PV Power Challenges and Solutions, by Tractorguy

This article should be subtitled:

“And, the importance of regular visits to your Bug-Out Location (BOL).”

Back in August of 2020, I wrote about the solar photovoltaic (PV) power system at my Bug-Out Location (BOL). I believe it was General Electric that used to put on all their professional product literature, “Our policy is one of constant improvement.” That’s great advice for all of us! In the last three years, I have made some refinements and corrected some significant shortcomings in it.

My BOL is deep in the woods, a quarter-mile off the road, and is surrounded by trees. That’s great for OPSEC and natural air conditioning, but it is very challenging for harvesting solar power. Fortunately, there is a cleared corral area about fifty feet North of the house where my solar panels are located. As I detailed back in 2020, I have the main bank of solar panels facing South, with an additional panel facing East and West to catch the first sunlight in the morning, and the last sunlight in the evening. Relying on solar power off-grid requires that you maximize not only your peak output, but also your hours of “harvesting”, as any significant loads you are going to power overnight, such as refrigeration, will be totally dependent on the energy stored in your battery bank, unless you have a power source other than solar, such as a windmill or water turbine to supplant the solar.Continue reading“PV Power Challenges and Solutions, by Tractorguy”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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America’s polarized political tribes are moving away from each other. Just look at a bluer Colorado and a redder Idaho.

o  o  o

Ontario Knife Company has been sold. It has been reported that 56 employees will be losing their jobs. It is not clear what the new owner, Blue Ridge Knives of Virginia, plans to do with the product line. It has not yet been announced where or when production might resume.

o  o  o

Family Who Died Trying to Live ‘Off the Grid’ Told Loved Ones About Their Plan: ‘We Tried to Stop Them’. JWR’s Comments: True survivalism is far-removed from starry-eyed, unrealistic romanticism and LARPing. Practical self-sufficiency takes real skills, hands-on experience, proper tools, and a very deep larder.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I write about things that are important for us as Americans. I’m concerned about al-Qaeda sneaking across the border with the illegal immigrants that are using the coyotes to get across the border. And that’s not a Democrat or Republican issue, that’s a national security issue.” – Brad Thor

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — August 1, 2023

August 1st is remembered as the election day in 1946 that sparked the Battle of Athens, Tennessee, when returning World War II veterans took up arms to oust a corrupt local government that was rigging an election.

On August 1, 1941 the first U.S. military Jeep rolled off the assembly line.

On August 1, 1958 the US First-Class postage was increased to 4 cents. (It had been 3 cents for 26 years.) In case you missed the news, the most recent rate increase went into effect on July 9, 2023. The new rate sheet includes an increase in the cost of a First-Class Mail stamp (the “Forever” stamp) — jumping from 63 cents to 66 cents.

Today is the anniversary of the general uprising against the German occupation, in Warsaw, in 1944. Like the Warsaw Jewish Ghetto uprising in April of 1943, it was doomed to failure. The uprising was eventually crushed, with massive civilian casualties. There was no support provided by the Allies. The advancing Soviet Red Army–just a few miles to the east–merely waited and watched. It was in their best interest to stand by and witness the remnants of the Polish Army deplete themselves against the German Wehrmacht.

August 1st is celebrated as Swiss Independence Day, in recognition of the signing of the Federal Charter of 1291, which united Switzerland’s first three cantons. As of 2023, Switzerland has been free and independent for 732 years. Having a well-armed populace has assured that.

And today is also the birthday of Lt. Colonel William B. Travis. He was born in 1809 and died March 6, 1836, at The Alamo.

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Today’s feature article was too short to be considered as an entry for the judging in Round 108 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.

But up first is the judging for the most recent round of the writing contest.

Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced — Round 107

We’ve completed the judging for Round 107 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 107 ended on July 31st, 2023. The contest is run in rounds that each last two months. The prize-winning writers for Round 107 are:

First Prize

First Prize goes to PrepperDoc, for: Assembling a Stealth Prepper Group, posted on July 18th and 19th, 2023. See: Part 1, and Part 2. He will receive the following prizes.

  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

Second Prize goes to Tunnel Rabbit, for: Low Power Communications Station in a Bucket, posted July 25-28, 2023. See: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5. He will receive the following prizes:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. 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).
  3. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. 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

Third Prize goes to OhioGalt, for Building a Simple Faraday Cage, posted on July  16, 2023. He will receive the following prizes:

  1. 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.
  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.
Honorable Mention

Each Honorable Mention Prize winner has been awarded a transferable and accruable $100 FRN purchase credit toward the purchase of any antique or percussion replica gun from Elk Creek Company.

