Survival Ready Blog, Outdoor Survival Gear & Skills, Preppers, Survival Gear, kits
  • Home
  • About
    • Team & Contributors
  • Survival Skills
    • Wilderness Survival
    • Hunting, Trapping & Fishing >
      • Hunting
      • Trapping
      • Fishing >
        • Improvised Fishing Gear
    • Fire Making >
      • How to Light A Fire
      • 101 Ways to Start A Fire
    • Water Sourcing >
      • Water Storing & Filtering
    • Shelter Building
    • First Aid
    • Psychology Of Survival
    • Urban Survival
    • Financial Survival
    • Self Defense >
      • Self Defense in Real Life
      • Self Defense For Women
      • Crime Prevention Series
  • Survival Gear
    • Battle Proven Bug-out Bag Gear
    • Outdoor Survival Gear
    • Homemade Survival Kits
    • Survival Knives
    • 101 Uses for Paracord
    • Survival Gear Reviews
    • Crisis Tested Bug-out Bag
  • Survival Kits
    • Disaster Preparedness Kit
    • Best Wilderness Survival Kits Gear
    • Emergency Food Storage
    • Emergency Survival Kits
    • Emergency Preparedness Kit
    • Survival Kit List
    • Urban Survival Kit
    • Military Survival Kits
  • Prepping
    • Blackout Preparedness
    • Emergency Preparedness
    • Gardening
    • DIY
    • Homesteading >
      • Food Preservation >
        • Canning Food
        • Canning Meat
        • Canning Soft Fruits and Berries
        • Canning Fish
    • Off Grid Living
    • Home Security & Defense
  • Products

The 72 Hour Survivalist Guide – Bug Out Bag Essentials

12/15/2015

1 Comment

 
By Survival Ready Blog Contributor
​

Virtually all survival blogs and survival guides have at least one lowdown on the bug out bag in their article inventory. Bug out bags, also commonly referred to as ‘bugging out’, will come up early in any serious conversation about survival. There’s a good reason for this, when disaster strikes survivors could well be pushed out to higher ground, or into the wilderness, in an escape for survival. Under such circumstances, your Bug Out Bag may be all you have (and need) to keep you alive long enough to reconsider your options and reformulate your plan.
​

Bug Out Bag 101​

Essentially, your bug out bag is the bare essential kit you need to keep you alive for a short time, in the event that you are forced from your base (your hotel, resort, campsite etc.) A fundamental thing to keep front-of-mind when planning your bug out bag is that you need to mobile (so your bag needs to stay light enough to move with relative ease). Of course we are talking about ‘your’ bug out bag here too, so your bag needs to include what ‘you’ need to survive.
The ground zero consideration in planning your bug out bag is that it is very much designed to be a temporary survival pack. You need to focus on the event in hand and your prepped bug out bag gives you the backup plan and mental breathing space to do that.

Bug Out Bag Essentials
  1. Water – need I say more!
  2. Fire – for warmth, cooking and attracting attention when you need to
  3. Shelter – for rest and protection, from the weather and predators
  4. Food – need I say more!
  5. Tools – often the difference between life and death in the wilderness. Essential tools include a knife (or three), axe, knife sharpener, spark maker and rope.
Of course this guide is just a high-level overview for bug out bag plans. I highly recommend you read this detailed article for a comprehensive guide, I’ve found it be the top bug out bag checklist article out there right now.

My Final Word On 72 Hour Survival Plans
Being isolated in the wilderness for any length of time is often too challenging for most people to survive for long. If a disaster strikes like a flood, volcanic eruption, earthquake or war, your chances are usually much improved by finding a safe shelter within civilization and an urban area. This is the goal your bug out bag should be primarily focused on.

1 Comment

Basic survival equipment for hunting

9/21/2015

2 Comments

 
By Survival Ready Blog Contributor

When hunting it is vital that a person carries the fundamental survival equipment. Whether the hunt happens in the yard property or on a hunt in familiar land fundamental survival equipment need to be brought as if the hunter were in unfamiliar territory. The amount of equipment utilized for a larger exploration naturally would be significantly enhanced, but the primary focus is on basic survival equipment. These are everyday products that must constantly be evened.
Picture
Image via 1800survival.com

1. Compass and Map- Many outdoorsmen become disoriented. No matter exactly what the reason for this disorientation inability is seldom the cause. A fast glimpse of the terrain and a compass can quickly resolve this issue. If on unfamiliar area a compass can be utilized with a map to triangulate your place from land functions. This is a crucial tool in survival.

