Letter Re: Prowlers and Lighting

Jim:
What do you and your readers suggest for someone living in a rural area who needs a good strong light for prowlers? I live on top of a mountain in a cove surrounded by three sides by hills.

On occasion, we have trespassers at night riding the ATV trails along the hills who are out to steal tools, gas, etc. There have been more than a few occasions when I’ve walked out to my car late at night to get something and realized there were people in the trees.

One night I turned my rather anemic Surefire 6P [flashlight] in their direction, and spotted the bottoms of boots or tennis shoes heading up the hillside.

What Id like to have is advice on a good hand-held spotlight that I can use to pick out people in the trees up on the side of the hill late at night. Is this a viable option for an armed person, or should I just try and get a 120 lumens lamp for one of my Surefires?

Do rural folks maintain any light equipped firearms for nighttime problems with prowlers, or even predators after their livestock? Thanks, – L.K.

JWR Replies: To properly answer your questions, I need to do so to address two disparate circumstances, pre-TEOTWAWKI and post-TEOTWAWKI, which in many ways necessitate mutually exclusive security preparations. I once had a consulting client tell me that he was planning to purchase a big 10 KW propane generator for his isolated retreat, so that he could power numerous vapor lamps around his house, if and when the Schumer hits the fan. It took a while to convince him that he needed to think about some alternatives, to match both his locale and the severity/circumstances of potential Schumeresque situations. Let me explain:

Pre-TEOTWAWKI: Under present circumstances, security lighting is a benefit. You will have law enforcement available to call. Prowlers aren’t likely to shoot at you. For pre-TEOTWAWKI, it is best to think in terms of active defenses, such as vapor lights, 1,000,000 candlepower 12 VDC handheld spotlights (such as those sold by US Cavalry Store and JCWhitney.com), full spectrum trip flares, noisy dogs, peafowl, and noisy electronic alarm systems.

Post-TEOTWAWKI: At some future date, security lighting could be a potential hazard. If and when the power grid goes down, the few families that have alternative energy will be very noticeable, especially as time goes on and stored fuel for generators begins to run out. After that juncture, the few folks with alternative energy (wind, solar, microhydro, etc.) will be very noticeable unless they are careful. The consensus among looters may very well be: :”If the have the money to make their own electricity, then they have things worth stealing.” You do not want to present a “come loot me” beacon at night! In fact, it will be best to make blackout covers for all of your windows that can be installed from inside the house. These can be fabricated from scrap cardboard. Check carefully for light leaks.

Some other differences, post-TEOTWAWKI: You will have no law enforcement available to call. Prowlers will be likely to shoot at you. For post-TEOTWAWKI, it is best to think in terms of passive defenses, such as starlight scopes, infrared chemical light stick trip flares, quiet (but alert) dogs, tanglefoot wire, concertina wire, and silent alarm systems. (See the Profile for Mr. Tango for some ideas on infrared floodlights that can be used in conjunction with night vision equipment.)

Regarding your question about mounted lights: With the exception of infrared illuminators, I generally discourage mounting lights on guns intended for use post-TEOTWAWKI. If left turned on for more than just an instant before shooting, a visible light mounted on a gun can turn you into a natural target. If you feel the need for illuminating targets for post-TEOTWAWKI security, then I’d recommend that you be the armed man hidden in the shadows that remotely turns on a floodlight.(As opposed to being the man holding the light–or holding the gun with an attached light–who in effect announces: “Here I am!”

Letter Re: MURS Radios, Dakota Alerts, and PIR Sensors

Jim,
I for one I’m very happy that your novel “Patriots” back in print. For a long time I gave this book away to friends who I thought might like it, and to some whom I wanted to “feel out” as to whether they thought preparedness was a good idea. I had to stop this of course when your book went out of print, and the cost went skyward. Now I can stock up again.

