Monthly Archives: May 2014

May 22nd, 2014
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New Report Says 49 Million Americans Are Dealing With Food Insecurity – Epidemic Of Hunger

Guest post By Michael Snyder, – Economic Collapse Blog

If the economy really is “getting better”, then why are nearly 50 million Americans dealing with food insecurity?  In 1854, Henry David Thoreau observed that “the mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation”.  The same could be said of our time.  In America today, most people are quietly scratching and clawing their way from month to month.  Nine of the top ten occupations in the U.S. pay an average wage of less than $35,000 a year, but those that actually are working are better off than the millions upon millions of Americans that can’t find jobs.

The level of employment in this nation has remained fairly level since the end of the last recession, and median household income has gone down for five years in a row.  Meanwhile, our bills just keep going up and the cost of food is starting to rise at a very frightening pace.  Family budgets are being squeezed tighter and tighter, and more families are falling out of the middle class every single day.

In fact, a new report by Feeding America (which operates the largest network of food banks in the country) says that 49 million Americans are “food insecure” at this point.  Approximately 16 million of them are children.  It is a silent epidemic of hunger that those living in the wealthy areas of the country don’t hear much about.  But it is very real.

The mainstream media and our politicians continue to insist that “things are getting better”, and that may be true for Wall Street, but the man who was in charge of the new Feeding America report says that the level of suffering for the tens of millions of Americans that are food insecure has not changed…

“Nothing is getting better,” said Craig Gundersen, lead researcher of the report, “Map the Meal Gap 2014,” and an expert in food insecurity and food aid programs.

“Let’s stop talking about the end of the Great Recession until we can make sure that we get food insecurity rates down to a more reasonable level,” he added. “We’re still in the throes of the Great Recession, from my perspective.”

In fact, a different report seems to indicate that hunger in America is actually getting worse…

Children’s HealthWatch, a network of doctors and public health researchers who collect data on children up to 4 years old, says 29% of the households they track were at risk of hunger last year, compared with 25% the year before.

If someone tries to tell you that “the economy is getting better”, that person is probably living in a wealthy neighborhood.  Because those that live in poor neighborhoods would not describe what is going around them as an “improvement”.

In particular, many minority neighborhoods are really dealing with extremely high levels of food insecurity right now.  The following comes from a recent NBC News article…

“Minorities are facing serious hunger issues. Ninety-three percent of counties with a majority African-American population fall within the top 10 percent of food-insecure counties, while 60 percent of majority American Indian counties fall in that category”

But if you don’t live in one of those areas and you don’t know anyone that is facing food insecurity, it can be difficult to grasp just how much people are actually suffering out there right now.

For example, consider the story of a young mother named Tianna Gaines Turner…

Tianna Gaines Turner can’t remember the last time she went to bed without worrying about how she was going to feed her three children.

She can’t remember the last time she woke up and wasn’t worried about how she and her husband would make enough in their part-time jobs to buy groceries and pay utilities on their apartment in a working-class section of Philadelphia.

And she can’t remember the last time she felt confident she and her husband wouldn’t have to skip meals so their children could eat.

Have you ever been in a position where you had to skip meals just so that other family members could have something to eat?

I haven’t, so it is hard for me to imagine having to do such a thing.  But there are millions of parents that are faced with these kinds of hard choices every day.

Things can be particularly hard if you are a single parent.  Just consider the story of Jamie Grimes…

After Jaime Grimes found out in January that her monthly food stamps would be cut again, this time by $40, the single mother of four broke down into sobs — then she took action.

The former high school teacher made a plan to stretch her family’s meager food stores even further. She used oatmeal and ground beans as filler in meatloaf and tacos. She watered down juice and low-fat milk to make it last longer. And she limited herself to one meal a day so her kids — ages 3, 4, 13, and 16 — would have enough to eat.

I have such admiration for working single mothers.  Many of them work more than one job just so that they can provide for their children.  It can be absolutely frustrating to work as hard as you possibly can and still not have enough money to pay the bills at the end of the month.

Those that believe that the economy has gotten “back to normal” just need to look at the number of women that have been forced to turn to government assistance.  As I mentioned the other day, a decade ago the number of American women that had jobs outnumbered the number of American women on food stamps by more than a 2 to 1 margin. But now the number of American women on food stamps actually exceeds the number of American women that have jobs.

The truth is that we are nowhere close to where we used to be.  The last major economic downturn permanently damaged the middle class, and now the next major economic downturn is rapidly approaching.

Right now, there are nearly 50 million Americans that are facing food insecurity.  When the next economic crisis strikes, that number is going to go much higher.

There is going to be a great need for love and compassion in this country during the hard times that are coming.  Instead of just cursing the darkness, I hope that you will choose to be a light to those that desperately need it.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 


Via: thesurvivalistblog

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May 21st, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Building Your Own Faraday Cage

A Faraday cage is an enclosed space with an outer layer that conducts electricity. The physical shape of the Faraday cage does not matter: it can be spherical, cylindrical, or a box. Either the cage itself can be made of a conductive material, or the cage can be built of a non-conductive material such as wood and then covered in a conductive material.

The conductive material can be as simple as several layers of aluminum foil, which makes constructing your own Faraday cage a fairly simple and inexpensive affair.


What are Faraday Cages Used For?
The Faraday cage is designed to guard whatever is inside of it from excessive levels of static and non-static electricity. This can be accomplished either by reflecting incoming electric fields, absorbing incoming fields, or creating opposing electrical fields.

The Faraday cage can help to protect whatever electrical equipment is contained within it from the kind of electromagnetic pulse (EMP), it’s a good practice to keep your emergency electronics such as radios and GPS devices stored in a Faraday cage so they are not incapacitated in the event of an EMP.

How Does a Faraday Cage Work?
Incoming fields are cancelled when the free electrons in the conductive material on the Faraday cage instantaneously realign themselves and block the incident electric field.

For this to work, the cage has to be made from a conductive material; otherwise, the free electrons are not sufficiently mobile to realign themselves. The layer of conductive material can itself be quite thin. This is thanks to the “skin effect,” which is a term that describes the inclination of electrical currents to move mainly on the outer layer of a conductor. Provided that the conductive layer is more than the skin depth of the material, the electrical shielding of the Faraday cage will be outstanding because there will be very high levels of absorption loss.

The skin depth is a function of the material the conductor is made of and the frequency of the incoming wave. Typically, wrapping your Faraday cage in several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil will give you the needed skin depth to protect your electronics from high-frequency radiated fields like the kind generated by a EMP.

Building a Faraday Cage
The material you use for your Faraday cage does not have much influence on how effective the cage will be at protecting your electronics from high-frequency fields. Virtually any metal has the necessary conductivity to allow free electrons to realign and cancel out incoming electric fields.

Certain metals, are more conductive than others, which gives them a reduced skin depth – for example, at 200 MHz, silver has a skin depth of less than five microns, as compared to aluminum, which has a skin depth of 24 microns at the same frequency. But on a macro scale, that difference is negligible, which is why you can use heavy-duty aluminum foil, instead of far more expensive materials.

