Preparedness Notes for Sunday — May 4, 2025

May 4th is now informally known as “Star Wars Day”, because of a silly play on words: “May The Fourth Be With You.”

May 4th 1943 – A patent for helicopter controls was obtained by Igor Sikorsky. Sikorsky invented fixed-winged and multi-engined aircraft, transoceanic flying boats, and helicopters.

On May 4, 1415, reformers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus were condemned as heretics at the Council of Constance. The death of Hus inspired the later Hussite revolution in Bohemia.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 118 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 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),
  4. 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.
  5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

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. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
  3. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
  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. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
  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.

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More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 118 ends on May 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. 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.

Temporary Emergency Roofing, by A.F.

As we drove home from church this morning, signs of damage from hurricanes Debby and Helene were still abundant though the storms are now more that six months behind us. Since Debby, I have been watching for signs of repairs at a home where one corner took a tree strike that busted the roof wide open. Within the past week it appears someone has at last replaced the lightweight basic blue tarp with a heavier option, although the new one is only secured with roofing nails every 4-5 feet around the perimeter. Many of the remaining tarps are reaching the end of their service life or have been frayed or torn loose by the wind and not re-secured. As a result of witnessing roof damage so often while volunteering with disaster relief, I have put together an emergency roofing kit and hope to describe the contents and the reasons behind my selections herein.

Disclosure: I do not claim any of the repair techniques presented as being uniquely my own. I have learned much of what follows from fellow workers and occasionally solve new problems as encountered, but others were serving in the tarping ministry and developing practices long before I became involved.Continue reading“Temporary Emergency Roofing, by A.F.”

JWR’s Meme Of The Week:

The latest meme created by JWR, based on an idea suggested by SurvivalBlog reader C.B.:

Meme Text:

So, Do You Prefer Open Carry…

...Or Concealed Carry?

News Links:

Notes 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!

Permission to repost memes that I’ve created is granted, provided that credit to SurvivalBlog.com is included.

 

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.

But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.

Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;

Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.” – James 5:10-20 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Saturday — May 3, 2025

On May 3, 1621, after confessing to corruption, Lord Chancellor of England Francis Bacon was sentenced to imprisonment in the Tower of London, a £40,000 fine, and banishment from court, Parliament, and public office.

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May 3rd, 1952 was the birthday of Pastor Chuck Baldwin. He has done yeoman service in promoting the American Redoubt movement.

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Today’s feature article was too short to be included in the judging for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 118 ends on May 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. 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.

Old School Commo: EE-8 Field Phones, by Tunnel Rabbit

Because I know how easy it is to use a USB SDR Dongle (a poor man’s spectrum analyzer) to find radio transmissions, and how drones might be used to DF signals, I’d rather use hard wire field phones whenever possible, and certainly on those occasions when, or if a drone might be in my remote area. Using low-powered transceivers and directional antennas can be effective in most situations.  But in extreme situations, I would use a field phone if at all possible, and to conduct daily communications with LP/OPs, and with neighbors.

Field phones are part of my commo plan and will be used alongside transceivers and at our primary LP/OP.  It would become the primary means if the threat condition were very high. Transceivers would still be useful, but only in a tactical situation. With a field phone, normal conversations can occur as it is truly a secure means of communication. And these can be used from house to house as an intercom, as well.  If at all possible, it is best to lower our RF footprint to the bare minimum.  Not only are field phones  incredibly durable, but they also use a negligible amount of power — far less than a transceiver.

Old Tech, But Reliable

Recently, I acquired two EE-8 field phones in remarkably good and refurbished condition in exchange for some radio work.  They were both manufactured in 1944.  Inspection of the internals found them to be in excellent condition.  There was no corrosion at the battery connections, and none of the wiring was found to be brittle or cracked.  They appeared to be all original, but it was likely that the handset cords had been replaced. After watching a few videos on these phones, I was able to test and diagnose the cause of the weak audio.  The cause was that the transmitter (the mouthpiece) was not working to its full potential.  This video provided excellent instructions on how to test these phones: WW2 EE-8 TS-9 Handset Testing and Rejuvenation Tips for Earpiece & Mouthpiece.

To order replacement parts, I simply called Steve Hilsz on the phone, at:  520-370-3267. The service was outstanding. Here is a link to his website: Phonesurplus.com.

Here is a good-looking example of an EE-8-B that is very similar to mine.  It was likely refurbished in recent decades.  These phones are impressively rugged and simple. If there is an issue, it is often the ‘receiver’ (earpiece) or the ‘transmitter’ (mouthpiece). These are available at phonesurplus.com (Steve Hilsz) for only $$3.50 for the earpiece, and $2.50 for mouthpiece (transmitter).  I purchased two sets.  Including shipping, the total was just $16.50.

