Be Heard in Any Disaster with Unstoppable Communications

The Importance of Incoming and Outgoing Communications

Communications are a vital part of any operation. Whether we are talking about military operations, business or even in a family; communication is everything. For preppers the idea of having plenty of water and food is part of the plan. Security, hygiene and first aid are all parts of the average preppers plan. If there is any area that suffers in the average disaster response its communications. To me this is very troubling.

Not only should you have a method for incoming transmissions but also a method for outgoing comms in case you need help when the phone lines and wifi are down. Aside from the immediate concerns incoming and outgoing communications are the best way for a prepper to decide the next course of action. In a disaster the scenarios will change rapidly. If we are talking about a complete collapse of society large scale events will happen even faster. All the intel you can get from your local area will be necessary.

Incoming

There are many ways for you to receive incoming communications. As a prepper I think your best bet is to consider power source and scope. What information can you pick up with a particular device and how will you be able to power that device over the long haul.

Survival Radios
Any radio that is powered by battery and some other off grid means is a survival radio. Whether you are talking about a hand crank radio or a solar powered radio these are great survival options. With these devices you will be able to tap into some local and national level intelligence. Both could be incredibly important following a serious disaster. Its important that you know what is happening and how things are changing? You wont get all of the info but something is better than nothing.

Police Scanners
If you want to move into a deeper layer of communications consider investing in police scanners. For those of you who are uninitiated, you can use these devices to hear the police and EMT channels. On any given day you will hear some simple chatter from these brave men and women. When you are faced with a true disaster these channels will be alive with information that will keep you safe. Vital information coming from police communications at the ground level, as a situation unfolds, could really help your decision to bugout.  Read more about buying your own digital police scanner.

Outgoing

Incoming communications are great until you need something. Once you have an issue, whether health or safety related, the need for outgoing communications becomes very apparent. Unfortunately, there aren’t as many avenues for outgoing comms at the local and national level. Still, if you prepare you will have options.

HAM or Amateur Radio
This method of incoming and outgoing communications is easily the most well known in the prepper circles. This method requires a license and some equipment to work but it is widely accepted as the best possible method for comms when the SHTF. This is because the radio frequency will travel even when phone lines and cell towers are down. There is tons of great in depth information about handheld ham radio  in this article.

Handheld Radios
These are really only good for short range communications but they could still serve a purpose in a disaster. While you may find yourself buying a set that promises 25 miles of range it will only really function at about 3-4 at best depending on interference. That said, they can still be effective if you have no other way of communicating.

Neighborhood Meetings
Often overlooked, because of our isolated way of life, the neighborhood meeting could be a great way to remedy issues. A cohesive neighborhood will care about their neighbors and check ins will be done even in the worst conditions. This may seem like an antiquated thing to count on in 2017 but I challenge you to look at this as the future of disaster response. The strong community is always what makes the news in times of disaster. I think now is the time to rehearse and get people on board in your own community.

Prepper Investment

Another tool in survival communications is the satellite phone. Now, these things don’t come cheap and are quite an investment. In a vast societal collapse you will have something that could get you in touch with outsiders or you could just have a lot of dead air. I think the satellite phone has a lot of benefits but for most preppers its a serious investment that should be well researched.

Measuring your Current Status

If you want to be good at anything you have to start measuring it. Knowing what you now know about communications, how do your current preps stack up? Its probably time to consider setting new goals. If you want to find true success in prepping you must measure or assess yourself and then set goals. For most of us we are falling short when it comes to disaster communications.

USA Made Fire Steel: Have You Tried it?

Recently I went to a preparedness convention in Georgia and had a great time. I was very impressed with a lot of the booths that were set up, but I have to tell you about one of my favorites, the Fire Steel Booth with Georgia Pyro.

I have seen a LOT of fire starters in my day and have tried many different kinds. This one takes the cake. What drew me to his booth was the amount of sparks I saw flying from one strike, but also the size of the sparks. They were HUGE!

So I started asking questions about their product and found out some very interesting things. For starters, they are USA hand made right here in Georgia, but also that their fire starters produce an amazing amount of 3000 degree sparks and their magnesium burns at 5000 degrees. WET or DRY and their larger rods give over 20,000 strikes!

Their scrapers are 1/4″ square high speed steel tool Bits. They are very sharp and very easy to strike. So much so that you can actually use it to scrape wood shavings to use as tinder. David Bailey demonstrates in the videos below.