Honorable Mention Prizes go to the writers of these 16 articles:

More than $840,000 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 108 is already underway and ends on September 30th, 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.

July, 2023 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran

Welcome to SurvivalBlog’s Precious Metals Month in Review, where we take a look at “the month that was” in precious metals. Each month, we cover gold’s performance and the factors that affected gold prices.

What Did Gold Do in July?

We expected continued central bank policies of putting the inflation fight above the job market and preventing inflation would have put gold on the back foot, making traditionally weak summer gold demand worse. That isn’t exactly what happened.

August gold futures started July at $1,929 an ounce, with spot prices starting at $1,919. Prices peaked on the 18th, with August futures settling at $1,980, and spot prices closing at $1,977. The most active gold contract on the COMEX shifted to the December futures on Friday, July 28th, closing at $1,999.90. It ended the month at $2,009.20.

Gold saw highly volatile price movements this month, moving suddenly by $20 up or down on unexpected economic news.Continue reading“July, 2023 in Precious Metals, by Steven Cochran”

Using Pop Culture to Teach Survival and Civics, by M.J.

This short article does not teach any particular skills, tactics, or procedures. My only objective here is to offer some suggestions for using pop culture to get children or teenagers to start thinking about survival and to learn about civics. While most pop culture ranges from fluff to downright destructive, there are some gems we can pull out of the trash heap. Some of the examples here are irreverent and some have bad language; that’s the point. Books and sober lectures aren’t always the best way to get people’s attention. Note that I am labeling anything with vulgarity or profane language as NSFW — meaning “not safe for work”.

Let’s start with Amish Paradise. This classic has been floating around the Internet since the late 1990s. Let your children watch the whole thing and laugh their heads off. Then start asking them questions to make them think: What would their lives be like with “no phone, no lights, no motorcar, not a single luxury?” How would they get around? How far could they go via walking or cycling? How would they communicate? Then introduce the concept of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) to show how the United States might be reduced to living the “Amish Paradise” life. Would they be able to pay for anything online, or get any information online? Is it time to start learning bartering and other survival skills? Will cash or precious metals suddenly become much more useful? Is it time to stock up on paper books (not e-readers), which will not be vulnerable to EMP?Continue reading“Using Pop Culture to Teach Survival and Civics, by M.J.”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies of interest to preppers and survivalists that are located in the American Redoubt region. Today, we focus on a tragic murder-suicide, at a Montana boat ramp near Eureka, Montana. (See the Region-Wide section.  Pictured is downtown Eureka, Montana.)

Region-Wide

Bend man shot, killed during argument at Montana boat ramp; suspect apparently killed self.

o  o  o

Why Americans making over $200,000 are flocking to Idaho and Montana.

o  o  o

Idaho man killed after falling from Grand Teton National Park peak.

o  o  o

Arizona teen missing since 2019 found ‘safe, happy and healthy’ in small Montana town.

Idaho

Lori Vallow Daybell sentenced to life in prison.

o  o  o

Census shows Idaho is still growing, but Boise’s population shrank.

o  o  o

Matt Christiansen’s commentary: Idaho Couple Wins Lawsuit Against City for Defying 2020 Lockdown Orders | Arrested for Church Songs.

o  o  o

Former Bonner County fair director accused of embezzlement takes her own life.

o  o  o

Any shooters passing through North Idaho should check out Sheep Dog Supplies. They are located right on Highway 95, in Sagle.

o  o  o

The West Nile Virus continues to spread in Southern Idaho.

o  o  o

Exploring the lava tubes at Craters of the Moon National Monument.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day: 

“I’m a Physician.

I kept following The Science, and found the Money.

I kept following The Experts, and found the Money.

I kept following the Mainstream Media, and found the Money.

So I started following The Misinformation, and found The Truth.” – Dr. Suneel Dhand

Preparedness Notes for Monday — July 31, 2023

July 31st is the birthday of free-market economist Milton Friedman. (Pictured, born 1912, died November 16, 2006.)

On July 31st, 1958 the Anti-Chinese uprising began in Tibet.