Your Faraday cage can have small holes in it, provided they are not too large with respect to the wavelength of the incoming electromagnetic wave. This is why you can also use fine aluminum mesh to build a larger Faraday cage. For example, a 1 GHz wave has a wavelength of 0.3 meters in space.

Generally with these kinds of mesh cages, the cage door is typically the part that causes the most leakage, but this can be fixed by taping the seams with conductive tape.

You can also use existing metal containers as Faraday cages, including metal ammunition boxes, metal garbage bins, anti-static bags, and even unused microwave ovens. Each of these has its own level of effectiveness: the main concern is that gaps and seams are minimized to reduce leakage.

You do not have to ground your Faraday cage in order to protect the electronics contained within, although doing so will help to keep the cage from becoming charged and possibly re-radiating charge, which could be dangerous if you touch it.


Large Faraday Cages
If you want to build a larger “shield room,” as engineers refer to rooms that are essentially large Faraday cages for storing electronics, you can do so by covering the inside of a small room or closet with several layers of heavy-duty aluminum foil.

Overlap all of the seams and tape them with regular cellophane tape. Cover all outlets, light switches, and other conductive breaches with aluminum foil, and do not plug anything into any outlets. Once the floor is covered in foil, place a piece of plywood over it so you do not damage it by walking on it. Such a room can store all of your emergency electronics and protect them from incoming high-frequency radiated fields.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 
Via: thereadystore

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May 20th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Emergency Communications

Guest post by Posted by Rob Richardson

As I learned from working in the areas ravaged by Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Gustav, and several others, cell phones and land-line telephones are basically useless.  It became obvious very quickly that I could not call home from most areas due to the telephone lines and cell towers being “down” or busy.  Fortunately, I was prepared by having a 2-meter, a 10-meter (both now replaced with a HF/VHF/UHF all band radio), a Citizens Band (CB) radio, and a Uniden Bearcat Scanner which all were mounted in my truck!  The scanner allowed me to hear law enforcement and other agencies that were responding to and working the disaster.

The 2-Meter radio allowed me to contact local authorities and also to monitor rescue and recovery efforts and to plan which routes and areas to work in due to massive damage and debris everywhere.  The CB allowed me to contact truckers and their fantastic network of highway/roadway information! With the 10-Meter radio I was able to make contacts that could get in touch with my family which were several hundred miles away and safely at home!

I use frequencies from five (5) different areas of the radio spectrum to aid in my travels, for safety, obtaining information, and in communication with others.  The areas were:  NOAA Weather Radio, CB (both AM and SSB), FRS/GMRS, VHF Maritime, and most importantly Amateur Radio (Ham Radio).

You do not need a license to monitor or listen to any of the frequencies provided in this article. However, you will need a license to talk on some of the frequencies listed.  I will start with “free-talk” frequencies or the ones where no license is needed.

NOAA Weather Radio


NOAA broadcasts are tailored to specific areas and give specific information to fit the needs of people in the listening area of each NOAA transmitter.  There are currently over 425 transmitters in the United States, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and Saipan.  Canada has its own weather alert system and can be researched on the Internet.  Each transmitter covers a range of approximately 40 miles from the transmitter site.  Currently over 80% of the country is covered by NOAA broadcasts.  This 80% encompasses up to 95 % of the population!

In the United States most NOAA broadcasts are heard 24-hours a day with the weather forecasts being updated as needed.  Special hazards and other warnings are broadcast as needed.  Broadcasts have evolved to a point where most weather radios have “Specific Area Message Encoding” or S.A.M.E. which allows the user to program only the areas they wish to monitor or hear affected by the broadcasts when receiving weather or other hazard warnings.

In times of severe weather in some areas, local Ham radio operators or Skywarn Hams call in on specific radio frequencies and update the local NOAA office with weather reports from their location.  If monitoring the Sky Warn frequencies you will get advanced notice of any hazardous weather in your area!  NOAA operates on seven (7) frequencies outside of the normal AM/FM radio bands.  No licensing is required to own a NOAA Weather radio or to monitor their transmissions.  They are listed below:

Frequency

162.4000 MHz 162.4250 MHz
162.4500 MHz 162.4750 MHz
162.5000 MHz 162.5250 MHz
162.550 MHz

I monitor the NOAA frequencies with my Ham radio equipment and have gained very useful information in times of severe weather.  If you purchase a NOAA Weather Radio, these frequencies are pre-programmed allowing the end-user to turn it on and start receiving broadcasts!

Citizens Band Radio (CB)


If you did not sleep through the entire 1970’s and 80’s you most likely have heard of and probably once owned or knew someone with a CB radio!  They gained immense popularity with the truckers and then with almost everyone else at some point in the past.  Since 1977 they all have 40-channels.  Some come with single-side band (SSB).  Others have the NOAA channels and some even have Blue Tooth capability.  The radios that have SSB supply 120 separate channels to use in your communication:  40 AM, 40 USB (upper side-band), and 40 LSB (lower side-band).

The United States and Canada have a tremendous amount of over-the-road truckers and most of them utilize CB radio!  When listening to or talking with them you will learn the location of weather hazards, mobile law enforcement, roadway obstructions, traffic jams, accidents, hazardous drivers, good food, rest areas, and much, much more!  (A lot of the older Hams cringe at the thought of CB radio, but the information and safety advantages they provide greatly outweigh their prejudices against the CB and its operators!  By the way, I’m an Amateur Extra Class Ham and a CB’er!)  CB’s utilizes specific channelized frequencies from 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz.  Truckers primarily use Channel 19 (27.1850 MHz) for their communications nation-wide with Channel 9 (27.0650 MHz) being the recognized Emergency Channel.  CB’s are used by many 4X4 clubs, hunting clubs, RVer’s, and boating clubs!  Currently you do not need a license to operate on any CB frequency in the United States.

The transmission range of a CB varies greatly with the type antenna, atmosphere, channel, number of other transmissions taking place, terrain, and solar activity.  Most mobile to mobile transmission will be between your location and up to 10 miles out.  Some periods may allow “skip” or “DX” to occur resulting in transmission over 100 miles and up to a thousand mile or more!  However, talking “skip” is illegal under the FCC rules for CB use.  Power is restricted to 4-watts on AM and 12-watts on SSB.  A CB frequency chart is below:

