Two Letters Re: Covert Communications

Hugh,

Reading H.R.’s correction on the Covert Communication article I must correct him. He cites 146.00MHz as the National Calling Frequency. That is incorrect. The generally agreed upon simplex frequency (there is no law or regulation requiring the use of any frequency as a National Calling Frequency) for calling others known and/or unknown is 146.52MHz. Do a Google search for “amateur radio national simplex frequency” and navigate to any of the top five or ten citations and you will find that 146.52 is listed in each as the 2 meter national simplex frequency. (There are many National Simplex Frequencies on different bands.) The ARRL’s site is among those that list 146.52 as a “National Calling Frequency”. In fact, H.R.’s frequency of 146.00MHz is listed by the ARRL as in the range of frequencies used for the OSCAR satellite. It wouldn’t be good to have a pile-up of callers there, especially during a period of national or worldwide emergency. – Anonymous

HJL Adds: There are a number of standard simplex radio frequencies that are used in Amateur Radio. Some are standard worldwide, some nationwide, and some are simply local standards. For the most compatibility, I would stick with those listed by the ARRL. The Band Plan published by the ARRL is not binding, but it is a generally accepted practice and an excellent place to start.

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JWR,

That is a great list. Thank you for publishing. I’ve written a few of these on my emergency Yaesu ft 270r radio (that has been unlocked to cover commercial and marine channels). I have found that writing the channels and a brief description on the battery case in sharpie and covering it with clear coat provides a durable way to keep these handy for when needed the most.

The question that I have not found a good answer to: Do any government agencies (outside of the Coast Guard) monitor these frequencies 24/7?

Specifically, I ask because my radio exists solely for emergencies when my cell phone cannot call for help. Specifically, I’m wondering about a medical issue while backpacking or camping. Usually I am within radio range of the great lakes, so marine coast guard channels typically are within range and Rx well.

When further inland, I find that there is very little radio traffic with the exception of the weather broadcasts. A dependable emergency frequency could prove valuable indeed under these circumstances.

Do you or your readers have any knowledge they could share? I typically am in Northern lower Michigan

FYI- I do intend to get my Ham license, and I respect the hobby enough to not illegally use my radio. However, when faced with a significant medical issue in the “back country” (like a heart attack, stroke, or severe trauma) minutes could be significant indeed! -TV

Hugh Replies: It is virtually impossible for any government agency to listen to every possible frequency, even if you just limit it to well known emergency use frequencies. The main problem is that many frequencies are limited by propagation and geography, and the government just doesn’t have the resources to focus on that. (Of course, they definitely seem to have the resources to spy on your everyday life.) Many individuals make it their hobby to monitor the common emergency channels, like CB 19 or Ham 146.52, but even so there are many areas where contact just can’t be raised. I have had reasonable success in placing a copy of the ARRL Repeater Directory in my glove box. Practically every Ham club or Ham repeater has a group of enthusiasts or at least an individual who monitors 24/7 on their favorite repeater. As you travel across the country, there are very few places where you can’t raise a local repeater. In most cases, there may not be general chat in progress, but someone is usually listening. I highly encourage EVERY person to get their Ham ticket.

Odds ‘n Sods:

The Burning Platform blog recently posted a cogent letter clipping about U.S. intervention in Syria (from what appears to be Navy Times), titled Clear As Mud.

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Seattle mandates residents separate food waste from trash or pay $1 fine – T.P.

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Forest Service says media needs photography permit in wilderness areas, alarming First Amendment advocates

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Apparently there really are zombies (other than those found at *Mart on Black Friday): Liberia: Dead Ebola Patients Resurrect?. It is stories like this that make me really question the level of medical care available in some of these third world countries.

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FBI forces police departments across the US to keep quiet about cellphone spying gear

Notes for Wednesday – September 24, 2014

In 1493AD, Columbus set sail with 17 ships on his 2nd voyage to the Americas. Also on this date in 1775, Ethan Allen was captured by the British.

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Yesterday, SurvivalBlog ran an article that had a list of Emergency Frequencies that might be important to know. At the time, we did not have a source for attribution and stated such. Thanks to our readers, the original link has been found at Graywolf Survival, and it contains much more useful information. Check out How to communicate when the world goes silent.

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Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ 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 hardcase 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 1 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 Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) 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 $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  11. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  12. 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,
  13. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

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 Instituteis 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. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  10. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  11. RepackBoxis 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. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 54 ends on September 30st, 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 Mindset and Experience of a Single Competent Female Prepper, by Skylar

For the majority of my adult life– 34 years– I have taught, lived, worked, and recreated in wilderness settings. I appreciated JMS’s call for articles from single female preppers, as it has been a frustration of mine for many years. My early years were spent trying to prove that women can be effective and competent in a survival setting without having to become “one of the guys” or Rambo-esque. It took me a couple of tries before I found an organization to work for that shared this view. I spent the next 10 years working for Outward Bound, and I have loved the experience it brought. Both genders need to be able to step in and out of whatever role is needed, at any given time. I think it is a huge, possibly detrimental, mistake to get stuck in gender-driven roles.

