Simple Range Testing for LoRa Modules

WiFi and Bluetooth have their use cases, but both have certain demands on things like battery life and authentication that make them unsuitable for a lot of low-power use cases. They’re also quite limited in range. There are other standards out there more suitable for low-power and wide area work, and thankfully, LoRa is one of them. Having created some LoRa pagers, [Moser] decided to head out and test their range.

Now, we’ve done range tests before. Often this involves sending one party out with a radio while the other hangs back at base. Cellphones serve as a communications link while the two parties go back and forth, endlessly asking “Is it working now? Hang on, I’ll take a few steps back — what about now?”

It’s a painful way to do a range test. [Moser]’s method is much simpler; set a cellphone to log GPS position, and have the pager attempt to send the same data back to the base station. Then, go out for a drive, and compare the two traces. This method doesn’t just report straight range, either — it can be used to find good and bad spots for radio reception. It’s great when you live in an area full of radio obstructions where simple distance isn’t the only thing affecting your link.

Build details on the pagers are available, and you can learn more about LoRa here. While you’re at it, check out the LoRa tag for more cool builds and hacks.

Filed under: radio hacks

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7 Ammo Storage Tips Every Gun Owner Should Know

Whether you are a frequent shooter or not, stocking up on ammo is a must for any prepper. Not only is ammo useful for self defense in a SHTF situation, but it will also be needed for hunting and trade.

Because it is so useful, robust, and doesn’t expire quickly, ammo will most likely become the new currency when money fails.

That’s why it’s critical that you not only stock up on ammo, but also know how to store your ammo so that it can last for decades.

By doing this, you can avoid ammo shortages and potential future bans. It also gives you a more certain supply of ammo for hunting, shooting, and self defense.

In this article, we are going to take a look at the top 7 tips for storing your ammo long term so that you’ll know exactly what you need to do to keep your ammo in tip top shape across decades.

1. Calibers

There is a lot of debate out there on which type of guns are best for survival situations. Chances are you already have your preference and have acquired your desired firearms.

While there is no specific correct answer here, we have to pay attention to what the most popular calibers are out there and consider stocking up on that type of ammo for potential future value.

Some of us will have chosen firearms for these popular calibers, which makes storing ammo for them that much easier. Even if you don’t have firearms in these calibers, you should think about storing some popular ammo for future barter.

For example, some of the most high demand calibers include: .22 LR, .223, .270, .308, and 30-06.

When you start looking at the most popular guns out there, then these calibers start making sense. For example, the AR platform is a top choice among Americans. Typically, the majority of folks get an AR-15 as one of their primary guns.

Of course, there is a long held debate out there between getting an AR-15 (.223) versus an AR-10 (.308). If you have the money, you might consider getting both firearms.

Regardless, you should consider getting both the .223 and .308 ammo since it will be in high demand. There is a lot of discussion on the differences between these two calibers.

Another must have caliber is the classic .22 LR. Most people will have a .22 rifle that they either plink with or use to hunt small game. You can usually get one of these for pretty cheap, and it makes a perfect survival gun for hunting squirrels. The .22 LR ammo is pretty cheap too and you can often buy it in bulk when there isn’t a shortage problem.

Another key topic here is that you should be aware of the details of ammunition. For example, the differences  between rimfire and centerfire are important if you plan on having the ability to reload ammunition, which would make you highly valuable after SHTF. You’ll need a lot more equipment and supplies though in order to be successful at it.

As we can see from the many calibers to choose from, it makes a lot of sense to go ahead and think about standardizing your calibers so that you make ammo storage a lot more simplified.

2. Dry

Moisture is one of the biggest killers of ammo. Obviously, metal when exposed to moisture will rust and over time, the rust will end up destroying the integrity of the metal casing. Therefore, it is critical that you control the moisture in your storage environment.

