Preparedness Notes for Sunday — April 16, 2023

April 16th is the birthday of two notable novelists– the late J. Neil Schulman (pictured) and Samuel Youd.

Agorist-Libertarian activist J. Neil Schulman (born April 16, 1953, died 2019) was best known as author of the novel Alongside Night.

The late Samuel Youd (born 1922, died February 3, 2012) was the British novelist who was best known for his science fiction writings under the pseudonym John Christopher, including the survivalist novel Death of Grass (titled No Blade of Grass, in the American edition) as well as the Tripods Series of young adult sci-fi novel series. A fascinating man, Youd wrote prolifically, using eight pen names. He was a good friend of sci-fi novelist John Wyndham, and both of them were famous for writing what are often called “cozy catastrophes”.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. 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).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Government Decline: The Next Big Thing, by Michael X.

The civilized world is in decline. The decline is definitely affecting the once-great United States. Most people know we are in trouble. Many do not like the current course of our government. Unfortunately, many of those people still believe we can make some adjustments (vote ‘em out!!) and “get back to normal”. This belief keeps them from making the changes and the preparations that may help them in the future. It is time for a realistic review of the situation and the beginning of an effort to decide what is wrong, what if anything can be done to fix it, and how to proceed.

You are reading this because you are a prepper or interested in prepping. What are you prepping for? An EMP? Earthquake? An epidemic? Cyber attack? All these are good reasons to prep. But there seems to be a tendency to look right past the elephant in the room. It is something we are so familiar with that we don’t recognize it as a risk, and due to normalcy bias may refuse to accept it.

To prepare, a person needs a specific problem to focus the preparation on. The issues should be looked at in the correct order of probability. While an EMP is certainly a possibility, a current crisis is already here. It is time for a reality check, to assess this situation, understand where you are, what the full details of the problem are, what options for action are available for that problem.

Look at the current state of the United States federal government. Consider the following questions: As it declines, is there any realistic way to change its course, legally? Can the United States Government be restored to its original place and intent, a country run by the people? Can it be adjusted back to the original intent of states’ rights? There is a way in theory – by voting in new individuals to do that very thing.

The United States government’s decline is the next great (and current) event.Continue reading“Government Decline: The Next Big Thing, by Michael X.”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

Go Woke, Lose $5 Billion in Stock Valuation

Shares… Low… …er

News Links:

Anheuser-Busch loses more than $5 billion in value amid Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light controversy

JWR’s Comment:

The transvestite ad campaign and Bud Light can logo fiasco were dreamed up by Anheuser-Busch Marketing VP Alissa Heinerscheid. Just imagine how will this look on her resume, under “Accomplishments”…

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;

For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle, (I speak the truth in Christ, and lie not;) a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and verity.

I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

But (which becometh women professing godliness) with good works.

Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection.

But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” – 1 Timothy 2: 1-12 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 15, 2023

Today, April 15, 2023 is the 20th Blogiversary of Commander Zero’s Notes From The Bunker blog. Congratulations, Z.!

April 15th is traditionally Tax Day, but I prefer to remember its as musician Roy Clark’s birthday. He was born April 15, 1933.

April 15th, 1912, is also the anniversary of the sinking of the “unsinkable” Titanic. 1,517 people lost their lives on the maiden voyage.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. 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).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Commo for Family, Group, or Community – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 4. This concludes the article.)

There is a serious weakness in the Baofeng UV-5R and several other similar radios, since there is no off-the-shelf charger made to charge these radios from a standard 12vdc source. Fortunately, we can make our own 12vdc step-down charger power supply by putting together the parts that I list below. It can charge up to four Baofeng UV5R radios, or any brand handheld radios, and even some Kenwood and Midland radios (transceivers), or any radio that requires 9vdc  to 10vdc at its charger base. It can charge more than 4 handhelds at a time. However, with four transceivers charging, the charge times would be extended to a point that is impractical for most typical use.

The 5.5mm barrel connector, or appropriate connector fits many charging docks. The converter provides up to 2 amps, and 9.14vdc that the Baofeng charging base then steps down to 8.3vdc as a maximum allowed voltage. This duplicates factory performance and allows the factory circuitry to regulate the charging process, and avoids overcharging.

Solar Direct Charging
If we can charge radios “solar direct”, then we have eliminated the need for a battery bank and charge controller. Charging solar direct is roughly 30 percent more efficient if a PWM charge controller is eliminated.  We avoid the loss of power during the conversion into a chemical form as when a storage battery is used –with the loss of power when the chemical process is reversed to transfer power.
As tested with a constant 5aH 19.5 vdc power supply, the converter steps down the voltage to 9.22 volts instead of the previously mentioned 9.14vdc, and the charging base limits the maximum charging voltage to 8.3 vdc as it does when the original power source is between 12 and 13 vdc, the voltage of a typical lead acid battery.
This test at 19.5vdc simulates the level of power that would be supplied by a nominal 12vdc 100-watt PV panel at VOC that the maximum voltage during peak production as occurs during bright sunny conditions in very cold weather. Therefore, I estimate  that this step-down conversion device can be used to charge 1 to 4 handheld radios in the same time period that the manufacturer expects when directly connected to a single 40-watt panel as minimum during ideal solar conditions.  Or to a 400-watt 12vdc panel during cloudy conditions, or during ideal conditions.

