Practical PV Power, by Graton

Even though I have been dabbling in solar power since about 2008 I hesitated to share my experiences because I felt totally incompetent about the subject. I still feel that way in large part, even though my “knowledge” has increased dramatically.

One of my first projects was setting up a solar-powered well for a friend’s cattle where obtaining grid power would have been financially prohibitive. The equipment included a Grundfos 11 SQ-Flex 2 pump, 6 solar panels, Midnite Solar 60 charge controller, golf cart 48-volt battery bank, etc. You may have noticed that there is no mention of an inverter because this Grundfos will run off any source of power, AC or DC, without any modification. I had already built a wood rack to hold the solar panels with an enclosed area underneath to hold the solar equipment. I was amazed that we were able to install the pump and install all solar components and get it running in one day. We had a scary moment when we turned it on and nothing happened. Before pulling the pump I checked all of the above-ground connections and found a loose wire in the charge controller. It was quite exhilarating when we heard water gurgling and had full water flow, just seconds later.

Years later — around 2015 — I decided that my prepping would not be complete without at least a minimum availability of electricity if grid power was not available. I also wanted to build a workshop and decided that would be the perfect location for solar panels and the rest of the equipment. At that time I felt the size of the project was beyond my capabilities and started the search for someone to provide me with a turnkey solution. Looking through a couple of quotes I realized the proposals left a lot to be desired in terms of power provided versus cost. I decided that I would have to do a lot of studying and learn how to accomplish the project myself. This turned out to be very confusing and I often had to sift through conflicting statements from manufacturer’s manuals and their tech support and retailers.Continue reading“Practical PV Power, by Graton”

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 the lengthy Republican walkout of the Oregon legislature.  (See the Central & Eastern Oregon section.)

Idaho

Idaho ranks #3 in USNews report: Economy, fiscal stability, and crime boost Gem State.

o  o  o

Kellogg shooting on Father’s Day leaves 4 dead, suspect arrested.  The preliminary report fom Fox News begins:

“A shooting in Kellogg, Idaho, on Father’s Day left four people dead, according to officials.

The Shoshone County Sheriff’s Office and the Kellogg Police Department responded to a home on Brown Avenue around 7:30 p.m. and found four victims who died of gunshot wounds

The sheriff’s office said deputies were dispatched after they received a report from the city about the shooting.

A 31-year-old suspect has been taken into custody.”

There are a few more uncorroborated details, published here. This sounds like a very unusual case. – JWR

o  o  o

Nonresident hunter in North Idaho mistakenly kills grizzly bear.

o  o  o

Public reacts to Boise City Council approval of Modern Zoning Code.

o  o  o

Local 33-year-old man charged with rape of a teenage girl.
Continue reading“SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Historians of the future will have a hard time figuring out how so many organized groups of strident jackasses succeeded in leading us around by the nose and morally intimidating the majority into silence.” –  Thomas Sowell

Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 19, 2023

June 19, 1834 was the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, who died 31 January, 1892. He was a noteworthy British Particular Baptist preacher. The text of more than 3,500 of his now famous sermons were preserved and are available online.

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Today’s feature article is a review that was penned by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

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I noticed that an interesting retreat property near Bonners Ferry, Idaho has been advertised at SurvivalRealty: 20 Acre Sustainable Homestead.

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Please keep Pat Cascio in your prayers.  His health has been failing, in recent months.

Henry Long Ranger in .308 Winchester, by Thomas Christianson

I grew up watching Westerns on television. When it came to a movie or a television series that involved cowboys, if they were armed (and they usually were), the handguns were six-shooters, and the rifles were lever action. I dreamed of someday riding off into the sunset with a revolver on my hip and a lever action rifle in my saddle boot.

Many decades passed. I might not have been quite at the place where I would be riding off into the sunset, but I could see that place from where I was. And I still had never fired a lever action rifle.

I decided that it was time to address that glaring omission in my list of essential life experiences. I contacted Henry Repeating Arms, and asked if I could borrow one of their Henry Long Rangers in .308 Winchester. I was particularly interested in the model with iron sights, since every cowboy ought to have a rifle with iron sights. Henry was kind enough to agree to my request. When the rifle arrived at my FFL, I went to pick it up.Continue reading“Henry Long Ranger in .308 Winchester, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Cheesy Broccoli Soup

The following recipe for Cheesy Broccoli Soup was kindly sent in by longtime SurvivalBlog reader “Sis”.

