How to Use Amazon for Economical Purchasing- Part 2, by Sarah Latimer

How to Locate/Shop for Items

The main principle here is database searching functions. There are literally millions of products available through Amazon, and it would take almost forever to read through their entire list of product offerings, especially since there are duplicates made available by multiple vendors. You want to find exactly what you are looking for as quickly as possible and find the best value, however you define that in your particular situation. Sometimes, it is for a disposable in which case the least expensive item may do the trick. Other times, it is critical that the item endure over a long time. Regardless, you need to get started by finding the items that meet (or exceed your specifications and need). Here are some ideas of how I hone in on items fairly quickly:

  1. Search Specifically in All Departments. If I have a pretty good idea of what I am looking for, I start off by using the search window within the drop down “All” departments. By searching all departments, I am performing the largest sweep for an item. If I am shopping for a men’s hooded rain jacket, for example, I could simply type in “men’s hooded rain jacket” and drop down to search within “Clothing”, but then I might miss the jackets listed in the “Sports & Outdoor” category. So, initially, I type in the most specific description of what I am looking for and searching for those items within “All” departments. However, if you are looking for 99% isopropyl alcohol, you may not want to search in “All” departments. Instead, you may want to search for “isopropyl alcohol” within the “Health and Personal Care” department so that you don’t find every product containing alcohol, or you may want to be specific by searching “99% isopropyl alcohol”, which would be a more precise search and could be searched within all departments. I would follow the latter options and search using the most specific description. In doing so, I still get 440 product options to browse through. The results include a lot of alcohol options– everything from quart, gallon, and 5-gallon size containers of 99%+ alcohol to individual alcohol swabs and disinfectant wipes in dispenser canisters and more.
  2. Search and/or Browse in Categories and Sort to Target Item. If you are shopping for a men’s lightweight hooded jacket, but you don’t know what kind or color of jacket you want, you might just want to browse. While shopping for a man’s hooded rain jacket, you could find the options in a variety of ways. You could go to the search window and type “men’s hooded jacket”. If you know that you want a “men’s navy, waterproof, lightweight, hooded rain jacket”, then you could type all of these keywords into the search field and come up with dozens of options. Alternatively, you could browse by department. You could go to the “Clothing” category and select “Men”. Then, select “Clothing” (versus accessories, uniforms, et cetera) and “Jackets”. From there, you can either browse or refine your selections again by selecting “Trench & Rain”. At any point in this process, you can also type some description into the search window to refine the options shown. At the time of this article, we are shown 166 mens trench or rain jackets to choose from. That’s a pretty large selection! Now, you can just browse through in the order that Amazon has listed them, or you can choose to reorder them to your liking, using the “Sort by” field. I like to use this field to help me find the highest quality and best prices. I will search by lowest to highest price and also by average customer review (rating). I personally am not interested in the newest arrivals, as I am not one to jump onto the latest and greatest fashion fads. I want tried and true items, especially when it comes to my prepping supplies! The new arrivals usually haven’t had enough buyers to provide good feedback on the products, and this feedback is very important information to me.
  3. Use the “Refine By” Options to Get More Specific with Customer Rating, Maker, Size, et cetera. The “Refine By” options are down the left column on my computer. (I don’t use know where they are placed on a Smartphone or iPad, since I like to use the computing tool with the largest screen and multiple tabs when I’m shopping and comparing prices.) When I do a search and come up with thousands of options, I often refine my search by looking for only those products that have been reviewed highly. To do this, I refine the search to items with only four or more stars. If I’m looking for clothing options, I also look for items available in a specific size. On certain types of products, it is also important to me to have an item made by a certain maker. When it comes to knives and blades, Hugh has a few favorite makers, so I look for knives or blades from specific makers that fit my search description. One of my sons is a big fan of Cold Steel knives, so when I’m shopping for a knife for him, I search for the type of knife he wants and then use the “Refine By” option to select Cold Steel as the maker option. This way, I don’t have to scroll through a lot of knives that are not from Cold Steel to find the one I want to buy for him.
  4. Read the Reviews! Now, while I just above stated that I sometimes refine my searches based upon customer ratings, those are not always trustworthy as the basis for making your final selection between two or more products. I highly recommend that you always take some time to read a sampling of the product reviews, unless the item is so standardized that you don’t worry. For example, there probably isn’t a lot of difference between the quart size bottles of 99% isopropyl alcohol, so you can just pick one with a high rating and go with that fairly confidently. However, there may be some difference in packaging and shipping. This is one of those rarities, since it is fairly consistant as a single ingredient. Most other products can be “duds” presented as something better or different than they are. While a product may have a five-star rating, you may read that all of the reviewers say is that it “arrived as described” and none have used it. That five star rating has little meaning, other than that the supplier ships it in a timely manner. Down the road a bit, that won’t mean a thing. What matters is whether the item satisfies its purpose or not. You may alteratively read that all of the reviewers of an item who rated it with four stars received the product for free or at a reduced price in exchange for their “fair evaluation and review”. You may also see that just over half of the handful of ratings are five star ratings with very favorable comments by people who have actually used the product over time and the other nearly half are one star ratings by people who didn’t like the color or didn’t read the description and bought the wrong thing or said it wouldn’t do what they wanted it to do (which was something other than what it was designed to do). These one star ratings skewed the overall rating significantly, but it doesn’t mean the product isn’t a five star product. I saw this in the case of a coffee/spice grinder once, where people were trying to use it to grind nuts and were frustrated when it gummed up and quit working. It was’t designed to grind soft, oily sunflower seeds and almonds! Yet, these folks gave the product one star ratings, while those who used it for coffee and hard spices gave it five stars. I bought it in spite of its low three and a half star rating, and our family successfully used it for the purposes it was intended, and we still use it years later. You need to read to find out what the strengths and weaknesses of a product are. Just note that more and more vendors are offering their products for free or at reduced prices in order to get reviews because the vendors recognize that a large number of high ratings is helpful to moving their product forward and giving buyers confidence, but the reviewers are required to note this at the end of their reviews, which I appreciate. I read those reviews but consider them a little less reliable than those from consumers who paid full retail price for the product. Since the reviewers didn’t pay full price, they may have a lower expectation of the item. Their detailed information about the product is still valuable, and I have pleasantly seen some good critisms come for these reviewers. Basically, the star rating is not adequate in and of itself to use in choosing between two products. You must read the details in the reviews from actual buyers! Honest feedback is quite valuable in comparing products. I have even been surprised and pleased to read some interesting recommendations on how to use items for survival purposes and have seen SurvivalBlog articles referenced and linked within Amazon product reviews! They can be quite informative and helpful in selecting and also in utilizing products.
  5. Look for the “Frequently Bought Together” Suggestions. If there is a companion product that is helpful in the use of some item, down below the item’s description there is usually a list of other products listed as “Frequently Bought Together”. This can make it easy to find appropriate items, too. Even if you want something different, this may give you the specifications/sizing information you need to help you begin your own search.
  6. Search for “Bulk” when Buying Disposables. When shopping for disposables, such as paper towels, household cleaners, food items, toothpaste and toothbrushes, and even items that store a long time, like essential oils, it is often more economical to buy large volume items or multiple items in a purchase pack. So, I often search for the item I’m looking for along with the word “bulk” behind it to help me locate these larger items and compare pricing. For example, a four pack of toothpaste may cost $29, while a single tube of the same toothpaste is $8, including shipping. However, a twin pack of the same toothpaste may only cost $9.47 when part of Prime Pantry. Let’s talk about how to get these values in the next section.

