Plan. #1. If you don't have a plan, you won't last long. Couple of days? Maybe a week? That's enough for many natural disasters. But it'll be miserable and you'll then understand what "prepping" means. Most people forget the stress of dire situations takes away your ability to think and function like you think you'll be able to think and function. Folks in the military or have been in the military know this. Practice. #2. Absolutely. As the video states, with practice, you learn your weaknesses and can strengthen them before you need them. Again, folks in the military or have been in the military know this. But before radio communications: Basics: Food, water, fire, shelter. Basically, the lowest rung of Maslow's Hierarchy of needs. Been like that for 1,000's of years. Food and water: either stored in sufficient quantities or the ability to produce your own--the latter being the best. Most people won't be able to accomplish the latter (for many reasons). I have a limited supply of food (freeze dried). Enough to last 2+ months if I barricade myself (and my wife) in my shelter, with muzzles pointed outwards (security from those who didn't plan). I figure 2 months is enough for 99% of the possible natural or man-made disasters based on what I've seen and, well, it's my best guess. If society's not back up to some semblance of civility, then it's time to check out. Water is my #1 priority. If my water runs out, I'll be relying on rain for water and can process all but the worst case water supply. Physical fitness is extremely important. Physically fit people can deal with stressful situations better and have a better chance of success. Darwinism... Once basic survival and security are under control, then comes communications. My only advice is to keep it simple. Simple has the highest probability of success. Field day is a good day to test your set up. I'm 100% certain (barring an EMP that wipes out all electronics) that I can be on the air for 24 straight hours (110 AH battery that I check regularly) under Field Day conditions. The probability begins to drop for longer than 24 hours because other factors, like the ability to fuel a generator. That's give me half an hour a day of air time for 48 days. If we lose phones, my family "meet up" plan is on 7.130, noon(L) every day. (Best chance/best frequency based on several tests in the past regarding propagation and distance.) It seems obvious, but many people still don't get it. #1. Plan #2. Practice There are some other aspects of my "worst case scenario" planning not mentioned here having to do with security (integrating with my next door neighbors) and re-integrating into society using old-fashioned bartering techniques, but that's beyond the video. Yes, ham radio is a gateway into prepping. Yes, prepping is a gateway into ham radio. They go together. As for the naysayers, don't worry, the government will take care of you. After all, that's their job, right? And they won't let you down because you're voting for the right people to take care of you. As for the naysayers, go ahead and keep mocking us. You're correct in the short-term. You won't hear us laughing at you later.
I live back in the woods you see My woman and the kids and the dogs and me I got a shotgun a rifle and a four-wheel drive And a country boy can survive
Ever see Dr. Strangelove? I say ride the bomb to vaporization. Now that is the way to go out in style. Live fast, die young and leave a whole lot of smoke. Always tune for maximum smoke.
Don't forget guns. To hunt, and to protect your home and supplies from marauders. Oh, and to kill zombies.
"...hunt...Oh, and to kill zombies. " Or combine the two tasks! I'd bet that roasted zombie slathered in Cajun Power Sauce would be a meal to remember!
Hollywood has lied about basic preparedness - not a shock at all. It's been my experience that 99.9% of preparedness is simple 'home economics': Snug shelter Clean water Hygiene Eventually some food Assuming a short-to-middle duration loss of commercial infrastructure, basic radio communication might allow you to receive news (for me, usually storm track information) , communicate with family and friends, listen to music for your afternoon dance lessons My radio scanner in the background brings me information from those on scene with our badged and volunteer public safety organizations as well as listening to Department of Transportation (county level) for road and bridge information. When neighbors see something odd, they often ask me what I've heard on the scanner. HF monitoring, for example, helps to fill in the blanks from the National Hurricane Center ,and hams in the surrounding 'one-tank-of-gas' distance also interest me, because the closer 'it' is, the more interesting 'it' becomes to "me and mine". Lastly, if I would like to send health & welfare updates to family and friends, both for myself and neighbors, that's quite easy via WINLINK, CW traffic nets or via a casual ham radio contact: I've rarely had a ham say 'no' to relaying a one way message when I was not in a position to communicate directly. [One of the BEST was when I was in a very remote wilderness area for a couple of weeks and heard a ham who mentioned working at the SAME company where my -then- girlfriend worked. I had him pass a message to her via the company internal e-mail - - - she told me later that she got a good smile from it.] To me - I have a spare tire in the car and the means to change it myself, I carry various insurance, and even have an 'emergency brake', first-aid kits , so why not do what was perfectly normal for most of human history; keep a 'buffer' of water, food & etc. as the most practical form of 'insurance'? Once, when seriously injured at work and with such a sudden loss of income, the food in our small'ish pantry allowed us to weather that financial storm for a few weeks until we could sort the situation out; which we eventually did. Fortunately, we both REALLY like 'rice & something'. Off to the workshop for me; scanner will be ON while I work on home projects. 73 de Ray ..._ ._
I have a few buckets of "emergency food" from "Wise". https://amzn.to/31J1ZNZ Fresh MREs are good for a few years too.
Well prepared to monitor, receive info necessary for personal survival. Reluctant to transmit less I be targeted.
Where I live is over a hundred miles from any prominent target of strategic value. My home have been grid independent for years and my well water comes from over 1000' feet below the surface. If that is to become a threat so be it. I've never ran from a fight in my life and to old to start now. Work me casual or contest know that the entire contact was powered by a solar/wind system.
I am fully prepared for the zombie apocalypse. My plan is to go down in the first wave and become the zombie king.
Who cares if they work or dont work. I dont answer my phone on a good day. Sure as shit not answering it on a bad day. LOL
