Anyone planning for trouble?

[Darrell]

1 hour ago, FUJIMO said:

It's clear I need more education on the subject. I've read some on using repeaters but not knowing what exactly to invest into I've just window shopped and then moved on lol.

Perhaps there's a ham club somewhere near you. If so, they will welcome you to a meeting and help you understand the hobby a little better. A technician license and a cheap two-meter hand-held are a good way to dip your toes in. But if, like me and GGG, you find that you like it, you can spend big bucks. Just like our shooting hobby.  Like GGG, I am also an Extra, but I almost never get on two-meters. I prefer Morse, but I admit I've not been on the air much since arriving in TN five years ago. I need to get an antenna up, I guess!

[DraxTheDad]

16 minutes ago, Darrell said:

Perhaps there's a ham club somewhere near you. If so, they will welcome you to a meeting and help you understand the hobby a little better. A technician license and a cheap two-meter hand-held are a good way to dip your toes in. But if, like me and GGG, you find that you like it, you can spend big bucks. Just like our shooting hobby.  Like GGG, I am also an Extra, but I almost never get on two-meters. I prefer Morse, but I admit I've not been on the air much since arriving in TN five years ago. I need to get an antenna up, I guess!

Few questions for you.  If we wanted to communicate between communities, but not around the world, what type of setup would we need?   Are we look at hundreds of dollars or thousands?   I'm assuming if we had setups between 50 and 100 miles apart, what we would need to talk.   I see there is a club in Dickson and McEwen (closer to where I live), I would suspect they have relays but they are still 50 miles apart.   

My home is at the top of a hill, the highest around me, so I could put up antenna there when I get my license.   Just wondering what I'm looking at getting into.   Money isn't that much of an issue, but always watching the budget and want to make sure I get my finds lined up.

[Darrell]

21 minutes ago, CylonGlitch said:

Few questions for you

If you are atop a hill you will probably be able to communicate 50 miles using a repeater, and maybe even without.  2-meters, which is where most of your inexpensive hand-held rigs operate, is line-of-sight. So if on a clear day if you can see the other community, you should be able to talk. Repeaters allow much longer range communications because they are often located on high ground and they almost always run more power.

A mobile unit, the kind you would mount in your car, will likely have 50 watts of power. More power means longer comms, all else being equal. A decent 50W mobile rig can be found used for $100-$150.  You can make your own antenna for a few bucks, or buy one for a few bucks more. You can mount a mobile unit in your home, of course, but you'll need a 12v battery or a 12v power supply. All that stuff can be found used pretty easily.

Probably the easiest way to get on the air is to find an "Elmer", an experienced ham who will help you. Again, a local ham radio club will have people who will be anxious to mentor. There's a repeater in Waverly, and it's owned by the Three Rivers Amateur Radio Club. Here is some contact info:

https://www.arrl.org/Groups/view/three-rivers-amateur-transmitting-societ

It looks like they offer beginner classes.

Edited January 21 by Darrell

[peejman]

There's been several amateur radio threads .....

 

 

[leroy]

I use a VHF radio in my trainwatchin hobby.  Several good ones out there.  I listen a lot.  All the old line ham brands are good ( think Kenwood, Alinco, Yaesu ).  I've owned em all. 

The big secret to radios is their antenna.  Do some studying here.  It's easy to find. 

That said, when I get uneasy about things I buy ammo.  HEHEHE.

leroy...

Edited January 21 by leroy

[spdfrk70]

I've half-assed looked into this myself many times The UV5R maybe a good CB setup

 The CD stuff and information about it is a little easier to find

 Can anybody recommend a good strong handheld ham like the baofang or similar?

Particular models that may be powerful and easy to use or easy to modify to be a little more powerful not that I would do that

[leroy]

All the handhelds are basically the same power.  Five watts.  There ain't any " superpower handhelds ".  I'm sure the portables n base receivers can be souped up, but ya have to know what ya are doing.

Lotsa folks like the Bofeng stuff, I'm wary of it.  I never recommend em unless ya are broke.  The mainline radio guys are the standard of the radio industry. Bofeng ain't.  Let that sink in a bit and see if ya are willing ta chance em in a serious situation.

That said; I know Lotsa folks who like em, but they are playing with em, not using them in serious situations.  Additionally, I had a " senior " moment, and failed to mention one of the great radio lines, ICOM ( AKA Standard Horizon ).  They own the marine radio business.  We used em everywhere in marine operations.  The " marine band " is a VHF band.  I highly recommend em 

leroy...