Getting a Good Value

Think about what you really need in a product and use that in your search parameters. Then, look for prices and, most importantly, read rating reviews. I want to obtain a product that performs its function well and will continue to do so for an extended period of time in exchange for my family having to part with the least possible amount of money. I will pay for quality over junk, but I don’t want to waste a dime. Remember my mom’s lecture to me: “a penny saved is a penny earned”. I take my job of being a frugile buyer for our family seriously. It is one of the ways I can make a great contribution to our family and is an area others recognize I have skill, thus I do a good deal of shopping for multiple families.

I never had the opportunity to meet my maternal grandmother. Folks say she was a shrewd business woman, and back in the late 19th and early 20th century people came from multiple counties to ask her to accompany them to the livestock auctions, as she was very good at selecting livestock and negotiating deals on their behalf. My mother was an accountant and watched every penny she spent. I supposed I may have come by my skill through some geneology and observation, as my mother was the most frugal woman I ever met, but we ate well, dressed well, and always lived in a very comfortable home. I had no knowledge of any struggles. When I look back on what my parents were able to build and save on their meager income, even durig the Depression, I know that they were conservative spenders and wise with their money. I hope I am teaching my children and grandchildren the same.

Search Products and Read Reviews to Find Quality and Get Educated Before Hunting Best Prices

Amazon offers a number of ways to save, but first you have to make sure you aren’t sacrificing on quality. While some products may only have three stars, once you read the reviews you find that the few reviewers simply were not good shoppers and ordered the wrong color or didn’t read the description of the product and ordered the wrong size, yet scored the product low even though the mistake was their (the buyer’s) error rather than anything to do with the quality or functional of the product. I’ve seen this time and again where buyers didn’t read descriptions and then blamed the manufacturer or the product because it didn’t perform a function they wanted. Still, the buyer was angry over their mistake and took out their frustration in the rating and review rather than realizing their own error and just returning it. Those who bought the item for the function it was designed to fill gave it five stars, but those who gave it one star brought the overall rating down to three stars. It deserved five stars. I’ve also seen some four or four and a half star items that were only rated by people who had been given the product in exchange for a review. I don’t have any problem with products being given to people for review or sold at reduced rate, but I am some how a bit suspicious that those reviews are slanted more favorable than they might be by someone who paid full price. I look for reviews from those who paid full price to validate any others.

Read about the products and specifications. Many reviews are detailed and will discuss applications and situations where the product works best and where it does not. Sometimes, knowing how it fails is very useful. Consider your intended use and then adjust your search accordingly. Find good quality products first and make sure you know what you want and are well-educated on how to tell what is the best and what is not.

Searching and reading before making a purchase, particularly a significant purchase, it very important. I read even on small items, because then I will know what to come back to reorder confidently the next time. If I did my homework up front, I can be confident that my family is eating, using, wearing, drinking, and enjoying the best I can afford to give them. So read up before hunting those deals, because what looks like a deal may not be a deal if the product is junk.

