So you may be wondering what the new G1 has to do with survival, well it's a little hard to explain, but I think I can make it make sense.
You see, the Android operating system, is actually a version of the Linux operating system. The new G1 has a lot of the features of linux locked out or removed, but there is an underground movement working towards unlocking all of those features and using the Gphones to their ultimate potential. You remember the library of survival guides I am working on compiling? Yes, theoretically, you can view them from a Gphone. You also have built in wifi, incase civilization hasn't totally crumbled in your flavor of TEOTWAWKI. The Gphone also has a built in GPS receiver. The gps system still needs software in order to use it to its full potential, but I am sure that it is under way.
The main concern as far as survival off the grid is that it does not use AA batteries. That being said, it can be charged via USB so most solar chargers that can charge AA batteries can also charge a G1. Essentially, what this all boils down to is that the G1, or future flavors of Gphones can all be modded out into mini laptops with more features than most computers. Sure they lack video cards, and are a little slow. You won't be able to use them to play major video games, but do you really need them in a survival situation anyway?
Oh yea, did i mention you can call people on it, just like a cell phone? Oh wait, it is a cell phone.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Day 5, Blip
Filtering through water removes 99 percent of radiation. Imagine that.
Picked up that handy bit of info from an excellent multiservice military issue survival guide. One of the few guides that approaches survival from the standpoint of both combat and non-combat perspectives. Probably my favorite survival guide I have ever read.
The Guide.
Picked up that handy bit of info from an excellent multiservice military issue survival guide. One of the few guides that approaches survival from the standpoint of both combat and non-combat perspectives. Probably my favorite survival guide I have ever read.
The Guide.
Day 5 Compound Bows
I was walking through walmart the other day and I saw a bow that was about a foot and a half long, and couldn't help but think to myself, man, that would be awesome for my pack. It's small and light weight, It's all but silent, and you can collect your ammo back up when you are done. Granted it's not very heavy, maybe 10-25lb or 20-50lb, but it's heavy enough to hunt small game like squirrels, birds and rabbits. You don't need a lot of range to hunt those, either.
Another nice thing about bow hunting, is you can gather food silently, conserving ammunition and not compromising your location. Since you will be hunting mostly small game with it, You can switch your arrow tips out to something like this. They also make Bowfishing Kits, although this one looks cheap. With a little practice, and decent aim, you'd be able to catch just about any animal under a hundred pounds. Oh, and never shoot a squirrel in a tree. You'll lose your arrow, or if you have the fishing kit, you'll tangle your line.
Another option you might look into is a wrist rocket. The marksman model they sell at wal-mart is strong enough to kill squirrels and pidgeons, but you'll want the metal shot if you want any level of reliability. So you are faced with the ammo issue. The nice thing about a wrist rocket though, is that there is a low learning curve.
Any larger game, use a gun. The amount of food you'll get for for the bullet you expend will be well worth it. Just never fire more than one shot. Any more, and anyone looking for you can triangulate your position.
Another nice thing about bow hunting, is you can gather food silently, conserving ammunition and not compromising your location. Since you will be hunting mostly small game with it, You can switch your arrow tips out to something like this. They also make Bowfishing Kits, although this one looks cheap. With a little practice, and decent aim, you'd be able to catch just about any animal under a hundred pounds. Oh, and never shoot a squirrel in a tree. You'll lose your arrow, or if you have the fishing kit, you'll tangle your line.
Another option you might look into is a wrist rocket. The marksman model they sell at wal-mart is strong enough to kill squirrels and pidgeons, but you'll want the metal shot if you want any level of reliability. So you are faced with the ammo issue. The nice thing about a wrist rocket though, is that there is a low learning curve.
Any larger game, use a gun. The amount of food you'll get for for the bullet you expend will be well worth it. Just never fire more than one shot. Any more, and anyone looking for you can triangulate your position.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Day 3, More Communications and More!
Just a quick note, I've been flipping through the FMs on GlobalSecurity.org and ran across this jewel: FM 24-12 - Communications in a 'Come-As-You-Are' War.