CB CHANNEL INFORMATION

CB Channel Frequency Frequency Use
Channel 1 26.965 MHz
Channel 2 26.975 MHz
Channel 3 26.985 MHz Prepper CB Network (AM)
Channel 4 27.005 MHz Used by many 4X4 clubs, The American Pepper’s Network (TAPRN.)
Channel 5 27.015 MHz
Channel 6 27.025 MHz Many operators using illegal linears.
Channel 7 27.035 MHz
Channel 8 27.055 MHz
Channel 9 27.065 MHz Universal C.B. Emergency / REACT Channel.
Channel 10 27.075 MHz
Channel 11 27.085 MHz Local calling channel
Channel 12 27.105 MHz
Channel 13 27.115 MHz Often used in some areas for marine, RV’s, and campers
Channel 14 27.125 MHz FCMA (Federal Motor Coach Assoc) heard here
Channel 15 27.135 MHz Used by truckers in CA
Channel 16 27.155 MHz Used by many 4X4 clubs.
Channel 17 27.165 MHz Used by truckers on the east-west roads in CA.
Channel 18 27.175 MHz
Channel 19 27.185 MHz Unofficial main” Trucker” channel
Channel 20 27.205 MHz
Channel 21 27.215 MHz Used by truckers for N/S routes in CA and some other areas.
Channel 22 27.225 MHz
Channel 23 27.255 MHz
Channel 24 27.235 MHz
Channel 25 27.245 MHz
Channel 26 27.265 MHz
Channel 27 27.275 MHz
Channel 28 27.285 MHz
Channel 29 27.295 MHz
Channel 30 27.305 MHz Channels 30 and up are often used for SSB.
Channel 31 27.315 MHz
Channel 32 27.325 MHz
Channel 33 27.335 MHz
Channel 34 27.345 MHz
Channel 35 27.355 MHz Australian calling channel
Channel 36 27.365 MHz Unofficial USB calling channel
Channel 37 27.375 MHz Prepper 37 (USB)
Channel 38 27.385 MHz Unofficial LSB calling channel
Channel 39 27.395 MHz SSB
Channel 40 27.405 MHz SSB

Since I’m the only Ham radio operator in our family, we have a set CB channel and an alternate channel to meet on if an emergency or crisis arises!  It should be noted that even though there are 40 channels on the CB, only one is set aside for any group and that is Channel 9 (Emergency / React Channel) as mentioned above.  Anyone can talk on any other CB channel anytime, anywhere in the United States day or night!

A lot of people have CB’s that have been modified for “Freeband Operation.”  Freeband is operating below Channel 1 and above Channel 40 on the CB band.  In addition, there are frequencies between each CB channel that are utilized in “freebanding.”  Frequency 27.555 MHz (USB is the freeband calling channel.  I keep the Freeband frequencies programmed into my scanner and sometimes hear some interesting conversations.

Survivalist and Prepper CB and Freeband Frequencies

Frequency USE
CB 3(AM) 26.9850MHz Pepper’s
CB 36(USB) 27.3650MHz Survivalist
CB 37(USB) 27.3750MHz Prepper CB Network(AM)
Freeband(USB) 27.3680MHz Survivalist Network
Freeband(USB) 27.3780MHz Prepper Network
Freeband(USB) 27.4250MHz Survivalist Network

FRS  / GMRS


The FRS or Family Radio Service was adopted in 1996 for use by families.  Since then, many businesses use the FRS to aid in their daily communications.  The FRS utilizes improved walkie-talkies and is allotted frequencies that are channelized.   The FRS and GMRS use UHF or ultra-high frequency.  Many FRS / GMRS radios come with sub-audible squelch codes (CTCSS and DCS).  This allows the user to squelch out many undesirable transmissions and conserve battery life.

There are 22 FRS / GMRS channels.  Channels 1 – 7 are shared with the GMRS.  Channels 8 – 14 are for FRS only.  Channels 15 – 22 are for GMRS only.  It should be noted that the FRS does not require licensing where the GMRS requires an FCC license.  The FRS radios are restricted to ½ watt (500-milliwatts) and must have a fixed antenna.  The range of a typical FRS radio is typically ¼ mile out to approximately 1 ½ miles, sometimes maybe further depending upon the terrain and other factors.  GMRS radios may use up to 5-watts of power and offer better range.  A list of frequencies for the FRS / GMRS is below:

FRS/GMRS Frequencies

Channel

Use

Frequency (MHz)

Channel

Use

Frequency (MHz)
1

FRS/GMRS

462.5625

12

FRS

467.6625
2

FRS/GMRS

462.5875

13

FRS

467.6875
3

FRS/GMRS

462.6125

14

FRS

467.7125
4

FRS/GMRS

462.6375

15

GMRS

462.5500
5

FRS/GMRS

462.6625

16

GMRS

462.5750
6

FRS/GMRS

462.6875

17

GMRS

462.6000
7

FRS/GMRS

462.7125

18

GMRS

462.6250
8

FRS

467.5625

19

GMRS

462.6500
9

FRS

467.5875

20

GMRS

462.6750
10

FRS

467.6125

21

GMRS

462.7000
11

FRS

467.6375

22

GMRS

462.7250

Amateur (HAM) Radio


Amateur Radio or Ham Radio licenses come in three classifications:  Technician (entry-level), General Class (mid-level), and Amateur Extra (an Advanced-level).  In recent years it was mandatory to learn CW or Morse Code to progress in each classification, however, now no code is required!

There are many Amateur Radio (Ham) frequencies allotted for Amateur use.  They are termed “bands.”  They start in HF (high frequency) at 160 meters (1.8000 – 2.0000 MHz) and continue through the radio spectrum to above 300 GHZ.

A listing of the bands is below:

160 Meters 1.800 – 2.0000 MHz 75/80 Meters 3.5000 – 4.0000 MHz
60 Meters (6 channelized frequencies) 5330.5 KHz – 5403.5 KHz 40 Meters 7.0000 – 7.3000 MHz
20 Meters 14.0000 – 14.3500 MHz 30 Meters 10.0000 – 10.1500 MHz
15 Meters 21.0000 – 21.44500 MHz 17 Meters 18.0680 – 18.1680 MHZ
10 Meters 28.0000 – 29.7000 MHz 12 Meters 24.8900 – 24.9900 MHz
2 meters 144.0000 – 148.0000 MHz 6 Meters 50.1000 – 54.0000 MHz
70 Centimeters (CM) 420.0000 – 450.0000 MHz 1.25 Meters 219.0000 – 225.0000 MHz

And the following Microwave bands:2300-2310 MHz, 2390-2450 MHz, 3300-3500 MHz, 5650-5925 MHz, 10.0-10.5 GHz, 24.0-24.25 GHz, 47.0-47.2 GHz, 76.0-81.0 GHz, 122.25-123.0 GHz, 134-141 GHz, 241-250 GHz, and all above 75 GHz.

The 2-Meter band or the VHF band is where all the local action usually takes place!  All across the United States and many other places, including Canada, the Caribbean areas, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, there is a fantastic network of 2-Meter Repeaters and Amateur Radio clubs that are constantly on the air and are willing to help and relay messages and other information.  Hams on the 2-Meter band contact the local NOAA Weather office in times of severe weather giving updated from their areas to aid in broadcasting weather reports and will give aid to any in need!  This has come in very handy several times while working away from home and also in my home area!  The range of any 2-Meter radio will depend upon the radio output, antenna, repeater height, atmospheric conditions, and other factors.  I regularly talk through one of our local repeaters from as far away a 40 – 45 miles.  I have hit another local wide-area repeater from 52 miles away!

