Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 4, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 3.)

Flashing

I’ve covered a lot of details regarding how Meshtastic works, so let’s walk through an example of configuring an actual device to see how it all applies. Note that one of the results of Meshtastic currently being primarily a hobbyist activity is that there are multiple ways of doing things. For example, you can connect a Meshtastic device to a PC via serial (over USB) or Bluetooth, you can manage the device from a PC using an Internet-based web interface, a locally hosted web interface or a Command Line Interface (CLI), you can update the firmware on a device from a PC via a different Internet-based web interface or another CLI (with different options for different types of microprocessors), and you can configure/manage a device from the Android/iOS apps (but not update the firmware). I’m going to focus on the USB-connected web-based option on a Windows PC for flashing firmware and the Bluetooth-connected Android app for managing/interfacing in my examples since those tend to be the most common approaches.Continue reading“Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 4, by J.M.”

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, More war rumblings in Eastern Europe.

Russia’s ‘Greyzone’ Invasion Plan

Russia’s ‘greyzone’ invasion plan to start WW3 before Christmas revealed by defector.  Here is a quote:

“Moscow is preparing a “greyzone” attack on Poland before Christmas, a senior Russian military official has revealed. The warning, sent through an Eastern European ally during London’s DSEI arms fair last week, has triggered urgent discussions in the UK and US about the risk of a deniable strike aimed at fracturing NATO. It comes as Russia continues a new tactic to pressure NATO by sniping at its borders to test the alliance’s resolve.”

Was the Recent Cyber Attack on Airports a Test?

The Metro (UK) reports: ‘Cyber attack’ that crippled major airports ‘could be test for something bigger’.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — September 24, 2025

To raise some cash for a major purchase here at the Rawles Ranch, I have put almost our entire Elk Creek Company inventory on sale. This is your chance to do some early Christmas or Hanukkah gift shopping, at great prices! No FFL paperwork is required.  Our pre-1899 cartridge guns and blackpowder guns can be mailed right to your door, in most states. We also have a nice selection of knives and bayonets. I also just cataloged a lot of scarce FN FAL and HK91 magazines.  We have a merchant account, so we accept payments by credit card.

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On September 24, 1493, Columbus set sail with 17 ships on his second voyage to the Americas.

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On this day in 1775, Ethan Allen was captured by the British.

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And on September 24, 1789 President George Washington nominated John Jay as the first Chief Justice.

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On this day in 1916, German Zeppelin LZ-76 was shot down over England by New Zealand B.E.2e fighter pilot Alfred Brandon, bringing the airship down in a field near Little Wigborough, Essex. The Zepellin’s crew was then rounded up by local police.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 120 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  5. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 120 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 3, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 2.)

Charging

In regards to charging, most Meshtastic devices have a built-in USB-C port for charging the internal battery (except for the T1000-E mentioned above). The USB-C port can also be used to connect to the device to a computer for upgrading the firmware or managing the device via a web browser.

Compact Comms

Above is a picture of several Meshtastic devices to give you an idea of their sizes:Continue reading“Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 3, by J.M.”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our 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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Dan sent us this: Daily Wolf Attacks Are Pushing A Northern California Community to the Breaking Point.

o  o  o

Pete in California wrote, regarding the recent article on POTS telephones:

“Remember too, that early telephones used much lower voltages than later equipment; 3VDC, to be exact.  Those big, wooden wall phones had a compartment incorporated in them to house two large 1.5VDC batteries to allow users to talk to the central office operator.  Ring voltage was provided by that crank on the side, which generated 90VAC at 30Hz.  Remember those “Cox” gas planes you played with as a kid?  Remember those big cylindrical batteries you started them with?  Remember that they said “Telephone Battery” on them?  That’s why.  They were telephone batteries!  To this day, the voltage used to talk between two phones is known as “talk battery.”  Also to this day, the power used for POTS lines is actual battery power from the Central Office (CO).  That’s why the old copper landline phones still worked sometimes for days after power failed.  Modern POTS phones will work fine on 24VDC, which can be powered by two car batteries wired in series.

Preppers may also find “sound-powered phones” used aboard Navy and Coast Guard vessels to be of interest.  These generate their own power when you speak into them, and are good for a few hundred feet.  Connect two of them together, and you’re talking!”

o  o  o

My eldest son, Jonathan Rawles, recently provided an interesting interview on the Doomer Optimism podcast: Building Resilience in Modern Society with Dr. Chris Ellis and Jonathan Rawles.

o  o  o

This piece at Forbes Vetted is over-simplified, but still useful: Stay Prepared With The 6 Best Emergency Food Supplies Of 2025.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“To me, the excitement is in ordering a fine shotgun, going through the process that everybody who has bought one has gone through for 100 years. You order it, you make a significant down payment, and then you wait three or four years for the gun to be custom-made for you.” – Tom Selleck

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — September 23, 2025

On September 23, 1897, the first Frontier Days rodeo celebration was held in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

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On this day in 1969, the American film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid had its world premiere, and it became a western classic. It was especially noted for the pairing of Paul Newman and Robert Redford as the titular outlaws.

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On September 23, 1779, During the American Revolution, in the midst of a naval engagement between the warships Bonhomme Richard and Serapis off the east coast of England, American commander John Paul Jones answered a call to surrender from his English counterpart with the famous quotation, “I have not yet begun to fight!”

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 120 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  5. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 120 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 2, by J.M.

(Continued from Part 1.)