It's exactly what it says, and it should be required reading for every survivalist.
Eventually I plan to gather all of the most relavent and useful FMs and other useful info into a downloadable zip file for storage in a pen drive or eReader. Hard copies are nice, but you can fit so much more information into an electronic device. I will include both practical survival and tactical information for the seasoned survivor, and information on sustainability for those who have found secure locations and groups who are colonizing a location.
It's exactly what it says, and it should be required reading for every survivalist.
Eventually I plan to gather all of the most relavent and useful FMs and other useful info into a downloadable zip file for storage in a pen drive or eReader. Hard copies are nice, but you can fit so much more information into an electronic device. I will include both practical survival and tactical information for the seasoned survivor, and information on sustainability for those who have found secure locations and groups who are colonizing a location.
Day 3 SINCGARS
SINCGARS - Single Channel Ground and Airborn Radio System
This is where I like to imagine I have a level of expertise. The SINCGARS radio is a highly modular, though heavy and power hungry, communications device. It is capable of communicating from 20 miles on a standard whip antennae (Omnidirectional) to hundreds of miles with Line Of Sight. 2 units in a standard hummer can be used as a mobile rebroadcast station with relative ease. They are capable of channel hopping at a rate of about 100Hz. This is relatively slow now, but should provide enough security for most applications. This channel hopping can be programmed directly from the interface. These devices are also capable of digital encryption. Most of the SINCGARS I was exposed to in the Army were the older model which required external encryption fills. This encryption is done through a device called a KY-57. It's a little black box that opens like a laptop. It has a keypad, and I believe 6 extra buttons which are labeled with 3 character abreviations, though it may have 8. it's been some years since I looked at one. They are labled KY-57 on the device, however. There is also a dumb key called a fill device. I forget its exact military designation, but it distinctly resembles a claymore plunger with a microphone plug attatchment. These devices are plugged into the front of the SINCGARS radio while the knob is set to fill. For exact operations guidelines on encryption filling, see FM 11-1 as well as other operating procedures. If you find a Fill Device, likelyhood is it will already have a key in it. You cannot, however, change the key on the fill without another device. The key can be filled through a SINCGARS that has not been zero'd or through the KY-57. They KY-57 is capable of creating a key by itself, as well as programming channelhopping and other useful things. If you find one of these, it's black gold. The device is highly classified and the only people who have them are communications brigades, 1 per brigade, and they will usually be at Battalion Command.
If you are lucky enough to find a newer SINCGARS in the US, these actually have all of the functionality of the KY-57 built in. For security purposes, you will want a fill device to transfer keys, but all SINCGARS are capable of syncing across the air, so it's not necessary. Just keep in mind that the key could be intercepted.
The reason why I bring this up, in the case of TEOTWAWKI, the government will try to make a last stand. This means abandoned Hummers will be laying around all over the place. In the event of societal collapse, this is perhaps the most useful device you will find in a militar vehicle, and almost every single one will have at least one.
This is where I like to imagine I have a level of expertise. The SINCGARS radio is a highly modular, though heavy and power hungry, communications device. It is capable of communicating from 20 miles on a standard whip antennae (Omnidirectional) to hundreds of miles with Line Of Sight. 2 units in a standard hummer can be used as a mobile rebroadcast station with relative ease. They are capable of channel hopping at a rate of about 100Hz. This is relatively slow now, but should provide enough security for most applications. This channel hopping can be programmed directly from the interface. These devices are also capable of digital encryption. Most of the SINCGARS I was exposed to in the Army were the older model which required external encryption fills. This encryption is done through a device called a KY-57. It's a little black box that opens like a laptop. It has a keypad, and I believe 6 extra buttons which are labeled with 3 character abreviations, though it may have 8. it's been some years since I looked at one. They are labled KY-57 on the device, however. There is also a dumb key called a fill device. I forget its exact military designation, but it distinctly resembles a claymore plunger with a microphone plug attatchment. These devices are plugged into the front of the SINCGARS radio while the knob is set to fill. For exact operations guidelines on encryption filling, see FM 11-1 as well as other operating procedures. If you find a Fill Device, likelyhood is it will already have a key in it. You cannot, however, change the key on the fill without another device. The key can be filled through a SINCGARS that has not been zero'd or through the KY-57. They KY-57 is capable of creating a key by itself, as well as programming channelhopping and other useful things. If you find one of these, it's black gold. The device is highly classified and the only people who have them are communications brigades, 1 per brigade, and they will usually be at Battalion Command.