Edited January 21 by leroy

[10-Ring]

A have a couple of Baofengs. Baofeng is the way to go if you don't have a radio and want to get your feet wet. You can get into a nice Baofeng setup for well under $50. I have had zero issues out of mine. It is my understanding you can use them in certain frequencies such as VHF (156 MHz specifically) without a license. These are the frequencies that are available on a VHF handheld. We use VHF to communicate when hunting pigs/bears in mountainous areas with no cell signal. It's not uncommon to have 10 plus people in our hunting party spread out miles apart. Everyone else in the group uses a VHF handheld, I had to be cheap/different and went with the Baofeng. Recently I had to get into a rough area to get a pig, the guys were impressed that I was able to get out at all and said that the Baofeng sounded good down there. I also use it to monitor our local county emergency management frequency. 

[-boatman-]

I have a Baofeng hand held and a mobile (can't remember the brand) that I use rock crawling. Everyone has moved from CB,s to these. I have several things programed in them but we use the FRS channels. I think FRS is legal on the hand held, maybe not on the mobile because of the higher power.

About all I know about them is how to turn them on and talk. My son programs them for most everyone in our group. I carry the manual in my Jeep with me incase I need to try to do something I don't about. One time I wiped my hand held programming clean trying to adjust the squelch. I wish I knew more.

[Ronald_55]

Lets just say I have been preparing for trouble long enough that it has become tiring. The current snowstorm all the way up to full SHTF can be cause for worry. 

I suggest to anyone that you set down and write out a plan. It helps to organize. Go over what you use and need. Look at storage space you have and whether you need to bug in or out. No good to have a thousand cans of soup if you have to bug out.  Or to have a case of sardines if no one eats them. Also, if you buy $1000 in comms but have no one to communicate with aside from random strangers. 

There are lots of good resources out there. It can be kind of a rabbit hole. A shameless self plug though is a site I set up years ago. I have not posted to the blog in a while, but it explains my 'leveled' approach to preparing. I really need to post some new stuff when I get time but the basic ideas never change.

http://leveledsurvival.com/ 

I set this up to help people new to the idea of preparing start out without feeling like they are drowning. Starting by trying to buy it all can overcome most finances and personal energy. Plus a generator and 500 gallons if fuel is no help if you have 5 cans of corn in the cabinet. Planning lets you add things in the most sensible (for you) order and not all at once. So you can shop for deals too. It also lets you see shortcomings. Like if you live in an apartment, you are going to have different limits than someone in a house in the country. 

In my case one huge limiting factor is the lack of buy-in from the wife. She does the grocery shopping and refuses to 'stock up' on much. She told me I was being a hoarder when I tried to buy a second 30 something roll pack of TP.  So I have to hidey hole some stuff away from prying eyes and pesky mice that seem to get into the unfinished part of the house every couple years. 

[Jpoc700]

I will just say I live in Chapel hill, and the weather that came thru this past week essentially shut this town down.  Stores all closing by 4 nothing getting restocked.  This is nothing and people can't get supplies, if things get bad you better be ready and have a plan.  

[eRay]

I don't think the question anymore is, Will things get bad? I think the question now is, When will things get bad?

We have half the world mad at us and Russia, with even more nuclear weapons than us, threatening us. Everyone thinks Russia would never attack us with nuclear weapons as that would lead to mutual destruction. The problem with that line of thinking is Putin is totally in charge. He is an old man with not a lot of life left to live. He is not winning the war and knows he will not as long as NATO backs Ukraine. If he does not win this war, he is done. What does he have to lose. Even if Russia doesn't we still have Iran and North Korea who would.

We have an election coming up and America has not been this divided since the civil war. The Democrats and the liberal media are trying every dirty trick in the books to stop Trump before the election even begins. They have tried impeachment, criminal charges, are are now trying to keep him off the ballot. I don't know if the election was stolen or not, but judging from the left's current behavior, I tend to think they are capable of it. And I can see where, if Trump loses, many will believe they did again.

We are $34 Trillion in debt. Two of our biggest debt holders, China and Japan are both concerned about our ability to repay this debt and are selling our debt instead of buying more. The social Security Trust Fund was investing their surplus funds into government bonds and now account for 3 trillion of the government debt. Social Security is no longer running a surplus and will be cashing in their debt to pay their monthly obligations rather than investing more. Less people are willing to buy our debt. This will drive up the interest rates we have to offer to get investors to buy. In order to hold rates down, the Federal Reserve will have to buy more of our debt. Problem is the Federal Reserve does not have the money. That means they will have to print trillions more dollars leading to hyper inflation.