Shipping and Prime Membership

Prime membership is $99 a year and offers free two-day shipping on many products, plus the membership includes some additional free services, including Prime Amazon video/movies ( similar to Netflix) and Prime audio/music. Also a once-a-month free Kindle book download from the lending library of over 500,000 books is part of the membership. I have not used the lending library, so I cannot comment on the quality of this service, but the Amazon video and audio has been useful at times. There is also a photo cloud storage service, but I strongly caution against using this! Since all cloud storage is always actually on someone’s server, you can lose control of whatever you upload to “the cloud”. Should someone (i.e. government or a hacker) access your cloud-stored photos and use facial recognition software to identify someone in your photo library, they will now know that you are one of their associates also. Alternatively, if you are targeted because of your patriotic, survivalist, and/or political position, or for any other reason, then your family and friends could also be at risk because they appear in pictures with you. Hugh and I simply recommend that you do not use cloud storage service, period! However, it is my opinion that the shipping benefit of Prime membership alone is worth the membership fee, and then the free video and audio downloads are just icing on the cake.

With shipping costs at other websites ranging from $5 and usually much more per package, regardless of how small the item, I estimated that all I needed to do was make more than 16 small purchases a year to find Prime membership profitable for the shipping benefit alone. That comes out to just a little more than one per month, and I do a LOT more than that! Even when I did a comparison of web stores that offered free shipping on $100+ orders, I found the Amazon products we frequently purchased were priced considerably lower than other stores, so shopping Amazon and using Prime made the most sense for our family. Sure, we also shop the warehouse, like Costco, for items, but it is a long drive and takes almost a full day of our time. There are the occasional times when Amazon is less expensive than Costco or other sources, and it is far more convenient to have items dropped at my doorstep than for our family to make the drive to the big city.

Also, with the Prime membership you have some advantages with third-party sellers also, including free returns on defective products and so forth that are not quite so clear cut or expedited without the Prime membership. When I got the membership, I saw an immediate across-the-board improvement in services.

If you only make a few purchases a year on Amazon and don’t want to invest in Prime membership, wait to accumulate enough items in your cart so that you are spending at least $25 (though this amount may have gone up) on Amazon-inventoried items (items not shipped from third-party providers) in the same order. You will have the option for reduced shipping charges. While this shipping option is slower, it can help you save money.

Prime Pantry for Your Everyday Grocery Store Items Delivered to Your Door

For $5.99 per box, those with Prime membership can order the heavy, bulky, or otherwise grocery store items and have them delivered to their doorstep at prices that often rival the big box store and grocery store prices. I have bought my share of Prime Pantry boxes. For survival food, a box of long grain and wild rice rice-a-roni, a can of meat, and then a can of cream of mushroom soup offer an excellent one-pot casserole that can be brought to a boil in a cast iron dutch oven over a rocket stove and then put in a wonder oven and left for only an hour or so to make a wonderful casserole dinner. I got the boxes of rice-a-roni for under $1 per box on a Daily Deal, which I’ll talk about a little later in the article.

Prime Pantry boxes vary in size and are allowed to hold up to 45 pounds of product. Amazon says, “Your order will be packaged in an appropriate-sized box, based on the dimensions and weight of the items. This box could be anything from the size of a shoe box to as large as a suitcase.” While shopping in the Prime Pantry category, you are told what percentage of the box the product fills. Amazon says, “A percentage is calculated for each item, based on its maximum dimensions or weight. For example, a 12 pack of soda and a 6 pack of paper towels are each approximately the same percentage. While the soda is heavier, the paper towels take up more room.”

If you don’t fill a Prime Pantry box, the items you have purchased will be shipped in an appropriately sized box, though Amazon is famous for excessive packaging and over-sized boxes. If you sign up for Prime membership, be sure you have a means for disposing of or repurposing lots of boxes. BTW, there are some great uses for cardboard boxes. I use strips of cardboard, written on with a Sharpie marker and covered completely in packing tape, placed on sticks that serve as almost-free garden markers. They sure aren’t the prettiest garden markers I’ve ever used, as I have used some beautiful copper ones, but those got bent and lost over time. When the cardboard ones get destroyed, it is no big loss; I have lots more Amazon boxes at my disposal.

Hunting the Deals

Amazon often offers good prices on products. I’ve found at times that Amazon’s price on a particular product is lower than the manufacturer’s price; I suppose this is the case because shipping is factored into the final price. Once again, the prime membership or free shipping for higher priced items is a big advantage to shopping on Amazon. However, there are also some ridiculously high priced items for sale on Amazon, too, though usually by third-party vendors. You must shop wisely and do some comparisons to be sure you are paying a reasonable price! Usually, the items listed highest on the search list are reasonable and popular deals, but “the buyer should always beware”.

In addition to their regular, competitively-priced products, Amazon offers some limited time and limited quantity deals, identified under the heading “Today’s Deals”. Today’s Deals include:

Deal of the Day– This is a limited quantity item or items that are significantly reduced in price for the day. It is worth checking these items each day, as there are some great tools and big ticket items sometimes marked 40-50% off!

Lightning Deals- Usually well over a hundred items, many with four or five stars, offered at discount. These have quantity and time limits. You have to watch the clock, as they expire throughout the day and tell you the percentage claimed. The problem is that someone can order a quantity and it close fairly quickly. Don’t dilly dally on these!