Look at all those sparks!

Starting a Fire with Cotton

Scraping Off Tinder

If you want to see for yourself, he has a list of shows he will be at on his website. There are nothing but outstanding reviews there as well. We purchased the fire block at the show but will be getting the Tiger Maple one soon to add to my husbands bag. I can not stress enough that you will not be disappointed in this product. You guys know me, if it is USA made I’m all about it. Especially if it is done by an individual verses a corporation. I personally prefer supporting the little guys. 🙂

All About The Tomahawk

Our friends over at True Swords have kindly shared their article with us about tomahawks and tactical weapons. We hope you enjoy their article and video! (Amazing site, please check it out!!)

Being a versatile tool, the tomahawk axe has been consistently used for self-defense, warfare, camping, excavation and other utility applications. To appreciate and understand how to use a tactical Tomahawk Axe, it is imperative that we give a little background information on this tool. The modern tactical tomahawk axe has been modeled from the Native Americans’ ancient tomahawk. The axe was the weapon of choice in the American Revolution of the 18th century before the advent of the firearm. The Tomahawk Axe came in handy particularly during close-quarters combat. Ancient warriors used the Tomahawk as an insurmountable warfare tactical weapon. Vietnam has a rich warfare history with usage of the tomahawk axe Along with other items, the tomahawk acted as a wilderness survival starter kit.

Great for hunting, clearing bushes, climbing mountains and camping contrivance. Today it continues to be effective in self-defense, breaching security doors, camping tool and if a zombie apocalypse arises, well, you are covered. The tactical axe will scare off vandals from your home, with bone cutting capabilities. Blade collectors have a great time in adding the tactical tomahawk axe to their collection.

Superb Features of a Tactical Tomahawk

Over the years the tactical tomahawk has transformed with a preamble of new designs and features. Natural materials like wood are no longer popularly used, especially on handles. In the recent years focus has been on fiber glass-reinforced nylon handles. The new age materials are durable, light and easy to handle. The glass fiber makes it portable on long camping trips and expeditions. The design gets rid of the nagging thigh poking when holstered on the waist making it perfect for steep and rocky terrain. The blade is ample sharp. The stainless steel has an impressive spike and makes the tomahawk axe very durable and tough. It offers the user great balance with optimum weight and length features.

Tactical Tomahawk Handling

Just like any blade, it is important you take great care of yourself when using the tactical tomahawk Axe. Safety is paramount; you would not want to find yourself in the emergency room because you mishandled this beast of an axe. First thing to appreciate is that the tomahawk axe has a user friendly feel and handle. Always use gloves when chopping wood. In essence the tactical tomahawk is meant for chopping and breaching. However, injuries can occur if you try strenuous activities (like chopping down a tree, alone) especially without gloves. Get some goggles for eye protection and wearing a long sleeved shirt when chopping wood won’t hurt. Always cut away from your body. The blade is sharp, no need to test it by running your finger along the edge of the blade. It doesn’t take a genius to guess the next thing that happens is to look for bandages. 

When throwing, especially in competitions, make sure you get a great arm behind it for a great rotation. The perfect angle will depend on the distance from the target. Always keep people as far as possible from the target; in case you miss the target, you avoid a nasty accident. The tomahawk axe, just like bouncing knives can easily bounce back, causing injury. Avoid a lot of throwing, as fascinating as it may seem. Constant bombardment will eventually reduce the lifespan and effectiveness of the bolts, blade and handle. Lots of throwing may unwrap, cord wrapped handles. Although the tactical tomahawk is built tough as nails, nothing lasts forever. Keep the blade sharp to make clean cuts. Ensure your axe has hammer checkering to ensure precise placement when pounding.

In case of emergency situations, getting a tactical tomahawk with a longer handle is recommended. Use two hands as opposed to one. Some war vets recommend wrapping tape around the handle to increase grip and stability. Breaching and door will be easier with a better grip on the tactical tomahawk. For collectors, it is advisable to look for a safe display area. The sheath is meant for safety; after you are done with the axe, don’t forget to return it in the sheath.

My view from Washington DC to Bountiful....

