A Note of Caution from JWR

A SurvivalBlog reader has notified us that there is a person using Craigslist to scam money while pretending to be James Wesley Rawles. While this particular scammer is posting an ad for a 2-bedroom apartment in Chicago Illinois, please bear in mind that the real James Wesley Rawles will never use an email account from gmail, hotmail, outlook, or any other generic email account. All email correspondence from JWR will come from email accounts where JWR owns the domain (and most are presented in the pages of SurvivalBlog). JWR will also never ask you to use Western Union or questionable payment processors. Remember, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is, and there is a high likelihood that a Nigerian scammer or other such questionable personality is behind it. If in doubt, simply contact us here at SurvivalBlog, through the normal means.

There are also fake autographed copies of JWR’s books floating around at various gunshows. If you see an autograph that doesn’t look a lot like the one at his Wikipedia biography page, then it is almost certainly fake.

Notes for Tuesday – April 07, 2015

April 7th is the birthday of Colonel Bob Denard (born 1929, died October 13, 2007). He had an amazing life as a mercenary, including four attempted coups in the Comoros.

o o o

Seed for Security is running a great sale. Their Super Survival Pack is now 20% off. it has a total of 4 pounds of survival seeds and 2 pints of healthful grains. All of their seed is heirloom, non GMO, and none is hybrid. This offer is for a limited time.

o o o

The Homestead Store has new owners. They are a great Christian family and are adding more items to the store to offer survivalist/homesteader folks. Check them out at Homestead Drying Racks.

o o o

Today, we present another entry for Round 58 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,000+ worth of prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate, good for any one, two, or three course (a $1,195 value),
  2. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical. This certificate will be 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,
  3. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper with a hammer forged, chromlined barrel and a hard case to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR type rifle to have quick change barrel, which can be assembled in less then 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),
  4. Gun Mag Warehouse is providing 20 Magpul pmags 30rd 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.),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A pre-selected assortment of military surplus gear from CJL Enterprize (a $300 value),
  7. A Model 120 Series Solar Generator provided by Quantum Harvest LLC (a $340 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. KellyKettleUSA.com is donating both an AquaBrick water filtration kit and a Stainless Medium Scout Kelly Kettle Complete Kit with a combined retail value of $304,
  11. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate, and
  12. 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 FloJak EarthStraw “Code Red” 100-foot well pump system (a $500 value), courtesy of FloJak.com,
  3. Acorn Supplies is donating a Deluxe Food Storage Survival Kit with a retail value of $350,
  4. The Ark Institute is donating a non-GMO, non-hybrid vegetable seed package–enough for two families of four, 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,
  5. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  6. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  7. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  8. RepackBox is providing a $300 gift certificate to their site.

Third Prize:

  1. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  2. 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,
  3. *Expanded sets of both washable feminine pads and liners, donated by Naturally Cozy (a $185 retail value),
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security,
  5. Mayflower Trading is donating a $200 gift certificate for homesteading appliances,
  6. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit,
  7. Montie Gear is donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack (a $379 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 58 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.

The Power of Police and Rules for Encountering Them – Part 1, by APC

The overwhelming majority of Americans are law-abiding citizens, who more or less support the basic premise of police and what services they are supposed to be performing. In fact, even with the current buzz about law enforcement in general becoming too militarized (i.e. using military grade weapons and vehicles), Americans still respect the police, who are essentially there for all of our protection.

What most of us do not understand, however, is how to actually deal with police on their level. The average person has very little knowledge of what powers the police possess and an even smaller knowledge of what rules they need to play by, which are the questions that this guide will seek to answer.

GENERALITIES

First and foremost, let’s establish a set of ground rules, so we can better understand law enforcement and law enforcement contacts. With a myriad of federal, state, and municipal agencies, it is sometimes difficult to keep the rules straight as far as knowing which agency can do what, and how. Know this, however; federal law defines the vast majority of police contacts and rules in America, namely because the protections you enjoy as an American are derived from the Constitution of the United States. Additionally, many Supreme Court decisions have gone into the creation and maintenance of rules that govern police contact with the citizenry. Thus, we can make a pretty decent generalization that police contact with you, Joe American, will more or less follow the same set of rules, regardless of what state you happen to live in.