Prime Early Access Deals– These are deals that are not yet available but are upcoming. As a Prime member, you get advanced viewing and can watch these items for when their sale price becomes active. It’s great to be able to investigate a product ahead of time, and then snag it at a significant discount within the next 24 hours. Sometimes, what I see with these is that the lightning deals become deals of the day when they are closing them out for whatever reason, whether there is a new model or Amazon just isn’t carrying it for awhile. It’s like a clearance sale and you get advance notice, if you are a Prime member. I’ve been able to buy some awesome equipment, household and camping supplies, high-quality jewelry, and awesome gifts for a fraction of their original price using the early access deals and lightning deals.

Buyer Beware

While there are some great deals on Amazon, there are some ridiculous ones, too! Be careful to read the quantity, size, ounces, and descriptions. You may assume that toothpaste offer that is priced at $36 is for multiple tubes, when in fact it is for one travel-size tube. I’ve never been caught with this situation, but I have seen many of these offers listed and read a few reviews from people who didn’t notice the description size. Don’t be one to be caught expecting one thing and getting another. If the description is different than what you receive, you have a claim. If not, you are the loser. This is just another reason to read the descriptions and the reviews. Fortunately, if it seems odd or that there is a mistake in the listing, you can ask a question about the product and wait for an answer before making your purchase.

Don’t Forget Your Specialized Mom and Pop Stores, Especially SurvivalBlog’s Advertisers, Too!

With over 41 million Prime members, Amazon is a huge and convenient source of product for many buyers are looking for convenience, selection, and competitive pricing. Just be sure you don’t forget the mom and pop sellers out there also, especially your local sources who keep your small-town economy alive, and our faithful SurvivalBlog advertisers, who keep the blog coming your way day after day! Amazon truly is a wonderful, convenient tool, but there are just some things that can’t be replaced by an efficient giant like Amazon– friendly, personal customer service and specialized products. The SurvivalBlog advertisers offer both of these and more!

Enjoy shopping from the comfort of your home, whether from Amazon or another online retailer, like one of SurvivalBlog’s advertisers. I’m much happier getting my goods from the UPS driver than fighting the crowds and standing in lines at the big stores. Maybe you will be, too.

Letter Re: 9mm for Survival

Hugh / Jim,

I have to agree with almost all of what Pat Cascio said in his column about the 9mm for survival. Any gun and caliber is a compromise, and the one you have with you when you need it is better than the one sitting home in the safe.

I do have a couple of comments. I have had bad experience with the .40 Glock Korean magazines, including one of them in my Glock 35 having the baseplate pop off and the rounds dump out of the bottom of the magazine as I was in the starting box at an IPSC match. The two Korean mags I had went in the trash can after I got home. I have not had any 9mm Korean magazines, but with Glock brand mags selling for under $20 new as well as having good luck so far with Magpul and ETS brand magazines that cost less than the factory mags, I think I will continue to avoid the Korean magazines. I also keep my eyes open for police trade-in Glock mags, which usually run around $11, roughly the same as the Korean mags. I would also add to his list of guns I would trust out of the box the SIG Sauer P series as well as S&W Double Action revolvers. I do have to admit that I much prefer used guns to new, probably buying around ten used guns for every new one I buy. (Okay, I buy too many guns, but I am working on it). Police trade-in pistols are an outstanding bargain, and I have never had a problem with any that I have purchased, even the well-used Israeli trade-ins. – B.F.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:13-17 (KJV)

Notes for Saturday – May 14, 2016

Seed for Security,LLC is having a special sale. Their Colossal Security Pack is 15% off. This Pack is a total of seven pounds of vegetable, grain, and herb seeds. All are open-pollinated and non GMO. Included are their three most popular collections: the Super Survival Pack, the 4 Grain Collection, and the Heirloom Herb Collection. This offer is for a limited time.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 64 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 64 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Using EMP-Hardened HF Ham Radio to Send/Receive E-Mail During Nationwide Outage- Part 2, by PrepperDoc

Transmit-Receive Frequency Offset

This should be zero. Synthesized digital radios have no problem accomplishing this; however, vacuum tube rigs may struggle. Surprisingly, the less expensive HW-series transceivers and the SB’s with the vacuum tube based LMO (VFO), in my experience, have little shift between transmit and receive. Later SB-series transceivers with the solid-state VFO may have an offset. If this offset is > 100 Hz, you’ll notice it during SSB conversations (“leapfrogging” as you chase the fellow you’re talking to), and you’ll want to fix that for digital communications. Happily, the solid state LMO includes a FSK (frequency shift keying) terminal where a small trimmer variable resistor of (say, 25K or 47K) from “FSK” to chassis ground will easily adjust the frequency a few hundred Hertz. To make this automatically switch in and out for transmit/receive, add a small transistor switch (2N3904) between this resistor and chassis ground and switch this by driving the base with a 1 Mohm ½ watt resistor to +300VDC available on one of the sections of relay RL2. Choose the connection in order to move the transmitted and received frequencies closer together, then adjust the variable resistor until they are within 25 Hz or so. The problem is solved. A friend on a SSB contact can help you figure out when you sound “right”. Otherwise, you can measure the frequency of a second (solid-state) transceiver’s transmissions to which you’ve tuned, and then compare the frequency of your vacuum tube rig (when both are sending the same audio tone). You can do this with two rigs both connected to dummy loads; send an audio tone into the reference rig and tune the receiver of your test rig until the tones match. Then measure both transmitters’ frequencies.