There are many thousands of 2-Meter repeaters in the United States alone!  Repeaters are also on the 6-Meter, 10-Meter, 70-CM, and other bands!  The websites below will give more information on the repeaters in your area:

 

The bands 160 – 10 Meters are referred to as the HF or High Frequency bands.  They are great when hurricanes hit the United States or when other long distance communication is required.  Many areas along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Ocean have Hurricane Watch Nets and offer assistance in times of storms or other disasters.  Communications across the country and around the world are possible on some frequencies, with some being better in the daylight hours and some better at night.

Listed below are Amateur (Ham) HF emergency network frequencies that I monitor.  Also included are the Mode (Lower or Upper Sideband) and the areas of operation. These frequencies are usually in use during disasters in the immediate area designated. Some frequencies are listed more than once due to multiple areas using them.  A lot of information and advisory alerts can be gained from monitoring these frequencies.  However, most over the counter scanners will not receive these frequencies.  You will have to purchase a higher priced scanner or an Amateur HF radio to receive them.  Some frequently seen abbreviations are:

  • Wx – Weather
  • ARES – Amateur Radio Emergency Service
  • RACES– Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (affiliated with local EMO’s)
  • NTS – National Traffic System

AMATEUR HIGH-FREQUENCY EMERGENCY & HURRICANE NETS

FREQ MODE LOCATION
03808.0 LSB Caribbean Wx
03845.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane
03862.5 LSB Mississippi Section Traffic
03865.0 LSB West Virginia Emergency
03872.5 LSB Mercury Amateur Radio Assoc / hurricane info net
03873.0 LSB West Gulf ARES Emergency (night)
03873.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane, Louisiana ARES Emergency (night), Mississippi ARES Emergency
03910.0 LSB Central Texas Emergency, Mississippi ARES, Louisiana Traffic
03915.0 LSB South Carolina SSB NTS
03923.0 LSB Mississippi ARES, North Carolina ARES Emergency (Tarheel)
03925.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane, Louisiana Emergency
03927.0 LSB North Carolina ARES (health & welfare)
03935.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane, Louisiana ARES (health & welfare), Texas ARES (health & welfare), Mississippi ARES (health & welfare), & Alabama Emer.
03940.0 LSB Southern Florida Emergency
03944.0 LSB West Gulf Emergency
03950.0 LSB Hurricane Watch (Amateur-to-National Hurricane Center), Northern Florida Emer.
03955.0 LSB South Texas Emergency
03960.0 LSB North East Coast Hurricane
03965.0 LSB Alabama Emergency
03967.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing traffic)
03975.0 LSB Georgia ARES, Texas RACES
03993.5 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare)
03993.5 LSB South Carolina ARES/RACES Emergency
03995.0 LSB Gulf Coast Wx
07145.0 LSB Bermuda
07165.0 LSB Antigua/Antilles Emergency and Weather, Inter-island 40-meter (continuous watch)
07225.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane
07232.0 LSB North Carolina ARES Emergency
07235.0 LSB Louisiana Emergency, Central Gulf Coast Hurricane, Louisiana Emergency
07240.0 LSB American Red Cross US Gulf Coast Disaster, Texas Emergency
07242.0 LSB Southern Florida ARES Emergency
07243.0 LSB Alabama Emergency, South Carolina Emergency
07245.0 LSB Southern Louisiana
07247.5 LSB Northern Florida ARES Emergency
07248.0 LSB Texas RACES
07250.0 LSB Texas Emergency
07254.0 LSB Northern Florida Emergency
07260.0 LSB Gulf Coast West Hurricane
07264.0 LSB Gulf Coast (health & welfare)
07265.0 LSB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN)
07268.0 LSB Bermuda
07273.0 LSB Texas ARES
07275.0 LSB Georgia ARES
07280.0 LSB NTS Region 5, Louisiana Emergency
07283.0 LSB Gulf Coast (outgoing only)
07285.0 LSB West Gulf ARES Emergency (day), Louisiana ARES Emergency (day)
07285.0 LSB Mississippi ARES Emergency, Texas ARES Emergency (day)
07290.0 LSB Central Gulf Coast Hurricane, Gulf Coast Wx, Louisiana ARES (health & welfare day), Texas ARES (health & welfare), & Mississippi ARES
14185.0 USB Caribbean Emergency
14222.0 USB Health & Welfare
14245.0 USB Health & Welfare
14265.0 USB Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio (SATERN) (health & welfare)
14268.0 USB Amateur Radio Readiness Group
14275.0 USB Bermuda & International Amateur Radio
14300.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic & Maritime Mobile Service
14303.0 USB International Assistance & Traffic
14313.0 USB Intercontinental Traffic & Maritime Mobile Service
14316.0 USB Health & Welfare
14320.0 USB Health & Welfare
14325.0 USB Hurricane Watch (Amateur-to-National Hurricane Center)
14340.0 USB Louisiana (1900)
21310.0 USB Health & Welfare (Spanish)
28450.0 USB Health & Welfare (Spanish)

MARITIME / U.S. VHF CHANNELS

When traveling in the coastal areas and along navigable waterways I monitor the Maritime / US VHF Frequencies.  I have provided a frequency list here with two frequencies highlighted.  The highlighted frequencies are the Distress and Information channels for and from Mariners and the US Coast Guard.  It should be noted that to talk on these frequencies a license is required:

Channel Number

Ship Transmit MHz

Ship Receive MHz

Use
01A

156.050

156.050

 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.
05A

156.250

156.250

 Port Operations or VTS in the Houston, New Orleans and Seattle areas.
06

156.300

156.300

 Intership Safety
07A

156.350

156.350

 Commercial
08

156.400

156.400

 Commercial (Intership only)
09

156.450

156.450

 Boater Calling. Commercial and Non-Commercial.
10

156.500

156.500

 Commercial
11

156.550

156.550

 Commercial. VTS in selected areas.
12

156.600

156.600

 Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.
13

156.650

156.650

 Intership Navigation Safety (Bridge-to-bridge). Ships >20m length maintain a listening watch on this channel in US waters.
14

156.700

156.700

 Port Operations. VTS in selected areas.
15

–

156.750

 Environmental (Receive only). Used by Class C EPIRBs.
16

156.800

156.800

 International Distress, Safety and Calling. Ships required to carry radio, USCG, and most coast stations maintain a listening watch on this channel.
17

156.850

156.850

 State & local govt maritime control
18A

156.900

156.900

 Commercial
19A

156.950

156.950

 Commercial
20

157.000

161.600

 Port Operations (duplex)
20A

157.000

157.000

 Port Operations
21A

157.050

157.050

 U.S. Coast Guard only
22A

157.100

157.100

 Coast Guard Liaison and Maritime Safety Information Broadcasts. Broadcasts announced on channel 16.
23A

157.150

157.150

 U.S. Coast Guard only
24

157.200

161.800

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
25

157.250

161.850

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
26

157.300

161.900

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
27

157.350

161.950

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
28

157.400

162.000

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
63A

156.175

156.175

 Port Operations and Commercial, VTS. Available only in New Orleans / Lower Mississippi area.
65A