It is easy to test these phones.  Simply install two standard D-sizebatteries, and operate the toggle switch to talk.  If you can hear yourself, then the phone works.  If there is any problem with the phone, I would consult with phonesurplus.com.  Steve Hilsz likely can send you the correct replacement part, or do the repair himself. These are simple devices. I am confident that I could disassemble and replace any part of these phones myself, but if sent to a technician who had the parts available, the phone could be refurbished as needed.

I found WD-1 field telephone (“commo”) wire still widely available on eBay and at a military surplus store, Army Surplus Warehouse in Idaho Falls.

Remote Transceiver Operation

I found another very interesting video.  If one could potentially be DFed, I would want to operate a transceiver remotely — and no less than 500 meters away from a base station.  Either the EE-8 or the newer TA-312 (pictured at left) could operate a transceiver from many miles away.  This demonstration shows us just how easily it can be done using most field phones and a common and inexpensive transceiver: FIELD PHONE OPS: Remoting a VOX Radio Using a TA-312.

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:

I did some more firewood cutting this week. I’ve also started gang-cutting the woodpiles. I got all of the Tamarack (Western Larch) cut to cookstove length, split, and stacked in the woodshed. Next, I’ll be working on gang-cutting the “assorted fir” pile.  That will all be cut to the longer heating stove length.

There have been a lot of Elk Creek Company antique gun orders in the last month. I mailed out three orders just this past week. Today, I’m starting a special 10-day sale on all our percussion guns.  Most of these are revolvers for which cartridge conversion cylinders are readily available. This includes a group of five minty Ruger Old Army revolvers that I’ve not yet photographed. Many of those are “Pre-Warning.” I also have special pricing on all of our blackpowder hunting rifles. Most of those are .50 caliber rifles in the quite practical Hawken configuration. Take a look at our Percussion category!

Now, Lily’s part of the report…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel; Is it not for you to know judgment?

Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones;

Who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces, as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.

Then shall they cry unto the Lord, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

Thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that putteth not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him.

Therefore night shall be unto you, that ye shall not have a vision; and it shall be dark unto you, that ye shall not divine; and the sun shall go down over the prophets, and the day shall be dark over them.

Then shall the seers be ashamed, and the diviners confounded: yea, they shall all cover their lips; for there is no answer of God.

But truly I am full of power by the spirit of the Lord, and of judgment, and of might, to declare unto Jacob his transgression, and to Israel his sin.

Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity.

They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity.

The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.

Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.” – Micah 3 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — May 2, 2025

On May 2, 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was arrested and taken to the Tower of London. She was beheaded following a four-day show trial.

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May 2, 1924: President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the ancient lava fields in Idaho as Craters of the Moon National Monument, in order to “preserve the unusual and weird volcanic formations.”

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On May 2nd, 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton announced that high-accuarcy GPS would be made available to the public; the satellite signals had previously been degraded for nonmilitary use.

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And on May 2nd, 1803, the United States purchased the Louisiana Territory from France at a cost of four cents per acre for 828,000 square miles (2,144,520 square km), which soon proved to be a tremendous bargain.

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Today’s feature article was written by SurvivalBlog’s founder and Senior Editor, James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

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We are in need of entries for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 118 ends on May 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. 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.

Life With Propane Freezers and Refrigerators

Via an e-mail from reader Richard T., I recently had a special request to write an article.  His request:

“From a 1975 The Mother Earth News magazine, I found an obscure reference to the Crosley “Icy Ball” refrigerator and a search found it mentioned in a SurvivalBlog article from 2009. I followed the link in the article which led me on to research it some more. Using “Crosley Icy Ball refrigerator” as a search phrase in Youtube I found several short videos on it. I then discovered this was not a lost technology but this is how RV and propane refrigerators work and they can still be bought today. Recalling that the Rawles homestead uses these, I think that readers, like myself, would like to hear your experience with them. Particularly, I’d like to know how propane can be safely used in the home as well as their efficiency.”

We Are Propane Believers

We have been using Propane upright freezers, clothes dryers, domestic water heaters, and kitchen ranges here at the Rawles Ranch for more than a decade. We also recently replaced our aging electric refrigerator/freezer with a propane model.  That now leaves us with just one major appliance that is powered by AC electricity: a top-loading chest freezer.  And even that one will probably be replaced by a propane freezer, when we can afford to buy it. Our backup generator has a gasoline engine. But our long-term goal is to replace it with a propane-engined one.Continue reading“Life With Propane Freezers and Refrigerators”

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 the threat of Bitcoin Wrench Attacks. (See the Forex and Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

Reuters: JP Morgan sees gold prices crossing $4,000/oz by Q2 2026.