Latency

You need to switch from transmit to receive in under 250 mSec, and preferably around 100 mSec, to keep up with the handshaking responses. The RMS server to which you connect will be firing responses back quickly, and if you miss them your throughput and connection suffer badly. Your Heathkit, when controlled by the Signalink, will usually achieve this (assuming VOX delay and Signalink delay are all minimized), but if you make a small modification to the T/R receiver control circuitry within your Heathkit you’ll have latencies below 100 mSec. V14A audio preamplifier is turned off by a large negative voltage to grid during transmit (through relay RL2), charging capacitor C322 (primarily) to that negative voltage. When the relay moves to “receive” position, a substantial delay occurs because that voltage is leisurely bled to ground through 3.3 Mohm R336. Heathkit purposefully created this delay, to avoid clicks and thumps in the speaker while the relay repositioned, as extremely low latency wasn’t needed then. You can dramatically speed up the transition by wiring a 1N4007 diode in series with a 100K resistor and putting this assembly in parallel with R336 3.3 Mohm resistor, with the cathode of the diode oriented toward V14A (or away from the relay contacts). An alternative solution would be to change the 0.02 microfarad C322 to .001 microfarads. Your latency, as measured by WINMOR, will drop below 100 mSec with this very simple upgrade.

Signalink Connections

Because Hams typically made up their own mic and speaker connections to Heathkits, Tigertronics provides an unterminated shielded multi-twisted pair cable (RG45 to fit the Signalink) similar to CAT6 computer cable. You’ll need to make your own connections to the microphone and speaker wiring. If you can find shielded CAT6 cable, you can use that. Connect the foil shield to the chassis ground of the transceiver.

RFI Prevention

All of these digital phase or frequency-shift signals over audio are fairly sensitive to radio frequency interference, including the Signalink and your computer running the RMS EXPRESS software. If you have trouble connecting to WINLINK servers, and your frequency is correct, this is the most likely cause, and it is very insidious. Use the best grounding RFI prevention techniques you can to insure success. There are two additional items that may make a huge improvement, and you should do these pre-emptively. These two pre-emptive actions are: adding an effective “RF Isolator” to the coax line out of your transceiver, and adding ferrite snap-on cores around ALL signal lines. There are multiple manufacturers of RF isolators.[7, 8]. Ferrite snap-on RF chokes can also be found in various sizes and from many suppliers. Representative chokes can be found here:[9]

Speed Considerations

The least expensive method of getting digital connection to the WINLINK system is certainly via the WINMOR software-based TNC (terminal node controller), which can use a sound-card type interface such as the Signalink. For most purposes, this provides adequate throughput, somewhere north of PACTOR II. With the email overhead, even a simple message will take a minute or two to transmit. If you really need speed, you can get faster performance by moving to a hardware-based TNC, using PACTOR protocol III (or if outside of the United States, using PACTOR protocol IV). PACTOR is a patented protocol; an example is the P4-DRAGON 7800[10], which is widely available commercially, as it is used by many sea-going sailors. Used PACTOR II or III capable SCS modems are sometimes available at greatly reduced prices. Your transmit-receive latency may not be quite up to what solid state rigs can perform and are normal for PACTOR. Your preferred RMS server station sysop may be willing to adjust upwards their delay (default: 30 mSec); there is an option for them in their Trimode software settings that allows up to about 80 mSec of delay.

Solid EMP Protection

Once you get this all going, you’ll want to add some sort of metallic Faraday protection around your laptop (or other computer used to generate, send, and receive your email) and the Signalink, as well as any power supply for the laptop. Pass the AC power wires from the computer through a small perforation through the Faraday enclosure and put ferrite chokes on the AC wires both just inside and just outside the perforation. Pass the wires from the Signalink to the Ham transceiver through minimally-sized holes through the Faraday enclosure, and add another shield around them all the way to the transceiver (using aluminum foil or copper braid) and connect that shield to the Faraday enclosure. Apply ferrite chokes on the Signalink wires just inside and outside the Faraday perforation, just like the computer AC wires. The Heathkit transceiver needs an appropriately-chosen gas-discharge surge arrest or connecting the coax center conductor to shield (350 volts is reasonable for just the transceiver) as EMP protection, and then it probably does not have to be within the Faraday enclosure. Provide three-wire MOV surge protection for the AC lines feeding the Ham rig and the computer. If you are unable to support a vacuum tube transceiver and attempt to use a modern solid state transceiver, significant additions will need to be made to the transmitter output and receiver input circuitry. The antenna feedline is likely the source of your greatest incoming surge, because the antenna is specifically designed to absorb electromagnetic energy.

Conclusion

Being able to maintain access to world-wide email abilities, including attachments, completely independent of the wired Internet is a significant step toward guaranteeing communications redundancy for yourself. Thousands of users have already succeeded, and tens of thousands of messages are handled every month, all over the world, in boats on many different waters and on land in many situations. Many emergency coordinators are also turning to this option. This is a great capability for a prepared individual to attain!

References


[7]T4+ isolator from RadioWorks: http://www.radioworks.com/ct-4.html


[8]http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-2912 FJ-2912 wall mount balun RF isolator.