156.275

156.275

 Port Operations
66A

156.325

156.325

 Port Operations
67

156.375

156.375

 Commercial. Used for Bridge-to-bridge communications in lower Mississippi River. Intership only.
68

156.425

156.425

 Non-Commercial
69

156.475

156.475

 Non-Commercial
70

156.525

156.525

 Digital Selective Calling (voice communications not allowed)
71

156.575

156.575

 Non-Commercial
72

156.625

156.625

 Non-Commercial (Intership only)
73

156.675

156.675

 Port Operations
74

156.725

156.725

 Port Operations
77

156.875

156.875

 Port Operations (Intership only)
78A

156.925

156.925

 Non-Commercial
79A

156.975

156.975

 Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only
80A

157.025

157.025

 Commercial. Non-Commercial in Great Lakes only
81A

157.075

157.075

 U.S. Government only – Environmental protection operations.
82A

157.125

157.125

 U.S. Government only
83A

157.175

157.175

 U.S. Coast Guard only
84

157.225

161.825

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
85

157.275

161.875

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
86

157.325

161.925

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
87

157.375

157.375

 Public Correspondence (Marine Operator)
88A

157.425

157.425

 Commercial, Intership only.
AIS 1

161.975

161.975

 Automatic Identification System (AIS)
AIS 2

162.025

162.025

 Automatic Identification System (AIS)

Power

When transmitting on any radio equipment, transmitter power must be the minimum necessary to carry out the desired communications.  Different power limits are allowed on different bands.  Some Amateur bands allow up to 1500 Watts (PEP) while the FRS only allows ½ watt!

Other Frequencies

When monitoring the airwaves you will want to search the Internet for any frequencies in your area or areas of intended travel.  Some CB’s purchased at truck stops are called “import models” and have the capability to transmit and receive out of band (and are illegal to own and operate in the United States).  I scan the “out of band” CB frequencies with my scanner and have found some interesting conversations taking place from all over the US, Canada, Mexico, and areas in the Caribbean!  Since it is illegal to own or use out of band equipment I will leave the researching of frequencies to the individual users.

Conclusion

There are a lot of different frequencies for everyday use, both talking and monitoring, in the times of disasters or other crisis, or just for fun.  Even if you do not choose to purchase or do not own any radio equipment, the frequencies provided in this article can be programmed into a scanner to give a “heads up” of what’s happening around you.  Frequencies for your local and area law enforcement can be found on the Internet.  Amateur (Ham) radio frequencies for you area can also be found on the Internet.

If interested in getting your Amateur (Ham) Radio license the following two websites offer great information and study guides (books and audio CD’s) can be purchased from them: www.arrl.org and www.W5YI.com

I personally used the Gordon West (WB6NOA) books and audio CD’s to assist in learning the rules, regulations, and necessary information needed to pass the exams!

Remember, to talk on the Amateur or Ham bands, GMRS, and the VHF Maritime bands or frequencies, a license is needed.  Listening or monitoring any frequencies listed here is free!

I look forward to hearing some of you on the air!

73’s,
Jim – KC5DOV



We would like to thank Jim for his extensive research and taking the time to provide this information for our readers. As with all areas of survival, the key to success lies in your knowledge and your training.

 

Some Notes:

There is a condensed version for the ham bands available for download as a PDF at http://offgridsurvival.com/wp-content/themes/church_10/images/2012/10/HAMCHEATSHEET.pdf

 

US Amateur Radio Bands

 

hamuniverse.com

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: offgridsurvival

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May 19th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Obama Admin Refuses to Stop Travelers from Infected Countries – MERS in US

The first human to human case of MERS in the United States was confirmed this week in Illinois.

A U.S. citizen who came in contact with an infected Saudi man earlier this month has tested positive for the MERS virus and is currently under observation in Illinois.

Health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) contacted the Illinois resident earlier this month after learning that he had met with a man from Saudi Arabia on two occasions prior to that man being hospitalized in Indiana.

Despite the fact that Saudi Arabia is the known source of this disease, the Obama Administration is refusing to suspend air travel from the infected areas, all but ensuring the disease will become a global epidemic.

“The president has been briefed on this development,” White House spokesman Carney told reporters. “The CDC is taking the current situation very seriously and is working in close coordination with local health authorities.” Carney said.

Saudi Healthcare Workers will likely make this a Global Epidemic

Saudi officials have recently stepped up efforts to recruit foreign doctors for high paying jobs in Saudi Arabia, where MERS was first identified in 2012. About 15 percent of physicians working in Saudi Arabia are American or European doctors.

Because of the influx of doctors and healthcare providers into the area, world health officials say there is a good chance the MERS virus will hitch a ride on workers as they return home.

“This is how MERS might spread around the world,” said infectious disease expert Dr Amesh Adalja of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Both of the initial U.S. MERS infections were carried into the country by healthcare workers who fell ill shortly after leaving their work in Saudi hospitals. This could have been prevented; unfortunately our government seems more concerned with offending the Saudi government than they do saving American lives.

Almost one-third of the MERS cases in Saudi Arabia is being seen in Healthcare workers, so why we would allow anyone from the infected countries into the U.S. – especially those working directly with infected patients – is insane. What’s even crazier is not only are they refusing to stop air travel from the infected countries, but the government has also refused to even mandate returning physicians be screened for the disease.

 

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Via: offgridsurvival

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May 18th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

The HERC: The famous tea light oven

One of the most important rules of preparedness is to always have at least 3 different methods for cooking food and heating water. In an emergency that goes on for more than a day or two, eating cold soup out of the can will get old, and sooner or later, you’ll need to boil water for sanitation purposes, at least.

The HERC Tea Light Candle Oven* is a newcomer to the scene, and it’s a welcome one.


It’s design and use of tea lights as its only source of heat for cooking is drawing a lot of attention on the internet and throughout the prepper community. At first, it doesn’t seem possible that tea lights can bake bread, cookies, and roast a chicken. I have to admit, I was skeptical.

What sets apart the HERC, aside from those tea lights, is the fact that it can be used indoors without emitting harmful fumes or requiring any ventilation with a fuel source that is budget friendly, to say the least.

The HERC Tea Light Oven in my kitchen

The HERC (Home Emergency Radiant Cooking) is made entirely of heavy duty, laser cut brushed stainless steel, and each piece fits together nicely. Two people can put it together in about 30 minutes. Taken apart, the entire oven can be stored in its fabric bag (included) or a hard, molded plastic case that will soon be available as a separate purchase. Either way, the oven is pretty easy to tote if you want to include it with your camping gear or store it in the trunk of your car for barbecues at the local park.

We set the HERC on my kitchen counter, and it’s been there for about 2 months as we’ve used it to bake bread, a roast, several batches of brownies, and a casserole or two. If you’ll be feeding a crowd, with the HERC you have a handy “double oven” for cooking all that extra food, as well as a source of entertainment. It’s quite fascinating to watch the oven thermometer, included with every HERC, as the temperature rises, all thanks to a few tea lights.