Keep in mind that air holds quite a bit of moisture. The warmer the air is, the more moisture it can hold. This is where the concept of humidity comes in. If your room seems pretty dry at 100 degrees Fahrenheit, then you cool down the air to 50 degrees, the air won’t be able to hold all of the moisture that it did before and that is when condensation will start forming on the surfaces in the room.

The best tips here are to either store your ammo in a room where you can control the moisture level, or carefully select a container with a good seal as we’ll discuss later and also use desiccants to help absorb any remaining moisture that you have locked away in the container.

You can get cheap Silica gel packets to put in your containers or there are more expensive desiccants if you have the budget. Remember that you have to carefully handle desiccants, and on occasion bake the moisture out of them to reactivate them.

3. Cool

Given our discussion on humidity, the biggest thing you want to try to do is to keep a stable and consistent temperature in your storage environment. This helps prevent temperature cycle swings of the air that will cause moisture to collect on surfaces over and over again.

If you can keep your ammo in a nice air conditioned room, then you are golden. If you have to store it in a garage, attic, or shed where the temperature will be cycling a lot, you will need to take a lot of extra care to keep the moisture out of the container.

Plus, those temperature swings over time will constantly be expanding and contracting the metal in your ammo and container, which will degrade them over time and possibly erode the seal on the container.

4. Dark

You should always keep your ammo out of direct sunlight. There are many reasons why this is a good idea. Obviously, you should never have bare ammo sitting in the sunlight. I also doubt you would ever have a box of ammo out in the sun either for a long period of time.

There’s a rare chance that someone might have their ammo container sitting in the sun. The problem with this is that over time, the sunlight will start to degrade the container by first attacking the paint. Once there are weaknesses in the paint, metal containers become vulnerable to rust, which leads to the integrity of the container being destroyed and leaving your ammo vulnerable.

The best practice here is to keep your ammo out of the sunlight not only to keep it in good shape, but also to keep it out of view of prying eyes. It’s a good idea to not let anyone other than close family know that you are stockpiling ammo in order to avoid trouble.

5. Container

As for containers, if you have room in your home where you can safely store ammo on shelves in air conditioning and low moisture, then it makes sense to do so.

Otherwise, the best option is to go buy some military ammo cans. They are designed and built for storing ammo and are fairly cheap. You can find them at gun shops and gun shows. You want to buy them in person so that you can inspect the rubber seal is brand new. There is no point in buying an old ammo can that has a seal that is worn out, as that undermines the whole purpose of the container.

While the military ammo cans are metal, there are also plastic alternatives that are the same size, color, and capability. Ironically, I have found the plastic ones are usually more expensive than the metal ones, but it may be different in your area.

6. Organization

You want to  consider how you plan on storing your ammo so that you have access to any that you need for shooting or hunting. That way you can keep the long term storage ammo sealed up so that you don’t have to constantly reactivate the desiccants once the containers are closed and sealed.

I recommend getting one military ammo can for each type of caliber and filling the can up with that same caliber ammo. You can then put a piece of tape and use a marker to label the ammo type on the front of the can. This allows you to know what’s in the container without having to break the seal unless you intend to do so.

What I also do is buy an extra military ammo can and place all of my commonly used ammo in it that I use for shooting and hunting. I then label it my “common” can and that way I can open it often and replenish that ammo whenever I need to so that it’s the only container that I have to open.

7. Location

As far as location, your situation might be different. If you have a storage room in your home where you can keep your ammo in the air conditioning, then putting your ammo in metal cans with silica desiccants is the absolute best way to go. Another great place is to stack your ammo cans in the back and bottom of your closet areas so that they are out of sight.

If you have to store your ammo outside, then make sure you have the water tight container with desiccant solution. You will have the best results if you can put them in the most temperature and humidity stable location possible.

If you plan on burying your ammo, then you might need to take extra precautions for sealing up your containers to prevent water intrusion and to protect against root invasion and other problems. Only bury ammo if you have no other choice.