2. Water bottle-The old stating goes "without food you can live for 3 weeks, without water you can just live three days". Food grows in the woods, much which can sustain us. Water that is typically found in the woods has the possible to injure us more than assistance, and must just be consumed if in dire circumstances.

3. Waterproof Matches and or a Butane Lighter (or two)- Fire has lots of usages as male has actually found through the centuries. It can keep you warm if lost, wounded or confused. Fire can indicate to others an area with the use of the smoke. Fire can also be really soothing mentally in adverse conditions. It is extremely important to be able to develop a fire. Butane lighters are helpful, can be dried if wet and have a flint built into them in worst-case circumstances, and they are light.

4. Flashlight with Extra Batteries- A hunter never understands when the shot is going to be offered. Occasionally this is near last light. Without using a good flashlight, the hunt could end in the loss of a downed animal, not only is this bad for the name of hunting it can quickly be avoided with a flashlight. Some of which are particularly developed to show the blood path. There are also the more likely usages such as getting out of the woods after last light or entering stand prior to very first light.

5. Ground cloth of plastic or Mylar- In the event of injury or disorientation, often it ends up being required to stay in the wild overnight. Fire can be a fantastic benefit, contribute to this a location to sit that's dry or a way to cover up from elements and survival can be significantly enhanced.

6. Plaster, Tape and Band-Aids- A person can never ever understand when they are going to become injured, and in the hunting fields and woods there are plenty of methods to become hurt. Bow hunters bring sharp arrows and most all hunters bring knives. Having a couple of small products to repair or briefly treat an injury can significantly improve comfort as well as survival.

7. Whistle- generally utilized for signaling in the event of injury or disorientation. The whistle can be heard for country miles and through thicker greenery. The human voice can be loud however is easily broken up by forest cover and is no competition for the loudness of a good whistle. Whistles are likewise really handy in case of predators, and they can be scared off by the shrill of a whistle. This can be essential if injured and in an area with Bears and Mountain Lions, that victim upon injured animals regularly.

Hopefully all your hunting days will certainly be safe and only lead to a plentiful harvest. In the regrettable event that things don't go as we hope as hunters, resemble the Boy Scouts and "Always Be Prepared". Having a Basic Survival Kit created in your hunting pack might make the distinction between Survival and Disaster
2 Comments

Basic care of your survival knife

9/21/2015

0 Comments

 
By Survival Ready Blog Contributor

The survival knife should be among the most essential survival gear and tools for your wilderness survival. Simply because it's a tool that's suggested to take a whipping does not imply it shouldn't be well kept. So how should you care for it to ensure that it holds up for many years and years to come? Following these basic suggestions will guarantee to aid keep your survival knife long-term because if you take care of it, it will certainly look after you.
Picture
Image via 1800survival.com


Keep the Blade Sharp

Keep the blade as sharp as you can because after all, it's a wilderness survival knife! A dull knife is entirely ineffective compared with a well sharpened knife. An excellent knife is equipped a diamond sharpener inside the sheath which enables you to sharpen the knife as you go. Unlike the other survival knives out there, there's no need to spend your money on specialists whenever your knife gets a bit dull. Just pop out the integrated sharpener, and in a couple of moments, your knife is as sharp as ever.

Keep the Knife Clean

Keep the knife as clean as possible. Clean it down after working with it. You don't need to clean it after each slice, however it's constantly a good idea to offer it a short clean down before putting in back into the sheath. When cleaning your survival knife, bear in mind to clean the deal with also. Clean off any dirt with water and soap. This does not just keep your survival knife in great shape, however it can avoid any unsafe germs that's been continued in the wilderness.

Keep the Blade Lightly Oiled

Oil the blade of the knife when you can. Just use a small amount. This can avoid the blade from rusting and aid in keeping it clean. A basic WD-40 will certainly work and can go a long way. Nevertheless, given that numerous survival knives deal with is made of rubber, avoid applying oil to that certain location as this will make the deal with slippery.

As with every wilderness tool you have, looking after it is essential. You spent an excellent quantity of time checking out the very best survival knife out there, in addition to spending difficult made money to obtain it. So why not keep it at the very best shape as possible? With simply a brief amount of effort will make your survival knife among the best wilderness tool you'll ever own.