[9]Ferrite snap on chokes that accept up to a 0.250” diameter cable. https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/laird-signal-integrity-products/28A2025-0A0/240-2074-ND/242802


[10]http://www.scs-ptc.com/en/Home.html

Letter: Generator Tips

Good morning, Hugh,

I thought I might pass along a tip or two about generators. I have several, the most used being one of a pair of Honda EU2000i, which does constant duty as an “unlimited length extension cord” around the property. The other is a much less portable 6500 watt unit, which lives in “hurry up and wait” mode in case power fails and the well pump is needed. I’ve got a homemade kit to couple the 2000s together to double the output, if I find I need some more “portable watts” for a power tool.

The second EU2000 is left oil-filled with the fuel tank empty, and it’s run quarterly; the 6500 watt unit is in the same condition but run monthly. (The two 2000s are swapped semi-annually to equalize wear.) To run them without putting fuel in the tanks, which will eventually go stale, I use a 3-quart metal gas tank salvaged from a dilapidated and soon-to-be-scrapped riding mower sitting behind my local dealer’s building; inspection proved the interior was not rusty, so a few minutes with a screwdriver and $5 got me the tank, complete with shutoff valve.

An old microphone stand, which cost $2 from the thrift store, and a modified coat hanger holds the gas tank for gravity feed, and several feet of fuel line connects its valve to the fuel inlet on the generator carburetor. I run it for 10-15 minutes under load. (Always test-run your generators under load to confirm that not only does the engine work okay but it actually puts out juice; a small electric heater works well.) After this 10-15 minute test, I shut off the tank valve and let the generator run out of fuel. When it cools, I’ll remove the temporary fuel line, replace the carb-to-tank fuel line, and open the drain valve in the bottom of the carb bowl to ensure no gas is left to turn into gum, and the chore is done. This way there is no fuel in the tank to go sour, the inline fuel filter stays clean, it’s always tested with fresh gasoline, and the carb is left dry to prevent gum formation.

A microphone stand isn’t very stable, so to prevent tipping either drive a piece of 1/2″ rod into the ground and slide the hollow stand shaft over it, or fasten two pieces of 1/2″ plywood (about 16″ square seems to work well) to a couple of 2X3 scraps. Drill a 1 1/4” – 1 1/2″ hole in the center of one plywood panel and cut a corresponding width notch from the edge to the hole. Slide the stand base between the panels into the slot and it’s much less likely to tip over.

N.K.

Economics and Investing:

J.C. Penney Still On Bankruptcy Path

o o o

Physical Gold Flows East as Manipulated Paper Markets Lose Credibility

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Raw Venezuela: Looter Burned Alive, While “Streets Filled With People Killing Animals For Food” – We really have been hid from what is going on in this collapsing country….

Stop Blaming Consumers, They Can’t Help It!

Former Brazilian Soccer Star: Don’t Come To The Rio Olympics – This will be interesting and yet another collapsing economy, maybe not as bad as Venezuela

Senate Appropriations Bill Spends More Than Obama Requested – A Republican Senate mind you. Great example of the one party system that we really have.

o o o

SurvivalBlog and its editors are not paid investment counselors or advisers. Please see our Provisos page for details.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Bayer Said to Explore Bid for $40 Billion Seed Company Monsanto – More in the ever-continuing centralization of ownership of our food production, processing, and marketing…. Danger ahead! – RBS

o o o

Massachusetts and the town of Longmeadow scored a huge victory for gun rights when three proposals to severely restrict the rights of lawful gun owners was (excuse the pun) “Shot down” check Masslive.com for Channel 22 News about the story. – Sent in by K.

o o o

Another Bundy standoff possible as groups call for US to seize livestock – B.B.

o o o

Feds open Texas border to 4,000 Cubans, security interview lasts just 1 hour before release

o o o

Here’s why Canada’s largest water bomber wasn’t “available” in Fort Mac – Sheila Gunn Reid looks into the question many are asking about why the Martin Mars, Canada’s largest water bomber, wasn’t made available in the devastating Fort Mac wildfire nicknamed “The Beast” by Fort Mac fire chief Darby Allen. – T.J.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Behold, the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the Lord. For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.” – Amos 9:8-9 (KJV)

Notes for Friday – May 13, 2016

May 13th is the birthday of firearms engineer Theodor Koch (born 1905, died 1976.) Koch, along with Edmund Heckler and Alex Seidel salvaged tooling from the bombed-out Mauser factory at Oberndorf, and with it founded Heckler und Koch.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 64 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Tactical Self-Contained 2-Series Solar Power Generator system from Always Empowered. This compact starter power system is packaged in a wheeled O.D. green EMP-shielded Pelican hard case (a $1,700 value),
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate that is good for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,195 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chrome-lined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools and a compact carry capability in a hard case or 3-day pack (an $1,100 value),
  5. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul PMAG 30-rd Magazines (a value of $300) and a Gun Mag Warehouse T-Shirt; (an equivalent prize will be awarded for residents in states with magazine restrictions),
  6. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  7. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package (enough for two families of four) plus seed storage materials, a CD-ROM of Geri Guidetti’s book “Build Your Ark! How to Prepare for Self Reliance in Uncertain Times”, and two bottles of Potassium Iodate (a $325 retail value),
  8. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  9. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating an AquaBrick water filtration kit with a retail value of $250, and
  10. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value).