Conclusion

To wrap up, we looked at the 7 major tips for you to be able to store your ammo for decades. Remember that ammo is one of the best items that you can stockpile for a SHTF situation. You want to choose the most popular calibers because that will be the ammo that is in the highest demand.

You also want to make sure that you put your ammo in the right container, and that you can somewhat control the temperature, moisture, and sunlight. By keeping the ammo organized properly, you don’t have to break the seal of your containers too often, and can find what you need easily.

About the Author

Tom Sheppard is a long time survivalist. He spends a lot of time out in the North Texas woods and enjoys prepping. In his spare time, he shares his expertise by writing articles. He often contributes what he knows over at Trek Warrior on survival gear and skills.

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The Best Gloves for Survival

by Ryan

In my experience, I have often found my gloves lacking.   In addition, I have found times that I thought I would be fine without gloves only to end up with hands that are blistered and bloody.  It my be my poor circulation or may be the circumstances, but I often find my hands to be the part of my body that gets the most cold.  Because of this, I always try to take quality gloves with me when I go into the wild.

After a few rough experiences with my hands, I was on a mission to find gloves that would cover all my needs.  I realized that a person’s hands are some of their most valuable tools in a survival situation.  To protect your hands it to protect yourself.  Gloves are definitely not all created equal.  You can spend a small amount of money and effectively protect your hands, and you can easily spend a large amount of money and provide no protection at all. In this article I will cover how to select the right set of gloves and discuss the different types of gloves available.

How to Select Gloves

When I first set out to find quality gloves, I was overwhelmed by the wide array of options available. How do you really know you are getting a product that will work well for survival when gloves are rarely made for this purpose?  I decided to break down exactly what variables affect my hands and gloves, and what my priorities are for this product.

• Gloves must protect hands from abrasions. Cuts and scrapes are quite common in a survival situation.  In addition, blisters form easily if you are cutting and chopping over long periods of time.  It seems like there are thorns on everything when you get into the wild.  Gloves must be made of thick material that protects your hands from these threats.  Impact pads add cushioning to protect knuckles and other points of impact.
• Gloves must keep hands warm. There are two types of warmth they can provide.  One is simple protection from exposure. Any thick material will provide some protection just by adding a barrier between the cold air and your skin.  This helps with frostbite in moderate conditions.  However, for true warmth you need insulation.  Insulated gloves work by trapping air between the glove and your skin.  Your hands then warm that air to protect against the cold.  This means the gloves must be large enough to give you that pocket of air inside.
• Gloves must be durable. There are gloves available made of dozens of different materials.  The material you choose must be strong enough to protect against cuts, wear and tear, and repeated daily abuse. Thinner materials will typically tear or wear through within hours. However, there are several thicker materials that could last a lifetime.
• Gloves must provide dexterity. When you are in a survival situation, there are several tasks which require you to use your fingers for detailed work.  A great example of this is working with cordage.  Whether you are building a shelter or setting a snare trap, you fingers must be able manipulate the cordage to tie knots. An added bonus is the ability to feel texture through the gloves.  This allows you to be even more effective with your fingers.
• Gloves should protect your hands during combat. One of the reasons why many self-defense experts suggest using your knees and elbows for striking is because bare knuckles split open easily.  Many gloves have impact pads that help protect your knuckles when striking an opponent.  In survival situations, you never know when you might have to defend yourself or your family.
• Gloves should help you grip tools. Ideally, you want gloves that have a rough or sticky surface on the palms.  Whether you need to grip a hatchet or a shotgun, you want to be sure it will not slip out of your hands.
• Gloves should be water resistant or waterproof. One of the easiest ways to get frostbite is to allow your hands to get wet.  Wet skin drops in temperature 20 times faster than dry skin. It is tough to find gloves that are 100% waterproof, but they should at least be water resistant for working in wet conditions.
• Gloves should allow you to use your phone. In many survival situations, your smart phone is a wonderful tool.  It can help with communication, navigation, light, and information.  However, touch screen phones only work with certain materials.