Are there exceptions? Absolutely. Some states have adopted stricter rules, which are not federal standards, in their interpretation of law enforcement contacts. As an example, some states have what is known as a “stop and identify clause”. What this means is that when asked by a law enforcement officer for identification (even as a non-motorist), it is illegal to refuse the officer ID. Other states do not have this provision in their state’s law books. It is outside of the scope of this guide to examine the nuances of all fifty states; instead, we will focus more on basic federal standards that apply to all states. Check the laws regarding the state in which you live!

INTERACTIONS WITH POLICE – THE BASICS

Consider that there are literally thousands of law enforcement agencies in the United States. Many of them wear uniforms with badges, even though they are not “police” in that sense of the word. Many of them also wear the moniker “POLICE” on raid jackets and other articles of clothing, even though their job is really not policing. In theory, every designated law enforcement officer is capable of making an arrest for a felony committed in their presence, and can even do so relating to a misdemeanor in some cases. In practice, many agencies will not touch crimes or infractions outside of their purview. As an example, the U.S. Postal Service maintains a uniformed force of “Postal Police” whose main job is to protect sensitive postal sites and offices. They have uniforms, guns, and badges. They drive vehicles marked police. In theory, they can arrest anyone for any crime. In practice, however, they refer all crimes not involving the post office to the local police or sheriff’s department!

Therefore, even though there are hundreds upon thousands of police agencies that operate in the United States, you as a citizen mainly only have to deal with your local police or county sheriff’s office, since generally speaking, federal agents don’t often deal directly with the citizenry, and special police (school police, park rangers, BLM rangers, fish and game police, et cetera) only interact with the citizenry within their areas of control.

This takes us to an important point, one which bears reflecting on:

If you are ever stopped or questioned by a police officer or agent who seems to be out of his jurisdiction, you should always dial 911 and ensure that a local police officer, local sheriff’s deputy, or state police officer arrives at the scene.

Here’s an example of why: You are driving along one night, and you get lit up by reds and blues. The officer comes to the car door, and you see that he is actually a fish and game officer. Even though you know that in your state fish and game officers have the same powers as general police, you are not on any hunting grounds, unincorporated areas, or areas where fish and game normally operate. Therefore, comply with everything the officer says but call 911 just in case, so the dispatcher will roll out a local police officer to oversee the encounter.

You would be surprised at how many law enforcement agents (federal, state, and local) will exceed not so much their authority but their jurisdiction. When we say jurisdiction, we don’t really mean their legal jurisdiction, which is often state wide, but we mean their virtual jurisdiction. As a member of a state law enforcement agency, this author can in theory investigate crimes, make arrests, and write cites statewide. In practice, however, this author will find himself reprimanded and even fired should he attempt to police outside of his lane. Keep that in mind!

LOCAL COPS

Most states will have three layers of policing that work in harmony, with three separate and distinct police agencies with more or less the same powers, overseeing more or less the same areas. They are:

State Police

Most states have something that resembles a state police agency. In some states, it might go under the name highway patrol, but it is still a state agency. These agencies mostly concern themselves with the patrol of highways, protection of the state capitol and other important buildings, and personal security for the governor and state law makers. Although they operate within cities and counties with their own law enforcement officers, they generally do not overlap local functions by courtesy; however, they can!

County Police

Most counties have a county police force headed by a sheriff. Keep in mind that an elected sheriff is a uniquely American tradition, and that the sheriff is almost always the chief law enforcement officer in the county. This is why some sheriffs find themselves in conflict with other police agencies, but the sheriffs usually win those conflicts. There is no higher law enforcement authority in a given county than the sheriff. County police also usually run the jails, and they provide bailiffs and court security officers as well as secure key infrastructure, like airports.

Municipal Police

Municipal or city police are the police force for a local area. It could be as small as Podunk, Iowa, with three officers, or it could be as large as Los Angeles, California, with 10,000 officers. Either way, the city’s officers are usually headed by a chief or commissioner, and while in most states, city cops have statewide jurisdiction, in practice, they are bound to operate more or less within their city.

The distinction within these layers of policing are important for you as a citizen to understand, because many bad law enforcement contacts are a direct result of some overzealous officers attempting to exert authority where they shouldn’t.

Here’s another example: You are camping in Humboldt County, in northern California. Your neighbor states he is a police officer and is concerned with something he sees in your tent. He asks to take a look and presents a Los Angeles Police Department shield and valid ID card, even though he is in civilian clothes.