So, one of my first pieces of advice I would give any woman is to lose the gender bias and develop an authentic “can-do” mindset. Notice I said “authentic”. Reading and gathering information isn’t it. Nor is a vacation into the wilderness. Granted, they are good starts, and you can learn a lot, but it is just that– a start. You need tons of practice in all sorts of conditions. You may have ten different ways of starting a fire, but can you start and sustain a fire after it has been raining for days? Can you set up a tarp or tent in windy and/or rainy weather? Can you navigate without electronic techno gadgets and gizmos? HoweverSo forth and so on. Go through all the different categories and ask yourself these type of questions. There have been a ton of books and articles written about all the various aspects of TEOTWAWKI and components of “surviving”, so I won’t rehash it here. I will try to provide some insight into the experience I have gained from being in survival situations and equipment my life has depended upon.

Over the years I have gleamed a lot of hands-on experience in “survival”. Sometimes I felt that I had too much experience because I saw myself becoming complacent in my abilities. A recent health “crisis” has caused me to go back and revamp a lot of my thinking in the area. Very unexpectedly, I landed in the hospital and underwent open heart surgery. I had to have an artificial mitral heart valve replacement surgery due to catching rheumatic fever in one of my bouts with strep as a child. I didn’t even know I had a heart problem until I went into heart and respiratory failure.

Fortunately, a person should be able to fully recover from this type of heart problem, but it has made me stop and rethink things. “It” can shake your sense of self confidence and cause you to reexamine your abilities. The recent health scare has taught me the importance of running all the “what if” scenarios. What if I don’t recover my previous strength, health, and abilities? What then? I still have A to Z in the equipment area and have tried to prep for all possible circumstances, regardless of whether I find myself at a nice safe retreat, trying to get to a retreat, bugging-in, or bugging out. Because I do not know the timing of TSHTF or the exact circumstance therein or what degree of health recovery I will be at, I started the process of going back through everything, which is always a good thing.

Cookware

I found myself taking it one category at a time and using a scale to determine weight, size, and volume. I will use several of the categories to exemplify my thought process. I gathered up all my various ways of cooking over an open fire and started labeling each with their weight and volume. Over the years, I had accumulated various pieces in aluminum, stainless steel, cast iron, copper, brass, and titanium. An important aspect is the melting point of each type of metal. The approximate melting point of aluminum is 1221 degrees F, stainless steel is 2440 degrees, copper is 1984, brass is 1700, cast iron is 2200 (depending upon thickness), and titanium is 3,034 degrees. Aluminum and titanium are the lightest, and most cast iron and brass are the heaviest. I don’t want to have to depend upon having a grill to set the cookware on, so a lot of my thinking revolves around putting the pot into the coals or next to it, so I look for a metal that can handle high temperatures.

I then tried to create a set for all the different possible scenarios of TSHTF. If I were at a retreat and cooking, I would go with the cast iron. If I were trying to get to a retreat and had a vehicle, I would take several sets in aluminum, stainless steel, copper, or titanium. If I was going to bug out with a pack, I would take the stainless steel and/or titanium. I would love to have everything in titanium, because it has the highest melting point and is the lightest, but for me it is cost prohibitive; so I only have a few pieces.

To further break down the process, I took these sub-categories and broke it into sets of heaviest to lightest with size in mind. An example is in the bug out cooking ware. Remembering the adage of one is none, two is one, three is two, and so forth, I found I have six different stainless steel combinations that I have used under various circumstances. They are:

  1. MSR (17.4 Oz/487 ml) SS pot and lid; weighs 9.4 ounces.
  2. Stanley SS cooker set, holds 24 Oz/708 ml. and weighs 7.9 ounces (no cups).
  3. MSR SS pot and lid (37 Oz/1100 ml.) and weighs 15.3 ounces.
  4. MSR SS (60 Oz/1650 ml.) and weighs 13.6 ounces.
  5. Klean SS bottle (64 Oz/1900 ml.) and weighs 11.5 ounces.
  6. Military SS canteen and cup (48 oz. combined) and weighs 15.1 ounces.

I no longer carry things like plates, bowls or cups. I can use the lid of a pot for a plate and my water bottle as a cup.

Packs

These items can then go into the different size bug out bags (packs) that I have. Again, I have multiples, depending upon the circumstances. The first three are various sizes of Mountainsmith lumbar (fanny) packs that can be added onto my packs or carried independently. They are the Knockabout that is 435 cubic inches and weighs 14 ounces. The second is 600 cu and weighs 1.3 lb. The third is the Tour pack that holds 824 cu and weighs 1.64 lb..

The next “pack” sub-category are the “day packs”. The first is a North Face Mako that holds 730 cu and weighs 1.9 lb. (26 Oz). The next is a Camelbak that holds 1200 cu and weighs 1.14 lb. (30 oz.). The next is a North Face Big shot that holds 2015 cu and weighs 2.9 lbs. If you combine any of the lumbar packs with a day pack, you have a wide array of combinations available to you.