Types of Gloves

There are a few standard styles of gloves that you can choose from.  I will briefly cover the advantages and disadvantages of each of these styles of glove.

Leather Work Gloves – These gloves are great for protection against cuts, scrapes, and blisters.  They are thick and tough, so they often will last a lifetime.  Leather is water resistant and typically gives you some good grip.  They give you some protection in combat and some protection against cold, but they are rarely insulated. Leather does not work with touch screens. They provide a medium amount of dexterity in the fingers.

Here is a good example.

Jersey Gloves – These cheap gloves are virtually worthless.  They provide a small amount of warmth and protection, but they tear easily.  They absorb water, have no padding, have no grip, and have no insulation. They do allow for dexterity in your fingers.

Here is a good example.

Medium Thickness Hunting Gloves – These gloves are designed to provide you with some insulation while still allowing dexterity in the fingers.  They are water resistant and sometimes even work with smart phones.  They have no padding and are not designed for heavy abuse. Often these gloves will rip or wear through over time.  They rarely have a good gripping surface and are not built for combat.

Here is a good example.

Mechanic Gloves – These gloves are waterproof and are designed to protect your hands from the constant impact they would take working on machinery.  They are thick and padded, so they would work well in combat.  They are durable and should never rip or tear.  These gloves have no insulation but do provide quality grip.  They do not work with touch screens and provide a medium amount of dexterity in your fingers.

Here is a good example.

Tactical Gloves – These happen to be the gloves I choose most often for survival situations.  Tactical gloves are padded for combat and have a good gripping surface for holding tools or weapons.  They are water resistant, and have open fingers for ideal dexterity or using a touch screen.  They provide some warmth, and are super durable.  The only downside is that they could be a bit warmer, but they work great for three seasons of the year.

Here is a good example.

Wool Gloves – Wool is the only glove material that can be soaking wet and still provide warmth.  They are water resistant and very warm.  They provide some level of protection, but are not padded.  Wool does wear through over time, and does not provide much grip.  Often these gloves come without fingers, so they may work well for dexterity and for touch screens.

Here is a good example.

Ski gloves – The main benefits of these gloves are that they are waterproof and very warm.  They have heavy insulation, so they would provide some protection in combat.  They rarely have a good gripping surface, and are not designed for abuse. They rip and wear through easily, and do not work with smart phones.  They provide very little dexterity.

Here is a good example.

Insulated Leather Mittens – This is my top choice for sleeping in cold weather.  Mittens actually provide the most warmth possible because they leave your fingers in one section of the glove so they can warm each other.  They are plenty durable and have a good gripping surface.  They are waterproof and provide good protection in combat.  They have zero dexterity so they are best used when you have no projects on which to work.  They cannot be used with a touch screen.  I buy mine large enough that they will actually fit over my tactical gloves.  When I am hunting I will keep my mittens on until I see a deer and then remove my hands to aim and fire with only the tactical gloves.

Here is a good example.

In Conclusion

As you can see, there are many choices when picking the gloves for your survival kit.  While my two favorite are the tactical gloves and the mittens, I have considered using leather work gloves and mechanics gloves as well.  There are advantages to them all.  Once you have selected the type of glove to use, read the reviews and pick one that you know will last.  These gloves may be one of the most important survival purchases you make.

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Lucid Dreaming | Methods, Techniques, and Habits that Promote Mindful Awareness

Hi, I wanted to make a thread where I compile some of my insights toward engaging in mindful awareness and directing, controlling, and maintaining my attention--whether it be in waking life or while lucid dreaming. I was hoping that anybody else that has a different approach or perspective could also share and we could exchange ideas. I know there are already plenty of All Day Awareness technique threads and whatnot, but I hope that this one is a little bit more open forum and that we can get a good discussion going. I'm hoping it'll be a great chance for learning and we might surprise each other with the ingenuity of some of our techniques and habits, or the unique angle some of us might approach this with.