Let’s examine this a little. Under California Penal Code 830.2, the officer standing before you is a valid peace officer with powers throughout the state, 24 hours per day. Again, in theory, they are within their jurisdiction. In practice, look at the following, however:

  • The off duty officer is not acting in an official capacity during this encounter, and he will not likely have the support of his department.
  • If the situation at hand is not a true “life or death matter”, the officer could face a complaint or reprimand.
  • This situation is highly unusual, and you as a citizen should be extremely wary of it and call 911 if the officer insists.
  • The way this would normally go down, if the officer is smart, is that he would call the local police, have them come out, identify himself as an off duty officer, and then tell them what he suspected he saw in your tent.

Remember, a smart cop will always refer a matter that is outside his purview to a local cop, so that you are always dealing with someone within your jurisdiction. Even federal agencies, like ATF, DEA, ICE, and US Marshalls will almost always include a couple of local cops from the area when they conduct raids, as a jurisdictional courtesy to the local law enforcement agency.

DEALING WITH THE COPS

Okay, so we have basically established that police contact from someone far outside your local area is an anomaly, and while it could technically be legitimate, in practice it is rare, unusual, and should be treated with suspicion. But how about the local cops? Well, these are the local police you see almost every day, and if you do have a law enforcement encounter, it is likely to be with these officers. Therefore, we will now examine how to deal with these people.

Two Letters Re: A Story of Caution in Today’s Police State, by Lebannen

HJL,

I am sorry Lebannen had the experience he did. I applaud him for his conviction. We need more cops like him.

I strongly urge him to contact his states Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) agency. They are ultimately responsible for the content of the academy. This will also help him determine what the true lesson plan is versus what was taught. I have seen numerous cases of instructors going off the reservation, so to speak, and not teaching current case law, et cetera.

Some of the examples used directly contradict recent case law.

Here’s one last appeal to Lebannen: consider moving to a more Constitution-respecting state or agency. Most rural county agencies tend to be much more respectful of these things. When you have NYPD doing stop and frisk versus western Sheriffs, who actively refuse to enforce anti-gun laws, this brings to light the difference locale makes.

God bless. – LEO Medic

o o o

HJL,

The author states: If you are being pulled over in a poorly lit or dangerous area, then you are protected by federal law of slowly advancing to the nearest reasonable area to assist the officer in facilitating the stop. Here in Iowa a decade ago there was a particularly brutal murder of a 35 year old mother of three by three boys with fake lights on their 4-wheel-drive vehicle. At that time there was much discussion on what to do. Authorities suggest this action if you are suspect of the vehicle or are in dark unsafe areas.

  1. Turn on 4-way hazard lights.
  2. Turn on dome light, if night time.
  3. If you have a cell phone, call 911.
  4. Drive lawfully to the nearest public/well lit area.

Over the years since, most agencies (in Iowa) have moved away from unmarked vehicles on patrol to enhance police presence. It is very rare for the emergency lights to be anywhere but rooftop. I am a 52 year old fit male with a ccw. I will do the above when presented with this scenario; there is no reason to escalate or compromise personal safety.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Woman Arrested For Posting Selfie With Gun on Facebook. H.L.

o o o

Think it cannot happen here!!!! Think again. People who cannot pay small bills are also being put in jail until they pay! Remember your history and Debtor’s Prison! Protecting and Serving: Texas Man Thrown in Jail for Weeks because his Lawn was Overgrown. – H.L.

o o o

VIDEO: Nanny State Governor: Californians Will Be Heavily Fined for Long Showers. – T.P.

o o o

NYC Lawmakers Gearing Up to Give 1 Million Non-Citizens Voting Rights. – B.B.

o o o

Half Million Illegal Aliens 2X Expected CA License Response. – B.B.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Art is inextricably tied to man’s survival – not to his physical survival, but to that on which his physical survival depends: to the preservation and survival of his consciousness.” ? Ayn Rand

Scot’s Product Review: ARMASIGHT Spark CORE

1

Seeing in the dark is huge. Danger comes in the darkness, while darkness can also provide cover to move effectively and to counter attack. The military calls night vision a force multiplier, and the ability of American troops to see in the dark with night vision technology has provided us with a dramatic edge in conflicts since WW II.

As preppers, night vision could be invaluable. Controlling predators that could take out our livestock or damage our crops is one critical use, while defending our homes is another obvious one.

The first night vision gear was German and based on the idea that the human eye does not see infrared light. Bulky infrared spotlights were used to illuminate targets, while unwieldy scopes with cathode ray tubes allowed the user to see infrared light reflected from them. The Germans made some small ones for infantry weapons but also mounted large ones on armored vehicles. The United States was not far behind and also developed such equipment in time for the end of the war and continued using them in Korea. The Soviets were players as well with this sort of gear in World War II. This level of technology is sometimes referred to as Generation 0, or Gen 0.