(By Millicent Bahr, Bountiful Resident)
 

I moved to Bountiful from Washington DC. I worked in the US Senate on Capitol Hill, in the West Wing of the White House (for President George W. Bush), and ended my DC career at a non-profit. Disagreements were common, the political climate was always changing, and friends and I were always debating. I thought when I left DC, I’d be leaving my front row seat to divisive politics. I am sad to say I was wrong…

I have truly fallen in love with Bountiful. People are kind, the mountains are breathtaking and Main Street is charming. I sat on the sidelines during local elections because I never had much to say, until now. The last 18 months in Bountiful have been sad to watch. Our local government is incredibly accessible and yet, some of our citizens are looking to uninformed people for information about our city -- information that’s usually false and statements that are drafted purely to pander.

I don’t fault people for wanting to get involved in local government. In fact, I wish more people would do so! I do, however, take issue when people build campaigns based on lies. A few things for my fellow citizens to consider.

City Hall: I was asked multiple times to sign the “No New City Hall” petition. Each time I declined to sign, the usual talking point was, “Are you sure? You know your taxes will go up if a new city hall is built.” (I wanted to do my own research and find out what all the fuss was about.) When pressed on the question of raised taxes as a result of a new city hall, the Better Bountiful Group and Dean Collinwood, finally said via their FaceBook group, “I’m not aware of any study done on [whether] a tax increase would be required to build a new city hall.” This is because increased taxes were never a reality or even a possibility -- but that didn’t stop Collinwood from continually using the false phrase to get signatures for Better Bountiful’s petition.

RDA (Redevelopment Agency) funds: Mayor Lewis and the City Council worked very hard to secure $20 million in RDA funds. Why can’t we use the RDA funds to repair roads? This answer is simple. The RDA funds can NOT be used in approximately 96% of Bountiful. The RDA was awarded, from Davis County, to be used for a specific purpose: to revitalize Main Street with a new City Hall and plaza. The RDA can only be used in 4% (i.e. the area surrounding Main Street) of the city. RDA funds can’t be used to make repairs along Bountiful Boulevard, 2600 S, etc. and anyone who tells you differently, simply doesn’t know the facts.

Solar Power: Dean wants every home to have solar power, and is mad the solar power subsidy (aka: taxpayers paying for other people's solar power) was removed. Mayor Lewis and our current city council didn't think it was fair to ask Bountiful taxpayers to subsidize another person's power source. Solar power is great, but, let the solar company subsidize it, NOT taxpayers. And does it bother anyone else, when Dean casually says solar panels are, "less than the average new car", like that's a good thing? The average cost of a new car is about $20,000, that's a lot of money for this middle class family.

Stoker School: Collinwood has said over and over again, that Stoker would not have come down if he were mayor and that it was, “torn down on a whim.” However, he tends to speak and make promises before he knows the full story and all the facts – or real facts don’t matter to him. According to a third party engineering study, Stoker School was sadly beyond repair and conservative estimates were that it would cost $30-40 million to renovate. The city council didn’t think the investment was financially wise, and with declining enrollment, the U wasn’t interested in spending that kind of money to make the building safe. Gary Hill (city manager), Mayor Lewis and our city council tried to keep the U in Bountiful by offering other spaces. They even offered to compromise on rent as an incentive for the University’s extension classes to remain in Bountiful. Ironically enough, the U was interested in leasing three classrooms that were intended as part of the new City Hall complex up until the Better Bountiful group created such a controversy. However, when it looked like the community (i.e. Better Bountiful) would not support the project, the U made the decision to leave Bountiful.

Collinwood has blamed city leaders for the U’s departure, but he’s never owned up to the significant role he actually played in undermining the University’s continued presence here. On issue after issue, Collinwood puts opportunistic pandering above the public interest.

It’s not even a hard choice for me. Dean Collinwood falsely claimed in August that former mayoral candidate Jim Clark endorsed him. Jim and Linda Clark have publicly endorsed Mayor Randy Lewis for re-election. Jim Clark supports Mayor Lewis as do all of the mayors from the following cities: Layton, Woods Cross, West Bountiful, North Salt Lake, Centerville, Farmington, Fruit Heights, Kaysville, Clearfield, West Point and Sunset.

Mayor Randy Lewis is the best candidate to lead Bountiful into the future. Unlike Collinwood, Randy Lewis has earned my trust.

Millicent Bahr,
Bountiful Resident
 

Tentsites: The Beauty of the Floating Treehouse

“We put them up in London,” architect Alex Shirley-Smith claimed as he tightened the ropes around a sturdy tree. He spoke with a reporter about his latest invention, Tentsiles, which is basically a portable tree house that can be assembled in any environment, whether it be city or country.

