Notes for Saturday – March 07, 2015

In an amazing display of ignorant stupidity, Islamic State fighters are looting and bulldozing the Assyrian city of Nimrud. Thousands of years of precious archaeological treasures are being pillaged and destroyed. Everyone recognizes that the history of humans seldom aligns itself with our current thinking, whether religious or philosophical, but we also recognize that it is “our” history. To deny and destroy it is the pinnacle of ignorance.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 57 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 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448) 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. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  9. 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 57 ends on March 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.

EMP-Hardened Ham Radio Communications, by PrepperDoc

3

EMP attack is often considered the most rigorous of survivalist situations, due to the likely complete loss of electrical grid, many vehicles, and many transistorized/computerized products. Our group worked to provide post-EMP communications that would allow effective communications post-event. We had two major requirements:

  1. Short Range Communications. Two, separate, defense-hardened homes that were approximately 30 miles apart had to be able to communicate across a medium-sized city, and
  2. Long Range Communications. Both homes had to be able to receive news from in-state and out-of-state sources. These were considered necessary to receive adequate advance warning of defense issues, such as advancing bandits or armies.

This article describes how we accomplished these goals.

Three of our group possessed or obtained Ham radio licenses of varying levels. Passing the Technician license requires only a few hours of study, allowing voice communications in the VHF bands and limited communications in the high frequency (HF) bands. While long-range (>500 miles) communications can usually be easily accomplished by Ham radio communications in the high frequency bands capable of “skip” communication, survival of that equipment through an EMP attack had to be assured. Cross-city communications initially proved to be more difficult, because of the rolling terrain over the 30 miles between the homes. In fact, using hand-held VHF transceivers, we found it impossible even to achieve direct communications across a 6-mile range that included 200-foot hills.

We assumed that it is unlikely that established VHF repeaters will remain functional after one or more EMP attacks. Therefore, direct radio communications had to be achieved. While we could conceivably place our own repeaters, they would likely be destroyed by subsequent attacks. Thus, everyday 2-meter Ham radio contact via repeater stations does not solve either of our goals. High frequency (HF) communications became the ticket to success.

Thus, we sought HF Ham gear that would likely survive an EMP attack. Published articles suggest that voltages/currents developed on antenna feed lines may reach 1 million volts and 1000 or more amps (for an instant), with voltages on power lines only a bit less. While some transistorized mobile Ham radio units were found resistant in one set of tests (Ref. 1), we opted to go with used vacuum-tube Ham radio equipment. Vacuum tube equipment has been found highly resistant to EMP damage. Furthermore, while entry level software-defined computerized Ham radio gear often starts at more than $500, older, used, vacuum tube equipment often goes for $200 in working condition.

One of our members had extensive electrical engineering education and as a high school student had constructed Heathkit vacuum tube Ham radios. We went with that kind of gear.

HF Heathkit vacuum tube 5-band 180-watt transceivers capable of modern communications (single side band and morse code (CW)) were sold in two lines of products: the less-expensive HW-100 and later HW-101, and the somewhat fancier SB-100, SB-101, and the end-of-line SB-102 transceivers. All were new in the ’60s and ’70’s and are now available to varying degrees at Hamfests and on Ebay. The vacuum tubes utilized are very similar. All use an external–and heavy–power supply, connecting to the transceiver with a multi-wire cable. PDF versions of the manuals are available (Ref 2 and 3) and include not only construction but testing, operation, and repair information, including expected voltage and resistance measurements at various points; this is a gold mine for repairing used equipment. Similar equipment of that era include Drake and Collins brands, but we had lesser experience with these brands and were not as confident of the ability to repair them.

There are various idiosyncrasies of the Heathkit transceivers. The microphone connector is an unusual one, requiring effort to find. Also, the vacuum tube system requires a higher microphone output voltage than newer, lower-impedance, transistorized equipment. The chassis mic connector can be replaced if necessary. One can either find an older “ceramic” microphone or use a pre-amplified CB microphone [available at any truck-stop] with the pre-amp turned all the way up. Remember that the transistorized mike will likely be damaged in an EMP, so keep spares inside Faraday cages.

While our expert’s vacuum tubes had survived 30+ years, vacuum tube filaments do have a finite lifespan. Our group decided to develop backup supplies. The smaller tubes in the units are readily available from multiple suppliers (e.g. Ref 4), but some of the tubes are becoming scarce and extraordinarily expensive. In particular, the SB-line and later HW-line use a 6HS6 in the receiver for its extremely high gain, where earlier HW-devices used a lower-gain 6AU6. A possible replacement, which is far less expensive and more readily available, is the 6AH6, which also has the same filament current as a 6HS6, thus maintaining the carefully balanced series/parallel connections of 6-volt tubes to a 12-volt filament voltage. The final amplifier in all these and many other tube Ham radios is a pair of 6146 tubes. These come in a dizzying array of flavors and may best be bought from a more-specialized Ham radio supplier (e.g. Ref 5). You should use two tubes of the same “flavor”, while actual “matching” is probably of lesser importance. Your spares may be either two 6146’s, or two 6146A’s, or two of the higher-plate-dissipation-rating 6146B’s. The ruggedized 6146W’s can be problematic as they may be either “A” or “B”. We recommend these only if you can get two of a similar manufacture.