 

 

[DraxTheDad]

Spent a few hours last night reading up on emergency rations.   Most are NOT worth the money they charge.   Here is what I've found :

* Oatmeal, quite a lot of them have oatmeal

* Pancake mix is another big one.

* Powdered Eggs and Milk

 

So what I'm thinking is to get a vacuums sealer, and get pancake mix and oatmeal from Costco.  Should be able to keep for a long time.  Even the quake oat oatmeal in packets, 52 packets for $10 is a lot better than in the kits.   Same thing with a few big bags of Pancake mix.   Pasta as well, or at least flour.   

Spend the money for freeze dried meats and other things that normally can't get that easily.  

Another thing I came up with are seeds.   $20 for hundreds of seeds for all types of veggies.  If SHTF then this will be necessary eventually, they recommend sealing in a mylar bag and in a cool dark place (ideally fridge or freezer).   

Need to remember to try and store all of these things in a way that mice and bugs can't get into it and / or are attracted to it.   That's why I think the vacuums sealing is important.  But don't forget to put into food storage containers, and maybe surround the whole thing with mothballs.

Thoughts and opinions?

 

[Ronald_55]

2 minutes ago, CylonGlitch said:

 

Need to remember to try and store all of these things in a way that mice and bugs can't get into it and / or are attracted to it.   That's why I think the vacuums sealing is important.  But don't forget to put into food storage containers, and maybe surround the whole thing with mothballs.

Thoughts and opinions?

 

If storing in mylar you still need O2 absorbers and many people use Nitrogen gas to force the O2 and moisture too. You still need to store them in metal  cans or buckets.

I think on sale things like #10 cans from Mountain House are a decent deal because they are already sealed in (mostly) rodent proof cans. But things like you listed are hard to pay for like that unless you just need the shelf life.

Rice, dried beans, powdered milk, corn meal, yeast, and powdered eggs are a few more items to look at storing. 

 

[Scotty]

1 hour ago, CylonGlitch said:

Spent a few hours last night reading up on emergency rations.   Most are NOT worth the money they charge.   Here is what I've found :

* Oatmeal, quite a lot of them have oatmeal

* Pancake mix is another big one.

* Powdered Eggs and Milk

 

So what I'm thinking is to get a vacuums sealer, and get pancake mix and oatmeal from Costco.  Should be able to keep for a long time.  Even the quake oat oatmeal in packets, 52 packets for $10 is a lot better than in the kits.   Same thing with a few big bags of Pancake mix.   Pasta as well, or at least flour.   

Spend the money for freeze dried meats and other things that normally can't get that easily.  

Another thing I came up with are seeds.   $20 for hundreds of seeds for all types of veggies.  If SHTF then this will be necessary eventually, they recommend sealing in a mylar bag and in a cool dark place (ideally fridge or freezer).   

Need to remember to try and store all of these things in a way that mice and bugs can't get into it and / or are attracted to it.   That's why I think the vacuums sealing is important.  But don't forget to put into food storage containers, and maybe surround the whole thing with mothballs.

Thoughts and opinions?

 

The library actually has a free seed exchange program. Pretty neat freebie. Downtown Nashvilles library also has a 3d printer system, you can email them the file and they’ll print at no cost (not sure if this varies for long and heavy usage projects). 3d printer is actually pretty useful in things like vehicle panels and stuff. Just a free plug for the library as I’m pretty impressed with it. 
 

If you’re getting 1000’s of seeds buy them but it’s a great way to get started small on heirloom offshoots. 

[DraxTheDad]

Been studying the HAM radio handbook.  Only a few hours but can already pass the tests.  Some of it is logical, I have a degree in Electrical Engineering.  Biggest difficulties right now are the detailed specs like knowing what frequency services are.  But I’m sure with a bit more studying I’ll have them down.
 

If I can do it, you can too.   I have no desire to be part of a HAM club, too old for that now.  But I do want to help the community, especially in the time of need or crisis. 
 

Today the Supreme Court ruled that Texas can’t block the border; that is the Feds job.  Even if they aren’t doing it.  Watched a video this morning (before the announcement) of an illegal from the Middle East yelling “You don’t know me now, but you will soon!”