Inspired by the natural structure of spider webs, Tentsiles is a brilliant invention that relies on the physical element of tension, or tensile design. The goal, as Smith says, is to use as few materials as possible, making for a simple design as well as an eco-friendly experience for campers.

The tent also has a slue of other benefits that normal ground tents don’t have, including the comfort of a hammock as opposed to backbreaking sleep one gets from sleeping in the dirt. Tentsiles also lessen the chance of suffering from any nasty bug bites or animal intrusions by keeping its residents floating comfortably and safely in the air.

(sponsored)

The triangularly shaped tents are so easy to set-up, they only take ten minutes, which is perfect for those looking to travel far and light.

“It’s soft on all sides and it’s warm,” one of the reporters said as he hopped inside, lounging with two other adults. “You get sort of that peacefulness,” he added. At one point, one of the individuals in the tent stated that the tent felt like a hammock, but without the unstoppable swaying.

“It took several prototypes to get to this shape,” Alex said at the end of the interview, the reporter stating that the invention recently brought on the idea of small villages that can be made up of sky tents, one stacked above the other. Like the invention of Tentsiles, this thought is idyllic and dreamy, one that fits as perfect as your body does with the tent’s design.

Watch This Video of Tentsile Tree Tents By Kirsten Dirksen

(Click Here if video doesn’t display)

Most Easiest Way to Light A LED Bulb with a Potato - Learn Easily

Top 5 Tips To Picking The Perfect Hiking Shoes

Stepping through the forested areas on a thorough hike gets all the more elating with every step taken. But here is a question for your feet, are they as excited as you are? Your feet go up against the rigorous task of mountain climbing, so it’s vital that they have the correct protection and padding.

Picking hiking shoes isn’t generally simple. From style to size, one can choose from a variety of options, and what feels great in the store still requires time to soften up before your hiking excursion. Check out your top picked tips to consider in order to pick the right shoes for your outdoor and hiking adventure.

#Tip 1: Translate the Styles 

Just like sneakers, hiking shoes are also made for particular sorts of trekking. Do you spend most of your time on the mountain or at home or are you just a casual hiker? Knowing the exact type of hiker that you are, will go a long way in determining which hiking shoes will best suit your requirements.

What will you be doing in this shoes, and by this, it isn’t just hiking, but you have to be specific of the kind of hiking you will be doing. On the off chance that you are doing overnight hikes, a lot will be carried on your back, so it’s better for you to go for a more serious pair of shoes, one with an ankle support and a stiffer sole.

Will you hike the taller Maine Mountains, which have a tendency to be extremely rough? Once more, you may need a boot with an ankle support and a stiffer sole. Or, then again will you go on mostly simple trails? Assuming this is the case, you might need to pick a low profile boot that is more adaptable, enabling you to take comfortable steps. Remember the motive of buying these shoes while shopping.

#Tip 2: Consider the material

With regards to hiking shoes, the material is of huge significance. A wrong fabric could make your feet uncomfortable, cramped, and hot. Find the proper material for extreme trail comfort. Synthetics materials are frequently polyester and nylon. They are anything but difficult to break in, feel light, and also dry up quickly when wet, though, less water resistant.

Split-grain leather is often made with half leather synthetics, this material is also extremely breathable. Be that as it may, it is not as water resistant as full-grain leather. Sturdiness is additionally on the lower end. Furthermore, most mountaineering shoes are composed of full-grain leather. It’s an exceptionally tough material, ideal for rigorous hikes aiming to cross the shaky landscape. Then again, this material is very heavy and less breathable.

#Tip 3: Do you want your shoes to have a high, mid or low ankle? 

Some people think high-ankle shoes are dorky. Possibly they are, yet you’ve got to like them. Why? Because it’s good for people with a condition called wobbly ankles. As such, they tend to turn their ankles effortlessly. At any rate, it’s the best choice to wear high-ankle shoes when hiking on uneven terrain. They bolster ankles better, plain and basic. You can wear high-ankle shoes when hiking any kind of mountain or fairly difficult trail. Then again, you can wear low-ankle shoes or even hiking sandals on the easier trail. You know how you can balance your ankle. Make the right decision for you.

#Tip 4: Know your size 

It’s good to have the measurement of your foot’s length, width, and arc length before embarking on your shopping trip. Foot volume is another key to the right fit, must be evaluated by a pro at a store. You can double check your foot length by bringing out the insoles of the shoes and stand on them; there should be a thumb’s width of space in between the end of the insoles and your longest toe.

