the sizing lubricant), case length checked and trimmed if necessary, and …


The Hornady Lock N Load AP Progressive Reloading Press – Part 1, by Wingfootjr

This is a reader’s review of The Hornady Lock N Load AP progressive reloading press. LEGAL DISCLAMER: I am not employed by, or financially reimbursed by any manufacturer I mention in this article. I am simply stating what I have found works for me. Your mileage may vary. SAFETY DISCLAIMER: Always follow all handloading safety standard protocols and checks as outlined in a bullet manufacturer’s handloading manual. Know the proper aspects of all functions you are performing and if unsure, consult the manufacturer via email or other means of communication until you clearly understand the correct and proper method of …


A Scanner for TEOTWAWKI – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 2. This concludes the article.) External Antennas, Detecting Potential threats at greater distances When using a scanner to sweep the band, or scan a list of frequencies, the scanner is much more sensitive and hears weak signals as well as strong signals. When using the Close Call feature that also sweeps the band, only strong signals that are very nearby (within 100 to 200 yards), might be detected. Some brands of scanners other than Uniden, may also have a similar Close Call feature, and might have more a sensitive receiver Sofware Defined Radio (SDR) frequency counter or …


A Scanner for TEOTWAWKI – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1.) ‘Sweeping’ a Band If one can afford to buy several scanners, then that would be optimal. We should have at least three, given the old adage: “3 is 2, and 2 is 1, and 1 is none.” We can keep one spare scanner in a Faraday cage, and store it elsewhere. Then use the other two scanners: One to scan from a list, and the other to sweep the band, or particular parts of a band. Each scanner will have an operator’s manual to help. If I could only sweep one band, then it would be …


A Scanner for TEOTWAWKI – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction: Why Should We Use A Scanner? To most people, scanners could not be any more sublimely unimportant, and boring, and completely irrelevant pursuit of yesteryear. Especially as we have aged, and because the age of digital radio is here. Apparently, our old dusty scanner is obsolete. So why bother? Because security will be job #1. Scanning provides a golden opportunity to improve our situational awareness. We must do all that can be done to remove the element of surprise at a survival retreat. A simple scanner is one of those low-cost options that is a significant force multiplier. It …


Progress on My Farm – Part 2, by Animal House

My son put the greenhouse kit together after the spring rains ended. It was quite an effort but he did a good job and added extra reinforcement to withstand strong winds. That year we learned a lot more about starting seeds and transplanting them into the ground. As fall began, we got some portable propane heaters, which were connected to small propane tanks. Those worked well until we had a three-day ice storm when we couldn’t leave the farm to refill the propane tanks. After speaking with my son, I decided to order a sawmill at the end of the …


Progress on My Farm – Part 1, by Animal House

The following is an overview of our farm progress at the end of 2021. For those of you who don’t know me, I am a widow and grandmother of retirement age. Eight years ago I bought a country property in the mid-south 300 miles from a large metropolitan area and two-hours away from a large city and one hour away from a small city with a hospital and medical specialists. The closest town has two gas stations, a pharmacy, a medical family practice, and two grocery stores, some fast food places, and a few other family-owned businesses. The property had …