Trouble is brewing, and it just about ready.  We used to laugh about SHTF; but man I feel like today was a big step in the direction.

Need to be prepared, need to be ready, need to dig in a protect our people.  

[Ronald_55]

I hate to say it, but if you are referring  to the nation as "our people", you have already lost. People rising to the occasion in times of need makes good news stories. Those acts are a drop in the bucket of the self serving if not all out depraved things that will happen if it all spins out. Generally all the news outlets are really only there to push what sells papers, creates clicks, and makes money. So fear mongering is a big part if it too. Very few in the nation will ever really know the exact truth about anything. We just get given the narrative that X group wants us to know. So while it great to be on alert, resist the urge to jump in a bunker and lock the door just because the news person says the sky is falling. 

Best to tighten that circle down to trusted family and friends to have a hope of survival. It would be great if we could all be part of a large group that planned to come together when crisis strikes, but few of us have that luxury to trust so many. Best we might work out is M.A.G.s (mutual assistance groups) that we hope hold together. In the end though it is like I was taught growing up, you take care of family (blood or otherwise) and that might be the best you can do. So I would start with that.

The methheads in the house a mile away will be more to worry about than a huge group of anti-US insurgents that for some reason decide to descend on TN. The Soviets were the boogie man for forever and that turned into nothing for 99% of US citizens.

I never see a Red Dawn scenario happening. The manpower, equipment, and supply chain needed for it would be staggering. For comparison, the largest force Genghis Khan ever assembled was less than 240,000 men. Ten times that might start to invade and control the US as a whole. That is if none of the 330 million citizens fought back. 

If COVID in 2020 taught us nothing else, it showed the frailty of our supply chains. I think disruption of those is a far more like threat. And it could bring the country to its knees just as hard. 
 

Edited January 23 by Ronald_55
text sizing

[OldIronFan]

On 1/19/2024 at 3:56 PM, Scotty said:

Tried to get my PCP to prescribe me some basic antibiotics and z-pax, let’s just say he’s not like minded. I’m planning a trip out of country and he said he’d write me a few scripts just in case, I’ll grab a few in the local pharmacy in the country I’m in. I cut myself pretty decently with a dull knife out of network. Wasn’t going to pay out of network prices for a dozen stitches and rode it out until I got in network but wanted antibiotics to be safe. Telehealth agreed nothing could be done 72 hours post cut but wouldn’t write the script so I still had to go and see the PCP for a $150 copay to get a 30 second look over and a script of bactrum. I spend all my off time outdoors, I wouldn’t hate having doxy on hand for when I miss a tick and get a bullseye. That’s what I’m more worried about is medicine, the rest just takes some budgeting and time. 

No necessarily cheap or covered by insurance but there are sources for emergency meds/antibiotics without an immediate need. https://jasemedical.com/ Is one such source. They cater to preppers, adventure travelers, international travelers, ect. 
 

[DraxTheDad]

13 hours ago, Ronald_55 said:

I hate to say it, but if you are referring  to the nation as "our people", you have already lost. People rising to the occasion in times of need makes good news stories.

I think you misunderstood.  We as individuals can do little to stop the deterioration of the country.  But what we can do is band together and protect our communities.   These are our people.   While it would be great if we could protect the country, we also know that is impossible.  All I'm saying is that if the SHTF, one way or another, that we should fall back into defensive areas and protect those people around us.   The people we live with and those who otherwise may be vulnerable. 

[DWARREN123]

Old saying "Hope for the Best but Prepare for the Worst"!

[leroy]

There is a " de facto secession " going on in Texas right now.  Others, about abeit quieter ones are going on in other states, both Red and Blue. 

The truth is that the Federal Gubmt has lost the confidence of most of the citizenry, and all of em ain't MAGA Republicans n Libertarians. 

The result of all this deconstructon of confidence in gubt will flare up as various trouble, no matter who sits in the white house or congress. 

We are at the point of state nullification of Federal Law. That's what the Articles of Confederation were all about... Everybody minds his own business on a state by state business, and only united against " commin enemies ". 

That's what Texas has done, and they ain't the only ones doin it. 

The " Trouble " thing ain't an " If " it's a " when and where ". 

If I lived in a blue state I would move; if a 50/50, I would sure move. 

The reason to be armed is clear and to tighten the circle of trusted friends is clear. 