You can then combine any of the lumbar or daypacks with a backpack and come up with even more possible combinations. Some of my favorite backpacks are the Gregory Z40, which holds 2441 cu (med.) and weighs 2.14 pounds. I also use The North Face Terra 30, which holds 1850 cu and weighs 3.8 lbs. Another favorite is the Kelty Moraine 3600; it holds 3600 cu and weighs 4.2 lbs. All my gear is based on weight, size, durability, and versatility. I would much rather have gear that is durable than an ultralight that has to have special attention paid to it. Some of the ultralight packs are not that durable and will get tears and holes in them if they are handled roughly, such as dropped on a sharp rock. Some of the new ultralight clothing used for layering do not hold up to heat and will melt if they get a spark from the fire on them.

Sleeping Systems

Versatility is another important aspect when putting your gear together. Again, I have multiple combinations of sleeping systems and shelters that I can use separately or together to cover the wide possible range of environments and weather in which I may find myself. Some of the components that I can combine with a sleeping bag to increase its temperature rating are:

  • a silk liner bag that adds 10-15 degrees of warmth and weighs 4.5 ounces,
  • a Thermo lite bag liner, adding 15 degrees at 9 ounces,
  • an extreme Thermo lite bag that adds 25 degrees and weighs 14 ounces,
  • a fleece sleeping bag rated at 50 degrees and weighs 1.38 pounds, and
  • a GTX Bivy bag to put your sleeping bag in that weighs 1.3 lb. and can add up to 20 degrees. (You could also use an all-weather blanket to wrap your bag in that weighs 12 ounces.)

I have three main sleeping bags that I have used for years and rely on. The first is high-end and pricey but well worth it. It is a Feathered Friends goose down, which is rated to -10 degrees and weighs 3.2 pounds. It has a Gore-Tex shell instead of the normal nylon type. I have slept out in the open with it and found myself warm and dry with several inches of snow on top of my bag in the past. The next is a North Face Cat’s Meow that is rated to 20 degrees and weighs 2.14 ounces. For wet or conditions where your gear might get wet ,such as traveling down a river, I use a synthetic bag. The North Face Bigfoot is an extremely durable bag with a rating of 15 degrees and weighs 3.10 ounces. If you add any of the above components with your sleeping bag you come up with a lot of combinations that should cover all your needs.

Shelters

For shelters I have mainly used rip-stop nylon high quality tarps. An example of one of my favorites is a 6 X 8 that weighs two pounds. The others go up in size and weight from there. A super lightweight alternative is a military rip-stop nylon poncho that weighs in at 10 ounces. The above mentioned all-weather blanket can also be used as a tarp. I also have used, and depended upon, a Black Diamond mega mid, which is a floorless tarp shelter that can fit four people and only weighs 2.5 pounds. Additionally, I have a Kelty Noah’s tarp that is 9 X 9 and weighs 1.8 pounds and a Gore-Tex bivy tent that weighs around two pounds that is a good addition. There are numerous lightweight tents on the market, and I won’t go into them here. Some of the things you want to look for are lightweight and size. Also a must is one with a full fly that goes almost to the ground. Check the quality of stitching and pole strength.

Multi-use Items

You might be able to tell by now that I do not depend upon one type of anything but have tried to come up with a combination of a lot of something’s. If I were to give advice to people, it would be to have something in all the various categories, because it is a whole lot better than having nothing. One also needs to practice with what they have and gain the valuable experience of using it before you have to depend upon it in a survival situation. I also like gear that has multiple uses, such as the military nylon poncho that can be used as protection from the rain for you and your pack as well as a waterproof shelter. My 64-ounce Klean, uninsulated, stainless steel water bottle also doubles as a cooking pot. The all-weather emergency blanket can be a ground cloth, a wrap around bivy bag for your sleeping bag, and also a tarp.

Summary

Don’t get complacent in your current abilities, skills, health, tools, and assorted prepped stuff and allow yourself to stop thinking and reevaluating all aspects of surviving TSHTF. You never really know what is going to happen or what curve ball life might throw at you. You need to prepare yourself to be versatile and adaptable to whatever might happen. A strong, well-earned sense of confidence, know-how, and a can-do mindset can get you through the majority of circumstances. I never thought I would have a problem with my heart, and I always counted on being healthy and athletic. Life threw me a curve ball, and I found myself having to rethink things. When I went back through my gear, I found that I had prepped for a variety of circumstances and built a lot of combinations into the various categories. This has allowed me to regain some of the confidence I once had, now knowing that even if I don’t have all the physical strength I once had, I still have the experience and know-how that has sustained me for many years in less than ideal circumstances. So much of surviving is the mental aspect.

Take care. Keep your powder and socks dry.