INGREDIENTS and Directions
  1. Sauté: 1/4 cup butter & 1/2 medium onion (diced).
  2. Stir in: 1/4 cup flour.
  3. Whisk in: 2 cups of half n half & 2 cups of chicken broth.
  4. Add: 1 cup of diced carrots, 3 cups of chopped broccoli.
  5. Cook until carrots are tender.
  6. Add 1/4tsp. of nutmeg (important)
  7. Add salt and pepper to taste.
  8. Lastly, stir in 8 oz. (1 cup) of sharp cheddar cheese.

Some Options and Ideas: Fresh broccoli is best but you could easily use frozen, dehydrated, or freeze-dried. Could use dehydrated onion. Could use evaporated milk or double up on the dried milk and possibly add 1 or 2 tablespoons of fat. Could use chicken bullion. Could use different types cheeses. Could use dehydrated, or freeze dried cheese. Could use canned, frozen, dehydrated or freeze-dried carrots. A nice addition to this soup is diced ham.

The ingredients in this soup can be varied accordingly to your tastes and what you have on hand. This could be made with home storage foods.

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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 a possible UPS workers’ strike. (See the Economy & Finance section.)

Precious Metals:

The price of gold was flat on Friday (June 16, 2023), but spot silver saw a nice 1.33% bounce to close at $24.46 USD per Troy ounce. So I adjusted my silver divisor accordingly: I now accept pre-1965 US 90% silver coins at 26 times face value, for any of my merchandise at Elk Creek Company. – JWR

o  o  o

Silver outshines gold with better short-term performance.

o  o  o

China’s Persistent Gold Accumulation: A Seven-Month Surge In Holdings.

o  o  o

The Shanghai International Gold Exchange And Its Role In De-Dollarization.

Economy & Finance:

UPS Workers Could Stage Biggest Strike In The U.S. Since The 1950s. Here is an excerpt:

“Some 97% of voting members approved a strike, although the voting turnout was not immediately known.

The union is seeking higher pay; the elimination of so-called two-tier wages, where newer workers are paid less than older employees for the same job; the removal of surveillance cameras from delivery trucks; and more full-time jobs.

Earlier this week, the Teamsters secured a major win when UPS committed to install air conditioning and two driver-facing fans in most trucks. Heat safety has been a significant concern for UPS workers, with many incidents of drivers falling sick from heatstroke.

The current contract was unpopular, with a majority of UPS workforce rejecting it, but the union’s former leadership pushed it through on a technicality. The backlash led to the ouster of the union’s leadership in favor of O’Brien, who has been vocal about his willingness to strike, including going on a national tour of union locals this year to prepare members for a walkout.”

o  o  o

Amazon Delivery Drivers Walk Out in First-Ever Strike.

o  o  o

Your tax dollars at work: Planned Parenthood CEOs among the highest-paid in nonprofit sector while abortion giant collected $1.9 billion in government grants, reimbursements: Report.

o  o  o

Linked over at the Whatfinger.com news aggregation site: S&P 500 breaks six-day win streak on Friday, but still notches best week since March: Live updates.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Unless the people, through unified action, arise and take charge of their government, they will find that their government has taken charge of them. Independence and liberty will be gone, and the general public will find itself in a condition of servitude to an aggregation of organized and selfish interest.” – Calvin Coolidge

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 18, 2023

Today is the 70th birthday of Pastor Douglas Wilson. Born in 1953, he is the pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho and a prodigious author of books and articles on Reformed theology.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another 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.

—

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 107 ends on July 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.

Communications For a Dystopian Future – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Antenna Selection Advntages

For COMSEC, it is always the best policy to use the lowest power setting that still allows reliable communication. Using the best antenna for a particular situation is often overlooked as it is much more convenient to increase the power until we can be heard. If our equipment is low power then we can use a high-gain directional, or omnidirectional antenna to compensate. And using a better antenna to listen to weak signals increases our effectiveness.

In a communication circuit using common 1/4-watt FRS transceivers, I can reliably communicate up to 4 miles in my terrain using these very low power transceivers by using one high gain directional antenna, and a scanner, or a modified FRS transceiver as receiver. Normally, the range might be only 500 yards. The range can be greatly increased if both stations used receivers connected to high-gain directional antennas. As a receive-only antenna, it does not need to be tuned using an SWR meter, but only cut to the approximate length. Common 59-Ohm coaxial cable from a satellite television system can be used. This antenna can be constructed with minimal amount of effort, materials, and skill. Yet it will greatly improve our communications. We could lose most of our equipment, yet find the material just about anywhere, and get back on air. Perhaps I’ll discuss how, in the future. Using common off-the-shelf equipment, and our knowledge and skills makes us more effective as “Indians”, and more resilient.Continue reading“Communications For a Dystopian Future – Part 2, by Tunnel Rabbit”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR:

Meme Text:

On Wednesday, June 21st, 2023

Greta Thunberg’s “Five Years” Will Have Passed.
Apparently, Only Rationalism Has Gone Extinct

Note From JWR: Do you have a meme idea? Just e-mail me the concept, and I’ll try to assemble it. And if it is posted then I’ll give you credit. Thanks!