The XXL HERC uses a total of 20 tea lights, 10 on each side, in trays that slide in on either side below the oven. Depending on the brand, the candles can last for 5 or more hours. Over the past weekend, I baked slices of roast and brownies, and the candles were only about half-used. Between about 20 minutes of preheating and an additional 90 minutes of baking time, there’s still enough fuel in those candles for at least 3 more batches of brownies!

Now, for those on the slightly short side, the only difficulty you will run into with the HERC was placing food down into the oven and then taking it out when it was finished. Sitting on a counter top, the oven, at 12″ high may be a little high to easily place food down into it. You may need either a step stool or the help of someone taller to take care of this. When we get around to moving it, I’ll likely place it on either a lower counter or on a table.
Because the entire oven becomes very hot, you’ll need to have a thick set of oven mitts or pot holders, and be sure to keep kids and pets away. Also, since there are 20 open flames involved, it should always be supervised.

So, how does it cook?

I guess that’s the million dollar question, right?

Based on my own experiences, the HERC does a great job of baking food. Brownies were evenly baked, the roast was well done and moist, the bread had a lightly crisp crust and soft interior — just the way it should be.

The even baking is due to the unique design which incorporates unglazed stone tiles that absorb and then radiate heat. I’ve used Pampered Chef baking stones for years, and they use the same principle. The HERC utilizes both convection and radiant heat. Nothing I baked burned and if anything was overdone, it was completely due to operator error!


Some of the recipes my family enjoy are a perfect fit for the HERC:

  • Macaroni and cheese
  • Beef stew
  • Kale & Spinach Quiche
  • Peach cobbler
  • Taco lasagna (my personal favorite!)
  • My mom’s Apple Kuchen

We haven’t yet taken it camping, but I plan on including it on our next outdoor adventure. The one possible drawback to this may be trying to use the HERC outdoors on a windy day. However, with our oven, we received 2 small metal shields that can be placed over the side openings that house the candles. They would provide some shielding from the wind.

When is the HERC most useful?

Kris Johnson, the designer of the HERC and owner of the parent company, Titan Ready Water, originally planned the HERC to assist families with their cooking needs in a power outage. Power outages are a common fact of life in certain parts of the country and all types of weather, from blizzards to hurricanes and tornadoes, can cause them. Once you’ve invested in a HERC oven, you only need a supply of tea lights, so families in distress not only have a way to cook their meals (both indoors and outside) but have a method to do so that is extremely frugal.

One extra smart reader, noted that in an emergency, when everyone else is scrambling to buy propane, butane, gasoline, and other fuels, there could be piles of tea lights just sitting around, waiting for a HERC owner to come along!

As well, the HERC doesn’t depend on sunlight, which is an obvious requirement for a solar cooker. I still love using the sun to cook food, but now that I live in a part of the country that gets more rain and our backyard is nearly covered with shade trees, I need an emergency oven that uses more reliable fuel. Folks in the Pacific Northwest, in particular, should plan on adding a HERC to their emergency supplies.

Although the HERC gets quite hot, it still doesn’t emit as much heat in the kitchen as my gas oven. When we lived in Phoenix, I used to dread baking anything once the summer heat arrived. I would get pretty creative with my meals, making lots of salads or cooking recipes that required stove top cooking only.

Twenty tea lights are plenty hot for bringing up the baking temperature inside the HERC but not so hot as to raise the temperature in your kitchen.

During the days and nights of beautiful weather, a lot of us love cooking and eating outdoors. Take the HERC to the park, a family reunion, or just your back patio to do all your baking right there. The grill-master is the one who gets all the attention, but now you’ll be producing baked beans or hot cornbread on the spot!

Do be sure to protect your tea lights from extreme heat. I have a few hundred of them currently stored in a 5 gallon bucket that I keep in a hall closet.

A few final details


The HERC comes in 2 sizes. The XXL is the sample that I was sent, and is large enough to hold an 11×15″ baking dish. For storage, it takes up a space sized 12 x 20 x 2. Yes, that’s 2 inches in height!

The smaller size HERC is fueled by just 10 tea lights!

There are likely many, many places around your home or garage where a HERC could be stored. Not so with the tea lights, however. They should be stored in a cool place so the wax doesn’t melt.

Not all tea lights are made the same, nor will they all burn for the same length of time. I suggest buying a supply from 2 or 3 different companies, and use a different batch each time you bake to see which brand lasts longest. If you time your preheat (around 20-25 minutes), you might even find that some candles burn hotter than others.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

Via: thesurvivalmom

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May 17th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

The REAL Version of Bugging Out

As I’m sure most of you have seen or heard about by now, my home town of San Diego, CA is ablaze with wildfires right now. And just like all the other times that we see examples of real disasters, this experience has reminded me of an important truth: REAL bugging out is not “heading for the hills.”

In fact, it’s a long way from that.

The REAL Version of Bugging Out

Guess how my loved ones in San Diego are “bugging out” right now?

They’re driving across town to stay with friends and family members for 2 days. They’re going to the nearby high school with their sleeping bags. They’re going to churches, hotels, and other evacuation centers scattered around town.

My sister and husband are currently evacuated… you know where they went with their baby? 21 miles away to the in-laws.

An old college roommate had to leave his house in Carlsbad. So he took his family and went… to Encinitas (a whopping 10.4 miles away)

Nobody is driving off into the sunset with their guns and ammo.

Why is it like this?

Because life still exists. In fact, in the case of most disasters, life will still exist. And (contrary to what MTV tried to have us believe a few years back) “the hills” aren’t real life.

You wouldn’t drive for hours to go stay up in a mountainous cave for a night, when there’s a hotel down the street letting folks stay for free.

Likewise, you wouldn’t hoof it to your bunker in the next state, when your sister’s place is 15 minutes away.

How I Recommend You “Bug Out”

Ok, so what should your bug out plan be then?

Fair question. Here’s what I recommend:

Make “reciprocity” arrangements with strategically located family members and friends.

These are friends and family members who agree to let you come stay with them if an emergency ever necessitates it. In exchange, you allow them the same privilege.

Ideally you would have a few different people that you could go crash with if you needed to. I would suggest having:

  • 1 friend across town (25-30 minutes away).
  • 1 a couple hours away
  • 1 out of state for the regional and large regional disasters.

Having these kinds of agreements set up doesn’t cost you anything, and it insures that you have a few options when things get crazy.

Many people have thought about arrangements like this, but they haven’t actually verbalized them with the other party. It’s risky to do this, because it’s essentially counting on eggs before they hatch. That friend may have 10 other family members thinking the same thing. Or communications may be knocked out when the moment of need arises.

Take the time to have the conversation now, before a disaster has struck.

What About Bugging Out to A Cabin or Retreat Property?

I actually think it’s a great idea to have a “bug out property” IF:

  1. You can afford it
  2. It’s within a couple hours from your primary residence.
  3. If it can double as a vacation property.