Attention, Awareness, and Mindful Awareness

To begin with, I think I'll make the distinction between attention and awareness as I see it.

Attention specifically refers to the act or process of directing and focusing one's conscious awareness on something.

Awareness is a more nebulous term; at it's core, awareness just refers to a conscious entity/being's ability to recognize and react to a given stimulus or set of stimuli (of course, understanding is a reaction in itself).

The purpose of adding the modifier "mindful" to the concept of awareness is to encapsulate the idea that one is not simply at the base level of awareness to be considered conscious and awake, but also attentive and maintaining a balanced awareness of one's external reality, environment, one's own body, and one's internal reality as well.

In-Depth Perspective on Being Mindfully Aware and its Relation to Dreaming

Most of my habits and techniques revolve around finding ways of almost unconsciously triggering what basically amount to reality checks. The only difference is I'm not actually performing a reality check. Personally, reality checks do almost nothing for me. Any time I get to the point of performing one in a dream, I already know I'm dreaming, and I'm simply performing the RC to verify that I am, knowing full well that the results don't really matter and do little more than make me doubly sure I am in fact dreaming. Reality checks as a practice are only useful, as it pertains to me, for becoming more aware of one's own thought patterns and developing good habits and techniques for maintaining mindful awareness once in a lucid dream.

Think about how often you find yourself spacing out, day dreaming, or otherwise letting yourself run at 50-75% autopilot while going through your daily activities. This tendency to be lost in thought is directly related to the tendency you have to lose awareness and lucidity in a dream. Given you're in an altered state where frontal lobe and prefrontal cortex activity is mostly inhibited (the areas most responsible for or at least heavily implicated in executive functioning, decision making, logical reasoning, and attention/awareness), this tendency to slip into lower states of awareness is going to be exacerbated, even. It's not quite as exacerbated if you've become lucid in a dream, but it's still going to be amplified to a certain degree and means loss of dream control and possibly lucidity altogether.

So, if you develop habits to keep yourself on track for several 20-30 minute spurts several times a day, these will translate somewhat during non-lucids hopefully,
but the greatest impact will be in your ability to maintain the greatest level of lucidity and control once you've already become aware you are dreaming.


My Way of Being Mindfully Aware

One thing I usually have to be mindful of is that practicing any one thing often enough means it will eventually become a routine, mindless habit. Your efforts to remain aware once establishing a routine are going to be very... multi-tiered, let's say. For example, let's go through my own routine now that I've already established some decent groundwork and developed some habits. I catch myself not having really been paying attention to anything in a while, so I continue what I am doing but do a scan of pretty much everything. I think about where I am, what I'm doing, the fact I'm in a building and in a chair, I notice what it looks like from my first person perspective while taking in the whole picture, and start relaxing my body a bit while making my breathing more regular and controlled. I don't actually think especially hard about any of these things, I focus more on the feeling while keeping my thoughts going more or less the same as they already were before I started the check. I pay attention to how exactly someone speaking sounds and the type of motions they're making, etc. All while taking in these little details, I make sure not to actually get lost in any of them. I'm constantly, yet in a very relaxed and natural way alternating my attention to all these different things almost simultaneously.

The process I take itself has become routine enough that I no longer have to think about the process and I am free to focus my attention on not becoming overly aware of any one thing while still being as aware of all that I can as possible in a fluid, passive yet directed manner. It's like I'm looking at and experiencing the small, medium, and large level details of everything while simultaneously keeping the big picture in mind.

I used to attempt awareness at things and it was very mentally exhausting or otherwise too taxing to keep up for more than 5 minutes. It was like I was trying to brute force everything and I kept going down the rabbit holes of paying attention too much to any one or one group of things. Now it's a process that occurs very naturally on its own and only requires small guiding nudges to maintain... just the proper thought here or there of a new way to experience what it is you're already experiencing. It allows me to continue participating in any activity I'm already engaged in, because the process is unintrusive/not mentally taxing.