Also I wanted to thank you for turning me on to MURS Radios. I just made an order with Rob, and will be making another order soon. I also gave Kenwood Radio a call and spoke with their technical department regarding the AA Alkaline Battery Pack for the TK-2100. I wanted to know if my NiMH batteries would work, considering they only put out 1.2 volts each, as compared to the 1.5 of the alkalines. The short answer was yes. – Though range may be decreased a little. The specs say the radios will work just fine with + or – 20 percent of the rated voltage. And since with 6 AAs the [nominal] voltage is 9 volts. That means that 6 AA NiMHs at 1.2 volts each would [collectively] put out 7.2 volts. And this is within spec.

I thought I would also add my two cents about the Dakota Alert system. Though I have not yet received my unit, I would like to address passive infrared (PIR) detectors in general. At one time I was the station supervisor for a UL alarm company, and one of my jobs was to try and limit false and no alarms. The short and sweet of it is that PIR detectors work by “seeing” a change in temperature.
And for them to work best, their sensing beam (it’s not really a beam, but just where it “looks) must terminate on an object within its advertised working distance. That means if it is supposed to cover 80 feet, it should be looking at something within that distance…not just air. When these units have no solid reference, this is when the trouble starts. They may not go into alarm, or they may false alarm, literally at the drop of a hat…or the blowing of a breeze. So when it comes to the Dakota Alert, or PIRs in general, make sure the “beam” is hitting a solid object. Even the ground
would be just fine.

I also now have the “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course on my radar screen, and will be getting it real soon. You take care now, – R.E.M.

 

Letter Re: Herbal Medications and Remedies

Dear Jim:
I read ‘The Gray Nineties‘ [an early draft edition of the novel “Patriots”] back when it was shareware, and did some gun accessory business with you back then. [In the early to mid-1990s.] I finally got around to perusing SurvivalBlog.

One of the old posts includes a plea for ‘hard data’ on effectiveness of herbal medicines. My wife used to work for a ‘neutriceuticals’ company, doing literature reviews, and as an M.D. I have some exposure to the literature as well (though not as much as I should — I keep wasting time reading things that might have an effect on reducing my need for my own services). What I have observed is that there is not much out there in the way of good research on herbal preparations. What little there is shows mostly negative or equivocal results (which makes it hard to get published). What little halfway decent research my wife found back in the late 1990s was mostly out of Germany, but most of it was pretty disappointing.
I guess the bottom line is that under austere conditions (WTSHTF), it doesn’t look like mother nature is going to provide us with the equivalent of our modern pharmacy. In a long term collapse, preventative medicine, simple surgery, orthopedics, midwifery/obstetrics will be left. Life spans will be shorter. You won’t be able to prolong your death by a month with a $250,000 ICU stay if the technology isn’t there. – Simple Country Doctor

Odds ‘n Sods:

In my latest issue of Disaster Recovery Journal (DRJ) magazine, I noticed that the the magazine, in conjunction with researchers at Pepperdine University conducted a survey of disaster recovery professionals (mainly computer types) about pandemic preparedness. 49% of the respondents said that they had “not determined the potential impact on business related domestic and international travel of a pandemic.” and 42% said that they had “not yet started to identify essential employees and other critical inputs.” The statistics from several DRJ surveys, including the Pepperdine survey are available online. OBTW, although subscriptions are free, I don’t recommend subscribing to Disaster Recovery Journal unless you are involved in the Information Technology (IT) field. (Nearly all of the articles and advertisements in the magazine are IT related.)

   o o o

For those of you with fast Internet connections, Rich at KT Ordnance sent us a link to this video clip: Glenn Beck interviews Benjamin Netanyahu. He predicts a “second holocaust”, instigated by Iran.

   o o o

From the Washington Post: Congressman Rangel (D.-NY) will seek to reinstate a military draft in the U.S. How would the system work? See: “What Happens in a Draft” at the Selective Service web site.