These old radios have some common problems, not all of which can be addressed here. In particular, the contacts on the multi-wafer band switch (80/40/20/15/10 etc) can become oxidized and you will notice dramatically reduced transmitter power on all bands other than 80 meters, if the contacts used in various stages of transmitter amplifiers are corroded. Careful work with a tiny bit of Brasso on a Q-tip on the band-switch rotating copper contacts and exercising the switch thereafter will repair this problem.

The Mode (TUNE/LSB/USB/CW) switch has a similar problem and switches 300-volt plate connections, leading to some scary arcing. Very careful Brasso work and possibly gentle tensioning of delicate contacts may be needed if you have this problem. As a last resort, replace the switch sections, which switch the 300-volt line to the 12AU7 carrier oscillator halves, with toggle switches to choose which plate of the dual triode gets power (one for LSB and the other for USB/CW).

The delicate string system rotating the final amplifier “load” variable capacitor in the transmitter final amplifier can be replaced with a suitably sized O-ring or rebuilt with braided fishing line and tensioning spring.

All of these transceivers include a 100 kHz crystal oscillator, providing calibration signals every tenth of a MegaHertz (MHz). Nevertheless, the frequency ticks on the HW-series tuning dial are close together. If this is truly a problem to your becoming adept at HF Ham radio, using a series 47 pF capacitor one can pull the variable frequency oscillator signal from the cathode of the 6EA8 first transmitter mixer and route it with small coaxial cable (even microphone cable will work) to a connector on the back panel, and read it with a digital frequency counter without damage to the transceiver. Just remember that EMP will probably destroy the digital frequency counter. Its reading goes UP in frequency as the actual dial frequency goes DOWN, because the VFO output is subtracted from a higher-frequency oscillator’s signal.

Finally, to complete your EMP hardening of this brand of Ham radio transceiver, you should add common metal-oxide-varistor (MOV)-based surge protectors to the AC power line, and also inline with the antenna feed (your most dangerous EMP gatherer). The reference article (Ref 1) below describes testing where MOV devices did successfully protect Ham radio equipment. Nevertheless, it would be very wise to unplug AC and antenna connections (at a minimum) from the transceiver when not in use, either by removing the connectors several feet away or at the very least by using commercial power-strip switches and antenna-switches. With the voltages possible by an EMP, arcing of these commercial switches is a real possibility.

While working on your newly-purchased HF Ham rig, you can avoid interference to others from your transmitter by using a 100-watt incandescent light bulb as your “antenna.” The load seen by your transmitter should be acceptable at least on the lower-frequency 3.5 & 7 MHz bands.

Once your equipment is working and EMP-hardened, you are ready to move on to suitable antennas. This will often depend on your location– unfettered rural versus very restricted urban environments. Optimally, a new HF Ham would be best served by a very simple resonant half-wave dipole antenna, as this will have an acceptable standing wave ratio (SWR) at resonance, and can be easily fed by commonly available coaxial feed line. (See Ref. 6.) As documented below, we found 3.5-4.0 MHz 80-meter band was crucial. It requires an antenna of roughly 130 feet total length, split near the middle by an insulator, with an insulator on both ends. (If you haven’t that much room, try next for a 65-foot length 40 meter resonant dipole.) Simple RG-58U (or even more easily available 75-ohm RG-59 from home supply stores) can be used, with the center conductor soldered to one wire at the center conductor, and the braided shield carefully moved away (if in doubt, simply unbraid and then twist all the strands together) and soldered to the other half of the antenna at the center insulator. The height of the antenna is not that important– 10 to 25 feet is fine– and the antenna can sag or bend as needed. Many of us have used dipoles for years fed successfully by coax without the use of a “balun,” so consider it optional. The connector on the other end of your feedline should be a PL-259 to connect to the SWR bridge you will need to adjust your antenna length; the published formulae are only approximate, as every antenna is in a different environment. Read the directions on your SWR bridge and, if possible, seek help from any nearby Ham radio operator; tuning antennas is a learned skill. If you are fortunate enough to have access to an antenna tuner (Ref. 7), you can very quickly adjust your antenna, but this is not required. Ideally you will get your SWR below 2:1 in the frequency range of interest; – typically that will be maintained across only about 0.2 MHz (on 80 meters), so pick whether you want to use single-side-band (requiring the General or higher class license) at the top end of that band, or morse code (requiring only the Technician license, in a special area in the middle of the band). Have your helper-Ham teach you how to quickly “tune” your transmitter so that you do not damage (by overheating) the expensive power-amplifier 6146 tubes. If you don’t have a helper, follow very closely the instructions in the excellent Heathkit manual, and stick to lower powers– in the range of 100 watts input (50 watts output) until you are really proficient. Besides the power level adjustment control, there are only three tuning capacitors that must be properly adjusted to have your transmitter working well on a given frequency. The first of these– the driver amplifier tuning– can be roughly set by adjusting for maximum received signal, as the stage has double duty. You have to actually be generating transmitter power to tune the remaining two– the power amplifier TUNE and LOAD capacitors. Be attentive to the plate current meter reading; you want that MINIMIZED quickly with the final amplifier TUNE adjustment, which will occur nearly simultaneously with a MAXIMUM output observed on your SWR bridge. The setting of the LOAD capacitor is much less important and more broad in effect. Start with its plates fully meshed and pay more attention to the TUNE knob. It will all become easy with practice.