That said, I think that things will stay calm in Tennessee outside the usual idiotic places, and we all know where they are. 

We are moving back to the " Frontier ".  Stay watchful, armed, prepared, and vigilant.

watchin leroy... The armed crumudgeon

Edited January 24 by leroy

[spdfrk70]

23 hours ago, Ronald_55 said:

I hate to say it, but if you are referring  to the nation as "our people", you have already lost. People rising to the occasion in times of need makes good news stories. Those acts are a drop in the bucket of the self serving if not all out depraved things that will happen if it all spins out. Generally all the news outlets are really only there to push what sells papers, creates clicks, and makes money. So fear mongering is a big part if it too. Very few in the nation will ever really know the exact truth about anything. We just get given the narrative that X group wants us to know. So while it great to be on alert, resist the urge to jump in a bunker and lock the door just because the news person says the sky is falling. 

Best to tighten that circle down to trusted family and friends to have a hope of survival. It would be great if we could all be part of a large group that planned to come together when crisis strikes, but few of us have that luxury to trust so many. Best we might work out is M.A.G.s (mutual assistance groups) that we hope hold together. In the end though it is like I was taught growing up, you take care of family (blood or otherwise) and that might be the best you can do. So I would start with that.

The methheads in the house a mile away will be more to worry about than a huge group of anti-US insurgents that for some reason decide to descend on TN. The Soviets were the boogie man for forever and that turned into nothing for 99% of US citizens.

I never see a Red Dawn scenario happening. The manpower, equipment, and supply chain needed for it would be staggering. For comparison, the largest force Genghis Khan ever assembled was less than 240,000 men. Ten times that might start to invade and control the US as a whole. That is if none of the 330 million citizens fought back. 

If COVID in 2020 taught us nothing else, it showed the frailty of our supply chains. I think disruption of those is a far more like threat. And it could bring the country to its knees just as hard. 
 

 

Absolutely I have said it for a long time with people as dependent on services and electricity as they are if you were to shut the grid down let's say we lost power for 72 hours by the end of that I think people would be eating each other in the streets did you see the way they acted over toilet paper That's all you need to know

[JW3Percent]

On 1/19/2024 at 1:16 PM, CylonGlitch said:

With the state of the federal government right now, is anyone planning for civil unrest after the elections.   It seems like if Biden doesn't win, his followers will make the summer of "love" look like a cake walk.   And if Trump doesn't win, and there is any evidence of cheating, there may be violence that way.

Just wondering if trouble does start, what we should be prepared for to wait out and see what happens and protect ourselves.  Maybe I'm just paranoid (well, less so where we are), but I'm afraid for the country.

NOTE: Not advocating starting anything, just if people are planning on protecting themselves, their families and maybe even the community of it is brought to us.

The deep state elites will not allow trump to be president again.   It is not a question of IF there will be violence near the election.  There WILL be violence.  If somehow Trump overcomes all the cheating and wins the white house, the deep state will kill him.  But I've heard so many rumors of things the biden admin are planning to do even prior to the election.  Some say there will not even be an election.   Some of the things I've heard is:  US Govt detonates an EMP over the US.  Nuclear war.  Massive internal attacks from the millions of "military age males" that strolled across the border.  Fake alien invasion/attack/etc.

 

I hope that I'm Chicken Little and sky isn't falling.  But folks, you had better have a helmet in case I'm right.  Not only is the #### going to hit the fan, the #### has already been launched.  It's only a matter of time before it hits.

Edit:

A question I would like to ask is:  Is anyone organizing?  Are there any groups training together and organizing to protect our families and neighborhoods?  maybe there are threads in another subforum I've missed?  I haven't been active on here in a long while. 

Cheers.

Edited January 24 by JW3Percent

[leroy]

I've long been concerned about the " assassination " thing and it's effect on either side of the political spectrum  here in the US. I think it's God's Prevenient Hand that has brought DWT ( and others ) this far. 

I have little doubt that if ole DW were to get a cold, some hackles would come up and some folks would commence ta thinkin, and possibly doin some bad things.

Here's hopin n praying that nothing happens to anyone on the political scene here in the US.  I'ma thinkin the results would be disastrous for all.

leroy...

[jaypug]

Back when I was traveling for work, I was told of the "SSS" concept related to wolves reintroduced by the government. onto the local area by a farmer in CO!

I believe we should always be prepared, just like having a fire extinguisher at home. You don't want or expect a fire, but if you do experience one...