A survival knife is a necessary to wilderness life, whether it's camping or hunting, it's essential to keep it kept because the very best survival knife is one that's most trusted.
0 Comments

Cold Steel Recon Scout Knife Review - No Need For More Reviews

6/16/2015

0 Comments

 
Survival Ready Blog Team
“This knife will do everything a survival knife should do and more.”
Let me start by saying that after trying it I completely agree with the description of this the Cold Steel Recon Scout knife. It is true that in almost every respect, the Cold Steel Recon Scout knife is simply a 7 1/2 inch Trail Master Bowie. It offers the same steel, heat treatment, blade thickness, blade shape, and handle. 
Picture
This Recon Scout Knife has a broad clip point which is highly resistant to bending or breaking. It's ideal for long range cutting and slashing. Additionally, the blade is equipped with a slightly concave false edge that measures approximately 3 1/2" long.
Picture

This cold steel knife is practically indestructible and, as long as you keep this non-stainless carbon steel knife properly cleaned and oiled, it will hold up to years of abuse as it tackles tasks that would destroy most other knives. 


The SK-5 high carbon (1080-equivalent) steel, this knife is made out of, is some good stuff and holds an impressive edge and is super-easy to sharpen to a razer-honed edge.

Here Are Some Of The Features Of This Cold Steel Recon Scout Knife

  • The 7 1/2" carbon steel blade comes very sharp and is very easy to sharpen even with a cheap sharpener.
  • Overall knife length is 12 1/2"
  • This cold steel knife is fairly light weighing only 15 oz.
  • The blade is very thick making batoning wood very easy yet task such as carving cutting and field craft are still very easy.
  • Very effective haker due to its heft thus far chopping down trees up to 4 to 6 inches in circumference is no problem. 
  • The handle on this knife is very well thought out it is a kraton handle which provides a very secure grip with excellent shock absorption. 
  • It comes with a kydex sheath and is very well thought out and secures very well to ones side.
  • Learn more about this knife here
Do, keep in mind that it having high carbon steel as the blade material of this cold steel recon scout knife requires more upkeep in the form of moisture management and proper oiling in order to keep rust off than more corrosion-resistant steels. The protective black coating WILL wear off after prolonged or intensive use, but that's to be expected with any similar knife.

Buy Your Cold Steel Recon Scout Knife Here

FAQ
Q: Does this knife come with a sheath?
A: Yes. It comes with a kydex sheath.

Q: Is this the newer version, in O-1 steel?
A: O-1 Recon Scouts were released near the end of 2014 - The ones sold onlines are now O-1, and marked O1 on the tang.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: The Recon Scout retails for $199.99, but you can sometimes find it discounted a bit, if you check around. Yeah, it’s not cheap, but quality never comes cheap. 

Q: How does this knife compare to other Cold Steel Knives
A: I’ve tested a lot of Cold Steel fixed blade knives, as well as folding knives over the years, and I believe that the Recon Scout is my favorite of the lot for camping, hunting, military use, and survival use. 

Learn more about this knife here
0 Comments

 The difference between your bugout bag and your home survival kit

2/13/2015

0 Comments

 
By Jesse Jones 
Most preppers these days have already built their bugout bag, as these are fairly well known about and what their purpose is. If you are unfamiliar with a bugout bag, go here and familiarize your self with the concepts. Bugout bags are a huge key step when starting out as a beginner prepper. It forces you to sacrifice between necessity and comfort. As a bugout bag is meant for short term survival on the go, it doesn't necessarily house all the items you may need or want in all survival situations.
Picture

 The difference between your bugout bag and a home survival kit

As you start to build your bugout bag, you will start to think about situations and scenarios for each and every item in your bag. If you can't think of a situation where an item in your bugout bag can serve atleast 2 or more purposes, there is probably an item that you can substitute to better fill the space.

What you will also notice about your bugout bag, is you don't have much space to work with. So what happens if we have a huge list of items we want to increase our preparedness, but don't want the weight or have the room in our bugout bag? This is where your full feature, or home survival kit comes to play. The absolute most important difference you must remember about these two types of kits, is that your bugout bag is made for on the go. Home survival kit's on the other hand are designed to carry items that might weigh to much, are too big, or just aren't practical enough to make it into your bugout bag. A bugout bag is generally kept in your vehicle everywhere you go. A home survival kit is usually kept within your house.

Picture

 What is in a Home Survival Kit?

