The K.I.S.S. Principle and Transceivers – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit

64
Editor’s Introductory Note:  Because of the length of this detailed article, it will be serialized into five parts.
—
I’ll begin with a note of warning for those who would delve into, or recommend sophisticated radio equipment.  The learning curve can be steep, and it requires a significant investment of time to become competent. I recommend using the “Keep, Simple, Stupid” (K.I.S.S.) principle. The apocryphal originator of the K.I.S.S. principle was no simpleton. He was the aircraft design genius Kelly Johnson, and we should heed the advice. It is likely that simple-to-use equipment is the best choice for most.
Here is an example of what can happen with some transceivers: Baofeng handi-talkies can inadvertently become locked, and unusable should the key denoted with the ‘#’ symbol is accidentally depressed. A lock symbol will appear on the upper right-hand corner of the LCD display. To unlock it, simply press the # key again. If one is unaware of this keypad lock feature, the radio is ‘stuck’ on the current frequency, and otherwise rendered mostly unusable.
Here is another example, this time involving a good quality, and nearly new in condition, modern ham radio, a Yaesu 2800M mobile. I recently pulled it out of storage to check the operation, and to physically remove the MARS/CAP (MARS, Military Auxiliary Radio System) that limits the unit to the 2 Meter Ham band by removing solder from a circuit board connection, and soldering to make a new connection in some transceivers. I got it in a trade for a couple old CBs. It was too much radio for the previous owner. They were very happy to dump the NIB Yaesu 2800M, and get two good-looking CBs, one with an antenna. The Yaesu 2800M is a good one for preppers in that the MARS CAP can be overridden, or canceled by depressing the ‘low’ and ‘d/mr’ buttons simultaneously while turning the radio on. The code ”A2” appears on the display indicating the radio is unlocked, allowing it to transmit from 137 to 174 MHz. I had programmed the radio prior to securing it in a watertight Faraday cage. Upon testing it’s function, I found that it transmits and receives, yet no audio was available. I must have depressed a key that muted the radio. The owner’s manual did not shed light on the problem. This radio has a sophisticated menu which on one hand is wonderful, and on the other hand, could be a curse. With so many different radios to deal with, it can be a challenge to master them all. Anyway, the ‘fix’ was to do a factory reset by rebooting it’s CPU and cleaning out it’s ‘brains’ to return it to it’s default settings. This fixed the audio problem, but it wiped the memory clean. Because I cannot get a programming cable, I must now spend hours reprogramming it.
TRANSCEIVER SELECTION
Ham radio is not for everyone. Most people I am acquainted with who have a Tech license know little more after attaining their license than they did before studying for the 35 question examination. Much of the test is about the ‘rules of the road’ that the FCC would like you to know. Sadly they have not availed themselves of the technical knowledge offered by potential ‘Elmers’, or other knowledgeable and helpful Hams in person, or on the Internet. The Smartphone is just too convenient, and provides for all of their communication needs. Therefore there is little incentive to look elsewhere, and to strive to master a new platform that offers less. Besides, they only got the license in case the world blew up, and have little current need for it, just like the Baofeng they got that is still in the box. I end up taking care of their programming and other technical issues, so that all they have to do is key up. I’ve finally accepted this as a fact of life of this day and age.
If you cannot invest lots of time into radio, then I suggest going with simple platforms. If there is someone in your family, or group who has the time to become the ‘resident expert’, perhaps sophisticated Ham radios can be a part of your plan, but not all have to get their Tech license.  We can use MURS, GMRS, and even CB.  The Ham Shack should have all these radios, something for everyone, and an ability to talk to neighbors.  The two most popular radios outside of Survivalist circles is not a Baofeng. Rather, it will be CB, and FRS/GMRS. GMRS will allow you to talk far and near, and to your neighbors. A 40-watt GMRS transceiver on a good antenna, will in most situations, talk farther than a 4 watt CB.  It will also talk to the Wal-Mart bubble pack FRS/GMRS radio most already have. Human error and ignorance can disable an otherwise very capable and sophisticated radio. Over the years I’ve had to fix many Ham radios, and antennas operated by Hams.  They got their surfboard, but still can’t surf. In a WROL situation, you will be on your own, and in big surf. A simpler radio with less buttons to push, however less capable, would be a better choice, than a complicated radio that can not be operated at all.

Continue reading“The K.I.S.S. Principle and Transceivers – Part 1, by Tunnel Rabbit”

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — February 23, 2021

5

February 23 is that day that six Marines from E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines raised the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima.

Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836).

February 23rd is also the birthday of Captain Isaac Davis (February 23, 1745 – April 19, 1775), a militia officer and gunsmith who commanded a Minute Company in Acton, Massachusetts during the Battle of Concord.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 93 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. 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. 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).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  5. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $150 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!

Round 93 ends on March 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.

 

PACE-BB: Distribute Your Guns

73

It is clear that we are living in perilous times.  I’ve often referred to our present era with the phrase:  We Are Living In The Age Of Deception and Betrayal. (WALITAODAB.) Now that the Democrats are again ruling Washington, so-called “gun control” measures are going to be coming at us at a gallop. So it is wise to complete your firearms battery soon.  For now, private party sales are still legal in about 34 of the 50 States. So stock up, before we have a nationwide  “Universal Background Checks” law. The purpose of this essay is to underscore the importance of distributing your firearms into several discreet and discrete safe storage locations. This is not the time to keep all of your proverbial eggs in one basket. WALITAODAB!

The U.S. military is famous for its use of acronyms. You might say they speak an English dialect called Acronese. One acronym popular with military communications planners is PACE. That stands for Primary, Alternate, Contingency, and Emergency. For your distributed firearms storage locales, I suggest something along those lines.  I use a variant of this acronym: PACE-BB. I’ll explain that in detail.

But first, let me remind you that you need to record the serial numbers and detailed descriptions of your guns, for insurance and/or theft-reporting purposes.  I recommend using 3″x5″ cards for this — one card per gun. That way you can simply shred or burn cards whenever one legitimately leaves your collection. And if you ever lose a gun to a burglar, you certainly don’t want to hand authorities your full list of guns.

I do not recommend any electronic cataloging unless you have a fully air-gapped (not Internet-connected) tablet or laptop. But most people don’t have the self-discipline to resist connecting such a device, so it is best that you stick to just using 3″x5″ cards. Those cards should be hidden in the home of trusted relative who is not a likely target of gun confiscation.  (Read: Granny’s house.)
Continue reading“PACE-BB: Distribute Your Guns”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

39

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 Idaho’s population growth.   (See the Idaho section.)

Idaho

‘Demand is through the roof’: The housing market crisis in Boise

o  o  o

Some Idaho residents unhappy with rate of population growth

o  o  o

Protesters gather outside lawmaker’s home after introduction of anti-picketing bill

o  o  o

Avalanche in Southeast Idaho kills Preston man

o  o  o

Five Idaho Airmen transfer to U.S. Space Force in ‘historical’ change.

Montana

Gianforte signs ‘constitutional carry’ gun bill. JWR’s Comments: The law is now effect, and will also apply to Montana college campuses as of June 1, 2021.​ And by the way, the Utah Governor signed a similar bill, just a week ago. It is good to see that firearms freedom is still on the march, at the State level.

Next, we need the State legislatures to pass Constitutional Gun Sales laws — exempting citizens of the states from any federal restrictions on intrastate sales of firearms, ammunition, reloading components, gun optics, or gun accessories. That way “Universal Background Checks” will only apply to legitimate Federal interstate jurisdiction, per the Commerce Clause.

o  o  o

Bozeman man takes to street with signs about housing market

o  o  o

Dillon man arraigned for role in Capitol riot. And here is a news report about the man and the murals on his appliance store.

o  o  o

Bill would delay sales of recreational marijuana in Montana by one year

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

Preparedness Notes for Monday — February 22, 2021

14

On this day in 1732, George Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia, the second son from the second marriage of a colonial plantation owner. An initially loyal British subject, Washington eventually led the Continental Army in the American Revolution and became known as the father of the United States.

—

On this day in 1943,  Sophie Scholl was executed by beheading for organizing the White Rose group–a student resistance to the Hitler regime.  She had been convicted of high treason, after having been found distributing anti-war leaflets at the University of Munich (LMU) with her brother, Hans. She was 21 years old.

—

Today we are posting a review written by our Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio.

 

Zero Tolerance 0393GLCF, by Pat Cascio

5

Some knife designs only last about a year on the market, or so I was told, by the owner of a large knife company.  So, whenever I see a “new” design, that really isn’t new at all, but an updated version, it catches my attention. It takes a lot – a big gamble – for a knife company to come out with the basic same design, it did years ago, but with some updates and improvements. So, it is with the Zero Tolerance 0393GLCF folder that I’ve been testing.