If you are lucky enough to find a newer SINCGARS in the US, these actually have all of the functionality of the KY-57 built in. For security purposes, you will want a fill device to transfer keys, but all SINCGARS are capable of syncing across the air, so it's not necessary. Just keep in mind that the key could be intercepted.
The reason why I bring this up, in the case of TEOTWAWKI, the government will try to make a last stand. This means abandoned Hummers will be laying around all over the place. In the event of societal collapse, this is perhaps the most useful device you will find in a militar vehicle, and almost every single one will have at least one.
Day 3 Saltpeter
Saltpeter, or Potassium Nitrate, is an easily made accelerant. Though the process can take several months, depending on the yeild desired, it can be easily produced even in times of crisis. Production methods vary, but many are covered here: http://docsouth.unc.edu/imls/lecontesalt/leconte.html
This is perhaps the first thing you should consider producing once you get stabilized. Saltpeter is the main accelerant in gunpowder, useful for many reasons. This is a mixture of saltpeter, charcoal, and optionally wood chips (makes the formula more stable). You can also mix it with sugar to make an extremely effective smoke bomb. In the end, bullets will only last for as many rounds as you have stored, and depending on the situation, you could easily burn through a thousand rounds in a month. How many rounds do you think you can carry on you with your BOB at the same time?
The reason I bring up the creation of saltpeter is because a couple of smoke grenades are something I feel every BOB should have. They give you a tactical advantage for defending a location, they can clear a defensed location of unprepared individuals safely, and without harm, and they provide cover for both assault and escape.
Making a smoke bomb is really quite simple. The standard formula is 60% Potasium Nitrate to 40% Sugar. More sugar for a slower burn, more potasium for a faster one. Remember, the amount of sugar in the mixture is the equivalent of how much smoke you have. Once you have your mixture, add only enough water to make a paste, stirring slowly, and find something to shape it in.
As far shaping the charge, your best bet is to put it into a paper tube, either paper towel, or toilet roll sized, the ends sealed in wax. Bury a fuse in one end, and let it dry somewhere dark and dry. I can't estimate shelf life, because this composition is considered an explosive device, and is highly flamable. You should never store explosives in your home.
For more information on smoke and it's tactical uses, read FM 3-50.
(Disclaimer: I in no way condone the making of saltpeter, gunpowder, or smoke bombs in any way shape or form until after societal colapse and all form of government has long since vanished from the face of the earth, or in the event of zombie outbreak, when the government may potentially remain intact, and then only for purposes of making an escape. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!! I take no liability for any damage, bodily or otherwise, or legal action taken against persons as a result of using this information in any way. The purpose of this and future blog posts is purely for informational purposes only, and I can not promise you that any of the information on this website is 100% accurate in any way.)
This is perhaps the first thing you should consider producing once you get stabilized. Saltpeter is the main accelerant in gunpowder, useful for many reasons. This is a mixture of saltpeter, charcoal, and optionally wood chips (makes the formula more stable). You can also mix it with sugar to make an extremely effective smoke bomb. In the end, bullets will only last for as many rounds as you have stored, and depending on the situation, you could easily burn through a thousand rounds in a month. How many rounds do you think you can carry on you with your BOB at the same time?
The reason I bring up the creation of saltpeter is because a couple of smoke grenades are something I feel every BOB should have. They give you a tactical advantage for defending a location, they can clear a defensed location of unprepared individuals safely, and without harm, and they provide cover for both assault and escape.