Just like your bugout bag, your home survival kit contains the necessary tools, supplies, food, and water that you will need for temporary survival. Although the intentions for a home survival kit are not permanent survival, meaning you won't be able to live out of it forever, the contents held within should provide you with a solid foundation for temporary survival while you make better of the situation you are in.

 So what are some of the items you might find in a Home Survival Kit? 
  • Food
  •  Water
  •  Clothing
  •  Hygiene products
  •  Tools (Knife, Saw, Hatchet, File, etc)
  •  Weapons (Guns & ammo, Knives, Tomahawk, Dart guns, Sling Shots, etc)
  •  Food Gathering Tools/Supplies (Snare wire, Rat traps, Fishing pole, etc)
  • Garden Supplies (Tools, Seeds, Guides, Botany guides, etc)
  •  Locational Items (Maps, Compass, Signal Mirror, String and Pendulum, Etc)
  • Recording/Tracking Implements (Watch, Sand Hour Glass, Note Book, Pens, Pencils, Crayons, etc)

So what is the difference between your bugout bag and your full feature or home survival kit?

Many of these items will probably also be located in your bugout bag, although probably in smaller quantities. Again, The main purpose behind the full feature or home survival kit is having MORE supplies for your to survive off than your bugout bag does. Generally speaking, your bugout bag will be designed to survive only 2-3 weeks max. The home survival kit however is more designed around a time length of 2-3 months.

A home survival kit tends to be much larger and bulkier than a bugout bag. Although it is something you should be able to move and load into a vehicle on your own, getting as many items into your home survival kit will increase your chances of survival.

Much like your bugout bag, your home survival kit will generally be designed around more likely events in your area. As a prepper my self, I find it interesting that most preppers are focusing on a single occurrence. Our theory is a bit different than most, Prepare for it ALL! Now that doesn't mean you will be able to cover every possible situation, but part of your plans for preparing should be making the considerations about more likely scenarios in your region.

As an example, my family personally does not prepare for hurricanes or tornadoes. We have much more likely things that will be happening in our region that we would rather focus on and be prepared for. Oregon (the state I live in) has a long history of being hurricane and tornado free. Could they happen? Of course they could, there’s nothing preventing them from happening. We do however prepare for something like nuclear fallout. Here in Portland Oregon, we live within a close proximity to multiple nuclear facilities ranging from nuclear missile storage, hazardous nuclear storage facilities, and a nuclear power plant. Luckily for us the wind is usually consistent at west to eastward movement, and in most cases nuclear particles will be pushed away from us. However, since this is a real threat, we prepare accordingly.

I am really hoping that I explained the difference between your bugout bag and your full feature or home survival kit well enough. It's important to know the differences, and knowing which one serves what purpose. If you have anything you feel we should add, or if there is something you think we should clarify better, please leave us a comment, we love your feedback!

As always, Thank you for stopping by!


About the author
Jesse Jones has been writing for over 8 years for many news outlets and online media sources. He is an avid survivalist and prepper who can be found writing articles on his personal survival blog www.365preppers.com go check him out!
0 Comments

Disaster Preparedness Kit Must Haves

1/26/2015

0 Comments

 
Survival Ready Blog Team
Picture
There are countless types of disasters and each type presents a very specific number of challenges. How much equipment you put in your kit depends on how you will carry the kit. A kit carried on your body will have to be smaller than one carried in a vehicle. Always layer your disaster preparedness kit, keeping the most important items on your body. For example, your map and compass should always be on your body. Carry less important items on your load-bearing equipment. Place bulky items in the rucksack.

In preparing your disaster preparedness kit, select items you can use for more than one purpose. If you have two items that will serve the same function, pick the one you can use for another function. Do not duplicate items, as this increases your kit's size and weight.

Your disaster preparedness kit need not be elaborate. You need only functional items that will meet your needs and a case to hold the items. For the case, you might want to use a Band-Aid box, a first aid case, an ammunition pouch, or another suitable case. 



This case should be--
• Water repellent or waterproof.
• Easy to carry or attach to your body.
• Suitable to accept various sized components.
• Durable.

In your disaster preparedness kit, you should have--
• First aid items.
• Water purification tablets or drops.
• Fire starting equipment.
• Signaling items.
• Food procurement items.
• Shelter items.