For those who are more severely restricted, a random length single wire antenna (ideally more than 30 feet), or open-wire-fed (ladder line) non-resonant dipole may be the best choice, though both involve the addition of an “antenna tuner” and two or three more knobs that must be adjusted adroitly and quickly (starting at lower power settings initially). (Ref. 8) MFJ manufactures high quality antenna tuners, but these devices last forever, can even be manufactured easily at home, and many models old and new can be found easily on Ebay or at Hamfests. Seek help to become familiar with them, if you have no instructions. They require trial and error. Once you find adjustments that work for one band, write them down!

As an aside, I should mention that morse code still has a place in limited-power communications, as you will find it carries much farther than equal-powered single side band, because it has only two states (ON or OFF) meaning that the ear at the other end has a much simpler job than deciphering a weak voice amongst crashing interference and static. Once learned, like a bicycle, the skill lasts for a lifetime, as older Hams can prove easily. There are even computerized cheater-devices that can translate it for you now! (However, they will likely fail after an EMP.)

Finally, you must assure that your planned post-disaster power source will not create its own interference to radio communications! If you are planning a generator (even a 900 watt unit should suffice), this may not be a problem. However, we found that fancy inverters (you have one stored in a Faraday cage, don’t you?) generate wide-spectrum NOISE from their highly-efficient switching power supplies used to construct each point on the sine wave output, and “modified sine wave” inverters automatically create wide-ranging interference. We have successful experience dramatically reducing the radiated inverter-generated power line interference by placing a low-pass power-line-capable filter in series with the inverter output right at the output of the inverter. (An example of such a filter is the Chinese JR-1230-R 30A Alternating Current Power Line EMI Filter AC 115/250V.) Be certain to test your actual grid-down complete system to see if your communications radio actually works as intended in both transmit and receive conditions!

Now armed with the requisite license, hardened equipment, and an antenna, you are ready to gain the skills that you will need to effectively meet an impromptu “net” of survivors to pass crucial information after a disaster. Do not be fooled into thinking you need no experience. These nets will spring up, starting from previously existing state and local HF nets, and they will have appointed times and frequencies, requiring you to have the skills to communicate in a fast-paced environment on an exact frequency at a certain time. Volunteer net controls operating in high-stress times may not be helpful to a newcomer. It’s best to gain the expertise NOW.

How did we reach our two communication goals? As background, three modes of radio wave propagation are most common:

  1. ground wave (possible at frequencies <=4 MHz) can somewhat surmount hills;
  2. line-of-sight (LOS) is normally the only method possible for VHF walkie-talkies, but trees induce huge losses per mile, and hills obliterate the signal;
  3. long-range “skip” occurs as frequencies between about 2MHz and 50 MHz (depending on time of day and sunspot cycle) are refracted back to earth by ionized layers above us (and then potentially back upwards by sea or ground). Ground wave communications simply did not work for our 30-mile requirement (the 160-meter band might succeed) and line of sight failed even at six miles. Using 3.5-4MHz (80 meter) at night with dipole antennas at low heights (10-20 feet), we had acceptable “near-vertical-incidence” refraction/reflection by the F layer directly above us, and we succeeded at our cross-city goal. During the day, absorption by the D layer caused failure. The lower height antennas actually send more of their energy out at higher angles, allowing our success at cross-city distances while still giving us adequate strength at lower angles to reach stations hundreds of miles away. While 40 meters during the day provides intra-national communications, 20/15 meters provide international communications during the day when the sunspot number is above minimal. At night, 40 meters provides international communications. Very short range communications (intra-neighborhood) would be provided by (previously Faraday-protected) hand-held VHF transceivers, which is a subject for another essay.

Thus, it is quite possible for you or your group to create short- and long-range post-disaster communications that are likely to survive even multiple EMP attacks. Using older tube-type transceivers, simple antennas, and careful purchasing of spare tubes, we were easily able to accomplish this for $300-$500 per station, or about the price of one firearm. What are you waiting for? Get started!

ADDENDUM

In Ham radio lingo, frequency bands are interchangeably denoted by their frequency or related wavelength. This table gives the equivalences for the HF bands:

Frequency Band

Meters of Wavelength

3.5

80

7.0

40

14.0

20

21.0

15

28.0

10

References:

[1] QST article in EMP/ham radio: http://williamesimpson.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/QST-Electromagnetic_Pulse_and_the_Radio_Amateur.pdf

[2] HW-101 manual online: http://www.wmsinc.org/N7EBG/heathkitpdf/HW-101%20Manual%20KB2LJL.pdf

[3] SB-102 manual online: http://tubularelectronics.com/Heath_Manual_Collection/Heath_Manuals_S/SB-102/sb102gif_v6.pdf

[4] One of several vacuum tube suppliers: https://www.tubedepot.com/

[5] Ham radio power amplifier tubes: http://www.aesham.com/ham-radio-accessories-tubes/

[6] ARRL page on building a simple half-wave resonant dipole: http://www.arrl.org/single-band-dipoles

[7] An example of an antenna analyzer: http://www.mfjenterprises.com/Product.php?productid=MFJ-213

[8] ARRL page on random length antennas: http://www.arrl.org/random-length-multiband-dipoles

Letter Re: What’s the Story Behind ATF “Banning” 5.56mm Ammo?