Three Letters Re: Covert Communications

Dear Hugh:

Regarding the captioned article posted 23 September 2014, I call your attention to the following quote, pulled from near the middle of the second paragraph:

“These radios do have ‘Privacy Codes’, but anyone can switch around until they find the code you are on, as they all use the same codes and scanners will hear them, coded or not. Switching codes every hour or time you decide will help not being discovered by other FRS/GMRS radio users, but others will scan the codes. It may help but will get you found if others find which code channel you are on”

Please take note of the fact that, when you enable the “privacy codes” on your murs/frs/gmrs/ham/other radio, you are ONLY suppressing YOUR ability to hear other folks, on the same frequency, but employing a different “privacy code”. Anybody listening to the frequency you are utilizing, and who has disabled the “privacy code”, will hear your signal clearly, if they are in range. Do not in any way think for a second that YOUR COMMUNICATIONS have any “privacy”, when you employ “privacy codes”. – Skyrat

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Hello,

A very important 2 meter freq. left off your list is 146.00. It is the national simplex, which will most likely be used quite a bit

with grid down scenario when all the backup power for repeaters dwindle out. – H.R.

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Hugh,

JK has a good grasp of some types of covert communications. However I would avoid the “CB” type radios and to also avoid the GMRS/FRS at all costs for sending communications. These types are way too easy to triangulate and spot during a fox and hound type situation. Not even for squad type operations or inter-squad operations. It has been discussed before, and I will not beat that dead horse.

The ideology for Post-SHTF communications is to be able to “hear” first, plain and simple. My shack consists of the following:

  • HF (Shortwave), all ham bands with auxiliary 1.6-30 MHz. coverage
  • 6 meter ham band, with auxiliary VHF-Low band (30-50 MHz.) coverage
  • 2 meter ham band, with auxiliary VHF-High band (138-174 MHz.) coverage
  • 27 MHz. Citizens Band (CB), with auxiliary “freeband” (25-28 MHz.) coverage
  • MURS
  • FRS/GMRS

Like I said this is my shack, and I have the sufficient antenna’s for these, but I also have an antenna set up for NVIS. It’s nearly impossible to track, due to its “near vertical” take off angle. The rest I can use to listen in from anywhere on the globe, or even talk to anywhere on the globe.

Additionally, I also have another person in our group that operates the Listening post for COMINT. They monitor local and nearby radio emmisions for certain indicator freqs associated with those less desireable types. We have done an assessment and know for certain who is operating in our retreat area AO, and we know their patterns and their schedule, not to mention their location, because we can fox and hound as well.

I sat for my tech, general, and amateur extra at one sitting, and for $14, I passed all three one after the other. Yes, it was hard; yes, it took studying, and it was worth it. Trust me, if I can do this, so can you.

Good luck in the future. I believe someone is making a giant garbage sandwich that we are all going to have to take a bite out of shortly. – W.B.

Economics and Investing:

The Ponzi Economy. – J.W.

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Why Are The Ultra-Rich Rushing To Buy Gold

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Items from Mr. Econocobas:

The Dow And S&P 500 Soar To Irrational Heights – Meanwhile The Ultra-Wealthy Rush To Buy Gold Bars

Minimum-Wage Blowback; The De-Humanization Of Fast-Food Has Begun

Billionaires Are Hoarding Piles of Cash – Disagree with the authors analysis but the facts of how much cash is being withheld is interesting

Hugh’s Quote of the Day:

“Here are my questions to you: Why do people and organizations cough up billions of dollars to line political coffers? One might answer that these groups and individuals are simply extraordinarily civic-minded Americans who have a deep and abiding interest in encouraging elected officials to live up to their oath of office to uphold and defend the U.S. Constitution.

Another possible answer is that the people who spend these billions of dollars on politicians just love participating in the political process. If you believe either of these explanations for coughing up billions for politicians, you’re probably a candidate for psychiatric attention, a straitjacket and a padded cell.

A far better explanation for the billions going to the campaign coffers of Washington politicians and lobbyists lies in the awesome government power and control over business, property, employment and other areas of our lives. Having such power, Washington politicians are in the position to grant special privileges, extend favors, change laws and do other things that if done by a private person would land him in jail. The major component of congressional power is the use of the IRS to take the earnings of one American to give to another.” – Dr. Walter Williams

Notes for Tuesday – September 23, 2014

Today, we present another entry for Round 54 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The $12,100+ 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 hardcase 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 1 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 Warehouseis providing 30 DMPS AR-15 .223/5.56 30 Round Gray Mil Spec w/ Magpul Follower Magazines (a value of $448.95) 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 $300 gift certificate from CJL Enterprize, for any of their military surplus gear,
  7. A 9-Tray Excalibur Food Dehydrator from Safecastle.com (a $300 value),
  8. A $300 gift certificate from Freeze Dry Guy,
  9. A $250 gift certificate from Sunflower Ammo,
  10. A roll of $10 face value in pre-1965 U.S. 90% silver quarters, courtesy of GoldAndSilverOnline.com, (currently valued at around $180 postpaid),
  11. Both VPN tunnel and DigitalSafe annual subscriptions from Privacy Abroad (a combined value of $195),
  12. 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,
  13. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $300 gift certificate.