I need some time to gather some more of my thoughts, but I certainly have more I can expound on (I may edit them in, or I might make it a separate post); I'm too tired after work to keep writing, sorry lol. If anyone has questions for me specifically feel free to ask, and I hope we can get some great ideas shared. Please, if you guys have anything you feel like might be helpful for somebody else that you've found to be helpful for yourself, share!

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Simple Scanner Finds the Best WiFi Signal

Want to know which way to point your WiFi antenna to get the best signal? It’s a guessing game for most of us, but a quick build of a scanning WiFi antenna using mostly off-the-shelf components could point you in the right direction.

With saturation WiFi coverage in most places these days, optimizing your signal might seem like a pointless exercise. And indeed it seems [shawnhymel] built this more for fun than for practical reasons. Still, we can see applications where a scanning Yagi-Uda antenna would come in handy. The build started with a “WiFi divining rod” [shawnhymel] created from a simple homebrew Yagi-Uda and an ESP8266 to display the received signal strength indication (RSSI) from a specific access point. Tired of manually moving the popsicle stick and paperclip antenna, he built a two-axis scanner to swing the antenna through a complete hemisphere.

The RSSI for each point is recorded, and when the scan is complete, the antenna swings back to the strongest point. Given the antenna’s less-than-perfect directionality — [shawnhymel] traded narrow beam width for gain — we imagine the “strongest point” is somewhat subjective, but with a better antenna this could be a handy tool for site surveys, automated radio direction finding, or just mapping the RF environment of your neighborhood.

Yagi-Uda antennas and WiFi are no strangers to each other, whether it be a WiFi sniper rifle or another recycling bin Yagi.  Of course this scanner isn’t limited to WiFi. Maybe scanning a lightweight Yagi for the 2-meter band would be a great way to lock onto the local Ham repeater.

Filed under: radio hacks, wireless hacks

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Pi Network Attenuators: Impedance Matching For The Strong Of Signal

Lucid Dreaming | Falling asleep with MILD

Hey, does anybody have any tips for falling alseep while trying a MILD? I got the mantra and visualization down I feel, but I feel like I can't fall asleep while doing it. Does anybody have any advice?

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Lucid Dreaming | I want to get in to lucid dreaming

Hey guys i hope you are all having a great day/night i want to go in to lucid dreaming i know that i need to keep a dj and do rc but what else do i need to do and wich way should i lucid dream

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31 Drought Tolerant Plants & Trees for Your Survival Garden

by Jordan

This past summer much of the U.S. suffered prolonged droughts. In many areas wells ran dry and towns implemented water use limits. Farmers, gardeners, and homesteaders watched as their crops wilted and died. While this was devastating for any commercial growers, everyone else simply made a few more trips to the local grocery store. Unfortunately after TEOTWAWKI that won’t be an option. You’ll have to rely primarily on your garden and food storage.

Even if you’re plan is to bug in in an area that has never before experienced droughts you should still consider it a possibility. With our changing climate droughts can happen where you’d least expect them, just as many New England residents discovered this summer.

Obviously there are general garden practices you can use to keep your garden moist. Don’t leave bare soil, always use mulch or a cover crop. Collect rainwater and install a grey-water system. Create swales and terraces to prevent run off. However no matter what you do if you don’t have enough water and you’re growing moisture loving crops they will inevitably fail. Selecting at least a few crops from the list below can help you survive a drought even during a SHTF scenario.

Prickly Pear

This cactus is a hardy native of parts of North and South America. It’s not only drought tolerant but also very cold hardy for a cactus and can be grown as far north as Canada. Plus both its pads and fruit are edible and there are spineless varieties available.

Loquats

They’re a small citrus like fruit tree that once established needs very little care or water. Their fruits are also small but flavorful. They can only be grown outdoors in areas where winter temperatures don’t fall below 30°F.