Good Sir, Mr. Bellamy:

I have a quick comment reflecting your article of recent publication, if your time permits please, regarding “the law banning armor piercing handgun ammunition”.

I agree with everything you have written (cited) and even the punctuation details thus far, until this closing statement (above referenced) in your sample letter. To me, it would be more effectual if you used quotation emphasis in this sentence. At first glance, it seems to affirm exactly the perception of the argument being an “armor piercing” ballistic projectile available for sale to the general population; and your statement could be misconstrued as agreeing to this effect.

[the law banning “armor” piercing handgun ammunition] [the law banning “armor piercing” handgun ammunition]

These two examples of a particularly worded sentence, could be very important when (possibly?) TPTB review any comments or concerns of the dialogue received from their constituents during the review period.

Since we seem to have been media/forcibly evolved into such a politically correct world (albeit a legal term currently decided by the appointed rulers), I believe in using this tactic to an advantage to defend my First Amendment rights and our Constitution as a whole, whenever and if possible. Miranda Rights bear to mind; then context and intonations apply.

There is no disrespect intended at all, and my apologies for dissecting your commentary. Please consider my position. I would absolutely send a letter of your original draft with no hesitation, aside from my notations I have provided above. My humble opinion is just that.

Jeremiah 29:11

Regards – DC

Economics and Investing:

Americans Not In The Labor Force Rise To Record 92.9 Million As Participation Rate Declines Again. – T.P.

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Obama Called Out On Keystone Lies

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Alan Greenspan Warns Stocks Are “Without Doubt Extremely Overvalued”

Apple To Consume 1/3 Of World’s Annual Gold Supply? – This has got to be a bit overstated, both in terms of gold per watch and maybe the watches expected to be sold on this high end, but the rich are richer and luxury good sales continue to explode; with a brand like Apple, anything is possible.

Japan’s Debt Trap: Interest Now Consumes 43% Of Tax Revenues

Consumer Credit Rises At Slowest Pace Since 2013 (But Still Exponential), Revolving Credit Tumbles

Odds ‘n Sods:

Illinois oil train derailment involved safer tank cars – G.P.

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These glow in the dark adhesive sheets from UV Paqlite are ideal for making light switch plate covers for houses. Also, if cut into strips, they have other home defense possibilities, for those who lack night vision equipment for every armed adult resident.

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There’s a Major Difference Between Republicans and Democrats When It Comes to Surviving an ‘Apocalyptic Disaster’ – JBG

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America On the Brink of Losing Constitutional Form of Government Forever – P.M.

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The White House Blatantly LIED To The Press Corps About M855 Ammunition. Here’s Why It Matters.. – T.P.

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New Mexico High School Seniors Vote for Communism-Themed Prom Dubbed ‘Prom-Munism’. – H.L.

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them.” Exodus 30:11-12 (KJV)

Notes for Friday – March 06, 2015

A SurvivalBlog reader has notified us that Tactical Machining out of Florida is having a blow out sale on 80% AR-15 Lowers. These are unblemished and if you buy three or more, they are only $29.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 57 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 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448) 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. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  9. 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 57 ends on March 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 Time Has Come, by JTH

Suddenly it hit me. We are DOING IT! After years of dreaming about moving to the Redoubt, planning, plotting, learning new skills, understanding what is important, we are finally doing it. I am scared and excited at the same time. We have two more months of frantic remodeling and updating our home, in order to get top dollar, and then we’ll put the house on the market. After searching for property in Idaho online and with the help of several couples who live in Idaho and a realtor recommendation, it’s time to make a couple of trips out and get serious about finding the right property. My wants and desires are crystal clear. So are my husband’s. We want exactly opposite things.

It has taken years for my husband to accept and agree that we need to get out of Dodge while the getting is good. He is not wholeheartedly into this. He just wants a happy wife at this point. He has no desire to homestead or farm, and he has close to zero skills in that regard. He is afraid I will ask him to help me clean a chicken coop. He said to me the other day, out of the blue, “NO GOATS!” You have to laugh. I just want chickens and maybe a Jersey cow for milk, a large garden, fresh air, and some land far enough away from the masses, yet close enough to get to a good hospital. It’s not so simple. I thought it might be helpful to others who are dreaming and planning to cover the major topics, not all of which are about logistics.

Budget

The first major goal that we have is to be debt free or as much as is possible. We do not want to trade one rat race for another. The finances have to work, or there is no point in moving. We have a good home on a nice lot in a friendly area that we can afford. However, what if the economy collapses and the downtown lights, which we can see from our front view windows, suddenly seem too close for comfort? What if I lose my job? There are a lot of “what if’s” in these uncertain times. What we can afford will be wholly dependent upon what we can pull out of the house sale and retirement funds. There is also the matter of our cars, both aging with many, many miles on them. We need at least one newer and reliable all-wheel-drive vehicle that will last a good long time. We plan to pay cash for a newer car. What about the expenses of moving? All these things have to be considered. We have guesstimated and taken into account the above and more, but only the actual experience will truly inform us. My biggest fear in regards to finances is that we will not stick to our budget and will allow our desire for comfort and ease, to which we are quite accustomed, rule over practicality. I would be happy with a humble abode out in the sticks. My husband is looking at golf course property. It is going to be tough, and it will take a lot of compromise and negotiation to make an actual property purchase that we can both agree on.