 

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

"Politics is not a bad profession. If you succeed there are many rewards, if you disgrace yourself you can always write a book." – Ronald Wilson Reagan

Letter Re: Clothes Washing Without Grid Power

Shalom Jim:
Recently my wife and I have started looking to replace our old [clothes] washer and dryer machines with something more energy-efficient. Since we plan on converting to solar photovoltaic panels in the future what do you suggest we do now?

1.) Lehman’s sells an AC +/ DC operated washer. Is this (DC) feature conducive to solar technology?

2.) What are you and your family doing for your clothes washing needs?

B’Shem Yahshua HaMoshiach (In the Name of Yahsua the Messiah) – Dr. Sidney Zweibel

 

JWR Replies:
1.) With a PV power system, using a DC motor clothes washer is indeed more efficient. Instead of inverting DC power from your battery bank to create AC, you can instead use it directly to run DC appliances. By the way, the same logic applies to most of the devices that use wall socket “power cubes.” (Answering machines, printers, walk-around phones, battery chargers, laptop computers, et cetera.) It is grossly inefficient to invert DC into AC, and then convert it back into DC with umpteen separate transformers scattered around your house. If you have several rooms in your house wired with 12 VDC outlets (and if you have PV power system, you should), then you can simply fabricate a 12 VDC power cord for each device that can run on 12 VDC. The appropriate solder-on plugs are available from your local Radio Shack store.(Just pay close attention to the markings on the power cubes. A very small minority of them are AC to AC adapters!) To avoid confusion, I find that it is best to mark each resistor-adapted plug with its DC output voltage, using a DYMO type adhesive label. If you can handle a soldering iron and a volt-ohm meter, then you can also easily make adapters for each of your lower voltage low current DC devices that are currently run from power cubes.(For low current devices, you can either solder in the proper value resistor(s), or if you are “Ohm’s Law challenged” you can buy off-the shelf DC-DC “buck” adapters.)

2.) During power failures, we can either run our washing machine from an inverter, or we can go totally low tech, and use a hand-powered “James Washer.” If you have any questions about PV power systems or 12 VDC wiring,

As previously mentioned, Bob at Ready Made Resources is available for free consulting (with no purchase obligation) on photovoltaic power system sizing and design, as well as issues like the one that you raised. He is a stocking dealer for both Outback and Xantrex inverters. Bob has the specialized tools needed to calculate current loads, requisite battery bank sizing, charge controller capacity, available solar hours, solar panel array solar exposure and orientation, and so forth. I can attest that Bob really knows his stuff, and unlike some solar system specialists, he has considerable experience building systems that are custom tailored for survival retreats. I recommend that any SurvivalBlog readers that are considering installing an independent home power system take advantage of the free consulting offer from Ready Made Resources.

Letter Re: A Site that Disagrees with Peak Oil Theory

Hi,
First, I just want to say I read your blog most every day and it is quite nice, and has a lot of good information, so thanks for doing it!
Here is an interesting link to an article on Peak Oil. These guys are claiming the Peak Oil theory is not moving along as fast as other reports.

Peak oil or not, I’m still working on getting prepared. Too many other variables exist!. Thanks, – D.J.

Note From JWR:

Our goal is to double the readership of SurvivalBlog by the end of 2007. Reader R.A. mentioned that there are already 719 different web sites that link to SurvivalBlog, but we could use a lot more links! If you have a web site or blog and don’t yet have a link to SurvivalBlog, then please do so. It is quick and easy to add a SurvivalBlog link logo or link text. That would be greatly appreciated!