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 Instituteis 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. Two cases of meals, Ready to Eat (MREs), courtesy of CampingSurvival.com (a $180 value),
  9. TexasgiBrass.com is providing a $150 gift certificate,
  10. Organized Prepper is providing a $500 gift certificate, and
  11. RepackBoxis 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. Ambra Le Roy Medical Products in North Carolina is donating a bundle of their traditional wound care and first aid supplies, with a value of $208, and
  7. APEX Gun Parts is donating a $250 purchase credit, and
  8. SurvivalBased.com is donating a $500 gift certificate to their store.
  9. Montie Gearis donating a Y-Shot Slingshot and a Locking Rifle Rack. (a $379 value).

Round 54 ends on September 30st, 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.

Covert Communications, by J.K.

When it all hits the wall, one thing you should be sure of is that someone is listening to every communication you make within reception range. Many will use scanners to try and find you or your group. If they hear radio activity, especially activity on the short-range radios, they will know you are near. Some will use direction-finding antennas to get your exact location. The idea with radio comms is to use the least power and radio with the least range that will get you reliable comms. If all has gone south, you will want to use radio only when necessary, and then keep your conversation short and don’t transmit from your base; do so from a distance, if possible. The first radio suggested is the Trisquare brand. It can be used anytime without being discovered, except by the military if they are looking for you and have radio direction-finding equipment within range, but the chances of that are slim. The Motorola 900 MHz spread spectrum radio is another option, if you have the load of money to buy them, but they really won’t transmit too much further than the Trisquare, as they are all limited on the amount of power they put out. Though out of production, the “Trisquare” radios can still be found for decent prices and are a MUST HAVE. They make two different kinds, both spread spectrum, but I don’t think the lower priced ones will do text messaging. These have up to a three to four mile range over open areas (and sometimes more if high up or less if there are buildings), and they will not transmit to someone over a blocking hill. The great thing about these radios for use within your land, compound, on field operations, or whatever you choose is that the signal is “Spread Spectrum”. This means that outside of very specialized expensive scanners, used close by, no one will ever know you are on the air. The frequency “Hops” or changes thousands of times per minute and is not picked up by scanners or other radios. This way, no regular scanner or other Trisquare radio can hear you unless the Trisquare radio is programmed with the right codes– ones that you make up. The radios can be linked by a common code, so that all can hear your transmission or you can just transmit to one person in a group of radios. They also permit short text messages for total quiet. They operate in the 900 MHz range, so they have short antennas. To modify the antenna is illegal, but if all goes south and there is no rule of law, that does not mean you cannot get “BNC” connector that you can epoxy to where the antenna was after removing it, then buy a gain antenna from one of the many Electronic-Radio antenna distributors with a BNC mount. Get these in advance, and be sure the antenna is made for the 900 MHz band. Don’t modify the radio unless it’s time to get real; if you use a modified radio and get busted doing so, the FCC will fine you a huge chunk of money, so stay legal unless the rule of law goes away. It’s easy to wire the BNC in the radio. Just open the case halves, remove the two wires from the existing antenna, and solder them to the BNC fitting. A slight bit of filing may be required to fit the BNC connector. Then epoxy the BNC fitting to the case of the radio. Motorola also makes frequency hopping radios in the 900 MHz range, but they cost far more money, and others with that type of radio may be able to copy your transmissions. The antennas you will find will be about one foot in length but have 3db to 6db gain. Having 3db doubles the power output, while 6 db doubles the output of a 3db gain antenna; the cost is about $20.00 each. This will enable you to talk and receive further. It is also a good idea to get a regular short standard antenna with a BNC mount for when you do not need the additional range. There are still batteries and chargers, along with 12 V power plugs for the chargers available on Ebay. Several other things can be done for quiet comms. If you use CB radios, turn the antennas horizontal instead of vertical. This causes the signal to be 90 degrees out of phase with all other CB antennas, and it will greatly limit the ability of other CB radios to receive your transmission. Get some H.T. CB radios. These can operate putting out less power. This may limit their useful range, but it also makes them harder for others to hear. For one-way comms in a small area with a regular 5 watt CB radio, buy a 50 ohm “Dummy Load” and put it right outside the window, on the roof with a piece of coax connecting to the radio and dummy load. Dummy loads will radiate your signal for a short distance. Others at any distance will not be able to hear you. Get a dummy load that will take over 5 watts as a 5 watt dummy load will heat up quickly. Keep transmissions short, and let the dummy load cool between uses. You can make your own with a 20 watt, 50 ohm resistor. Just connect the center conductor of the coax to one side of the resistor and the shield that is under the rubber outside to the other end of the resistor.