Some examples of these items are--
• Lighter, metal match, waterproof matches.
• Snare wire.
• Signaling mirror.
• Wrist compass.
• Fish and snare line.
• Fishhooks.
• Candle.
• Small hand lens.
• Oxytetracycline tablets (diarrhea or infection).
• Water purification tablets.
• Solar blanket.
• Surgical blades.
• Butterfly sutures.
• Condoms for water storage.
• Chap Stick.
• Needle and thread.
• Knife.

0 Comments

Experts Picks: Top 10 Outdoor Survival Gear Essentials  

1/25/2015

17 Comments

 
Survival Ready Blog Team
If you trim down your bug out bag to the absolute top 10 essentials you MUST have. What are you left with? and why?
Picture
Recommended outdoor survival gear — Top 10 Essentials

Todd Smith, editor-in-chief of Outdoor Life magazine
1. Personal locator beacon (PLB) or cell phone 
2. Map of area 
3. Compass 
4. Small first-aid kit 
5. Water bottle 
6. Flashlight/headlamp 
7. Lighter and fire starters 
8. Space blanket/bivy sack 
9. Whistle 
10. Signal mirror 

Doug Ritter, founder of survivalist website Equipped To Survive,www.equipped.org
1. HeatSheets brand space blanket 
2. Gloves 
3. Chlorine dioxide water-purification tablets 
4. Nylon braided line 
5. Whistle 
6. Lighter 
7. Waterproof matches 
8. Tinder (for fire starting) 
9. Signal mirror 
10. Personal locator beacon (PLB)

Mike Forti, graduate of the United States Air Force Survival School 
1. Large knife (machete or hatchet) 
2. Cell phone 
3. Bic Lighter 
4. 9 × 12 foot plastic painters tarp (0.35 mil thickness) 
5. Mylar survival blanket 
6. Mini L.E.D. flashlight 
7. Water purification tablets 
8. Water container of some sort 
9. Small roll of fishing line or dental floss 
10. Fifty Dollar bill (“After a few days lost in the woods eating bugs, it would be a real shame to emerge next to a 7-11, and have no money for food,” Forti said.)

Dennis Diaz, Chief Editor of Survival Ready Blog, www.survivalreadyblog.com
1. Water Filtering & Purification Gear (Water purification tablets, Lifestraw, Etc.)
2. Water container
3. Cordage (Paracord)
4. 2 Knives (1 folding & 1 large full tang fixed - at least 4”)
5. Thermal blanket & plastic tarp
6. Water proof fire starters
7. Flashlight
8. Trauma kit
9. Compass & ranger beads
10. 72 hour worth of MRE’s or high calorie bars style supplies 

Via Gear Junkie
To trim a survival kit down to its top 10 essentials is to reveal the utmost necessary items for shelter, warmth, communication, navigation, sustenance, etc. in the deep wilderness. Here, then, are four experienced survivalists lean lists of gear you should not be without in any wilderness situation.

17 Comments

Emergency Food Storage & Survival Gear

1/19/2015

0 Comments

 
By Mike Brown
Is It Time To Consider Long-term food Storage?

Nobody can deny the fact that we are experiencing dramatic, exponential increases in scary events. If you live under a rock because you depend only on the M.S.M. (Mainstream Media), check out the following links:

Water Turning Blood Red:
http://youtu.be/ouc-0HDvTwQ
Weird Disturbances in the Sun:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEPuzX2ix3k
Meteors Injuring People:
http://youtu.be/NTaoocI_6x0
Crazy Deadly Weather Events:
http://youtu.be/gBZpJYJLboQ
Wars and Rumors Of Wars:
http://youtu.be/CvimcxXsmjg
Economic Collapses Word-Wide:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-hg4_5d0WI
Social Unrest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uo4L88OeIU
Disease and Pestilence:
http://youtu.be/ZBbsnyqlihs
Massive unexplained Animal Die-Offs:
http://youtu.be/wVzjLW-9uyc
Nuclear Accidents radiation In U.S.:
http://youtu.be/pbdx3n-HG8g

The words that no parent should ever have to hear... are from a crying child saying, "I'm Hungry Mommy...please let me eat"... or... "Why don't we have food Daddy?" A combination of DIY (Do It Yourself) and freeze dried emergency foods are best. Making up food grade buckets with mylar bags ironed airtight with oxygen absorbents will last 25 years. 