Family

The second major consideration is the distance between us and our large and extended family. We have children and grandchildren. They do not want us to move further away. They are worried about “the parentals”, our health especially. Currently, most of them can get to us in half a day’s drive, but if we move, it would be a 10-13 hour drive in good weather with no mishaps. Our parents are elderly and in poor health, so we have to think about being able to get to them if need be. I have always wanted to plan on a family retreat property, but my sister who has gone before me in moving to the Redoubt gave some wise advice. She said, “Do what is right for you and your husband. If the children come or follow, that will be good, but they may never.” Sigh. My conclusion: We cannot convince the family to come with us, nor can we afford to provide for everyone, so we must focus on doing what is right for us. It is funny actually; several of my children are beginning to look online at property in the Redoubt, thinking that they may eventually move too. It would be grand if they could, but I cannot plan around their plans.

Location

The location goals, for us, include:

  • lower elevations,
  • small acreage for organic farming and chickens,
  • a good well,
  • septic,
  • ability to connect to the Internet (for my job),
  • a home in good condition (no fixer uppers) with enough square footage for our needs and visiting family, and
  • in a sparsely-populated area with good roads back to town.

The acreage needs to have irrigation in place or the ability to develop it easily. My plan is to begin a small organic farm that could potentially turn into a business down the line, if needed. I want to be far away from the masses, major freeways, shopping malls, planned communities, and major downtown areas. However, my husband and I both have major health needs, so we need to be able to make the drive to doctors and hospitals. An hour or two driving would not be too bad, but it might be wiser to be even closer. My husband is very social and participates in many community activities and sports related events. If he could not get to the things he loves, he would be miserable. The idea of being snowed in and cuddling in front of the fire may be one of my fantasies, but it is not his. He would actually prefer a condominium in Maui. Northern Idaho, we have decided, is just too cold for us. Eastern Idaho is too far away from family. We are not the hardy, “put on the snowshoes” kind of people, so the mountainous regions are out of the question. We have settled for looking in the Southwestern region, from the Oregon state line to the Payette and Boise National forests. We have friends in this region, which should make our resettlement more enjoyable. While we do not want to live in Boise, the capital, it has many of the services we need, including a major airport. There are many property choices outside the mainstream of that area with plenty of acreage and great water resources with reasonable prices. The location will be, perhaps, the biggest compromise of all between us. I have read every survival book written and am a big fan of JWR. I understand the components of the optimum retreat property, but I am married to a wonderful man who thinks I am a bit off my rocker, and he is my first priority. The purpose of moving to the Redoubt in general is to become debt-free, self-sufficient, and to live in a state where the consensus is politically conservative, patriotic, and God-fearing. God will bless our efforts to find the right spot for us both. I know that the Lord knows better than we do about what we need and want. Moreover, the most amazing thing is that God knows the future. No matter how hard I prep and plan, it could all be in vain, and only the Lord knows that. We just do the best we can with what we have and trust Him.

Reality

I made a long and detailed list of all the things I want in our new property and in my own life. I have wanted to do this for a good seven years now and have studied every aspect and practiced my skills. I realize I am not going to get everything I want or think I need. I realize that I may not physically be able to do all that I want to do. My health has been terrible the last couple of years, and honestly, my life might be cut short, so what does that mean? It means that in spite of the detailed “survival retreat property” I have in mind, I have to be realistic and find something that fits my life now and in the possibly unhappy future. We have to be able to sell the property if need be, so finding the right kind of property from a realtor’s perspective is critically important. From a spiritual and intellectual perspective, I want to try living a different kind of life before my time is up on earth. My S could HTF before the world’s does, so being practical and realistic has to be the overriding goal. Many times, I have been tempted to just do what my husband wants– buy a condominium in Maui, forget the terrorists and the world chaos, and enjoy what is left of my time while sipping on a Mai Tai. However, this dream is one I have had a very long time, and I feel compelled to pursue it.

Looking For a New Offshore Server For SurvivalBlog

Since we no longer have a backup server in Sweden (a long story of which I’ll spare you the details), we are now looking to lease another dedicated offshore backup server for SurvivalBlog. This needs to be a dedicated server with very stable power (preferably hydroelectrically-sourced), 99%+ uptime, and rock-solid stable IP addresses. (Our IP address cannot change, once it is established.) Keep in mind that this server must be capable of regularly handling 25 mbps. We’d also like it to be in a country that is not excessively buddy-buddy with the U.S. government. However, at the same time, we don’t want it to be a country that is anti-western. One other consideration is that the server needs to be owned by a company that has not been tainted by hosting gambling, pornography, or torrent-style downloads. (This will minimize the risk of a “site-wide” government-ordered takedown.) Some good candidate countries for the server could include: Iceland, Chile, Greenland, Finland, Switzerland, Ireland, Portugal, and the Czech Republic. So, if you have a server available, or you know of a company that you can personally recommend, then please let us know, via e-mail. Note that we are willing to pay current competitive market rates for leasing this dedicated server, and that this will very likely be a contract that we will renew, year after year. Thanks! – JWR

What’s the Story Behind ATF “Banning” 5.56mm Ammo?