Letter Re: Another Perspective on Selecting Barter Goods

James:
Great letters on thinking about skills as the ultimate portable “barter goods”. If you have a specialty skill, just make sure that you have enough tools and supplies to be a post-TEOTWAWKI supplier. It’s a big time commitment to become qualified in a specialty outside of your current work, but if you can leverage your current expertise with some more training and/or tools and/or supplies that would be ideal.
I would add that much the same criteria apply for skills as for goods. The best skills would be the ones that are mission-critical for survival in a horrific TEOTWAWKI situation – medical, security, food production, water supply come to mind. Just like goods, unless it is really, really needed at the survival level, I don’t think there will be much demand for it.
Re: “After reading the various articles on barter goods, I am still confused as to why one would keep goods for barter.”
As stated, “barter goods will give you purchasing power to buy consumables you run out of, stuff that breaks or wears out, items you didn’t think ahead to store – or unforeseen needs, e.g., medical, new baby, new people at the farm, etc., etc. “
Predicting all future needs is impossible – barter goods give you one more option to trade with neighbors for the unforeseen, in the time between functioning economies. You may be an ER physician – but if your neighbors don’t happen to need medical care right then you still want something of value to trade. Or you may be ill or injured, or you can’t be spared from your retreat for security, etc., etc. Just like investing, diversification of your options to get what you need from your stores, barter goods and barter services is the way to go (or of course gold and silver when a rudimentary economy reemerges)
Re: “Supposedly you are at a rural retreat … surrounded by a horde of people who are ill-equipped to cope.”
If so you are in a very bad location for survival, and no amount of stuff or skills is likely to save you! If you are in lightly populated, good farm country you should have good neighbors to trade both skills and stuff.
Re: “Being a survivor isn’t just about having stuff, it’s about having skills.”
I would bet the survivors will be those that have a good supply of both skills and stuff (and the right location). One can compensate for the other to some extent, but if you are too low on either you’re in bad shape.
How about some suggestions for goods and skills that fulfill post-TEOTWAWKI criteria?
Regards, – OSOM “Out of Sight, Out of Mind”

Letter Re: The Forgotten Survival Skill: Physical Fitness, by Ron D.

Mr. Rawles:
I couldn’t agree more with Ron D’s article on the need for basic fitness. The most perfect Bug Out Bag in existence and the best hidden cache of beans, bullets and bandages won’t do you any good if you have a heart attack getting there.

I would add, though, that for strength training you don’t have to invest in a lot, or even any, equipment. Bodyweight calisthenics can help build strength rapidly using only your own body as the weight you are lifting. Unlike machines, or even free weights, bodyweight exercises don’t just target individual muscles but also strengthen all of the supporting muscles as well. At least in theory, and my experience bears it out, this results in fewer injuries.

Another advantage to bodyweight exercises is that you can do them anywhere. This is especially useful if you travel much for for work. Do them in a hotel room, at a roadside rest area, in a park or parking lot. And there’s nothing else to pack and lug along. Matt Furey is a leading voice in this area. His Combat Conditioning is a great resource for developing a workout routine appropriate for you. I sometimes find his style a bit hard to take, but his stuff works. – M.P.

Letter Re: Bullet Casting: A (Relatively) Simple Introduction, by AVL

James,
Another safety item for melting lead: When done pouring bullets, it is important that any remaining lead should be poured out of the pot, rather leaving it to solidify in the pot. Lead like all other materials will expand when heated. Lead will also melt from the bottom up and if trapped by a solid layer at the top, may erupt when it breaks through that top layer. – R.H.

Odds ‘n Sods:

Hawaiian K. flagged this article from Cosmos magazine: Coat of paint could halt pandemic

   o o o

Rocky O. sent us this story about a minor panic in London caused by a single live .22 rimfire cartridge found on a sidewalk: Bullet found in doorway. When I read this article, I laughed so hard that I nearly cried. Rocky’s comment: “Imagine what you could do with a whole box of .22s. Probably tie up their police force and bomb squad for weeks.”

   o o o

Vic at Safecastle just launched a new private “Safecastle Royal” buyers club that allows for steeply discounted member pricing on everything that they sell. This includes Mountain House foods, Katadyn water filters, Maxpedition gear, Montague folding bikes, Dakota watches, and much more. Here’s the link to the sign-up site: http://www.safecastleroyal.com/
Those who register and pay the one-time membership fee get access to a separate password-protected web site with the discounted pricing, online checkout, and so forth.

   o o o

A very interesting piece from the Defense Tech blog: Labouchere of Arabia.