July 31st, 1921, was the birthday of Army Air Corps veteran David Thatcher, one of the Doolittle Raider. Thatcher was the tail gunner in the rear of the Mitchell B-25 medium bomber christened the Ruptured Duck, the seventh of 16 planes. Returning from the raid, the bomber crashed into the sea from low fuel and the crewmen survived, in no small part to Thatcher’s heroic efforts. The five airmen washed ashore and were given aid by Chinese fishermen who found them. Thatcher bound their wounds and being the only crewman able to walk, joined with armed guerrillas to carry the other crewmen to a hospital while evading Japanese troops. He was born in Bridger, Montana, and later lived in Missoula, Montana. He died in 2016, at age 94. Only one other Doolittle Raider outlived him: Dick Cole

Leatherman Sidekick Multi-Tool, by Thomas Christianson

The Leatherman Sidekick is a well-made multi-tool with a nice selection of features. I found it to be just slightly larger than I would prefer for pocket carry. I would highly recommend it for belt pouch, pack, tackle box, or similar carry.

The Backstory

Last Spring, the Youth Ministry Leaders at our church gave me a gift card to a sporting goods store. It was an expression of appreciation for the oversight that I was temporarily providing to the youth ministry. I was deeply touched. I had been greatly blessed by observing the ministry of the leaders to the young people of our church. It was nice to see that they appreciated my ministry as well.

I had been eager to try out another Leatherman multi-tool for quite some time. I had previously tested the Leatherman Wave and the Leatherman Skeletool. The Leatherman Wave has a great selection of tools, but I find it just a little too large for everyday carry (EDC). I typically carry the Leatherman Skeletool every day, but I wished that it included a pair of scissors among its tool selection. I was eager to see if the Leatherman Sidekick was small enough to comfortably carry every day while providing a larger range of tools than the Skeletool.Continue reading“Leatherman Sidekick Multi-Tool, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Roasted Summer Squash & Zucchini

The following recipe for Roasted Summer Squash & Zucchini is from SurvivalBlog reader Tom V.

Ingredients
  • 1 pound yellow summer squash (2 medium-size)
  • 1 pound zucchini (about 2 medium-size or 3 to 4 small-size)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2/3 cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
Directions
  1. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Slice the zucchini and squash into 1/4-inch thick rounds. In a large bowl, mix them with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, and salt.
  3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place the vegetables in a single layer on the baking sheets. Roast for 8 minutes.
  4. Remove the baking sheets from the oven and sprinkle evenly with the shredded Parmesan cheese. Return the sheets to the oven and bake another 7 minutes until tender and the cheese is melted.
SERVING

Serve immediately.

STORAGE

This does not store well, for leftovers. Your chickens will love it.

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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

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. This column emphasizes JWR’s “tangibles heavy” investing strategy and contrarian perspective. Today, we look at base metals prices. (See the Commodities section.)

Precious Metals:

Why is The US Treasury’s Silver Eagle Mandate Not Being Honored? : Analyst.

o  o  o

At Kitco.com: U.S. focus on green energy transition is working and silver continues to be the biggest beneficiary – Bank of America.

Economy & Finance:

Reported back on July 5th: After brief pause, Federal Reserve looks poised to raise interest rates again. JWR’s Comments:  Another 50 basis point rise in the prime rate will be enough to destroy the real estate market. Even with current mortgage rates, very few would-be home buyers now qualify for mortgages.

o  o  o

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: Tax Relief Is Coming To Millions Of Red-State Residents.

o  o  o

At Zero Hedge: IMF Raises Global GDP Outlook, Warns “Not Out Of The Woods” As Inflation Proves Sticky. From teh report’s summary:

“Global growth is projected to fall from an estimated 3.5 percent in 2022 to 3.0 percent in both 2023 and 2024. The rise in central bank policy rates to fight inflation continues to weigh on economic activity. Global headline inflation is expected to fall from 8.7 percent in 2022 to 6.8 percent in 2023 and 5.2 percent in 2024. Underlying (core) inflation is projected to decline more gradually, and forecasts for inflation in 2024 have been revised upward.”

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — July 30, 2023

Today we remember the birthday of author Reginald Bretnor. He was born Alfred Reginald Kahn on July 30, 1911, in Vladivostok. He died on July 22, 1992 in Medford, Oregon. In addition to penning many witty science fiction novels and short stories in his characteristic style, he also wrote nonfiction articles for Mel Tappan’s P.S. Letter.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present the final entry for Round 107 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. 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)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. 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.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $825,000 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 108 begins on August 1st, 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.