The problem with these units was the need for powerful infrared searchlights, which required heavy power supplies. It didn’t matter as much for vehicles as it did for the guys on foot, but it was still a problem. Further, the range was limited by how far you could throw the infrared light. The U.S. version mounted on an M1 Carbine went less than 100 yards. Another issue was that your light was a bullet magnet. The other guy could sit there and use his gear passively and shoot you when you turned yours on. Making matters worse, he could see you farther than you could see him, just as you can see someone shining a flashlight farther than he can spot you with his light.

These drawbacks led to the development of image intensifiers, which got nicknamed starlight scopes when the U.S. deployed them to Southeast Asia. The early versions are called Generation 1, or Gen 1. These devices amplify light about 1,000 times and can work pretty well in bright moonlight or on an overcast night near a city when light is reflected back down by the clouds. Since this equipment is sensitive to infrared light, one can use an infrared light source to enhance their view of the dark with the caveat that you are broadcasting their location to anyone else who has night vision gear.

Night vision development has continued since Vietnam and we now have more generations, each more sensitive than the last. Gen 2 upped the score on light amplification as well as improving resolution and durability. The military currently has Generation 3 with autogating– a technology that improves performance. This type of equipment can amplify light by as much as 50,000 times, which is stunning. You may still need an illuminator, if you are inside or in deep shade on a moonless night where there is literally not any ambient light, but generally you can get by without it and not worry about revealing your position.

You can get this stuff in several configurations. There are binocular and monocular versions. There are even panoramic ones as well as units dedicated to be weapon sights. One of the more popular variants is the PVS14 style, which can be used as a hand-held monocular, a weapon sight when used in conjunction with a scope or red dot sight, or mounted on one’s head with a flip up device. They can also be coupled to cameras.

Besides the image intensifiers, there are at least two other types of night vision. The first uses digital camera technology. The sensors used for digital photography are actually very sensitive to infrared, so much so that the infrared usually has to be filtered out to produce good photos. Vendors have taken advantage of this to make night vision devices with these sensors, but they usually do little to intensify the light. The ones I have encountered have required illuminators for you to see much of anything in the dark. It isn’t a serious problem for hunting or predator control, but it could be trouble for self-defense.

I have written about thermal imaging, which is one of the newer technologies used to see in the dark. It has many advantages and interesting capabilities, but it is very expensive and not something most of us can afford. It operates by seeing the heat radiated from targets and is completely passive, even in total darkness. It offers an amazing ability to spot targets that are clueless to your presence.

As one might guess, none of this stuff is cheap. First rate Gen 3 devices will set you back $3,500. Gen 2 units go for $1,200 or so, while Gen 1 units can be found for under $200.00. The camera-based units can be had for around $200 as well. Thermal immediately gets you into four figures and beyond.

While Gen 1 seems affordable, many of the units aren’t very effective without illuminators, and they have other issues. Resolution is often low, so it is hard to see clearly what your are looking at, and they often have a lot of distortion.

I felt the need to add night vision to my capabilities, but I had despaired over how to afford it since, at best, I have a Gen 1 budget. I had a Russian-made Zenit Gen 1 unit someone gave me in the mid-90’s, and frankly it wasn’t much help. I think I could be more aware using 7x50mm binoculars than I was with the Zenit. It had an illuminator, but it was weak and didn’t go far. In my periodic bouts of insomnia, I searched for something that actually worked and that I could afford. I bumped into Armasight– a U.S. company based in San Francisco, CA. They offer a wide series of night vision devices, but one caught my eye; it was the Russian-made Spark CORE which can be had for $459.00. Armasight says this unit is, for want of better words, something of a cross between Gen 1 and Gen 2, and they have given it its own name– Generation CORE– which stands for Ceramic Optical Ruggedized Engine.

CORE promised to provide higher resolution, so the imaging is clearer. Armasight also pledges better durability and ruggedness than conventional Gen 1 units, thanks to the use of ceramic as opposed to glass for the intensifier tubes. The CORE tubes use the same technology as Gen 2 and Gen 3 tubes, but since the Spark lacks some of the technical features of Gen 2 equipment, it can’t be called Gen 2. The Spark has far higher resolution than Gen 1 and rivals some Gen 3 units in this regard with its 60-70 line pair/millimeter resolution.