Continue reading“Commo for Family, Group, or Community – Part 5, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make both long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug-out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in the Odds ‘n Sods Column or in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

For half of the past week, I was still down with a cold.  But now I’m back to a nearly normal pace of activity. The snow is quickly melting, and our pastures are starting to green up. (Quite late, this year!)

I’ve been making just a bit of progress on remodeling our workshop.

Now, Lily’s report…Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“How is the gold become dim! how is the most fine gold changed! the stones of the sanctuary are poured out in the top of every street.

The precious sons of Zion, comparable to fine gold, how are they esteemed as earthen pitchers, the work of the hands of the potter!

Even the sea monsters draw out the breast, they give suck to their young ones: the daughter of my people is become cruel, like the ostriches in the wilderness.

The tongue of the sucking child cleaveth to the roof of his mouth for thirst: the young children ask bread, and no man breaketh it unto them.

They that did feed delicately are desolate in the streets: they that were brought up in scarlet embrace dunghills.

For the punishment of the iniquity of the daughter of my people is greater than the punishment of the sin of Sodom, that was overthrown as in a moment, and no hands stayed on her.

Her Nazarites were purer than snow, they were whiter than milk, they were more ruddy in body than rubies, their polishing was of sapphire:

Their visage is blacker than a coal; they are not known in the streets: their skin cleaveth to their bones; it is withered, it is become like a stick.

They that be slain with the sword are better than they that be slain with hunger: for these pine away, stricken through for want of the fruits of the field.

The hands of the pitiful women have sodden their own children: they were their meat in the destruction of the daughter of my people.

The Lord hath accomplished his fury; he hath poured out his fierce anger, and hath kindled a fire in Zion, and it hath devoured the foundations thereof.

The kings of the earth, and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have believed that the adversary and the enemy should have entered into the gates of Jerusalem.” – Lamentations 4:1-12 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — April 14, 2023

On this day in 1865, just after the effective end of the American Civil War, U.S. President Abraham Lincoln was shot by John Wilkes Booth while attending a production at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, D.C., and died the next morning.

—

On April 14, 1828 Noah Webster published An American Dictionary of the English Language; based on the principle that word usage should evolve from the spoken language, the work was hugely influential, though it was initially attacked for its “Americanism.”

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. 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).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Commo for Family, Group, or Community – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 3.)

CB Radios
Cobra has time-tested models that are sure to please you. However, there are less expensive brands that may be just as reliable, but lack some of the useful features that Cobra offers. Regardless, 40-channel handhelds and mobile CBs are limited to 3.5 watts. As a practical matter, I would be inclined to buy several of the least expensive CBs before getting something as nice as a full-featured Cobra, or better yet, a CB with SSB. I apply this approach to all my purchases in order to create as deep a supply as possible.  Logistics wins wars, and the same principle will help the survivalist survive.
I recently tested a Uniden hand-held CB radio, the PRO401HH. This ia a 3.5 watt transceiver purchased on eBay for just $49.  Relative to the older models of handhelds that are as large and heavy as red bricks, this is a slim, more compact, and comfortable to hold modern handheld CB. I found that it is very easy to operate.  It can be powered and charged directly by 12vdc, and be connected to an external 1/4-wave ground plane, or a shorter non-ground plane antenna that is more convent to install. It would be a good substitute for a mobile and used as a ‘base station’ in the home, or in a vehicle with a magnetic-mounted rooftop antenna, and can be carried. Given the antenna requirements and limitations of installing larger antennas needed to get the most range out of a CB transceivers, its range is typically less than handheld UHF/VHF transceivers. CB will, however, be popular, and is a must-have if someone wants to keep their options open so that we have the ability to talk to neighbors who will be using these radios, since a CB may be the only transceiver that they process.

Continue reading“Commo for Family, Group, or Community – Part 4, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. In this column, JWR also covers hedges, derivatives, and various obscura. Most of these items are from JWR’s “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective. Today, we catch some whiffs of recession in the air. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

Gold and silver have seen another week of solid price gains versus the Dollar. As of Thursday morning:

  • Spot Gold was at $2,058.10 per Troy ounce, up $34.10 (up 1.67% for the day)
  • Spot Silver was at $26.10 per Troy ounce, up 50 cents (up 1.96% for the day)

As of Thursday, one well-known national bullion coin dealer was charging a whopping $30,830 for a $1,000 face-value bag of pre-1965 90% silver quarters.

o  o  o

Wall Street, Dollar Apologists Busted for Ever-Shifting Anti-Gold Arguments.

o  o  o

Texas May Launch Its Own Gold-backed Digital Currency.