Making a smoke bomb is really quite simple. The standard formula is 60% Potasium Nitrate to 40% Sugar. More sugar for a slower burn, more potasium for a faster one. Remember, the amount of sugar in the mixture is the equivalent of how much smoke you have. Once you have your mixture, add only enough water to make a paste, stirring slowly, and find something to shape it in.
As far shaping the charge, your best bet is to put it into a paper tube, either paper towel, or toilet roll sized, the ends sealed in wax. Bury a fuse in one end, and let it dry somewhere dark and dry. I can't estimate shelf life, because this composition is considered an explosive device, and is highly flamable. You should never store explosives in your home.
For more information on smoke and it's tactical uses, read FM 3-50.
(Disclaimer: I in no way condone the making of saltpeter, gunpowder, or smoke bombs in any way shape or form until after societal colapse and all form of government has long since vanished from the face of the earth, or in the event of zombie outbreak, when the government may potentially remain intact, and then only for purposes of making an escape. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!!! I take no liability for any damage, bodily or otherwise, or legal action taken against persons as a result of using this information in any way. The purpose of this and future blog posts is purely for informational purposes only, and I can not promise you that any of the information on this website is 100% accurate in any way.)
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Day 2, thoughts.
I live in a loft Down Town. There aren't a lot of grocery stores around, and in the event of TEOTWAWKI, Those grocery stores will be looted with quickness. Further, this down town, and I imagine most others are surrounded by low income housing districts. Another thing to take into consideration, line of sight is severly limited in most directions, so it may not be safe to leave for a good amount of time after disaster strikes.
This means you could be severely limited on food ration supplies in short order. Yes, sure, you could stock up on beans/rice/flower, and other staples, but most, myself included, have in the pantry roughly a couple weeks worth of rations at best. Most won't have room/funds for much more than that, either. This led me to consider alternate food sources in the city.
Pidgeons, my friend. Chicken of the Street! They're easy to catch. I'm assuming they have lots of fat, so they should provide a lot of calories. Most large cities have plenty of them. Further more, they are a renewable food source if you can get them to breed. The eggs are small, but it's better than nothing, and provides a different source of nutrition.
Cooking them, I think, will be the largest hurdle. I've looked into solar cooking a little, but it seems an unreliable way to cook. However, if I remember correctly, you can make a still out of a hot water heater. The alcohol produced could be used not only recreationally, but also as fuel. I'm not finding any plans on google right now, but I know they're out there somewhere. Making alcohol requires some form of carb containing vegitable. Potatoes I would imagine are fairly efficient, neutral in flavor, and easy to grow. Coincidentally, if you live near a wet land area, you can make alcohol from cat tails. I can't imagine you would want to drink it, but it's supposed to be one of the most efficient sources of alcohol out there. All this is theory mind you, but it should be fairly renewable once working properly, and the only thing I am truely unsure about is the still.
Another potential issue is soil to grow in. Recycle, recycle, recycle, I say. Seperate feces from urine and save it for compost, along with any organic material. It's going to be hard to gather soil in the city, but between dumpsters, planters, and what you have around the house, you should be able to make some decent growing soil in short order, and at least a few pots worth with what you have laying around the pad if you find yourself immediately trapped downtown with no safe ground level access.
On cattails, they are an easy to grow, and excellent source of nutrition. http://www.edibleplants.com/month/cattail.htm Has some good information. A few aspects that this site leaves out are that the roots can also make for a good potato substitute. The seeds are also eaten in some cultures. Once a cattail turns brown, late in the season, the tail itself is less than palpatable. (Sp?) But set it on fire and all that's left are the seeds, pre-roasted, and ready to be eaten. Though not necessarily accessable in the city, good info to know.
This means you could be severely limited on food ration supplies in short order. Yes, sure, you could stock up on beans/rice/flower, and other staples, but most, myself included, have in the pantry roughly a couple weeks worth of rations at best. Most won't have room/funds for much more than that, either. This led me to consider alternate food sources in the city.