(. . . and what can you do about it?)

By Glenn D. Bellamy, Armorer-at-Law®

There’s been no shortage of misinformation and hyperbole about an ATF memo released on February 13th reported to “ban AR15 ammo”. The memo describes a “framework” by which ATF proposes it would consider requests for “sporting purpose” exemptions under the federal statute banning the manufacture, importation, or sale (but not possession) of “armor piercing” projectiles. I’ve searched and researched the law and the facts behind it with passion over the last two weeks. I’m tempted to write a legal brief in opposition, or at least to give it a thorough fisking. But that would bore you and be wasted on the ATF at this point.

Instead, I’ll give you the skinny on what’s going on and the most effective thing(s) you can do about it.

The Skinny

Back in 1986, Congress debated—and passed—a law purported to protect law enforcement officers from evil “cop killer” bullets (the Law Enforcement Officers Protection Act). Since virtually every rifle round will penetrate the soft body armor worn by police, the law became focused on ammunition designed for handguns. Rather than define what would be prohibited by performance (whether it could penetrate body armor), they compromised on a definition based on the projectile or projectile core being “constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium”. Certain ammunition was expressly excluded from the ban, including lead-free shot pellets and any projectile “which the Attorney General finds is primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes”. Later, the law was amended to add a second category: full jacketed projectiles larger than .22 caliber “designed and intended for use in a handgun” and whose jacket has a weight of more than 25 percent of the total weight.

M855 “ball” ammo (and its NATO counterpart, designated SS109), sometimes called “green tip,” uses a copper-jacketed projectile with a core made in part from steel and part from lead. Since its core is not made “entirely” from steel and its jacket is less than 25% of the total weight, it does not fall within the scope of either definition of “armor piercing” ammo in the law. Nevertheless, as soon as the law was passed in 1986, ATF “granted” an unnecessary “sporting purposes” exemption for M855 ammo. In the “Framework” memo, ATF (erroneously) says “AR-type handguns were not commercially available when the armor piercing ammunition exemption was granted in 1986”. If that were true, then no exemption would have been necessary. The statute only applies to handgun ammo. Now, citing the proliferation of AR-platform handguns and glossing over the fact that its projectile core is not made “entirely” of steel, ATF singled out M855 as a specific example of ammo that would fail the criteria of its new “framework” and is withdrawing its prior “exemption”.

ATF is blatantly misreading the language of the federal law. The statute says:

. . . a projectile or projectile core being which may be used in a handgun and which is constructed entirely (excluding the presence of traces of other substances) from one or a combination of tungsten alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium copper, or depleted uranium. (Emphasis added)

Although not explained in the memo, ATF issued a “Special Advisory” dated February 27, 2015, revealing their distortion of the law:

It is important to note that the limitation on “armor piercing ammunition” in the GCA does not apply to projectiles manufactured exclusively from non-restricted materials, such as copper and lead; it only applies to projectiles that include the specifically restricted materials and can be used in a handgun.

See the difference? This is a perversion of the clear language of the law and cannot be tolerated.

What To Do?

This “framework” has been a couple of years in the making, but both the political left and right recognize it as an implementation of the President’s promise to the anti-gun lobby to use every administrative means possible to make up for their legislative failures. For a very insightful article (with only a few factual errors), see this Huffington Post blog. So, while the action taken by ATF isn’t a “ban of all AR15 ammo,” it does require a response. The question is: How do we respond effectively?

Two ways: 1) Send your comments to ATF, and 2) write to your Senators and Representatives asking them to sign on to Congressional letters to ATF and to support proposed legislation that would curb ATF’s abuses in this area.

When ATF published its proposed “framework”, it invited public comments for 30 days (ending March 16, 2015). As a starting point, ATF skirted the official procedure for creating regulations that implement federal laws. (See instructions for submitting comments on page 17 of the ATF memo.)

Substantive rules of this kind are supposed to have a 90-day comment period and other steps before going into effect. Here, ATF characterized their rule change as a “framework” by which they will consider requests for exemptions for ammo that otherwise would be prohibited under the “primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes” exception and published it simply as a “notice” to the industry.

Make no mistake, ATF doesn’t care how you “feel” about their latest action, and rants about how everything they do is unconstitutional and evil will be ignored and discarded as off-topic. The only comments with any potential to influence ATF are those explaining why the proposed action exceeds or violates the agency’s statutory authority, internal conflicts or inconsistencies in what is being proposed, and unintended consequences they have overlooked. Feel free to borrow liberally from my example letter. This option is worth your time, but is unlikely to be effective alone.

Your elected officials should care how you feel—after all, they want your vote to be re-elected. But, more importantly, tell them what you think and what you know about this subject (ATF’s misrepresentations in the Proposed Framework and skirting proper rule-making procedure). Then ask them to do something specific.