So those are some big “ifs.” Which is why, at the end of the day, for a lot of people, a bug out property won’t make sense. But these criteria are what make a bug out property a good fit for real preppers.

If it’s in an undesirable location, or a place that isn’t comfortably livable, than you’re not going to go up there and use it enough to justify having it.

If it’s too far or too expensive, it’s likewise not a good idea.

Final Thoughts

If I stepped on your toes a little, good. It’s not my goal to make you feel bad about yourself, but we keep it real around here. It’s important that you be real about the preparations that you’re making.

Keep the San Diego fires in mind when you’re developing your “bug out” plan. Remember, the best bug out plan is a reciprocity agreement with strategically placed friends.

Thoughts and prayers out to the folks dealing with wildfires. I’m sure it will be a long summer full of wildfires all over the west.

Resources

List of San Diego areas under evacuation

NBC’s Coverage of San Diego Fires

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 
Via: thedailyprep


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May 16th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

USDA to Purchase Submachine Guns

The United States Department of Agriculture is set to purchase an unknown quantity of submachine guns, leading to questions about where the weapons will be heading and for what purpose they will be used.


A solicitation (replete with spelling errors) posted on the Fed Biz Opps website states;

“The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, located in Washington, DC, pursuant to the authority of FAR Part 13, has a requirement for the commerical (sic) acquisition of submachine guns, .40 Cal. S&W, ambidextrous safety, semi-automatic or 2 shot burts (sic) trigger group, Tritium night sights for front and rear, rails for attachment of flashlight (front under fore grip) and scope (top rear), stock-collapsilbe (sic) or folding, magazine – 30 rd. capacity, sling, light weight, and oversized trigger guard for gloved operation.”

Hopefully, those operating the semi-automatic weapons will be better skilled than whoever is writing solicitations on behalf of the USDA, but the fact that the law enforcement division of the United States Forest Service, which operates under the USDA, is not mentioned in the request has prompted some to questionwhere the guns will be going.

“They will no doubt attempt to justify their purchase of military hardware by explaining that they conduct criminal investigations and may need to do armed raids,” writes Bob Owens, adding, “This is part of a trend to arm every branch of federal government, whether the individual agency has a legitimate need for a paramilitary force or not.”

Concerns over large ammunition purchases by the Department of Homeland Security have raged over the past two years, although a recent Government Accountability Office investigation downplayed the issue as nothing out of the ordinary.

More pertinent than the amount of bullets purchased has been the type of ammunition and the DHS’ insistence that companies be able to supply them quickly if needed, which some have linked to the federal agency’s preparations for domestic unrest in the United States.

In May last year, the DHS sent out a request for information asking companies if they could provide 2 million bullets within a 30-60 day turnaround period.

In October 2013, the DHS acknowledged it was hiring armed guards to secure government buildings in the event of “public demonstration(s)” and “civil disturbances,” while also spending half a million dollars on fully automatic pepper spray launchers and projectiles that are designed to be used during riot control situations.

In February last year, Law Enforcement Targets Inc., a contractor that had previously done $2 million dollars worth of business with the DHS, was forced to apologize after producing “no more hesitation” shooting targets which depicted pregnant women, children, and elderly gun owners in residential settings as “non-traditional threats.”

More recently the DHS issued a solicitation for over 141,00 rounds of sniper ammunition, bullets known commercially as “Zombie Max,” a reference to their high power.

 

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Via: shtfplan

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May 15th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Feds Seize New Mexico Ranchers Land: County orders Local Sheriff to Stop the Feds

In a story that’s being totally ignored by the mainstream media, another rancher is being targeted by the federal government in a land dispute that seems eerily similar to the Bundy Ranch Dispute in Nevada.

Rancher Kit Laney, and a number of New Mexico Ranchers are all locked in a vicious battle with the federal government over land that the Feds are now claiming ownership of – even though the Laney family has claims to the land going all the way back to 1883.

Earlier this year the Federal Government closed down access to the Ranchers land, placing gates that blocked his cattle’s access to a creek in the Lincoln National Forest. About 20 local ranchers were also affected, all of whom have watering rights to the creek and have been using the land for decades.

Just like during the Bundy Ranch situation, the government is yet again using some asinine environmental reasoning to justify stealing more private land, claiming the area’s ranchers are endangering habitat for the New Mexico meadow jumping mouse by allowing their cattle to graze on the land.


Bundy Ranch Supporters and local Militia Pushing the BLM off their land last month in Nevada

Unlike the Bundy Ranch story that we reported on out in Nevada, where state and local officials failed to help the rancher, this time local officials in Otero County, New Mexico aren’t rolling over.

On Monday, a New Mexico county board instructed the local sheriff to remove all BLM gates from the land. The Otero County Commission voted 2-0, with one commissioner absent, to “immediately take steps to remove or open gates that are unlawfully denying citizens access to their private property rights.”

Commissioner Ronny Rardin said Monday he was uncomfortable with taking action “against people that are my friends,” apparently referring to local Forest Service rangers, but that he had an obligation as an elected commissioner to uphold the Constitution.

“That Constitution is in breach right now and it is our duty, it’s our civil duty — if we want to keep our nation free and keep our country as it was intended to be by our forefathers — to stand up and take this type of action,” said Mr. Rardin.

 

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Via: offgridsurvival

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May 14th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Real Simple Bread Making for “Dummies” or Those Who Are Kitchen Challenged

Guest post by Christine

Bread making experts can tell you all about making bread… The do’s, the don’ts and all the chemistry and nutrition factors involved. But let’s face it – some days you just want/need to learn a new skill that is quick, easy, inexpensive and satisfying to the mouth, the soul and the pocketbook.

Cast Iron Bread Making is one such skill. …and what is really great is that it is a skill that can and should be practiced and enjoyed now.

Here’s what I like about my recipe:

  • It’s easy
  • It tastes good
  • It’s flexible
  • It requires no kneading
  • It’s cheap to make
  • It saves on yeast (good if you are limited in how much you have or while you wait for a sourdough culture to form)
  • The finished product adds nutrition, diversity and fiber to a diet
  • Good homemade bread is a great barter item

The “Down and Dirty” Recipe:

Grind 3 cups of wheat and then grind it again until it is very fine.

Put the finely ground wheat into a small plastic food grade bucket with a lid and add 1 tsp. of yeast and 1 ½ tsp. of salt. Mix up these three ingredients well and then add 1 1/3 cups of water (or whey if you make cheese and have a dairy goat/cow) combined with 2 Tbs. of honey, maple syrup, molasses or sorghum. Stir up the mixture until you have a wet mess of sticky dough and then cover it and let it sit for 18-24 hours.

When you open the bucket you will see that the dough has risen and appears a bit frothy. Scrape it out onto a floured counter and quickly shape it into a round ball by tucking the ends under it – add just enough flour to maintain its shape. Place the dough ball on a floured cloth towel and cover the ball completely with the towel. I flour the towel with coarse ground wheat as we like a dark, coarse, chewy crust.