Besides the promise of better performance than other Gen 1 units, I was especially drawn to its multipurpose abilities. It can be mounted on your head, your weapon, your camera, your daylight scope (for use at night), or used as a hand-held goggle. What you get for the $459.00, however, is the hand-held unit. All of the other options cost more money, and I hope to revisit them later, when I am able to acquire them.

When the box arrived, I was surprised at how light it was. The old Zenit and the digital-based units I have used were far heavier. Once I got into the box, I was also impressed with how small it seemed. The weight was only 14 ounces, and it is only 6.3×1.9 x3.2 inches in size, which is far smaller than the other units. It appears to have some form of polymer case that feels rugged. There are only three controls– focus of the eyepiece and the objective and the power switch. The power switch has three settings– off, on and illuminator one. There is a very small LED that shines green if it is on and red if the illuminator is on. There are three rails for attaching accessories or for attaching it to mounts. They are proprietary, alas, rather than the ubiquitous Picatinny rail. They do sell adapters for Picatinny gear to go on their rails. The Spark I am reviewing is finished in a matt black, but there are versions in tan too.

Besides the monocular, you get an olive drab fabric case with MOLLE straps, a CR123 battery, a lens cleaning cloth, and a decent instruction booklet. I rather wish the manual had been printed with larger type, but my eyes are not what they once were. Larger pictures would have helped too. The manual covers how to attach the unit to a head mount, helmets, weapons, cameras, and scopes as well as using accessory lenses that magnify your view by three or five times, depending on which you choose. The case has a small pocket that can hold the lens cloth and a spare battery. I rather wish it had a pouch to hold the optional illuminator, as it clearly won’t be able to get the Spark in the cases with it mounted.

There is also a flyer with the “DO NOT PASS GO, GO DIRECTLY TO JAIL” warning about exporting the device due to the International Treaty on Arms Regulations that controls the flow of weaponry across borders. I find this somewhat amusing, as it was imported from Russia.

The lens cap on the objective lens is retained to the device, which is a good thing as the components inside can be damaged if exposed to too much light. There is a pin hole so you can look through it in bright light. You do not want to expose the sensor to daylight or bright artificial light. It should only be used in the dark. More advanced units have protections to prevent damage, but this one is fragile in that regard. The one hassle with the lens cap is remembering to flip it to one side only, as it blocks the illuminator if you flip it the wrong way.

It has a built-in, low-powered, infrared illuminator that is good to perhaps 20 feet outdoors, but it works quite well indoors. You can attach a more powerful illuminator to one of the rails for long distance work when there is no light at all.

There is a generously-sized eye cup to keep extraneous light out, allowing you to easily concentrate on what you see through the monocular. It can be folded back for use with glasses, and even with my non-fashionable, over-sized ones I could still see the full field of view.

What you see in the viewfinder is not magnified, which makes it easy to scan your area. You can even use it to walk around, and I think it would work quite well for driving in the dark, but be aware that if you look into headlights or spotlights you could damage it. I didn’t get a chance to try driving for this review, but I hope to go someplace where I can, and when I do I will report back.

The field of view is rated at 30 degrees, which seemed accurate to me. More would be better, but I was able to walk around in the dark without much trouble.

It is powered by a CR123 battery; if I could change that to AA batteries, I would. CR123’s are more available than they used to be, thanks to the now-common, small, powerful flashlights, but they are still harder to find than AA’s and cost more. I would trade a little size to get the AA batteries. Armasight says that you can use rechargeable 123 batteries, but they must not exceed 3.2 volts. That is a problem, since most 123 rechargeable batteries put out more than that. Be very careful, if you go this route.

Battery life is rated at 40 hours, which appears accurate, based on the first battery and limited use of the illuminator. I suspect that, if you use it indoors a lot and run the illuminator constantly, the battery life will be less.

After all this run up, I am finally getting to the good part– how well it works. I was very surprised in a positive way when it got dark and I went outside with it. I had a night with cloud cover, and I live on the edge of suburbia on a 150-acre lake, so my backyard can get pretty dark, particularly under the trees that cover one edge of my property. The first night I tried it was cloudy, which probably helped me see more, even though it blocked the moon and starlight. The low clouds reflected a lot of the suburban street lighting back down, and I was able to see quite well and very clearly even without any additional infrared illumination. I was very pleased when I looked under the trees along a wetland area that gets no artificial light and could see quite clearly. It is a huge leap beyond the old Zenit I used to have. You essentially saw nothing through the Zenit one without a lot of infrared illumination; no matter what you did, the image you got was blurry. The Spark also works much better than the digital unit I had been using. That device also required copious amounts of infrared to be able to see anything.