Millions of people are awakening to the fact that natural disasters, the dollar collapse and wars are threatening to come into their hometowns...up their neighborhood streets....to their front doors. Time to wake-up and realize FEMA warns people to get ready. FEMA has purchased tons and tons of freeze dried foods and billions of rounds of lethal hollow-point ammo which is illegal under the Geneva Convention to use in wars! They know something is coming - period!


It can't happen in America you say? History is a good teacher...so don't let your loved ones go un-protected. Get the only real insurance there is....get food and survival gear insurance...the insurance that any good provider thinks of... before the Red Dawn rises in the morning...please visit www.Survival-Food-Supplies.com today and use the planning tools there to protect your household! DIY (Do It Yourself) Supplies are there.

About The author
Mike Brown, 8 year Navy Intel vet and graduate of the classified S.E.R.E. (Survival Evasion Resistance escape) school. Owner of www.Survival-Food-Supplies.com and internet blogger. Former 911 Sick Rescue Workers, billion dollar class action law suit investigations supervisor.
0 Comments

 Top 5 Ham Two Way Radios For Under $50

1/18/2015

0 Comments

 
By Survival ready Blog Team
In an major emergency situation, chances are that cellphones will not work. It would also be logical to assume that power lines are going to be down, as well as the internet in the affected area. This is where amateur or HAM radio comes in.

A HAM radio can run on a portable generator or even a car battery, and it doesn't depend on cell phone signals to be able to communicate with other users. The bottom line is that if you have a HAM radio, chances are high that you will be able to find and get help.

Amateur radio, or ham radio, can be used for vast array of activities:
  • Talking around the world without wires.
  • Talking locally through repeaters.
  • Emergency communications.
  • Public service communications.
  • Legacy communication modes like Morse code and Radioteletype (RTTY).
  • New communication modes like digital packet, Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS), and spread spectrum.
  • Amateur radio satellites in space.
  • Foxhunting (using “radio direction finding” techniques to find a hidden transmitter).
  • Moonbounce (talking by bouncing radio waves off the moon).
  •  And much, much more...

Ham radios are great tools but you don't have to break the bank to get a good one. Below you'll find our top 5 list for ham radios for under $50



#5 - BaoFeng BF-F8+ Dual-Band Ham Two-way Radio
Picture
Solid, clear, excellent transmit and reception. A good looking compact radio loaded with features. Some reviews have said that the display is annoying or hard to read. I have found that it is not as bad as some have said.

True, you can't read it much when the backlight is off, but I rarely find that I need to glance over at the screen to check something. When you are actively using the radio interface, the backlight comes on. With the backlight on, the screen is great. If you need the backlight on, a simple tap of the "Exit" button will turn it on without changing anything on the display. The feature that you don't get, though, is the different backlight colors based on radio state. This is not a big deal since there is a light right below the VFO/MR button which turns green when receiving and orange when transmitting.

It works wonderfully and the price is a great value.



 #4 - BaoFeng UV-82L Two Way Radio
Picture
First of all this thing is not a toy and does not feel or perform like one. It is solidly built, very sturdy and booms a signal that can't be beat. The receiver is sensitive and the package looks great.

This is a great value radio, solid hardware and compatible with lots of accessories. For ease of use, you need to get the legitimate Baofeng USB cable. Works decent as a scanner if you load the right frequencies, really slow though, like one channel per second compared to some scanners that are 30+.


#3 - Baofeng UV-82 (Black) Two-Way Radio
Picture
Nice Radio, it was very easy to program with Chirp Software. It has a good solid feel and the large buttons are perfect for my sausage fingers. The receive audio is much better than expected. The receiver and antenna combination work well together. Works great, Owners/users manual leaves much to be desired. 

A couple things that could be improved would be the ability to set how long the LCD and keypad back light would stay lit. It is not adjustable and is too short for my liking. I also think the flashlight is a waste of space and it should have a channel knob like the UB5 in it's place.


#2 - Baofeng UV5R Dual-Band Ham Two-Way Radio
Picture
If you want a good, reliable inexpensive dual band HT that is in fact a COMMERCIAL (it IS FCC part 90 certified) Radio, this is for you. Out of the box, it comes complete with a good 1800mah lithium ion battery, belt clip, hand strap and drop in charger.