Pidgeons, my friend. Chicken of the Street! They're easy to catch. I'm assuming they have lots of fat, so they should provide a lot of calories. Most large cities have plenty of them. Further more, they are a renewable food source if you can get them to breed. The eggs are small, but it's better than nothing, and provides a different source of nutrition.
Cooking them, I think, will be the largest hurdle. I've looked into solar cooking a little, but it seems an unreliable way to cook. However, if I remember correctly, you can make a still out of a hot water heater. The alcohol produced could be used not only recreationally, but also as fuel. I'm not finding any plans on google right now, but I know they're out there somewhere. Making alcohol requires some form of carb containing vegitable. Potatoes I would imagine are fairly efficient, neutral in flavor, and easy to grow. Coincidentally, if you live near a wet land area, you can make alcohol from cat tails. I can't imagine you would want to drink it, but it's supposed to be one of the most efficient sources of alcohol out there. All this is theory mind you, but it should be fairly renewable once working properly, and the only thing I am truely unsure about is the still.
Another potential issue is soil to grow in. Recycle, recycle, recycle, I say. Seperate feces from urine and save it for compost, along with any organic material. It's going to be hard to gather soil in the city, but between dumpsters, planters, and what you have around the house, you should be able to make some decent growing soil in short order, and at least a few pots worth with what you have laying around the pad if you find yourself immediately trapped downtown with no safe ground level access.
On cattails, they are an easy to grow, and excellent source of nutrition. http://www.edibleplants.com/month/cattail.htm Has some good information. A few aspects that this site leaves out are that the roots can also make for a good potato substitute. The seeds are also eaten in some cultures. Once a cattail turns brown, late in the season, the tail itself is less than palpatable. (Sp?) But set it on fire and all that's left are the seeds, pre-roasted, and ready to be eaten. Though not necessarily accessable in the city, good info to know.
Day 2
So I got home and catalogued all of my gear that was worth a damn. There's not much there, but it's a good start. I actually took pictures of all my gear. You can see the full album here: http://www.photobucket.com/isurvival
The most useful thing I own, and also perhaps the cheapest is my handy dandy hobo tool. $3.88 in the hunting section at Wal-Mart, it has everything I will ever need to eat anything I come across. Cooking it, on the other hand could be a problem.
Item two has got to be the big oilskin jacket. It's warm, totally water proof, and I got it from Cabela's for $100. It's well worth it. Buy two.
I hate the cold. One of my favorite items that I have left over from the army is the modular sleeping bag they gave me. It's awesome. It's rated to somewhere below zero when everything is put on it, and most importantly, there is a gortex liner that comes with it. With this sleeping bag, you don't even need a tent.
I've got a soft frame backpack left over from god knows where. It's really an awesome bag. I've been carrying it around for years, and aside from some fraying on the draw strings, It's still in like-new condition.
Camelbak, good condition.
Leather gloves, a bit worse for wear.
Old ruck sack, servicable.
Polypropelyne underwear.
Military issue webgear. Missing the belt. I never liked these in the army. I don't know why I've still got it now.
BDU's
Field Jacket
Gortex Suit, obsolete , in my opinion, thanks to the Oil Skin Jacket. It does have a waterproof hood, though.
Kevlar, the actual brain bucket I wore in the army.
Chemical warfare suit. The charcoal lined chem suit they use in MOPP training. This one is actually in pretty good shape. It's still got most of the charcoal in it. I wouldn't roll around in anthrax while wearing it, but it's better than nothing. Comes with rubber gloves, rubber boots, pants and a jacket. I don't have a gas mask, yet.
So a lot of this is useless in most given situations, and a good portion of it is redundant. I don't need the field jacket. I don't need the gortex suit. Probably won't need the kevlar. Rucksack, I've got a great pack, I don't need the ruck.
My goal is to get one totally self sufficient bug out bag. I've lived for over a month on 1 pack that I put together in a couple hours. I wasn't in the wilderness by any means though. Still, with some time, I could get it down to the bare essentials that are enough to survive for an extended period of time, and small enough I can walk 20+ miles a day with it.