Second Prize:

  1. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, which have a combined retail value of $589,
  2. A transferable certificate for a two-day Ultimate Bug Out Course from Florida Firearms Training (a $400 value),
  3. A Model 175 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $439 value),
  4. A Trekker IV™ Four-Person Emergency Kit from Emergency Essentials (a $250 value),
  5. A $200 gift certificate good towards any books published by PrepperPress.com,
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site, and
  8. Safecastle is providing a package of 10 LifeStraws (a $200 value)
  9. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. A $245 gift certificate from custom knife-maker Jon Kelly Designs, of Eureka, Montana,
  3. A large handmade clothes drying rack, a washboard, and a Homesteading for Beginners DVD, all courtesy of The Homestead Store, with a combined value of $206,
  4. Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Precision Rest (a $249 value), and
  8. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).

Round 64 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Using EMP-Hardened HF Ham Radio to Send/Receive E-Mail During Nationwide Outage- Part 1, by PrepperDoc

There are multiple possible scenarios that may result in a regional an/or national combined loss of Internet connectivity and cell/telephone service, during which you would probably wish to maintain communications to loved ones and others. EMP may destroy routers, cell towers, and power sources; solar coronal mass ejection (CME) may remove power from all communications systems; cyber warfare may have similar outcomes. Travel in some of these circumstances will be difficult, or dangerous to impossible.

Ham radio VHF/UHF repeaters may go down, due to power outages or EMP. Direct, point to point simplex VHF Ham radio will still work (even after an EMP, if hand-held radios were at all hardened or protected) over modest distances. Long range HF direct Ham radio communications will work (possibly after a delay of any EMP), presuming you had protection (if EMP) and have your own power. However, they will be of less usefulness if you haven’t established communications plans, frequencies, modes, and protocols with your loved ones. Without prior pre-arranged schedules, connecting directly with your intended recipient may take precious hours of transmissions, create immense interference to others, use precious power, and provide a very easy radio signature from your location.

It would be really nice to be able to reach people via asynchronous email, so that direct radio contact and simultaneous radio communications aren’t necessary. You’d prefer to connect to a server, digitally send your message, and have your intended recipient be able to do the same at times that are convenient to both of you. Such communications may allow you to set up direct communications (if desired), or pass crucial information or requests. If you are not familiar with Ham radio digital communications, this reference may help:[1].

The WINLINK system[2], which is available to all Ham radio operators, was designed over the last 20 years with this exact capability, and it currently serves ships at sea as well as anyone who has a communications need that requires radio contact. Their system is provided by volunteers and is free and reliable, though not without controversy, as some object to what they see as automated interference to their activities in the name of providing free email to “yachtsmen”. Critics do not recognize the catastrophic scenario benefit. WINLINK has the ability to do intelligent automated radio forwarding from server to server, completely independent of but similar to the Internet, and thus it provides a fairly comprehensive alternate communications system. Email attachments are allowed; in the event of national emergency, you might be able to attach encrypted material, which is not legal under current FCC regulations. This may not even be necessary, as the request/acknowledgment packet handshakes make it difficult for anyone but a very capable and well-funded foe to decipher your communications. Users specify to three “message pick up stations” (MPS) where their mail will be delivered and from which they can retrieve it. You might want to pick a couple within your geographic area and one that is totally out of your nation.

Robust

It is extremely likely that the WINLINK system will continue to operate in some form after most catastrophes. Their five central servers are distributed across multiple continents. Their volunteer RMS email-server high frequency Ham radio stations are located all over the world, and these stations function with different equipment of different vintages and manufacture. There is a very good chance that some of them will either be unaffected or have equipment that is impervious to the catastrophe, with some stations likely EMP-hardened. Since HF signals can easily span continents and oceans, you will have multiple options to make the necessary contacts. The flip side is that HF radio communications modems are relatively slow, compared to the broadband connections to which much of us are accustomed. Transfer speed is back to what you may remember from the old telephone modem days. However, for email, it works!

Getting Started

If you have (or can borrow for your initial learning curve) a newer, solid state HF Ham radio transceiver with digital frequency readout, you will have little trouble learning and using this system. After the initial setup of your equipment and software (follow the directions in the videos on the WINLINK site!), it will take you less than 30 minutes to have it all figured out. Many new solid-state Ham rigs include their own sound card that will work with RMS-EXPRESS and its embedded WINMOR software terminal node controller (TNC). However, If your rig doesn’t have a built-in sound card, you can a buy Signalink-USB, which works with any Windows computer that has a USB port. In either case, download the free RMS-EXPRESS software from their web site[3], carefully watch the videos on their web site to understand how to use the system and create a free account, and you should be good to go. You may want to do your configurations by going step-by-step through the videos, which lead you through the process. Note that you must USE your new account, via either TELNET or actual Ham radio contact, at least once every 400 days or it will lapse. You automatically get your own WINLINK email account, to which you can set size limitations so as not to overburden your downloading ability. The system resists spam wasting precious bandwidth by using “white lists” of email addresses allowed to send to you; until you send to THEM, they can’t send to you. Otherwise, it works just like any other email account and receives and sends regular Internet email.

