Post-SHTF Lighting: Portable Power Stations – Part 1, by St. Funogas

This is the second of a four-article series on post-SHTF lighting options. It covers the basics of portable power stations (PPS) as well as what kinds of lights to consider using with a PPS or other 12-volt DC source of power.

I hope those who read Part 1 of this series on off-grid lighting came to realize that for a post-SHTF world, a portable power station (PPS) is not only far less expensive than candles or oil lamps, but also healthier and safer. When managed properly, not only can a PPS provide all or most of the light we’ll need per day compared to the limitations of candles or oil lamps, it will also have other important uses for recharging laptops, remote-alarm batteries, and night-vision gear to name but a few.

Candles and oil lamps for post-SHTF lighting are ancient technology and our thinking should be modernized to 2025. For those who are still planning on using oil lamps for post-SHTF lighting, what are the odds that on Day One you’ll have several drums of lamp oil on hand to provide suitable lighting just for the first year?

After testing out and using one of the small 500-watt units for the past few years, I now highly recommend a PPS for any serious prepper and have it as #7 on my top-10 list.

PORTABLE POWER STATION BASICS

Since there are so many different kinds of lights available to use with a PPS, and since we’ll want to light as many areas of our homestead as possible, let’s take a look at some of the basics of how PPSes work and the various ways they can be used to provide lighting.Continue reading“Post-SHTF Lighting: Portable Power Stations – Part 1, by St. Funogas”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

Our weekly Snippets column is a collection of short items: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. Note that we may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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Reader F.J. mentioned this informative piece by Eric Peters that describes the change from car timing chains to timing belts to illustrate how government regulations spawn higher prices: The Hidden Cost of Things.

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I recently had a consulting client ask me about my current recommendation for an inexpensive dual-band handheld transceiver (“handie-talkie” or H/T.)  I mentioned that I no longer recommend the 5-watt Baofeng UV5R handie-talkie. Those that have been produced since around 2022 have most of their frequencies blocked from transmission. (So-called “locked” radios.)

I now recommend the 8-watt Baofeng BF-F8HP Pro. For now, these are available for only about $75 each. But tariffs are now in effect, so I recommend that you buy a pile of them, soon, before they go up 145% in price.  This new model has both a charging tray and a handy DC recharging socket directly on the battery pack exterior that accepts a mini-USB plug.  These radios are advertised as “locked”, but not really, if you use a laptop and CHIRP programming software.  You just select another model number in the CHIRP menu and then you can program a BF-F8HP Pro to transmit on any frequency in their receive bands. of course, I do not suggest transmitting on any frequency for which you are not licensed, or at a power level beyond legal limits unless there is an extreme emergency. (“All applicable FCC regulations apply, yada-yada…”) – JWR

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Raeder H.L. wrote to mention:

“I learned something new today.  Have a friend who likes to walk their dog.  She got a tick that was embedded, so her daughter took my friend to Urgent Care.

The way they got the tick out was to put some undiluted dishwashing soap on a small towel and rub COUNTER-CLOCKWISE and the tick will come out on its own.  Do NOT try and dig it out because you could end up leaving the tick’s head embedded and of course that can transfer Lyme Disease.  They also gave her a prescription antibiotic, just in case.”

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“As it will be the right of all, so it will be the duty of some, definitely to prepare for a separation, amicably if they can, violently if they must.” – Josiah Quincy (1772-1864) — Abridgement of Debates of Congress vol. 4, p. 327, 14 January 1811

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — May 6, 2025

May 6, 1527: Spanish and German Imperial troops sacked papal Rome, ending the Italian High Renaissance. Charles III, Duke of Bourbon had been killed in the assault. It was reported that his death removed any restraint for the victorious soldiers.  The 17th-Century rendering above, titled The Sack Of Rome was by Johannes Lingelbach,

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May 6th is also the birthday of Tuvia Bielski. (Born 1906, died 1987.) You may remember that Daniel Craig portrayed him in the movie Defiance.

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Today’s feature article is an essay by 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.

 

 

The Survival Mindset: A Two-Decade Retrospective

Introduction

SurvivalBlog is now in its 20th calendar year. I began posting the blog in August, 2005.  That was just a few weeks before Hurricane Katrina. Over the past two decades, I’ve had many opportunities to write about what I generally term The Survival Mindset. The following is a mashup and updates to four brief blog essays that I wrote and posted in SurvivalBlog in November, 2005 and in April, 2006:

Prepper Angst

Many of my recent consulting clients have mentioned the same feeling of unease about the coming years. Perhaps it is just the general predisposition of my consulting clientele, but they nearly all say things to the effect of “I’ve always been well prepared, but now I consider myself under-prepared, because I feel like something big is coming.” One American client summed it up best when he told me, “I get the impression that I’m living in September of 1929 or November of 1941. Something macro scale is approaching, and I want to be in the right place and to be well-provisioned when it happens.”

Certainly, recent international events (Iran’s posturing and threats, sectarian strife in Iraq, etc.) are cause for alarm, as is the mountain of debt (both public and private) that is looming. Gold is seen as a refuge in times of war or currency chaos, and the fact that gold and other commodities are soaring is indicative that a growing number of savvy investors see trouble coming–especially for the dollar as a currency unit.