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Will gold hit $4,000 per ounce in 2025? Experts weigh in.

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Jan Nieuwenhuijs, at Gold-Eagle.com: Can Gold Reach $16,000?

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WGC: India gold market update: Rally and demand realignment.

Economy & Finance:

Reader C.B. sent us this sign of the times, via Vox: The Ports Shut Down.

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Brookings: April 2025 update to TIGER: The world economy shudders and could stall.

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IMF: A critical juncture amid policy shifts.

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U.S. trade deficit in goods soars to all-time high as businesses aimed to beat Trump tariffs.

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Reed Smith: Trump 2.0 Tariff Tracker.

Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — May 1, 2025

May 1, 1328: The Wars of Scottish Independence ended with the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton – the Kingdom of England recognized the Kingdom of Scotland as an independent state.

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On May 1, 1776, Adam Weishaupt founded the secret society of the Illuminati.

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May 1st was the birthday of Pastor Archie Mitchell — a man whose civilian life was torn by both World War 2 and the Vietnam War.

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May 1st is the birthday of the late Joel Rosenberg, a Canadian-born novelist and gun rights advocate (born 1954, died June 2, 2011). He is not to be confused with Joel C. Rosenberg (born 1967), who is another great novelist and the author of The Last Jihad novel series.

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Today’s guest article is partly self-promotional, so it is not an entry for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running the writing contest.  Round 118 ends on May 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. 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.

Texas Property Tax Protest Season – The Month of Discontent, by Joel Ho

Editor’s Introduction: Property tax bills are skyrocketing nationwide. With inflation, bare land values are up, house construction costs are up, and house prices are up. Even if property tax rates remain the same, the relative tax burden on individual landowners and homeowners is increasing.  Many Americans are trapped in a quandary: They see residential real estate as one of their only viable hedges against relentless inflation. But as their home prices escalate, so do their taxes. Together, the combined stresses of higher interest rates (with consequently higher monthly mortgage payments) and higher property taxes are making home buying unaffordable for Gen Z, Gen Y (Millennial), and many Gen X families. – JWR

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Many homeowners in Texas exercise their right to dispute the property taxes set by their appraisal districts every year. This Texas administrative process is called a property tax protest, with the protest deadline to file this year set at May 15. I wanted to share some tips for people for this property tax season and help people outside Texas understand the system before moving. I do love Texas, but I wish somebody had told me everything that I know now.

For reference, Texas’ cost of living is truly very low (my average electricity bill $65/month as a single male, while running A/C at 70F 24/7 and batch cooking, in a 1,100+ sq ft home). Gas, as of April 2025, is $2.65/gallon, and water is $35 a month (I don’t use much water). There is no state income tax in Texas. However, the property tax cost is sky-high – for a $400,000 house, a rough estimate could be $8,000-to-$9,000 in average property taxes. In fact, Texas has one of the highest property tax rates in the US, with averages ranging from 1.6%-2.65% of market value or more each year.Continue reading“Texas Property Tax Protest Season – The Month of Discontent, by Joel Ho”

April, 2025 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman

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

WHAT DID GOLD AND SILVER DO IN APRIL?

The prices of gold and silver diverged from one another during April. Their price ratio (GSR) is still at a five-year high above 100:1.

Both metals started the month off slowly. After two uneventful days, on Thursday, April 3rd gold slid 0.8% and silver tumbled $2.07 lower (-6.1%). Friday, April 4th was an even sharper decline as silver lost another $2.26 and gold fell 2.5% on the day to $3,037 per troy ounce.

The next week brought the first signs of the divergence that later became a trend. Spot gold tanked 1.8% lower on Monday, April 7th, yet somehow silver gained 45 cents to stay a hair above the $30/oz mark. All of the metals (including platinum, palladium, and copper) jumped higher on Wednesday, April 9th. Gold rallied nearly $100 on three consecutive days between the 9th and 11th, and spot silver saw two days that it rose over $1 during that stretch.

Wednesday, April 16th was the most volatile day of the month: the gold price surged 3.3%, yet silver added a modest 40 cents. This wasn’t gold’s peak yet; after trading sideways for a few days, the yellow metal gained another 2.8% to a new record high above $3,420/oz on Monday, April 21st. (Silver rose just 15 cents the same day.) When gold corrected 2.65% lower on Wednesday, April 23rd, silver was actually up nearly $1.10. This divergent price behavior between the two metals isn’t unheard of, but it’s nonetheless curious how many times it showed up recently.Continue reading“April, 2025 in Precious Metals, by Everett Millman”