You get 128 channels with any combination of VHF or UHF channels. Another plus is the radio ACTUALLY SUPPORTS NARROWBAND, INCLUDING SPLINTER CHANNELS. This is a HUGE plus if you want to use the radio to listen (or transmit, if you're authorized) to public safety after 2013 when the FCC mandates narrow band on VHF and UHF. Many agencies are also going to channel steps most ham radios cannot properly tune (e.g. 154.8225). The UV-5R uses DSP, so it has great audio on both transmit and receive. Reports I got about my transmit audio were great, and I noticed if I spoke loudly, the DSP did a good job of attenuating the voice to a tame level.

The display is fairly easy to read, and for it's size the keys are easy to press. What I really like is the large volume knob with integrated power switch, no accidental turn off of buttons! The PTT key is easy to actuate and you don't get fatigue for long conversations. Speaker is loud, though I don't think it has the 1 watt of audio the specifications state.


All in all, this is a great ham HT that has the unique ability to LEGALLY operate on part 90 (commercial) frequencies (for those duly authorized), has great performance, and a long battery life. For the price, you cannot go wrong with it.


#1 - Baofeng UV5RA Ham Two Way Radio
Picture
This little radio packs a lot of punch for the price. It seems decently well built and has good RX capabilities. The FM radio built in is a nice touch. The FT-60 is much easier to use...but also many times the price of this little gem. The drop-in charger alone may cost $50 with other brands...with this radio it's included. I don't need this radio at all (I have 3 others) but if it broke I'd buy another one just for the convenience of having something to listen to at work without carrying around the FT-60.



If you compare the Baofeng UV-5R to the latest offerings from Icom, Yaesu, and Kenwood, you wouldn't think it's a 5-star radio. But when you look at the price they're asking for the UV-5R, 5 stars hardly seems enough. This is a fantastic value. For under forty-five bucks you get a pocket-sized dual band radio, complete with earphone/mike and a desktop drop-in charger. Heck, Icom gets almost as much as this radio sells for just for the charger! NOt enough? It'll also cover FMRS and GMRS frequencies, receive the FM broadcast band, and there's even a built in flashlight!

So you've got to figure there's a catch, right? And there is: Programming this radio from the front panel is a royal pain in the caboose. After studying helpful web pages- not the manufacturer's manual- I'm now comfortable programming single frequencies and repeater offsets in, but I still don't seem to be able to put the in memory properly. The manufacturer supplies a program that's supposed to make programming easier, but the word is that it's as confusing as the front panel controls.
0 Comments

The Importance of Prepper Night Vision

1/12/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Protecting your family from human invaders is something you’ll need to do day and night. If you want your property fully protected, then you’ll need to have the ability to see in the dark – so that they’re not able to overtake you by surprise.

Animals don’t always stay in their homes at night – they come looking for food, and you may need to provide protection to your property and family using night vision tools that allow you to kill or scare away these predators. You also may want to go hunting for food supplies at night. Having night vision goggles will allow you to shoot a deer or other animals that can provide meals for your family during times of need.

Some preppers prefer to invest in thermal vision rather than night vision, so you can choose between the two or invest in both. Thermal vision will show you a heat source, which may be human or animal, while the night vision will allow you to get a better look at what it is.

You can get goggles that allow you to have a hands-free look at your property, or get a night vision scope that attaches to your rifle so that you can better see your target in the night hours.

There’s one problem with preppers who want to secure night vision equipment before a disaster strikes – it’s very expensive in many cases. If you live on a prepper community, then you might be able to go in on it with another family so that you rotate the equipment and watch out for each other’s property.

Not only does night vision allow you to target things like invaders or animals that you’re hunting for food, but it’s also a means of escaping from predators – even in a civil unrest situation if it comes to war and you have to lay low.

Some preppers advise you to invest in at least a cheaper form of night vision to get you started. Even if it’s not a top of the line piece of equipment, having night vision can give you an edge over others who are without it.

Make sure you have extra batteries and a solar charger to keep the night vision goggles in working order. Don’t broadcast to everyone that you have it, because this is something that will become a wanted item in the event of a disaster.

Night Vision Devices Deals On The Web

Polaris 12X50 High Powered Monocular
Picture
Yukon - NV 1x24 Goggles
Picture
Firefield Nightfall 2 Monocular
Picture
0 Comments
<<Previous
    Picture
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Bug Out Bag
    Disaster Preparedness Kit
    Firearms
    Gear & Tools
    Survival Gear
    Survival Gear Reviews
    Survival Kit
    Survival Knives
    Weapons

    Picture
    Picture
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.