Economy & Finance:

Treasury Plans to Raise US Debt to $50 Trillion.

o  o  o

From The FEE: Silicon Valley Bank, Another Victim of Expansive Monetary Policy.

o  o  o

Video commentary from Matt Christiansen: Small Business Bankruptcies Surge Past Pandemic/Lockdown High.

o  o  o

Yea, verily, “Get Woke, Go Broke”: Anheuser-Busch loses more than $5 billion in value amid Dylan Mulvaney Bud Light controversy. JWR’s Comment: Something tells me that this isn’t yet the bottom, for their stock price.

o  o  o

The BRICS Street Boys Toppling G7 Economies.

o  o  o

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon Warns of Continued Banking Crisis and Potential Trouble Ahead.

o  o  o

WSJ: Priorities That Defined Our National Character For Generations — Religion, Patriotism, Children, Hard Work — Are Cratering Among Americans, Especially Democrats.

o  o  o

Video from Dr. Peter St. Onge: Dr. Doom: “Most banks are technically insolvent”.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Americans may like guns because they were reminiscent of the smell of outdoors, military heroism, the intensity of the hunt or merely because they are fascinated by the finely machined metal parts. Maybe the origin of a gun speaks of history; maybe the gun makes a man’s home seem to him less vulnerable; maybe these feelings are more justified in the country than in the city; but, above all, many of us believe that these feelings are a man’s own business and need not be judged by the Department of the Treasury or the Department of Justice.” – Samuel Cummings, Founder of Interarms

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — April 13, 2023

April 13, 1743 was the birthday of Thomas Jefferson. Patriotically, he died on July 4th, 1826.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 106 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  4. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  5. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  6. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. A $300 gift certificate from Good2Goco.com, good for any of their products: Home freeze dryers, pressure canners, Country Living grain mills, Emergency Essentials foods, and much more.
  4. 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).
  5. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  6. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. EBL is providing an EBL Voyager 500-Watt Power Station with deep cycle lithium batteries, providing reliable 120 Volt AC and DC (12 Volt and USB) power for emergencies or outdoor use. (A $399 value.)
  2. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  3. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  4. Montana Survival Seed is providing a $225 gift code for any items on its website, including organic non-GMO seeds, fossils, 1812-1964 US silver, jewelry, botany books, and Montana beeswax.
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $800,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. We recently polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 106 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Commo for Family, Group, or Community – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 2.)

Test All Antennas for Acceptable SWR
The antenna manufacturer of the Tram 1481 boosts an impressive gain on the VHF side of 8 dBi. Given the low power tests conducted, I found this figure plausible as 3.5 watts sent to the dual band Tram 1481 antenna mount only a few feet off the ground was easily received by a Baofeng UV5R on a J-pole located at a distance of 18.3 miles away LOS, and on the other side of a small mountain. The signal was reflect around the mountain. The SWR on low power at that frequency was 2:1 and the power loss through 30 feet of RG8x at the antenna was estimated to be about 1 watt, leave us with 2.5 watts delivered to the antenna. The ERP with 8 dBi of gain put the signal out the door at upwards of 9.6 watts. Wow! However impressive is this level of gain from an omni-directional VHF antenna, I am not impressed by the build quality.

Continue reading“Commo for Family, Group, or Community – Part 3, by Tunnel Rabbit”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods. This column is a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from JWR. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. In today’s column, we look at Sales Tax Holidays.

Texas: Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday

Texas has announced an Emergency Preparation Supplies Sales Tax Holiday that will run April 22-24, 2023.

And for folks living in other states: Sales Tax Holidays.

Tax holidays represent a good time to stock up. Under Texas law, these emergency preparation supplies qualify for tax exemption during the holiday:

  • Less than $3000
    • Portable generators.
  • Less than $300
    • Emergency ladders.
    • Hurricane shutters.
  • Less than $75
    • Axes.
    • Batteries, single or multipack (AAA cell, AA cell, C cell, D cell, 6 volt or 9 volt).
    • Can openers – nonelectric.
    • Carbon monoxide detectors.
    • Coolers and ice chests for food storage – nonelectric.
    • Fire extinguishers.
    • First aid kits.
    • Fuel containers.
    • Ground anchor systems and tie-down kits.
    • Hatchets.
    • Ice products – reusable and artificial.
    • Light sources – portable self-powered (including battery operated).
      • Examples of items include: candles, flashlights and lanterns.
    • Mobile telephone batteries and mobile telephone chargers.
    • Radios – portable self-powered (including battery operated) – includes two-way and weather band radios.
    • Smoke detectors.
    • Tarps and other plastic sheeting.

Bank Accounts of Murder Victims Drained Via Facial Recognition Tech

This piece at Fox News comes to us courtesy of blog reader C.B.: Bank accounts of New York ‘roofie murder’ victims drained via facial recognition technology.Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”