#Tip 5: Try on shoes at the end of the day

Your feet usually swell a bit amid the day’s exercises and will be at their biggest at that point. This enables you to avoid purchasing shoes that are too small for your feet.

Conclusion 

Picking the right hiking shoes could be cumbersome, however, after going through this post, you should be able to pick the right hiking shoes for you. Really the best activity is essentially strolling into a store and try on shoes. Bunches of shoes. Try not to be shy. Ask the store attendants questions. Who knows, you may simply find somebody who is as eager as you about finding you the right hiking shoes.

Chamber pots, potty chairs and “Night waste”

Only a hundred years ago, our ancestors handled having to use the toilet during the night very differently than we do today.  Now, we get up, go to the bathroom, use and flush.

Not so in earlier times.  For our ancestors, there were a multitude of methods to take care of waste when one didn’t want to trot out to the outhouse in the middle of a snowy, freezing night.  Here are some of the practical solutions:

 A chamber pot: 

A close stool: 

A potty chair:  

A night table: (to hide the chamber pot in and reduce it’s smell)   

All of these, however, needed emptying in the morning.  Many were emptied into privies or out houses, which are different words for the same facility.  Some were, and still are, emptied into the sewer directly.  In older times, it was not uncommon to hear the term “gardy-loo!” in cities.  This term is a bastardized version of the french “gardez-l’eau” or watch out for the water, as the chamber maid tossed the smelly contents into the street.

All of these historic thoughts on how people handled poo ask the question, should the water go out indefinitely, are you prepared to handle waste?

For myself and my family, well, we’ve got a chamber pot.  It’s a 5 gallon bucket with a toilet seat on it.  Easily built and hauls the waste without much slop.  We’ve also got a corner of our property that we could put a privy on AND an old 6 mile long culvert to connect to.

Do you have an outhouse?  A privy?  A small shed that you could turn into one?  In a similar vein, do you have a way to handle your family’s nighttime needs?  How would you work this practical problem out?

What To Use When There’s No Toothpaste

Dental Hygiene should be a part of our daily lives and even more important in a survival situation for many reasons. Having access to a Dentist may be a serious challenge in a survival or prepper scenario. How will you maintain oral hygiene when your toothpaste has been exhausted? What will be your alternative methods for brushing your teeth? Do you even know that alternative methods exist and has been existing for 1000’s of years? How’s that for a track record?

What if I told you there was a tree that you could use to take care of your dental hygiene, would that not be something you would be interested in?  There is a tree called the Toothbrush tree and people have been using it for 1000’s of years. The scientific name for this tree is “Salvadora Persica, but you can call it the “Toothbrush tree”. The Salvadora Persica is a small, evergreen shrub or tree that grows in hot, dry conditions in parts of Africa, the Middle East and the Arabian Peninsula.

The Toothbrush Tree is valued as a medicinal plant since it contains a number of active compounds that promote good dental hygiene and have been shown to reduce tooth decay, plaque and gum disease.

Here are a few noted benefits of this wonderful natural toothbrush:

* Kills bacteria that causes gum disease
* Fights plaque effectively.
* Useful and effectiveness for teeth whitening
* Helps reduce tooth decay
* Removes Bad breath and odor from mouth.
* Creates a fragrance in the mouth.
* Massages the gums for healthier teeth.
* Effectively cleans between teeth due to its parallel bristles.
* Increases salivation and hence inhibits dry mouth (Xerostomia)

How To Use It ?

To use the natural toothbrush: Remove the stick from the package and trim or chew the bark off one end of the stick; about a 1/2 inch. Chew on the exposed end until the twig forms bristles. Brush as usual. No toothpaste required. The natural toothbrush will freshen the mouth. Every few days (when bristles look like an old broom) cut off the exposed bristles, peel bark and start anew. The natural toothbrush should be kept in a clean place.

Enjoy and keep smiling 🙂

If the tree toothbrush becomes dry, it should be soaked in rose water to soften the end bristles. The end should be cut fresh to ensure hygiene for each usage.

If your looking for a great alternative to fluoride toothpaste, the natural Toothbrush just might be the solution. For the Prepper it is also light and easy to pack in your BOG. You can get these natural Toothbrushes from our website that are vacuumed sealed in order to maintain their freshness i.e. they aren’t dried out branches.

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