The next night was clear with a half moon, and I went to my sister’s house, which is more rural than mine. There was a large cow pasture with trees on the far side, about 150 yards away. It was easy to see across the pasture and into the shadows of the trees. If anyone had been moving, they would have been easy to spot as they crossed the field unless well camouflaged and moving carefully. They would probably have shown up even in the shadows, unless camouflaged and still. My brother-in-law has two goats that are similar, but it was easy to tell which was which.

I have only had a very small amount of experience with Gen 2 and 3 night vision, and it was several years ago. From what I remember, the image in the Gen 2 and 3 units wasn’t much clearer than what I was seeing in the Spark, but they definitely seemed to pull more out of the shadows than the Spark. The Spark is, however, far more capable than I expected, which means I have little use for infrared illuminators, which is a big deal. Anytime you turn an illuminator on, you give away your position to everyone else with night vision. Further, even though we can’t see the infrared reflected back from the target with the naked eye, many illuminators give off a dull red glow that can be seen with the naked eye. This won’t matter while doing predator control, but it could get you in big trouble in a self-defense situation.

I was quite prepared to send this back if it didn’t seem useful. It is clearly useful. What remains to be seen is how well and how long it holds up. Night vision tubes have a limited life and are delicate. If you don’t protect them from bright light, they all go bad. The more sophisticated and higher cost units have some protection but are still vulnerable to bright light damage. The Spark has generally positive reviews on Amazon, though there are only 26 of them. Other Internet reviews are also positive, including those by former military who are used to much more expensive gear. I decided to keep this and take the risk. The capabilities it adds to my preps are needed, but I can’t afford the cost of the $3,500 Gen 3 device that I really want. I plan to add some of the other components and get back to you on how well they work.

– SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor, Scot Frank Erie

Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Rechargeable Batteries and Chargers

Disclaimer: I make no pretense that I’m an expert in electronics, batteries, or devices that use batteries in them. However, as I’ve stated numerous times in my SurvivalBlog articles, I’m a serious student, and I’m always increasing my learning curve on many subjects. I have many devices that use all battery sizes, with AA and AAA batteries being the most commonly used batteries. We were always buying batteries and would rotate through them, all to no avail! Before we could rotate through our battery supply, some of the Alkaline batteries would already be dead or leaking. That’s not a good thing in a survival situation. Additionally, no matter how well you store your batteries, the shelf life isn’t nearly as long as you believe it is.

In the past two months, I’ve had to replace the four AAA batteries in my tv remote, five times! Furthermore, when these batteries gave up the ghost, they didn’t give any hint that they were getting low; the tv remote just stopped working, period! According to the packages that these batteries came from, they were only a couple years old, and none were leaking.

Many of today’s hi-intensity, small flashlights operate off of either AA or AAA batteries, and some of these lights can take as many as four batteries. Sure, these little flashlights have a good run time with many running up to six hours, depending on the lumens settings. Still, these little batteries can only last so long in a device or sitting on your shelf.

Over the years, I’ve been buying various types and brands of rechargeable AA and AAA batteries and experimenting with them. First off, don’t believe what the package says about how many times you can recharge the batteries…not even close. Secondly, the packages state that the batteries are good for “X” number of years; nope! Then we have the statement that says “batteries come fully charged”. Well, that hasn’t always been my experience, as many needed to be charged before I could use them. In all honesty, it really doesn’t seem to matter what brand name is stamped on the batteries, they all seem to work about as well as the other brand.

Now we have the actually battery chargers. Some of the rechargeable batteries actually come with a charger for free! However, don’t get your hopes up as to how well these chargers work or how long it takes to recharge several batteries. In my experience, some of these charges can take as long as a day to recharge your batteries. Now, while that may not be a big issue right now, in a grid down situation when you need to use your gas-powered generator to recharge your batteries, do you really want to run your generator all day long to recharge your batteries? Do you have the fuel to keep your generator going for as long as it may take to keep those batteries charged up? Probably not!

We also need to keep in mind which devices use up our batteries faster than others. Digital cameras are notorious for using up batteries, whether Alkaline or rechargeable batteries. Even when not turned on, most digital cameras will drain the batteries. It’s strange! You’ll also want a charger that can recharge both AA and AAA batteries. Some will only recharge one or the other. I don’t mix the different battery sizes when I recharge the batteries. That’s just me!