Hazelnuts

As many California farmers know getting a good crop of nuts from trees like almonds without a lot of water can be difficult. Thankfully hazelnuts which grow on a small tree or shrub are relatively drought resistant, perfect for a SHTF scenario.

Flint & Dent Corn

These types of corn were grown by Native Americans in many hot climates including South America and the South Western U.S. Just like the Native Americans did, you can make your corn crop extra drought resistant by growing a vining plant like winter squash beneath the corn to help shade the soil. They’re an excellent staple crop for preppers concerned about the possibility of drought.

Burdock

Burdock grows wild in many places but adding it to your garden and caring for it will allow it to grow larger roots. Burdock roots, fruits, seeds, and leaves are all used as herbal remedies for a wide variety of ailments. The roots are also often added to Asian dishes like stir fry or pickled for winter food storage.

Seaberries

Though a relatively uncommon plant, seaberry is a favorite among many permaculture experts. It both drought and cold hardy and its fruit is high in vitamins A,C,K and E as well as saturated and unsaturated fatty acids and minerals.

Goji Berries

If you’re a fan of health food stores you’re probably familiar with the goji berry. They’re believed by many to be a “superfruit” and are high in many vitamins and minerals. Once established they do well with very little water making them ideal for drought situations.

Purslane

Don’t let purslane’s reputation as an annoying weed get to you. It’s actually a great plant that was grown and eaten by the Native Americans. You can simply save seed from a wild plant or just let it grow in your garden. However for larger more succulent plants there are cultivated varieties available.

Pomegranates

This tree only grows in the south but if you can grow it you definitely should. It does well in hot, dry conditions and has little pest problems. If you really want a pomegranate and live in the north there are also varieties that tolerate being grown in pots.

Grapes

Some grapes are drought resistant while others like plentiful water. Look for varieties that are native to the Mediterranean.

Fava Beans

Fava beans need moisture but they will grow in such cold temperatures that they can be grown in the fall, winter, or spring when rainfall is less of an issue in many places.

Jujubes

Also called red or Korean date, the jujubes are small red fruits that grow on small tree native to Southern Asia. Along with being tasty and drought tolerant jujubes are thought to help with several ailments such as poor circulation, bone problems, and sleep issues.

Tomatillos

Cultivated by the Aztecs, these guys are super easy to grow. They don’t mind little water and aren’t heavy feeders like tomatoes. Try them fried or in salsa verde.

Rosemary

A tasty herb and powerful medicinal, rosemary is native to the Mediterranean and will tolerate dry, hot conditions. As an added bonus it can be harvested year round in many areas.

Kale

While kale is probably best known for its cold hardiness it will also survive with little moisture. Plus you can grow it in early spring or in the fall when there’s typically more precipitation and dry gardens aren’t as big of a problem.

Sage

Sage needs hardly any water and is essential for good biscuits and gravy! It’s also a hardy perennial and is often used for spiritual and medicinal purposes like digestive problems, memory loss, and depression.

Amaranth

Amaranth is ancient grain that the Aztecs cultivated thousands of years ago. It grows like a weed and thrives in a hot, dry climate. When it’s young you can harvest and eat the greens or you can let the plant mature and harvest the grains.

Chickpeas

Chickpeas are nitrogen fixing, legumes and are heat loving, drought tolerant plants. They’re full of protein and easy to grow, perfect for your survival garden.

Jerusalem Artichokes

This sunflower relative can grow almost anywhere and offers filling tubers for your survival garden. It grows so well though that it can take over gardens so be sure to keep it contained.

Sorghum

Not many people grow sorghum any more but it’s an excellent choice for a survival garden. Its canes can be harvested early and pressed for sap to make molasses or it can be allowed to mature and used as a grain.

Asparagus

When you initially plant asparagus it will require watering but once established it’s very hardy. It will also live for years allowing you continued harvests of one of the earliest spring vegetables.