[Update for 2025:  When I wrote that in April, 2006, the spot price of gold was around $582 per Troy ounce. As I’m writing this, spot gold is at $3,388.50.]

Whether it will be just another economic head cold or whether it will be double pneumonia remains to be seen. Similarly, wars and major terrorist attacks are difficult to presage. I can’t in good conscience make unfounded predictions. In fact, I cannot say anything with certainty other than that tomorrow will not be like today. We are living in turbulent times, so it is prudent to prepare.Continue reading“The Survival Mindset: A Two-Decade Retrospective”

SurvivalBlog’s News From The American Redoubt

This weekly column features news stories and event announcements from around the American Redoubt region. (Idaho, Montana, eastern Oregon, eastern Washington, and Wyoming.) Much of the region is also more commonly known as The Inland Northwest. We also mention companies located in the American Redoubt region that are of interest to preppers and survivalists. Today, news about some tax cuts and some tax increases.  (See the Region-Wide section and the Montana section.)

Region-Wide

Op-Ed: Montana, Idaho join the ‘record’ tax cut club while Washington imposes a ‘historic’ tax increase. The piece begins:

“If there was a theme for the 2025 Legislative Sessions in our region, it was major tax changes. On the negative side of the ledger are the “historic” tax increases rammed through in Washington state. On the positive side are the “record” tax cuts enacted in Idaho and Montana.”

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60-Day Extended Weather Forecast for Spokane and Intermountain West.

Idaho

New details released on crash near Yellowstone that killed 7.

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Horse owners urged to vaccinate as West Nile virus threat looms in southwest Idaho.

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World’s tallest and smallest dogs meet up for a playdate.

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North Idaho man sentenced under new AI-generated child porn law.

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

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The grass will grow in the streets of a hundred cities, a thousand towns.” –  President Herbert Hoover, from a speech given on 31 October 1932. (as quoted in ‘State Papers of Herbert Hoover’ (1934) vol. 2, p. 418, commenting on proposals ‘to reduce the protective tariff to a competitive tariff for revenue’.)

Preparedness Notes for Monday — May 5, 2025

Today, May 5th, 2025 is the 75th birthday of Michael Bane. Born on May 5, 1950, Bane is an author, firearms trainer, television host, and the host of the longest-running firearms podcast:  MBTV – On the Radio.  A proto-prepper, Michael Bane lives in an off-grid home in rural Colorado. Mr. Bane was also the basis of the “Michael Blessing” character in James Tarr’s zombie novel trilogy. Michael Bane’s website–michaelbane.tv–is the place to find his podcast, his blog, and his superb video series: Triggered. It is highly recommended.
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We are announcing a change to the First Prize package in the SurvivalBlog nonfiction writing contest prizes: HSM Ammunition in Montana had been providing a $250 gift certificate. They’ve just generously increased that to a $350 gift certificate.

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We are continuing our special 10-day sale on all of the Elk Creek Company percussion gun inventory.  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” vintage.  We 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!

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

Demko Knives Shark-Cub AUS10A Clip Point, by Thomas Christianson

The Demko Knives Shark-Cub AUS10A Clip Point is a handy folding knife with an innovative locking mechanism. That mechanism makes it easy to deploy the shaving-sharp, 2.75 inch, stone-washed, clip-point, AUS10A blade with a flick of the wrist. The black, glass-reinforced-nylon, steel-lined handle is ergonomically shaped and nicely textured for a secure grip. The ambidextrous deep pocket clip carries the knife securely and discreetly while keeping it easily accessible.

This Taiwanese-made knife cost $89.99 at the time of this writing at DemkoKnives.com.  It is a well-designed and well-made knife for everyday carry. If you are looking for a sturdy, practical and sharp everyday carry (EDC) knife, this one would be a good choice.Continue reading“Demko Knives Shark-Cub AUS10A Clip Point, by Thomas Christianson”

Recipe of the Week: Garlicky Corn & Tomato

The following recipe for a Garlicky Corn & Tomato is from SurvivalBlog reader R.E., who says: “This a great summer recipe for your garden produce. It takes just 5 minutes of prep time and 20 minutes to cook.  This makes a great side dish.”

Ingredients

  • 4 Ears of raw corn on the cob (about 2 cups of corn)

  • 4 medium sized tomatoes

  • 1 small bunch (a handful) of fresh basil

  • 3-4 cloves of garlic (peeled and minced) — or less, to taste

  • Salt, to taste

  • Pepper, to taste

  • 1/4 cup of water

Directions
  1. Cut the raw kernels off the cobs
  2. In a medium sauté pan, melt about a teaspoon of butter, add garlic, and cook on medium heat for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add fresh corn and water. Cook for about 5 minutes
  4. Add chopped tomatoes
  5. Add some salt and pepper.
  6. Cook for 10 more minutes uncovered on medium to high heat.
  7. Add fresh basil.
  8. Stir well and finish cooking for two more minutes.

SERVING

Serve hot or cold. Serves four adults.

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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!

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.