Another very good form of communication

Consider amateur 2M/70CM HT’s and a mobile radio for long distance transmissions, if you have the money. Getting your FCC Technician license is very easy and will cost you $14.00. You can find dual band (2 meter and 70 CM) radios on Ebay for $40.00. Better quality radios cost more, but the China radios do work well. I prefer the Yaesu FT-60, which cost around $150.00, because they are built like a tank and you can get a battery pack that takes AA batteries. Be sure to get a 12-volt charger adapter for any radio you get and a AA battery pack, if available for your brand of radio. Buy extra battery packs; the higher the capacity, the better. When using these radios, you can go to low power and turn the antennas sideways for short comms, or you can use full power and be able to communicate from 5 to 50 miles if you’re up high and have a direct shot at the other radio. If repeaters are still up and working, you can extend the range to well over 100 miles in many places. Be aware, others will hear your transmissions with these radios from a couple miles to 50 miles away, depending on the power level used and the lay of the land. Flat and open or up high will get you the most distance. Hills, mountains, buildings, and trees will cut down on the distance the radio will be heard. Many of these radios can be set to 1 watt or less. Always use the least amount of power necessary to communicate. Besides others not hearing you, the battery life will be much longer between charges. I would recommend anyone interested in radio to go on to get their General license after their Technician license and obtain H.F. Radios and antennas, both antennas used in fixed locations and portable ones you can string up in a tree. Get the licenses and equipment now so you will gain experience in their use and in building your own antennas. H.F. radios are expensive and do require up to 20 amps of 12 volt power, so having deep cycle batteries and solar panels or a generator and 25 amp power supply (120v to 12V) is a must. With a H.F. radio, when conditions are right, you can transmit all over the world, and most of the time, anywhere in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Buying your radio used and making your own antenna will save a lot of money. For the most covert use of H.F. radios, you want to make a 40 meter and 80 meter NIVIS antenna. These are just Dipole antennas made from wire that you hang parallel to the ground from a height of 10′ from the ground. Most of the signal goes straight up and has a range of about 300 miles, as it bounces off the ionosphere. It’s harder for someone with direction-finding equipment to find a station using NVIS antennas, but it’s not impossible. The military used to use NVIS antennas to make it harder for them to be found, before going to more advanced systems. Another type of radio is the Murs. These have limited channels and only put out 2 watts. Better to buy the Amateur radios if you want more distance than FRS/GMRS provides. Last, but not least, is the lowly FRS/GMRS radios. Many of you have them, and they can transmit from 1/2 mile to 30 or 40 miles, mountain top to mountain top. However, the combination is FRS/GMRS radios, not just FRS radios, and here is why. FRS transmits with very little power, therefore it has limited range for close in use without being detected. The GMRS radios put out more power for distances of 1 to 3 miles, sometimes less. Again, turning the radios sideways so the antennas are horizontal will cut down on the received range. These radios do have “Privacy Codes”, but anyone can switch around until they find the code you are on, as they all use the same codes and scanners will hear them, coded or not. Switching codes every hour or time you decide will help not being discovered by other FRS/GMRS radio users, but others will scan the codes. It may help but will get you found if others find which code channel you are on. To legally use a GMRS radio, you must get an FCC license at the cost of $75.00. FRS requires no license. The GMRS license covers your entire family. Ebay has sellers who have used Motorola UHF radios that they can program to the GMRS frequencies that put out 25 watts. These are around $100.00. Be sure they program them for you, as it needs special cables and software for programming. You will also need an outside GMRS antenna, and don’t forget, it will be easy to track the higher-powered radio. Expect an 8 to 15 mile range with the antenna at 30′ or better. Most people who have them (the low-power, not higher-power radios) and use them are not licensed, and there is little chance of being caught as long as you’re not causing problems for anyone else. I’ll leave it to you whether to get licensed or not. That said, do not use any other amateur radios, such as the 2 meter/70CM radios or HF radios without being licensed. (The Trisquare radio does not need a license to operate.) There is a good chance of getting in big trouble if caught, and amateur operators do not take kindly to unlicensed operations of amateur radios; they will track you down and report you. When it all goes south, no one is going to use their call signs. So at that point, have at it. One other way to communicate to others close by, once all rule of law is lost, is if the telephone wires in the peds or on the telephone poles are twisted pairs of wire rather than fiber optic. They are there in bundles of wire with different colors of plastic strips wrapped around the bundle and the wires in each bundle being in pairs of blue/white, orange/white, green/white, et cetera. If you buy the military-type phones, you can connect the same colored pair from the same bundle to two or more different houses, then cut the wires on either side of the furthest connection point. You’ll need battery power for the phones. Voltage the phone uses may vary, but the telephone company uses 48V DC for the talk and low amperage AC for the ringers; military-style phones have cranks to make the other phone ring by producing ringing voltage on the line to the other phone and batteries to give talk power. This only works along a run of cable, until it comes to a cross connect box. At that point, you would have to tone out the wires, find the tone from both ends and connect the two with a jumper. If you know anyone who works or has worked for the telephone company, they will know how to hook things up. In many urban areas and cities, they use fiber optic rather than wire, except for maybe a run of cable along the street. A run of cable is all you need for close by homes. Distant homes will not be able to use this system. You will need to have someone who knows how the wires go and is able to tone and connect the right wires. You can also run your own pair of wires between homes. This brings up the last big thing– POWER. You will want to have a way to keep the batteries charged in your radios. For this, you will need something that will charge 12 volts with an adapter or 120 volts without the adapter for the charger. Solar panels with a charge controller and deep cycle batteries are the best way to go. A generator is also good with a battery charger, but you will run short of fuel in time. Wind generators cause noise and are quite easy to spot at height, which is not the best choice in most places. If you have a stream or river with a drop, there are hydro generators that work well. Most radios take battery packs of rechargeable batteries. Buy a bunch. The Trisquare and FRS/GMRS packs don’t cost much, so buy a lot and keep them charged from time to time. Don’t let them go dead. You will also need lots of AA batteries. Buy both large packs of non rechargeable and a lot of rechargeable AA batteries. Along with this, get at least four to six solar battery chargers and 12 volt chargers for the AA batteries. Buy quality rechargeable batteries; the cheap ones go bad too quickly. The HF radios need 12 volts, so deep cycle batteries are the way to power these. When buying solar panels, buy big ones. It’s far cheaper than buying many smaller ones, and you’ll need all the charging power you can get. Buy two to four 120 watt panels at a minimum. I got 120 amp panels from Ebay for $129.95 each, shipped. (The current price is closer to $150.00, which is still a great deal.) Also, buy a few 10-watt or 20-watt panels as back up or for use in the field; the smaller the panel, the more you will pay per watt. Buy a book on solar power to learn how to correctly hook them up. Don’t build your own panels; they go bad very quickly unless built like commercial panels, and they will not be any cheaper if made right. They make 16 watt roll up panels that can be taken in the field to charge batteries when not near your home or camp. Have at least four full-size deep cycle batteries. You can get them in 12 volts or buy Golf Cart batteries, which are 6 volts; just wire them in parallel to get 12 volts. The big box stores have both types for good prices. If you can find a battery supplier who will sell you deep cycle batteries dry, they will not go bad in storage. You just have to buy enough battery acid to fill them; then give them a good hard charge, and you’ll have good batteries long after the old ones have all gone bad. Keep your deep cycle batteries charging on the specialized trickle chargers that monitor battery condition, and be sure to keep the acid level up with distilled water only. Don’t use an inexpensive/cheap charger; they will ruin your batteries. If you become a radio Amateur with at least a General license, you will discover other ways to communicate, such as digital. With digital, no one but another person with the right ham equipment will be able to copy your transmission, but it will be copied on a scanner and a bunch of sounds, letting others know you may be close. You can also do dish to dish, point to point comms, using old computer routers and some other things for a distance of up to 20 miles. Becoming a Ham radio operator, you will learn much about different ways to communicate through some study and the help of experienced operators.