Making It EMP-Hardened

Now let’s shift focus to the more important point of this article: getting older, EMP-resistant vacuum tube gear working well with the WINLINK system. The most vulnerable portion of your communications equipment is the part connected to long wires: the transceiver. It has an unavoidable connection to antennas, which may deliver thousands of volts and amperes for nanoseconds in the event of an EMP. Thus, we focus there primarily. The computer and other equipment is more easily protected. (We’ll discuss this later).

Although it is frequently claimed that you should not try digital Ham radio using an older vacuum tube transceiver, those are exactly the systems that will best survive the EMP scenario, and it turns out that once configured properly it really isn’t difficult at all to send and receive email via the WINLINK system using 40-50 year old vacuum tube single-sideband Ham radios. I use them routinely with 40+ year old Heathkit SB-102/101/100 and HW-101/100 style vacuum tube gear that is relatively immune to EMP with minor protection additions.[4] This article is designed to help you discover how to take advantage of these inexpensive, older and readily available Heathkit rigs, with their inherent hardening to EMP. Entire stations can often be obtained from eBay for $200-$300. The remainder of this article is predominately devoted to the review of each hurdle and how to overcome them.

Frequency Control

You must have a stable transmit/receive frequency. This can usually be achieved by letting your radio warm up for 20 minutes or so. You must be within 200 Hz of the correct frequency, and preferably within 100 Hz; otherwise, the automated RMS server station will not acknowledge your connection attempt. The “dial accuracy” of older vacuum tube gear cannot hope to meet that accuracy. There are at least three possible solutions to achieve this frequency accuracy:

  1. Easiest: Simply measure your transmit frequency using an accurate digital frequency counter. You can use FLDIGI or similar program to send a 1.5 kHz (upper side band) audio tone, and use a bit of wire as an antenna on your counter to measure your own transmit frequency, which should be adjusted to exactly the published “center frequency” of the RMS server you want to try to reach. You can even transmit into a dummy load for this purpose.
  2. Next easiest and quite slick: Purchase the DD-103 universal digital dial from Electronics Specialty Products.[5] Tap into the LMO output with a 15-20 picofarad capacitor to the cathode of V5A (first transmitter mixer), and route the signal to the DD-103 with some RG174 flexible coax. For EMP protection, I would recommend adding back-to-back signal diodes (1N914’s or anything similar) between center conductor and shield, to clip signals more than a volt or so. Use MOV protection as appropriate on the power supply voltages to the DD-103. Follow the instructions included with the product to accurately adjust its measurements.
  3. Least expensive but far more work: Build the Pacific Antenna DIGITAL DIAL from qrpkits.com[6] kit, and use it to give your vacuum tube rig a digital dial. Beware, this kit is surface component mounted. You may wish to grind your soldering tip to 0.025” or so and obtain rosin core solder of that or more slender size. A “third-hand-held-magnifying glass” helps a lot. As above, a 15 pF capacitor from the cathode of V5A (first transmitter mixer) will give you plenty of the 5.0-5.5 MHz VFO signal for your Digital Dial input; use coaxial RG174 cable to get the signal to the Digital Dial. Just as with the DD-103 above, protect the DIGITAL DIAL from EMP by adding back-to-back 1N914 diodes between its input RF signal and ground as input clippers, by providing it with metal-oxide-varistor 20V clipping on its 12V power input, and by mounting it in a metal case. After adjusting your Heathkit’s crystal calibrator by beating against WWV (using a 2nd receiver), you can tune to exactly the bottom of a frequency band (e.g, 3.5, 7, or 14 MHz), memorize the VFO frequency within the DIGITAL DIAL, then choose the third option to subtract, and the counter will read just like a digital dial. The Heathkit HW- and SB- series used a reverse direction VFO that was 5.5 MHz at the bottom of a band and 5.0 at the top; the Digital Dial kit allows to subtract the current measurement from the memorized VFO frequency, making the reading correct.

References


[1]https://survivalblog.com/digital-communications-capabilities-for-prepared-families-by-prairie-dweller/


[2]Winlink: http://www.winlink.org/


[3]RMS-EXPRESS client software for Windows: http://www.winlink.org/sites/default/files/downloads/rms_express_install_1-3-12-0.zip


[4]See for example, https://survivalblog.com/emp-hardened-ham-radio-communications-by-prepperdoc/ and https://survivalblog.com/protecting-both-tube-and-transistor-hf-communications-equipment-from-e1-emp-pulse-part-1-by-prepperdoc/


[5]Digital Dial, http://www.qrpkits.com/freqcounter.html


[6]Universal Digital Dial, http://www.electronicspecialtyproducts.com/dd103.html

Letter Re: Venezuela Eating Worse

Hugh,

I understand the situation. The people are desperate. Looking at those pictures it is easy to see they are subsisting on too many starches, which makes them appear well fed, though they are not. So I’m not meaning to criticize, but there is also in those pictures of their food something of note. There’s lots of foods there that can be reproduced. Seeds in the veggies can be planted, beans can be planted, coax seeds from the onions and carrots, plant a potato, etc. Are they doing that? Do they have a place to do that? Would it be stolen from them before they could harvest? I wish someone would address the peoples’ attempts to take care of themselves. We may learn a lot. The time may come when we too would need to be very resourceful to increase our food supply. – J.D.