Zero Tolerance is a division of KAI Corporation, and they also own Kershaw Knives here in Oregon. The ZT lineup is made in the same factory as the Kershaw Knives are made. Except, they are made to a much higher standard, and use only the best materials available. ZT knives are hard-use knives, and they used to advertise them “For Professionals”, and I understand that. ZT is talking about military, law enforcement, and other first responders, who will put these knives to some hard use on a daily basis. So these knives have to have the best materials possible – you don’t want them to fail in an emergency, or in a life or death situation. In another life, I worked as a police officer as well as a paramedic, and on more than one occasion, I had to cut a victim out of a jammed seat belt – and you need a good knife to do that.

These days, Zero Tolerance also manufactures some Gentleman’s Folders, however, they are still up to the hard-core use as their other folders are – only the best materials are used, and some of the best designs as well. Many ZT knives are a result of a collaboration between custom knife makers/designers and ZT. So, you are getting a factory-made knife that is every bit as well-made as the custom version, at a fraction of the cost of the custom knife. Plus, you don’t have to wait months and months — or sometimes years, to get a “custom” folder, from the factory. ZT tries to keep all their designs in-stock, whenever possible. Sure, there’ve been times when they were sold out – and they don’t drop everything they are doing to make a knife ASAP – it is in the line, and will be made faster than you think. And, if you can’t find that knife at the ZT web site, then do a web search, and odds are you can find it in-stock someplace else – and usually for less money than retail.

The original ZT 0393 was a hit when it was first introduced some years ago, and now ZT is offering an updated and improved – if that is possible? – version, that they are calling the ZT0393GLCF. This knife was designed by custom knifemaker Rick Hinderer, and if you aren’t familiar with him, then do some research, he developed the “Hinderer Device” and this aids in keeping a folder locked-up even more than usual – a simply thing, but it works.Continue reading“Zero Tolerance 0393GLCF, by Pat Cascio”

Recipe of the Week: Chicken and Rice Curry

3

The following recipe for Chicken and Rice Curry is from The New Butterick Cook Book, by Flora Rose, co-head of the School of Home Economics at Cornell University. It was published in 1924. A professional scan of that 724-page out-of-copyright book is one of the many bonus items included in the latest edition of the waterproof SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick. This 15th Anniversary Edition (2005-2020) USB stick is now available for pre-ordering. The 14th Edition sold out quickly, so order soon.

Ingredients
  • 1 tablespoon butter or butter substitute
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • Salt
  • Pepper
  • 2/3 teaspoon curry-powder
  • 3/4 cup chopped cooked chicken
  • 1/4 cup boiled rice
Directions

Prepare a white sauce from the fat, flour and milk. Add seasonings, chicken and rice.

SERVING

Serve hot in ramekins.

—

Do you have a favorite 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 and slow cooker recipes, and any that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail. Thanks!

Economics & Investing For Preppers

50

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at the gold-to-silver ratio. (See the Precious Metals section.)

Precious Metals:

Have you noticed the shift in the silver-to-gold price ratio?  I repeatedly urged my readers to ratio trade out of gold and into silver when the ratio was north of 95-to-1. With silver now up to $27.26 per Troy ounce, the silver-to-gold ratio is now down to 65.4-to-1. Congrats to those who made that trade.  Remember: The ratio of gold-to-silver ratio in the Earth’s crust is more like 15-to-1. In the long run, we can anticipate reversion to that norm. And for the record: Even though a bounce in the price of gold is expected in the near future, I still consider a silver a “buy.”  Inflation is coming, folks!

o  o  o

For anyone in the Chartist camp: The Inflation Super-Cycle Is Here.

Economy & Finance:

Biden Administration Prepares Way For Banks To Refuse Service To Democrats’ Enemies. JWR’s Comments: I’m now anticipating news that the ghost of Lois Lerner has been resurrected–with targeted tax audits and arbitrary suspension of tax-exempt status for conservative charities and churches.  Given Biden’s Obama-era credentials, that is very likely to happen.

o  o  o

Airline passenger traffic fell last year to lowest number since 1984.

o  o  o

The latest chart shows that the M1 Money Supply grew at a 74% rate increase, from last year. This sort of explosive growth is highly inflationary!  Plan (and invest) accordingly. Your safety will be found in tangibles.