Let’s take a look at the cost of standard Alkaline batteries vs rechargeable batteries. On the surface, if you don’t start to add things up, Alkaline batteries appear to be less expensive, but it’s not even close. You will spend (literally) a few bucks more when you purchase a 4-pack of rechargeable batteries, compared to Alkaline batteries. However, when the Alkaline batteries go dead, you have to toss them in the trash. When your rechargeable batteries die, you simply recharge them over and over and over again. The savings is obvious; rechargeable batteries are a much better buy no matter how you look it. In the past, many rechargeable batteries didn’t run as long as an Alkaline battery. However, any more, that’s no longer the case, at least with most rechargeable batteries. I’ve run side-by-side tests using Alkaline batteries in a device and then using the rechargeable batteries in the same device. In most cases, the run time was about the same, and in some cases the rechargeable batteries actually lasted longer than the Alkaline batteries.

Now, I’m not saying you should not buy regular batteries; I’m not saying that at all. You will need some standard, non-rechargeable batteries on hand in the event you can’t get to your battery charger to recharge your rechargeable batteries. Maybe your generator is down, or you ran out of fuel and can’t get those batteries charged back up, or perhaps, you’re in a situation, where it might not be a good idea to run your generator for whatever reason.

Let’s take another look at battery chargers for a moment. As I mentioned, a lot of rechargeable batteries actually come with a charger, but it can take as long as a day to recharge those batteries once they lose power. That’s not a good thing, and you sure can’t afford to run your generator for a whole day to recharge some batteries. Shop around, and get one of the 1-hour battery chargers. They don’t cost very much, and in most cases they actually will recharge your dead batteries in a hour or maybe a little longer. So, you don’t have to run your generator in a grid down situation all day long, wasting what little fuel you may have stored up. Plan to recharge your batteries in a grid down situation so that the generator is not just charging batteries. Maybe you need to run your refrigerator once or twice a day for an hour. That’s a great time to recharge your batteries, too. The thing is not to waste all that precious fuel just to recharge your batteries. Time it to coincide with other generator uses.

When you head out to purchase some rechargeable batteries, DON’T go and purchase ten packages at one time. Purchase one or two. Then in a couple of months, make another purchase. This way you’ll be getting fresher/newer batteries each time you make a purchase and as you start using and recharging your batteries, try to keep track of the number of times you’ve recharged those same batteries. It’s easy enough to do. Remember, don’t expect your rechargeable batteries to recharge as many times as the battery maker claims, and don’t expect them to have a five or ten year life. It ain’t gonna happen. Make sure you mark on the packages of batteries the date you purchased them, too.

One more thing to think about is the barter uses of rechargeable batteries. You can certainly barter away rechargeable batteries, assuming you have a good supply on-hand. Then you can barter once again with the same people, if they need those batteries recharged later on. It’s a win-win situation, if you ask me. Or, perhaps, you tell those folks that you gave four batteries to in exchange for a carton of soup that when those batteries are dead they can bring them back and you’ll exchange them for freshly recharged batteries in exchange for something else, and then decide on what barter items they need to bring with them if they want freshly recharged batteries. To be sure, batteries take up very little space, so over time you can build up a good supply of rechargeable batteries for barter use. While you can certainly use standard, non-rechargeable batteries for barter, it’s much better (for you) to have a good supply of rechargeable batteries that you can barter away and then barter again and again when those batteries run down. Think about it!

Let me touch on one more thing, as long as I’m discussing barter items. How about stocking up on some of those cheap flashlights from the local dollar store? Talk about a wonderful barter item. You can use the flashlight for barter as well as the rechargeable batteries. If someone is in the dark for any extended period of time, they will give just about anything for a source of light; even a cheap flashlight is better than no flashlight at all.

In the final analysis, it just seems like a good idea to stock up on rechargeable batteries, at least for devices that use AA and AAA batteries, which are the most commonly used batteries these days. Standard, non-rechargeable batteries are a waste of your money in the long run, in my humble opinion. You wouldn’t buy a gun that you could only use one time and when it was empty you had to throw it away. So, why purchase batteries that can only be used once and then must be discarded? Think about it.

In the end, make sure you purchase a good battery charger, too. Don’t depend on those little cheap ones that come with many rechargeable batteries. Also, remember that one is none, and two is one; buy a backup battery charger.