Congress can apply pressure in various ways to curtail rogue agencies. The topic has picked up some inertia in Washington and even been noticed by the mainstream media outlets. A group of more than 250 (so far) Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have signed this letter to ATF Director B. Todd Jones. A similar letter is being circulated in the Senate by Chuck Grassley. Specifically, ask your Senators and Representative to sign these letters. If the House or Senate Judiciary Committees schedule hearing on this topic, it may be enough to put the brakes on ATF’s plans.

Congress also has the power to change the law so it won’t be misinterpreted, although it’s hard to think of clearer language than “a projectile or projectile core . . . constructed entirely” from a specific list of materials. Articles about proposed bills being drafted can be found here and here. Specifically ask your Senators and Representative to support these efforts. When a bill is officially introduced, write again asking for support of the bill by name or number.

You can find contact information for your Senators here and your Representative here. Below is a template you can use if you wish. Please write!

Dear ______,

I am writing to you about concerns I have with the recently proposed ATF Framework for Determining Whether Certain Projectiles are “Primarily Intended for Sporting Purposes” Within the Meaning of 18 U.S.C. § 921(a)(17). The Proposed Framework relies on several erroneous assumptions of fact and law, which render the entire underlying proposed framework untenable.

First, it is in direct conflict with the express language of the law. The ammunition known as M855 does not have a core “constructed entirely of . . . steel.” ATF is misinterpreting the law to allow only bullets “manufactured exclusively from non-restricted materials.” This turns the statute on its head and this kind of regulatory abuse cannot be allowed to continue. ATF’s “Framework” needlessly removes from commerce one of the most common types of ammunition used in the most common type of rifle in America today. There is no evidence whatsoever that M855 ammunition has posed a particular threat to the lives of law enforcement personnel in the last 20 years.

Second, it is an attempt by ATF to skirt the proper rulemaking process under the Administrative Procedures Act (5 U.S.C. 533). ATF is proposing a significant and substantive regulatory change whose flaws would be exposed when subjected to the public scrutiny of a 90-day comment period.

I ask that you sign the letter to ATF Director B. Todd Jones being circulated among members of the [Senate/House] opposing the agency’s action. I understand that bills are being drafted and will be introduced soon to curtail ATF’s authority in interpreting the law banning armor piercing handgun ammunition. Please cosponsor or support such a bill when it is introduced.

Thank you,

______________

Economics and Investing:

Living In Wonderland On The Road To Massive Worldwide Wealth Destruction And Panic. – B.B.

o o o

The Middle Class Meltdown

o o o

Items from Mr. Econocobas:

Jobless Claims in U.S. Rise to Highest Level in Nine Months

Mark Cuban: We’re in a Tech Bubble—and It’s Worse Than 2000

The Global Problem: Monetary Policy Can’t Fix An Economy’s Structural Problems

Take Out A 7 Year Car Loan To Buy Stocks, CNBC Experts Advise – Hard to believe they are serious, but they are…

Notes for Thursday – March 05, 2015

Today, we present another entry for Round 57 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 30 DPMS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448) 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. $300 worth of ammo from Patriot Firearms and Munitions. (They also offer a 10% discount for all SurvivalBlog readers with coupon code SVB10P),
  6. A $250 gift card from Emergency Essentials,
  7. Twenty Five books, of the winners choice, of any books published by PrepperPress.com (a $270 value),
  8. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate, and
  9. 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 57 ends on March 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.

Reaching Out to the Un-Prepped, by Mark C. – Part 2

Here’s Why

The vast majority of the population exists in cities or very near them. We’ve already seen what happens in places like New York and Watts when power was lost for just three days. There are riots, looting, and violence. Imagine a long-term or even permanent loss of power. Imagine that the gasoline supply is what is in your vehicle’s gas tank right now, and that’s it. Food in your pantry is what you have, and that’s it. Water? Fill your bathtub, sinks, or anything else you can find, but that’s it. Toilets? You better dig a hole in the back yard, because disease is not far behind, if you don’t. You could always use your precious gasoline to make a run to the store where everyone is looting, but you’ll find the stores aren’t built with huge store rooms in the back, like there were in the 1970’s. Everything is shipped just-in-time, but of course there won’t be any more trucks to resupply the stores, and there won’t be any more trains or ships. There is no way to get crops out of the fields in bulk; they start to rot in place.

Now, let’s say you did store up a significant supply of food and water, like the Mormons do. You have a whole year’s worth. Did your neighbors do this, too? Did the majority of the now-starving population do this? Do you think they will notice your family seems to be doing pretty well? Did you make the mistake of letting it slip out that you had these supplies? Now, put yourself in their position. They’re looking at their starving kids and hearing their cries at night while their neighbor runs his generator, cooks his good-smelling food, and drinks his clean water. How desperate would you be? Would you let your family perish? What about the police or National Guard? Well, if they hadn’t abandoned their posts to take care of their own families, which is very likely, they would be taking your stores and employing “redistribution” as outlined in the Executive Order, but like I said it’s not likely they would abandon their own families. There would be well-organized groups out there though; the street gangs, who will systematically rape and pillage, will eventually find their way to your house. Will you fight? With what?

Maybe your plan should have been to bug-out of the city and get as far away as you can with as much as you can. That would have been a good idea, if you had left in the first 30 minutes of the power grid loss. Those that wait find themselves stuck on the freeways, jammed up in traffic. Even if you do make it out, where would you go? What would happen when you get there?