Meshtastic provides native integration with GPS satellite data for location information. Many Meshtastic devices come with a hardware GPS receiver built in, and the Meshtastic app has the ability to share GPS data from a paired cell phone if it’s not built into the device. There is usually a shortcut in many Meshtastic devices for immediately sending your location information to other users in the event of an emergency. The Meshtastic phone app has the ability to download local copies of some maps so you can pinpoint other people’s locations. I realize that many people don’t think that GPS will be useful after a major disaster, but unless the satellites themselves are impacted, accurate GPS signals will continue to be available for days or weeks after the supporting ground stations become inoperative, although the accuracy will begin to degrade over time. And GPS will obviously be available during shorter-term disasters like hurricanes, earthquakes, etc.Continue reading“Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 2, by J.M.”

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 located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, a bit of branding iron history.  (See the Montana section.)

Idaho

Idaho construction jobs grow while Washington faces decline.

o  o  o

Moscow school district uses taxpayer money – to sue taxpayers.

o  o  o

Flying the NEW Turbo Carbon Cub “UL” In Idaho.

o  o  o

Caldwell man dies after car crashes into Payette River.

o  o  o

Seeing southern Idaho farm country from the air, in a bush plane: Taking My 2-Year-Old for Her First Flight!

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — September 22, 2025

On September 22, 1784, Russian trappers established a colony on Kodiak Island, Alaska.

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Today is the birthday of Kijirō Nambu (南部 麒次郎), September 22, 1869 – May 1, 1949.) He was a career officer in the Imperial Japanese Army and the founder of Nambu Arms Manufacturing Company, manufacturer of many of the firearms the Japanese military would use in World War II. A prolific small arms designer, he was sometimes called the “John Browning of Japan”.

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September 22nd is the birthday of survivalist writer and consultant Joel Skousen. (Born, 1946.) Skousen authored the excellent books Strategic Relocation and The High Security Shelter – How to Implement a Multi-Purpose Safe Room in the Home.

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And September 22nd is the birthday of Lieutenant Colonel Ronald Reid-Daly, who founded and commanded the Rhodesian Selous Scouts. He was born 1928, and he died August 9, 2010. His history of the Selous Scouts, titled Pamwe Chete, is fascinating to read, but it is a very hard-to-find book.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 120 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. 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),
  2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
  4. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
  5. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader is offering a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.

Second Prize:

  1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  2. A $269 retail value survival-ready power package from Solar Power Lifestyle. This includes two Solar Power Lifestyle 25W Portable Solar Panels, plus a $150 gift card to use for any purchase at solarpowerlifestyle.com.
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  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 gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
  2. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
  4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $960,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 120 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.

Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 1, by J.M.

Unless you’re a completely isolated loner, communications are going to play a critical role in both short-term and long-term disaster scenarios. Being able to effectively exchange information with family, friends and community members in both short-term as well as long-term disaster scenarios can literally mean the difference between surviving or going the way of The Dodo. There have been dozens of articles on SurvivalBlog about the use of radios for voice communications, and having appropriate radios and communications plans should definitely be considered a critical part of any preparedness plan. However, there’s another form of communications that should be considered to complement radio communications – the ability to exchange text messages without the need for any supporting infrastructure. There are some use cases where texting can provide significant advantages, including:

  • Communicating silently if you need to stay quiet
  • Reviewing previously received communications
  • Secure encrypted communications with minimal risk of being intercepted
  • Sharing communications among a large group simultaneously
  • Something that works with existing technology like cell phones and with a minimal learning curve (texting)
  • Relatively compact with a long battery life
  • Something that doesn’t stand out in our current society like a handheld radio would
  • You don’t have enough radios for everyone in your extended group

Continue reading“Text Comms in a Post-Disaster World – Part 1, by J.M.”

Recipe of the Week:

The following recipe for Carrot Top Pesto is from SurvivalBlog reader S.N..  She writes:

“I had a wonderful carrot harvest this year. I freeze dried half of the green tops and use them like you would parsley. I also grind the dried tops into a powder and add it to my green drinks.

My favorite is carrot top pesto. The best part of this recipe is that its measurements are all to your liking. Absolutely delicious!”

Ingredients
  • Carrot top greens. (Leaves and stems, or take the time to de-stem. Nah.)
  • Olive oil
  • Pecans (or most any other nuts will work)
  • Garlic (to taste)
  • Onion
  • Lemon juice
  • Salt (to taste)
  • Pepper (to taste)
Directions
  1. Combine the above-listed ingredients in your food processor.
  2. Blend to the consistency of your liking.
SERVING

“Wonderful on crackers. Energy-packed, and nutrient-dense. This provides terrific energy to fuel the day when eating for breakfast.

My other favorite is spreading it on Nan bread with fresh-grated Parmesan cheese.

This can be used like any other pesto.”

STORAGE

You can freeze this pesto, to save it for use in winter.

Notes

“This is also using food as medicine. Its nutrient-dense ingredients boost your immune system right before cold and flu season.

The additional ingredients are endless.\

If you weren’t able to use all the carrot tops then add them to your watering can and let them macerate for a few days. The stinkier the better. Your plants will thank you for the nutrients by giving you some brighter greens right before the winter sets in.”

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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!

SurvivalBlog Graphic of the Week 

Today’s graphic: A map showing the annual property tax bill for owning a median-priced home in that US state. (Graphic courtesy of Reddit.)

The thumbnail below is click-expandable.

 

 

 

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Please send your graphics or graphics links to JWR. (Either via e-mail or via our Contact form.) Any graphics that you send must either be your own creation or uncopyrighted.