Communication Ideas

We live in a world criss-crossed by countless waves of energy, from cell phone microwaves, AM/FM radio stations, gigahertz satellite signals for phone/internet usage and tons of others. But as so many found after Hurricanem Sandy and the Moore, OK EF5 tornado, the cell towers and hardline connections to the outside world can disappear in a heatbeat. Thus leaving everyone shaking dead cell phones and wondering where to turn. One option is the use of ham radio relays that pop up within hours of a disaster and can be used for "health and welfare" message traffic as time permits. But in the beginning, they will be busy with emergency traffic for shelters and the movement of vital supply requests. But even today it is possible to buy a number of different base/mobile/handheld radios that don't need a license and they can reach outside the disaster area. I'm talking about CB radios like truckers use and that REACT members use during their operations to assist others in need. Also there are handheld or HTs that can be found in Wamart and countless sporting goods store, the Family Radio Service (FRS) which can reach across neighborhoods and short distances of up to 5 miles. Some contain multiple radio channels to cover a wide range of services to include GMRS and MURS what may require a simple license but which add power and range to the system. Stepping up again to ham radio, a simple test can allow you to use VHF and UHF freqs on up into the gigahertz range. One thing this does is allow users to recieve and send digtal messages using APRS and Echolink for voice messages into distant radio repeaters across the world. Some HTs have this ability already built into them and can allow anyone to reach out anywhere.

My whole point of all this is to talk about "Earl." Who or what is Earl? Well,  Earl is a thing, not a person and it has a number of features that seem ideal for people to have for everything Mother Nature can throw at us. It is similar to an early Kindle or Ipad yet has some awesome abilities as it can use hundreds of Android Apps! It has a built in GPS tracker , weather station w sensors, built-in solar charging, Bluetooth 4.0, weather proof, AM/FM/SW/LW radio receiver, and well as a built-in FRS/GMRS/MURS analog and digtal two-way radio system!

So, with all these features it should be selling soon to outdoors lovers everywhere and should be high on the list for future emergency/disaster survivors! Until June 9th, 2013 you can save 30% by senting in $249.

www.meetearl.com

In case you are wondering, I am getting nothing out of this, I just love the idea and wanted to let people know!! My money is going down on Friday!!

At the Pond!

Yesterday I recieved some good news and it had nothing to do with me! I had joined a group called "Americans Networking To Survive or A.N.T.S." which is a group of preppers who are volunteering to assist other preppers in an emergency or disaster. The organization was formed because preppers are always in an outreach mindset and ready to help other preppers, who through no fault of their own, are in need. Yes, they could help everyone else too if they are able, but that is not the point in my opinion. FEMA and local governments help everyone already with our money, but you will not normally see preppers in the bread line. Bacause they have spent their own time and money to stockpile, prepare, and survive. But what if you are many miles from home and the Sun pops an EMP and their car dies, everyone's car dies! Who will help them now? History has shown countless time that no one will help them, millions of people are going to die hard and fast. But if they knew that a colony of ANTS was in the area they could walk to a known location and leave a message asking for help. The colony checks the message drop and sents out ANT members to bring their fellow ANTS home. It may even be possible for a type of underground railroad to assist these people in getting to their own retreat location.

When a massive EF5 tornado struck Moore, OK., there were two ANTS known to be living there. So started a story of courage and determination as other members used everything available from outside the disaster to locate them. One missing ANT later checked in as ok and they in turn started searching for the other one. Dropping by the message drop location, asking around, and doing everything they could do in this terrible aftermath of destruction. Finally messages were left with family and friends and the missing member finally checked in, alive and safe!! Thank God, everyone's prayers were answered.

We sometimes forget that life can pull the ground from under for feet and literally leave you hanging by your fingertips. Moore, OK was just such a time and it was through hard work, giving of themaselves for others, that this time there ws cause for rejoycing. And knowning now that if some disastewr happens to our part of the country, that others will automatically begin to do a health and welfare check until all resources available have been tried.

Americans Networking to Survive (A.N.T.S.) join up!

http://www.americansnetworkingtosurvive.org/


 

At the Pond!

   I had talked about our perrmant move to the farm for our Park Model RV and I thought I would add a few phiotos to show where we are going to park it. The site is a nice cleared area by the barn and it is looking "park-like" after mowing the grass.



                                                                Looking East

 

 

South side lookuing West

 

 

Near Barn looking West

 

 

The grassy areas cover stumps that still need to be removed and the potholes waiting to be filled in. As time goes by the barn roof will be covered in solar panels as the Howell-Oregon electric company refuses to run lines to our area even with us bordering the county road...no profit in it!! We will install the wind generator and the battery bank by the pole barn to aid in power storage.

 

 



At The Pond!

Well, we are now gearing up to complete our move to the farm as we are going to have a tow company move our Park Model RV up by the barn. We have a beautiful location with shade trees and grass where we have much more room to grow. While we will be boondocking (i.e. no hookups) we can supply solar/battery power for most of the day and generator power for serious AC and for the freezer. And we have a cistern for water, which is very commons around here becuse of the rock base only inches below the surface that makes wells very costly.

We also were able to complete our battery bank "after" surviving a $900 car repair bill which left us weighing food over power..power won. So we now have 16 Trojan T-105 six volt and 2 Trojan T-1260 twelve volt to give us tons of lights and this is set up for 24 volts DC to our small invertor. Future upgrades will include adding two 100 Watt panel per month for the next year so that we will have over 2400 watts + 420 Watts for the current buildings. We are lucky in that we have a golf cart sales and repair shop in West Plains, MO who sells used Trojan T-105s for $30 ($20 with a core) and T-1260s for $40 ($30 with a core). Buying and moviung over 700 pounds of batteries was fun!! Fran's poor back as she got them out of the truck!



                                     Naturepower 400 Watt Wind Generator