Will you grow your own food? Do you know how? So, maybe you prepped a little and bought a bunch of seeds to plant. Were they “heirloom” seeds? All the seeds you buy in the store these days are hybrid seeds, engineered to produce sterile seeds or no seeds at all. This way you have to come back every year to buy more seeds, but there are no more because there are no stores left to sell them. Where do you get heirloom seeds? Do you know how to preserve your crops so you can eat them year-round? Canning is a simple thing to learn, but if you weren’t knowledgeable before the Internet went down you won’t have access to learn. Did you bring canning supplies?

Will you hunt? Like planting and raising crops, it’s a skill or a piece of knowledge you should have learned before the loss of power. Additionally, you need bullets and lots of them, because, again, there are no stores, and on a more ominous note it is very likely you will have to defend yourself and your family against some fairly seasoned thugs. Can you do this? Do you know how? It’s yet another skill you should have acquired before everything crashed.

Enough Already

All right, enough of the torturous questioning. You’re overwhelmed by now and maybe even depressed. I walked you into this subtly, and then I put it on pretty thick. I’m sorry, but I want you to know and to think about it. There is a reality here, and I believe a certainty that drives necessity to prepare.

Cost, Time, and Effort

There is a smart way to prep and at the same time be frugal. Most of us are limited, by budget, in any case. You may be surprised to know that smart and responsible prepping is doable for those that don’t have a lot of money. It may involve building or making your own tools, rather than buying them from a store, or it may mean slowly accumulating canned goods that you normally eat and then rotating them through your pantry. Large bags of grain or rice are very inexpensive and easy to preserve. Also, there are fairly inexpensive ways to purify water. A little bit at a time makes this affordable.

The majority of the part about accumulating knowledge and skills can be inexpensive or even free. Survivalblog.com is a wealth of information from folks that willingly convey their knowledge because they care about you and others like you. From planting and canning to medical, dental, and self-protection, if it’s not on the website, then it points you in the direction of where to find it or how to learn it. Spend a few minutes each day reading and researching. Within a few weeks or months you will be amazed at what you’ve learned. This is where I would start, and it costs you nothing. Why not?

One Last Thing

Are you a Christian? If you are, then at some point you might struggle with the idea that God will provide. He does, and He will. So, now you feel that prepping is sinful, because you should be trusting in Him, right? I know; I struggled with that too. It was mostly because well-meaning teachers/pastors have used things out of context. While it’s true the “lilies of the field do not toil”, the context of the verses are addressing worry rather than work. Read the entire message, not just a single verse or handful of verses. In Genesis, Egypt accumulated seven years’ worth of food because God told them to do it, knowing there would be a shortage. (Gen: 41) Proverbs tells us that being lazy and not preparing is actually wickedness. (Prov 6:6-15) Paul tells us in Timothy that if we do not provide for our families, then we have denied the faith and we are worse than the infidel. (1 Tim 5:8)

These are just a few, and if you go to survivalblog.com and search under “Prayer Page” https://survivalblog.com/prayer/. You will find this subject addressed much better than I can here, as are the subjects of preparing, storing, self-defense, and even charity. Of course, after you read/research things, get on your knees and pray about it yourself. Ask God to show you His will for you in this circumstance. Regardless of what I say here, He is the only authority for your life. Some won’t, because they are afraid or don’t want to know the answer. We as Christians do that from time to time.

I’m reminded of a story where a man was in the ocean and his boat sunk. Several other boats came by the man who was swimming in the water, but each time they asked if he needed help he turned them down, stating that he believed God would save him. Eventually, he drowns and finds himself in Heaven. He took the first opportunity to question God as to why He didn’t save him. God’s response was, “I sent several people to help you, but you didn’t accept their help.”

…and with that, you’re off the hook.

Okay, you read it. I hope and pray it made an impression to at least look into preparation a little deeper. My father was a young man, during the Great Depression, living in Montana. If he remembered anything in his old age, it was the details of what life was like during that time. They had a 120-acre ranch and hunted, raised beef stock, pigs, and chickens, grew hay and grains as well as had a large garden. They canned everything they could, smoked their meat, stored things in a “root cellar” and so forth. It was nearly a self-sustaining lifestyle, though from time to time they sold excess or worked jobs outside the ranch to buy things they couldn’t make themselves. In modern times, this is what we would call a redoubt—a self-sustaining retreat designed for our survival in the event of a catastrophic collapse. The interesting thing is how the Depression left lasting impressions on my father. To hear his stories of that time conveyed one overarching fact—life was hard. To consider engaging in that lifestyle to survive, after living in the world we now have, is overwhelming. Without the knowledge of how to do it, it would be impossible. Will we need to do it? I pray to God, no. However, if your plan for retirement includes social security, an IRA, or pension, you have only to look at the headlines concerning U.S. and world economic instability to realize you might want to have a backup plan.

So you see, it doesn’t hurt to acquire knowledge, some materials, and have a plan. Having a bag or pack with just 72 hours of sustaining items would put you in a better position than 98+% of the population. We call that a Bug-Out-Bag, or BOB. What do you put in it? Search survivalblog.com. It’s free to find out.