Two other pieces of equipment to have, if possible.

It is good to have a scanner that has what is called near field reception. This means it will pick up and lock on any frequency within its range. there is no need to have every frequency programmed into it. This way you’ll know if others with radios are getting close and can gather intel. Last, a good portable shortwave receiver is handy. I recommend the Sony ICF-SW7600R (Editor’s note: The ICF-SW7600R has been discontinued.) It is small in size, has great sensitivity, great quality, operates on four AA batteries, and (best of all) it can pick up the H.F. transmissions from amateur radio operators as well as regular short wave stations run by governments (if any are left). Most other short wave receivers will not be able to hear the amateur operators, which is where you will get the best and real information. It’s not cheap at about $160.00, but it is the lowest price radio that will allow you to hear amateur HF radio. If you cannot afford the Sony, at least get a standard short wave radio. I hope this gives many of you some good ideas. Communication will prove to be vital when the way of world as we know it no longer exists.

Keep your powder dry. God Bless.

Letter Re: Sharp-Shoot-R Products

I was truly amazed by the work Scott put into cleaning his firearms! I shoot a fair amount of hard cast lead bullets for plinking and target shooting but keep velocities under 1600 fps, and above that I use jacketed bullets, which seems to simplify my cleaning. One patch lightly gun oiled up and down the barrel three times, then I follow that with a dry patch up and down the barrel three times. Take a lightly oiled scrap of cloth and wipe down the outside of the firearm, then the bolt face and moving parts. If the firearm is of the semi-auto variety, I add a drop to each slide rail, work it in with a finger tip, and cycle the slide a couple of times. Every third cleaning I remove the slide, bbl, gas piston, et cetera and do a more extensive cleaning and oiling, leaving a light film of oil on moving parts. If the fire arm is to be stored two or three years, I make the second patch lightly oiled also. Revolver cylinders get the same treatment as the bore. For years I used kerosene with a little motor oil added to change the color of the mix. Then I tried Army Surplus light gun oil, then Hoppies Gun oil, and now I use Remington gun oil. They all seemed to work well, as long as I didn’t store my firearm in a leaky trailer or in a home with a working swamp cooler. Semi-auto carry pistols require periodic cleaning and shooting to obtain reliability. Learn yours, and stick to it. Your life depends on it. AM

Scot Replies: Thanks so much for the email! We all come up with our own strategies for gun care, and what works for one person may not work for another. I usually do pretty much what you do, when I get home from the range, which is run a patch or two wet with Cleaner-Lubricant-Protectant through the bore and wipe down the exterior with CLP. If the mechanism is dirty enough that I think function might be impaired, I will clean and lube it before putting it away. That said, I am leaving stuff in the barrel and as the layers build up, it gets harder and harder to get the bore completely clean. That’s what has happened to more than one of my guns, and it meant much more work to get them clean when I finally decided to do it.