o  o  o

Tom D. sent us this: If Pelosi and Biden Get Their $15 Minimum Wage, US Would Have Highest Minimum Wage in the World

o  o  o

At Wolf Street: In-Your-Face Inflation: AutoNation Brags About Huge Jump in Per-Vehicle Gross Profit on Soaring Prices Despite Declining New-Vehicle Unit Sales

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

3

“What a place! What a situation! What kind of man would put a known criminal in charge of a major branch of government? Apart from, say, the average voter.” – Terry Pratchett, Going Postal

Preparedness Notes for Sunday — February 21, 2021

February 21st is the birthday of Group Captain Douglas Bader (born 1910, died 5 September 1982). He was a Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter ace during the Second World War. He lost his legs in a pre-war flying accident, but that didn’t stop him from re-entering the RAF when war broke out. He was credited with 20 aerial victories, four shared victories, six probables, one shared probable, and 11 enemy aircraft damaged. Bader was eventually shot down and became a POW in Germany. Since the Luftwaffe ran its own POW camps, he became a celebrity with his captors. Bader’s autobiography Reach for the Sky is a must for those studying aviation in World War II.

—

SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 93 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. 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,
  4. DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a hard case, to go with your own AR lower. It will allow any standard AR-type rifle to have a quick change barrel. This can be assembled in less than one minute without the use of any tools. It also provides a compact carry capability in a hard case or in 3-day pack (a $1,100 value),
  5. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  6. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  7. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A Glock form factor SIRT laser training pistol and a SIRT AR-15/M4 Laser Training Bolt, courtesy of Next Level Training, that have a combined retail value of $589,
  3. 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).
  4. Naturally Cozy is donating a “Prepper Pack” Menstrual Kit.  This kit contains 18 pads and it comes vacuum-sealed for long term storage or slips easily into a bugout bag.  The value of this kit is $220.
  5. An assortment of products along with a one-hour consultation on health and wellness from Pruitt’s Tree Resin (a $265 value).

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. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  4. A transferable $150 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!

Round 93 ends on March 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.

Budget Dry Fire Training: The Mantis X2, by The Novice

10

The story is told of a man with a leaky roof. One rainy day, his wife said to him, “The roof is leaking. Why don’t you fix it?” The man replied, “I can’t. It’s raining.” The next day dawned sunny and clear. The man’s wife said to him, “The weather is nice today. Why don’t you fix the roof?” The man replied, “I don’t need to. It’s not leaking.”

Many firearm owners now find themselves in a similar position to the man with the leaky roof. For a number of years, ammunition was plentiful and inexpensive. They said, “Why do I need to stock up on ammo? I can pick some up any time I need it.” Then 2020 happened. Now they are saying, “I can’t stock up on ammo. There isn’t any available.”

Even those who stocked up on ammunition are often now being cautious about tapping into their stockpiles. After all, who knows when they will be able to replenish the ammo they use? As a result, many firearm owners have reduced the amount of live-fire training in which they engage.

Every cloud has a silver lining. When firearm owners were able to engage in frequent life fire training, they too often neglected dry fire training. Now that live-fire training is more problematic, there is the opportunity to engage in more extensive dry fire training.

The problem with dry fire training is that it is usually about as exciting as watching paint dry. A while back I tested a product that makes dry fire training more interesting and effective. It is the Mantis X2 Dry Fire Shooting Performance System. Here is how it all came about:

Background

I had previously tested the Mantis X10 Elite Shooting Performance System. I submitted my review to SurvivalBlog, and sent a copy to Mantis as a courtesy. Mr. Rawles published my review, on February 11, 2020.

In the meantime, Austin from Mantis responded to my message. He mentioned that Mantis was launching a dry-fire-only model, the X2, that would sell for $99. That is significantly less expensive than the $249 price tag on the X10. Austin asked if I would like more information. I responded positively. Four days later, I received a package in the mail.Continue reading“Budget Dry Fire Training: The Mantis X2, by The Novice”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

6

The latest meme created by JWR:

 

To share this, you can find it here: https://kapwi.ng/c/4xQD2JtQ

 

Meme Text:

18 States Now Have Constitutional Carry

So… Where is all of that “Blood in the Streets” that the Liberals Promised?

 

There is some interesting data and an animated map showing the progress of Constitutional Carry (aka “Permitless concealed carry’) law enactment, here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitutional_carry

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

1

“Thou therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

No man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.

And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.

The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits.

Consider what I say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.

Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:

Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer, even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.

Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him:

If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:

If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.

Of these things put them in remembrance, charging them before the Lord that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” – 2 Timothy 2:1-15 (KJV)