As a September baby, I fully realize...winter snowstorms, blizzards and cold weather...can sometimes create a lot of unintended consequences...;)

Not all bad !!

Be prepared ! :cool:

Wasn't that the title to this thread !

It occurs to me like the worst situations always seem to occur to those who are unprepared.

For those who are ready for it, trouble seems to visit a lot less frequently.

If it does, the outcomes are almost always a lot better.

TR

I did manage to almost set my house on fire checking function on my camping stove. A little fuel leaked out.

So far in my area of louisiana most folks have stayed in. Thankfully we drive in ice so rarely that no one is "used to it" and the vast majority were driving very slowly. The few fast drivers quickly took themselves out of the equation by sliding into ditches completely clear of the road with minimal vehicle damage.

Many around here tend to have deer in the freezer or a neighbor with the same. The grocery store rush did happen here, but not much completely gone other than eggs. They were still pumping out enough king cakes to keep everybody well supplied.

Hence, the screen name pyro! ;)

Pat

LOL, you owe me a keyboard or at least the mouthful of Elijah Criag I just spit on the screen ! ;) :D

Picked up 2 wouxun kg-uv3d radios. Still have to find a local class to get my ticket...
The manual is predictably crappy, can anyone point me to a good guide? I will get the clone cable and program but would like to be able to do it manually....

This topic of survival planning and developing of our own plan is of the utmost importance.
So often we wait until it's standing in line, waiting on some incompetent government " we are here to help you" dude.
Let's face the facts. Breaking this all down into our individual situation, location, and type of emergency, we all need some expertise like Reaper to assist.
A lot of very important points are raised in this article and IMHO we could sure use some more of it.
There is so many levels of this type of planning, how can it be simplified?
I feel like there is plenty of talent on this site with much experience and ideas.
Hopefully, the thread will continue!

Nonstop24/7

While you might find some cheaper elsewhere, they will likely be several years older. In this, you get what you pay for, only if you get them from a good source. There is an app about MREs, what's in them, and how old they are.

A couple of the study guides for your FCC ticket are available online and you can bang away at practice exams to your heart's content here. Be sure to also study for the General license; much of the Tech material is repeated (albeit phrased differently) on the General. At an exam session you can keep taking tests for the same session/fee as long as you pass them. The General opens up a much larger realm of possibilities. Honest, they are both within your grasp.

I have also a couple of .PDF's that are user guides for the radio you are talking about that aren't so much in "Chinglish." One is somewhat large (455K); will see if I can put them up here. They are good little radios in terms of bang-for-buck. Any units not being used/charged regularly, keep the charged batteries OFF them else it will be useless when you go to pick it up. Many of these types of radios are that way.

The KG-Commander program is a good one and you can save different freq sets for whatever you've ferreted out if you need to change the mission of the radio - but there are alot of channels available in the radio.

Hope this helps.

Don't MRE's bind you up? During an emergency that lasts for more than a few days, who wants to suffer from constipation while trying to stay warm amongst other attempts to stay comfortable?

Plus I have also looked into those Biolite Stoves too. Seems to be a great idea for outdoor use.

(Errant information in red)

Do you want to be caught with your pants down?

It might be a little uncomfortable, but those minutes every day can probably be better used doing something else.
(If I am in error please correct me)

Yes - You are in error. Constipation is not a laughing matter. In fact - any health problem is a matter of concern in a survival situation. And MRE's aren't as bad as legend would have the uninitiated believe.

Peregrino,

Thank you for the correction, and subsequent removal of ignorance. I have to change my kit a little bit.

I've found MRE's to plug me up a little, but not to an uncomfortable degree.

There are screaming deals right now on genuine USGI woodland camo modular sleep systems. A used/excellent MMSS with patrol bag, cold weather bag, Goretex bivy sack, compression bag, and ground pad can be found for $79 + shipping. New ones are going for $125. Search Amazon and Ebay for the best deals.

I've purchased several very good/excellent sets from here and there and haven't hit a dud yet. No holes, damaged zippers or snaps, not even a name or unit marking. One guy recommended washing in front load washers only which I've done without a problem.

For you folk who live in the frozen northland these legitimate -40F bags are selling at don't-miss-out prices. Yes, the complete system is heavy at 11-12 pounds and bulky at about 1 cu ft and my 6'4" frame isn't the best fit. But...remember that stretch of -20F last winter?

Winter is coming.

Score!
 

Latest score by the Coupon Queens (pronounced KOO-pin, of course). A nice hand crank forge and blacksmith tools. They paid exactly $0 for the whole lot with a promise not to sell them. We have a young man in town who is learning the trade and the lady who passed them on was tickled that her husband's tools would be put to use.

We're on a mission to gather up every hand tool, manual and horse drawn farming implement, farrier tool, and blacksmith item in the area. The Queens are currently negotiating for a 1920s-era milking machine that can be belt-powered off of a Listeroid 6/1 running vegetable oil. If you've got an old farm implement as a yard ornament and you're within a 100 mile radius, expect a knock on your door and a twisted arm.

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