Friday, November 14, 2008
iSurvival, Day 1
I've always been a 'city slicker'. I'm young, arrogant, and hard headed just like every other 25 year old out here, but there's one thing that I have over the rest of the herd. I've got experience. I was a Boy Scout all the way through the Life rank. I wish I had stayed in long enough to get that Eagle rank, but that wasn't my choice. I've spent time on the road with a good buddy of mine, and learned many lessons on those trips. I've even spent some time without a place to truely call home, even if I wasn't without shelter during that year. I've learned a lot of things. Now I've got a handle on my life, and I'm realizing that in the process of domesticating myself, I'm not nearly as prepared as I was long ago. I would like to personally thank http://theurbansurvivalist.blogspot.com/ for helping me come to this realize this. When I first turned my browser to this blog, I read straight from November 2008 to march of the same year, and intend to finish reading the entire blog Monday.
I'm no expert, nor do I intend to exhibit myself as such. What I will do, however, is give a detailed and accurate account of going from a 3rd generation quasi-professional to a (hopefully) 1st rate survivalist while still holding down a decent job and living a normal life. Much of what The Urban Survivalist points out is that the perhaps larger majority of survivalists, and concequently the public opinion of survivalists, find themselves living in a backwoods abandoned missile silo, or 100 acre plot of land, clutching their shotgun and rocking back and forth on the porch talking gibberish to their dog. (No insult intended.) This approach is widely unnecessary, and hopefully I will be able to show you exactly why in the process. If nothing else, I may be able to come up with some tricks that may benefit you, or give you some ideas of your own.
Now, most of my professional background is in computers, and there will be a strong technology focus in a lot of my content. I think in todays society, technology is more than a convenience, it is an asset. Even if TEOTWAWKI comes tomorrow, and instantly obliterates the grid, technology will still be around. Though I do not feel that you should rely heavily on it, it will still be useful for a minimum of 5 years, and in all likelyhood, will stick around for at least 20 more after that.
Like The Urban Survivalist, I did my term in the military. I joined November 6th 2001, and completed my term November 7th 2007. I joined as a network specialist, not to be in the rear with the gear, but because it was what I was good at, and was the greatest service I could do for my country.
Again, this is to be an account of my transition from city slicker to seasoned survivalist, and as my full time job currently pays me near poverty level wages, it may take a little while to get everything started, but I will get my survival setup back into shape, even if it is one piece at a time. If you would like to come along, I'd love to have you.
-DataPhreak
I'm no expert, nor do I intend to exhibit myself as such. What I will do, however, is give a detailed and accurate account of going from a 3rd generation quasi-professional to a (hopefully) 1st rate survivalist while still holding down a decent job and living a normal life. Much of what The Urban Survivalist points out is that the perhaps larger majority of survivalists, and concequently the public opinion of survivalists, find themselves living in a backwoods abandoned missile silo, or 100 acre plot of land, clutching their shotgun and rocking back and forth on the porch talking gibberish to their dog. (No insult intended.) This approach is widely unnecessary, and hopefully I will be able to show you exactly why in the process. If nothing else, I may be able to come up with some tricks that may benefit you, or give you some ideas of your own.
Now, most of my professional background is in computers, and there will be a strong technology focus in a lot of my content. I think in todays society, technology is more than a convenience, it is an asset. Even if TEOTWAWKI comes tomorrow, and instantly obliterates the grid, technology will still be around. Though I do not feel that you should rely heavily on it, it will still be useful for a minimum of 5 years, and in all likelyhood, will stick around for at least 20 more after that.
Like The Urban Survivalist, I did my term in the military. I joined November 6th 2001, and completed my term November 7th 2007. I joined as a network specialist, not to be in the rear with the gear, but because it was what I was good at, and was the greatest service I could do for my country.
Again, this is to be an account of my transition from city slicker to seasoned survivalist, and as my full time job currently pays me near poverty level wages, it may take a little while to get everything started, but I will get my survival setup back into shape, even if it is one piece at a time. If you would like to come along, I'd love to have you.
-DataPhreak
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