Stick the towel covered dough in a glass bowl and let the bread rise again for 4 hours (or more based on room temperature). Turn your oven (or gas grill) on and set it at 450 degrees. (You can also dig a hole and build a charcoal/wood fire nearby and place coals below the pot and on top of the lid – this takes more skill and practice but is doable.) Place your seasoned cast iron pot with lid in the oven and let the oven and pan heat up for a half hour.

After the half hour is up, carefully remove pan from the oven and quickly place the dough ball in the pan. Cover it quickly with the heated lid and then put it back in the oven for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the bread sit until cool.

That’s it. You can adjust the recipe by adding more sweetener, dried fruits, spices, different kinds of flour, seeds, nuts, herbs, cheese, etc. Bread is a staple that can be used in many meals and adds food diversity and calories. It is filling and in times of stress acts as comfort food for many of us. Make a sandwich, a bread bowl for soup/beans, a pizza, croutons, a meat pocket, etc.

 

Some comments:

———-

If you like a softer crust to your bread, as soon as you pull the loaf out rub some butter/grease on the crust. This is also a preservative.

If you don’t like 100% whole wheat bread use half whole wheat/ half white bread flour. I use the same proportions (half-n-half) for rye bread.

I also use a regular loaf pan for the second rise with the pan lined with baking paper for normal looking loaf. I sometimes put the dough in a small round baking dish that is lined because I don’t particularly like a flattish loaf. These loaves are baked at 450 without baking stones or enclosed baking vessels. I can get a good loaf of bread without these items.

Let your loaf raise as long as it needs to for the second raise because mine always takes waaayyy longer than they say it does.

Last point, I now weight my flour, as I get more consistent results than measuring by the cup. 17 ounces of flours, 12 ounces of UN-CHLORINATED water, 1 1/2 tsp salt, and you can use as little as 1/4 tsp of yeast. When using whole wheat or whole rye I use more yeast and about 2 tbsp of some kind of sweetener.

——————–

my recipe is simple too. heat a woodstove or bed of coals (for dutch oven) or a range oven at 350. either grease the dutch oven or a baking pan (depending on what heat source is used). in a big mixing bowl mix quickly 4 cups of flour, 3 or 4 spoons of baking powder, 1 dry cup of powdered milk and any extras (ginger and molasses for gingerbread, sugar, sometimes I add mashed pumpkin or apple sauce) then add enough water to make it a thick batter. pour it into the oven or pans about half the depth of the container. put the oven on the stove or coals, or pans in the oven. bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

the powdered milk, baking powder and flour can be stored in bulk dry and the only other ingredient needed is the water. just the 4 ingredients make a basic wheat soda bread that is good with jam. add other things for variety.

———————

You could also try these: How to cook simple ashcakes or firecakes

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

Via: thesurvivalistblog

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May 13th, 2014
post by policysup | | 0

Arizona town near Grand Canyon runs low on water

In the northern Arizona city of Williams, restaurant patrons don’t automatically get a glass of water anymore. Residents caught watering lawns or washing cars with potable water can be fined. Businesses are hauling water from outside town to fill swimming pools, and building permits have been put on hold because there isn’t enough water to accommodate development.

Officials in the community about 60 miles from the Grand Canyon’s South Rim have clamped down on water use and declared a crisis amid a drought that is quickly drying up nearby reservoirs and forcing the city to pump its only two wells to capacity.

The situation offers a glimpse at how cities across the West are coping with a drought that has left them thirsting for water. More than a dozen rural towns in California recently emerged from emergency water restrictions that had a sheriff’s office on the lookout for water bandits at a local lake. One New Mexico town relied on bottled water for days last year. In southern Nevada, water customers are paid to remove lawns and cannot install any new grass in their front yards.

Officials in Williams jumped straight to the most severe restrictions after receiving only about 6 inches of precipitation from October to April — about half of normal levels — and a bleak forecast that doesn’t include much rain. City leaders acknowledge the move is extreme but say it’s the only way to make the city has enough water to survive.

“We knew we had to take some action to preserve the water,” Mayor John Moore said.

Reservoirs that supply residents’ taps are so low that they reveal tree stumps, plants and cracked earth once submerged by water.

Businesses are feeling the effects, too. The Grand Canyon Railway, which shuttles tourists from Williams to the national park, is using water recycled from rainfall, drained from a hotel pool and wastewater purchased in nearby Flagstaff to irrigate its landscaping and run steam engines.

Residents are praying they get some relief soon.

“I still have hope God will send us the rain,” said resident Jan Bardwell.

Communities across New Mexico also have seen their drinking water supplies dwindle in recent years due to severe drought and aging infrastructure. The town of Magdalena last summer was forced last summer to turn to bottled water after its well failed.

In the far western Texas city of El Paso, residents can’t water outdoors on Mondays. And officials have been reusing treated wastewater and investing in a major desalination plant that turns salty, unusable groundwater into a drinking source for the border city.

As Williams waits for moisture, Moore said city officials are exploring whether new wells will help secure a more sustainable water source. He said water conservation should take residents through the next couple of months until the rainy season arrives and winter returns.

In his home, Moore is taking shorter showers, flushing the toilet less often and thinking twice about dumping out water he doesn’t drink.

Other residents are using buckets to collect cold water that normally would go to waste while they wait for a hot shower, he said. Automatic shut-off devices are planned for showers at the city pool, and signs at water filling stations declare them off-limits to commercial water haulers.

Excessive water consumption could be costly under the restrictions. Residents using more than 15,000 gallons of water per month will see their bills rise by 150 percent to 200 percent. The penalty for using potable water outdoors for anything but public health or emergencies comes with a $100 surcharge that doubles for subsequent violations.

The Grand Canyon Railway poured tens of thousands of dollars into a landscape remodel last year that was watered with city taps. This year, the company had to gather that water from other sources, bringing in three rails cars to store it onsite.

It was a scenario that general manager Bob Baker didn’t see coming. “It’s drastic,” he said.

AP Photo

In this April 11 photo, Grand Canyon Railway train operations general manager Bob Baker poses with the rail cars that are storing water for use on the property in Williams, Ariz.

Other northern Arizona towns have less-stringent water restrictions. In Payson, residents are on a schedule for outdoor watering or washing cars. They are prohibited from putting in new grass and must choose from drought-tolerant plants for landscaping.

The goal for each person is to use no more than 89 gallons of water per day, but residents have averaged better than that at 70 to 75 gallons daily over the past decade, Mayor Kenny Evans said.

Water rates that increased decades ago allow the town to offer rebates for low-flow toilets and other water-saving devices. Payson has positioned itself well enough to extend water services to nearby communities while preaching conservation.

“We don’t have enough water to waste it,” said Evans, president of the Northern Arizona Municipal Water Users Association.

In Williams, Moore recently looked out at the reservoirs surrounding town in anticipation of a monsoon season that could help replenish them.

“We know in due time, the lakes will fill back up, the snow will come,” he said.

 

Interesting that they “know” this will happen, and not that they “hope” it will since it has before.

 

Start now to make sure you are staying prepared.

 

 

Via: msn

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