Oils don’t do a good job of removing copper or lead. CLP products are better but are not as efficient as special purpose cleaners.

Ed’s Red, the cleaner I make at home, is pretty close to what you are using by mixing kerosene and motor oil. Here is the formula for Ed’s:

  • 1 part Dexron II, IIe or III Automatic Transmission Fluid – GM Spec D20265 or later
  • 1 part K1 Kerosene
  • 1 part Aliphatic Mineral (same thing as the odorless mineral spirits from the home store)
  • 1 part Acetone (CAS#67-64-1)

You can also add lanolin, to make it a better protectant.

The mineral spirits and acetone really help cut through dirt, while ATF is a good penetrant and lubricant, as well as having some ability to prevent corrosion.

Some people add some Murphy’s Soap and ammonia to get copper out, as Ed’s doesn’t do much to copper. It does nail most other fouling.

There is a lot of homemade cleaner information here:

http://www.frfrogspad.com/homemade.htm

I keep an ammo can full of Ed’s and throw stuff in to soak. I’ve left things in for a couple of weeks, and they were really easy to get clean! I’m thinking about trying to find a tank that would hold barreled actions.

We normally shoot about 1,000 rounds a month here, using mainly three or four firearms, and they get pretty dirty after a few months. If I don’t do a thorough job on them fairly frequently, I don’t think they perform up to snuff. I also like to have a really clean barrel when I am doing accuracy testing and that means getting all the fouling out, whether lead, copper, powder, or primer.

Lead fouling is a real pain for me. I have one 1911 that doesn’t lead and another that leads badly. I’m using 200 grain SWC loads at around 850 fps, and they should not lead, but they do in that one pistol. Most of my revolvers will lead, much to my aggravation. The blue ones make it very obvious, but the stainless ones are doing it, too. I have a friend with a bore scope, and it reveals all of the nastiness you can find in a barrel.

My bottom-line is that I don’t think a gun is clean if it doesn’t pass a white glove test. If patches with the most aggressive cleaners I’ve found don’t come out clean, then it isn’t clean. I think that makes me a bit obsessive, and I understand if no one wants to follow my course. On the other hand, if someone has an easier method that really gets everything out of the bore (and can convince me it works), please let me know.

Thanks again for the email! I really appreciate hearing from readers.

God Bless! Scot Frank Eire SurvivalBlog Product Review Editor

An Emergency Frequencies List

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The following frequency list is part of a blog post from Graywolf Survival.

34.90: Used nationwide by the National Guard during emergencies.
39.46: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state police forces.
47.42: Used across the United States by the Red Cross for relief operations.
52.525: Calling frequency used by ham radio operators in FM on their six-meter band.
121.50: International aeronautical emergency frequency.
138.225: Disaster relief operations channel used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; it is active during earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and other catastrophic events.
146.52: Used by ham radio operators for non-repeater communications on the two-meter band; it is very busy in many parts of the country.
151.625: Used by “itinerant” businesses, or those that travel about the country. Circuses, exhibitions, trade shows, and sports teams are some of the users you can hear. Other widely used itinerant channels are 154.57 and 154.60.
154.28: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local fire departments; 154.265 and 154.295 also used.
155.160: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state agencies during search and rescue operations.
155.475: Used for inter-department emergency communications by local and state police forces.
156.75: Used internationally for broadcasts of maritime weather alerts. 156.80: International maritime distress, calling, and safety channel. All ships must monitor this frequency while at sea. It is also heavily used on rivers, lakes, etc.
162.40: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.425: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.45: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.475: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.50: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.525: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
162.55: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
163.275: NOAA weather broadcasts and bulletins.
163.4875: Used nationwide by the National Guard during emergencies.
163.5125: The national disaster preparedness frequency used jointly by the armed forces.
164.50: National communications channel for the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
168.55: National channel used by civilian agencies of the federal government for communications during emergencies and disasters.
243.00: Used during military aviation emergencies.
259.70: Used by the Space Shuttle during re-entry and landing.
296.80: Used by the Space Shuttle during re-entry and landing.
311.00: Flight channel used by the U.S. Air Force.
317.70: Used by U.S. Coast Guard aviation.
317.80: Used by U.S. Coast Guard aviation.
319.40: Used by the U.S. Air Force.
340.20: Used by U.S. Navy aviators.
409.20: National communications channel for the Interstate Commerce Commission.
409.625: National communications channel for the Department of State.
462.675: Used for emergency communications and traveler assistance in the General Mobile Radio Service.