– Senior Product Review Editor, Pat Cascio

Recipe of the Week: Crunchy Pea Salad, by L.H.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bag (16 oz.) frozen peas, thawed
  • 1 c. diced celery
  • 1 c. small cauliflower florets
  • 1/4 c. diced red or green onions
  • 1 c. coarsely chopped cashews
  • 1/2 c. sour cream
  • 1 c. favorite ranch dressing

Directions

Combine all ingredients and chill.

o o o

Do you have a favorite recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlogreaders? Please send it via e-mail. Thanks!

Letter Re: Solar Well Pump

Hand pumps are not the only alternative to grid-powered electric well pumps. When we were researching the available options, hand pumps with a solar option was our first choice. The problem was that they would not produce the volume of water required. We needed a system that would be capable of pumping enough water to satisfy the requirements of all the livestock plus supply domestic water, if needed. (This was approximately 1500 gallons per day as a design parameter.) Consultations with the folks at Simple Pump indicated their pump could not produce enough water.

That left a solar submersible pump as the only option. The next question was whether to pump to a large enough reservoir to have backup capacity. This option would require a large storage tank, plus a distribution pump in the tank to pump to a pressure tank, and battery backup for the distribution pump. The other option was to pump directly to the pressure tank. While not cheap, pumping directly to the pressure tank was a lot less expensive than pumping to storage.

We recently completed the installation of such a system in one of our wells, and it is up and working. The system seems quite satisfactory. The heart of the system is a Grundfos submersible SQ Flex pump. Grundfos is unsurpassed in the quality of their pumps. The SQ Flex line of pumps is made for solar or wind systems. The Flex in the name indicates the flexibility of the pump, at least to me. The pump will run on AC or DC with no modification. It will also run on a wide range of voltage in either AC or DC mode. If memory serves the voltage range is something like 19-300 volts. There are a large number of different pumps in the SQ Flex line. Choosing the right one depends on the depth at which the pump will be set and the gallons per minute required. We chose a pump that we set at 250 feet (60′ static water level) that would produce six gallons a minute.

The pump is controlled by Grundfos controls that allow the user to choose the source of power input. By plugging in a pigtail that comes with the control we can operate on grid or generator power. If we unplug from the grid/generator, the control switches automatically to solar. We view grid/generator power as backup for the system.

The system is powered by four 180 watt pv panels. (Since this is an overview, I won’t go into any detail on how things are connected.) There is a battery bank to power the pump for 24 hour operation, and a charge controller that handles power distribution. Since the entire system is DC, there is no need for an inverter.

In the course of installing the system I’ve learned quite a bit. That said, I’m not knowledgeable enough to have designed the system. For that, and as a source for all the components, I relied on the knowledgeable people at Oasis Montana (http://oasismontana.com/). I can’t speak highly enough of them. They were a pleasure to deal with and invaluable if we had questions.

A hand pump is a less expensive alternative than the system described here. However, if you want a system you do not have to physically operate on a daily basis or one that will produce a larger volume of water than you can get from a hand pump, a solar pumping system is something to consider. – G.L.

Economics and Investing:

Since ’07, $11 trillion of global QE, $57 trillion of more debt, Europe 2 more recessions, Japan 3 more recessions, US 2 negative GDP qtrs, the collapsing of many EM economies.

o o o

A Return To Nuclear May Be Japan’s Only Option The legacy of the Fukushima disaster has badly damaged Japan’s economy, but the only relief may come from returning to the controversial power source despite the risks.

o o o

The Best Way to Avoid the Dollar Crisis

o o o

No Country For Young Workers: Only Americans 55 And Older Found Jobs In March

Odds ‘n Sods:

Woman Puts Gun in Her Mouth in New Brady Campaign Video. – T.J.

o o o

Technocracy Rising – T.P.

o o o

SurvivalBlog reader C.F. writes in to say: “Here is a topic that we all need to be aware of in packing our field kits. Some years back, regulations completely cut off the supply of Strike Anywhere matches. Then, after a few months, they were back on the store shelves… or so we thought.

The fact is, the new ones barely function unless struck on the box! Everyone who is packing survival kits for a rainy day needs to be sure to not depend on Strike Anywhere matches! The days of lighting them on a rock, or sandpaper, or your zipper, or flicking a flame with your thumbnail, are all but gone. Good luck if your life depends on it. Might as well buy safety matches, and eliminate the false sense of security. Pardon my dullness, but I just figured it out. (I have been enthralled with non-match options for the last 20 years.)”

o o o

‘Role players’ solicited for emergency-prep drill. – D.S.

o o o

For the Amateur Radio Operators among us, SurvivalBlog reader RBS sent in this link: SolarHam