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.

But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.

Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?

But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Also I say unto you, Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God:

But he that denieth me before men shall be denied before the angels of God.

And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

And when they bring you unto the synagogues, and unto magistrates, and powers, take ye no thought how or what thing ye shall answer, or what ye shall say:

For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.

And one of the company said unto him, Master, speak to my brother, that he divide the inheritance with me.

And he said unto him, Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?

And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.” – Luke 12: 4-15 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 17, 2023

On June 17, 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill began.

June 17th is the birthday of Libertarian economist Harry Browne. (June 17, 1933 – March 1, 2006.)

This is also the birthday of musician Red Foley (born, 1910, died September 19, 1968). His patriotic song Smoke on the Water topped the music charts for 13 weeks in late 1944 and early 1945, and charted for 24 weeks. This song, which describes the doom of tyrants, would be considered quite politically incorrect these days.

And it is the birthday of Dean Ing. (June 17, 1931 – July 21, 2020). He was a science fiction and techno-thriller novelist. His novel The Ransom of Black Stealth One (1989) was a New York Times bestseller. He was a former member of the Citizens’ Advisory Council on National Space Policy. He wrote more than 30 novels, and co-authored novels with his friends Jerry Pournelle, S. M. Stirling, and Leik Myrabo. I had the privilege of meeting him at a science fiction convention in the early 1990s.

And June 17th is also the birthday of novelist John Ross, who was born in 1957. He is best known as the author of the novel Unintended Consequences.
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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another 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.

—

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 107 ends on July 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.

Communications For a Dystopian Future – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

Introduction

As the conditions for worldwide famine, pestilence, and war increase, we can anticipate that the Third World will suffer first, and many residents will be forced to flee elsewhere, looking for resources.  A flood of illegal immigrants will rush unabated through our now undefended southern border.  Desperate tens of millions, and potentially, hundreds of millions in the future, who would come from around the world into the U.S via our southern border in the next few years as risks escalate. This scenario is based on the work of Micheal Yon:

Cometh the Horsemen: Pandemic, Famine, War | Michael Yon | EP 27  (Dr. Jordan Peterson interviews Micheal Yon, who is a well-known combat correspondent.)

With the growing prospect of large, well-armed, and equipped roving Third World gangs, whose stock and trade is organized gang violence, there will be an increasing need to draw on a community for the purpose of mutual defense. A few families alone would likely not be enough of a deterrent to repel such a fighting force. Most of these gangs will live off the land and develop their ability to make violence.  Some of these gangs will be controlled and supplied by drug cartels taking advantage of our failed border to conquer large swaths of what was once the United States.  As our border is undefended, our country is rapidly becoming degraded into Third World, and possibly failed State status with this flood of illegals.Continue reading“Communications For a Dystopian Future – Part 1, 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:

Two more calves were born last week, with no assistance. We are so thankful that our cows have all been “easy-calvers.” The first calf born this week is a quite vigorous little heifer. On Thursday, we rodeoed her into the milking parlor and dehorned her.  As usual, we used the “dehorning paste and duck tape” 5-hour method that was taught to us by our friend Patrice Lewis of the great Rural Revolution blog. The full round-the-head wraps of duct tape keep the cows from licking off the paste from their calves. Next week, we’ll be dehorning the other calf.

Earlier in the week, with the help of our #2 Son, we dug 450 feet of trenches with a rented Ditch Witch. So, now we will finally have underground-piped water to our orchard (no more cobbled-together hoses!), and an underground powerline to our remodeled shop.

I was a bit shocked (pardon the pun) at the present-day price of 10-gauge underground-rated 3-conductor power cable.  A 250-foot roll cost $349. Ouch. This shows how much copper has gone up  — or should I say how much the Dollar has gone down, in recent years.

As long as the trench to the shop is there, I’m also laying two underground-rated Cat 6  Ethernet cables.  That could come in handy, if we ever add a security system, or need Internet for some future office or other accommodation out in the shop. By the way, I plan to lay down at least six inches of soil between the power cable and the Ethernet cable, to minimize inductive power coupling or 60-cycle hum on the smaller cable.

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