Rhubarb

Just like asparagus, rhubarb requires plenty of water to get going but will then thrive for years and years with little care. Though it’s not a fruit it’s probably the closest you’ll get to fresh fruit really early in the spring and it’s full of vitamin C. Note that you only consume the stalk as the leaves are poisonous. Some people make natural pesticides from the leaves.

Early Tomato Varieties

Many early tomato varieties, especially cherry tomatoes will mature before the hottest and driest part of summer and can do well with less moisture.

Swiss Chard

Another hardy green like kale, swiss chard tolerates both cold and hot, dry weather. It can be harvested as a “cut and come again” green or let to grow really big as it doesn’t bolt quickly like lettuce does and is still edible even if it does go to seed.

Asian Greens

There’s many varieties of Asian greens available like mizuna and tat soi. Much like kale they’re loved for their cold tolerance and can be grown in seasons with cooler, wetter weather. Their small size also means that they require less moisture.

Dry Beans

Dry beans are an excellent survival plant. They’re nitrogen fixing and full of protein. Pole bean varieties like Cherokee Trail of Tears or Hidatsa Shield Figure that can be grown in combination with a shade crop like squash are ideal for dry climates.

Globe Artichokes

You may picture globe artichokes as a southern crop but there are varieties they can actually be grown as an annual in cooler climates. Either way they require little water and are a tasty addition to your garden.

Gourds

They may not seem like a great meal but gourds are actually a really cool survival plant. Since they were cultivated gourds like the birdhouse or bottle variety have been used to store food and carry water. Gourds for holding liquids are typically coated on the inside with beeswax first. Plus they’ll grow with minimal water and care.

Early/Small Pepper Varieties

Much like tomatoes, the early and smallest pepper varieties require little watering because they finish before the hottest days of summer.

Ground Cherries

Ground cherries are not true cherries instead grow similarly to tomatillos. They even have a paper husk and are equally drought tolerant. However they taste more like cherries than tomatillos and are excellent eaten fresh or in pies and other desserts.

Squashes

Many varieties of both winter and summer squash do well with little water. Vining varieties have the added benefit of shading the soil for themselves and other tall plants.

When you’re planning a survival garden you’re trying to plan for an unpredictable future. You have to prepare the best you can for as many possibilities you can. No matter where you live water shortages are a possibility. Whether there’s such bad droughts you have little water to spare or getting water to your garden is a huge amount of work having plants that will thrive in low moisture conditions can save your life.

What SHTF garden problems have you planned for?

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Critical Items for your Bug Out Bag

If you want to start building your bug out bag but don’t know which items to buy first, look no further. There is a list of 9 critical items everyone should have, whether they are in a wilderness, rural or urban setting.

These 9 items should not be compromised upon: they need to be of the highest quality possible, though that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune on them.

As you can probably guess, a knife, a water filter and some paracord are on the list, but there are a few more you should consider. You have to tihnk in terms of basic necessities: shelter, water, food and protection.

The Top 9 Most Important Items for Your BOB

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4.4 GHz Frequency Synthesis Made Easy

How hard is it to create a synthesizer to generate frequencies between 35 MHz to 4.4 GHz? [OpenTechLab] noticed a rash of boards based on the ADF4351 that could do just that priced at under $30. He decided to get one and try it out and you can find his video results below.

At that price point, he didn’t expect much from it, but he did want to experiment with it to see if he could use it as an inexpensive piece of test gear. The video is quite comprehensive (and weighs in at nearly an hour and a half). It covers not just the device from a software and output perspective but also talks about the theory behind these devices.  [OpenTechLab] even sniffed the USB connection to find the protocol used to talk to the device. He wasn’t overly impressed with the performance of the board but was happy enough with the results at the price and he plans to make some projects with it.

We’ve seen a lot of lower-frequency synthesizers used for everything from transmitters to antenna analyzers. While they are handy, it is important to realize that handling RF usually requires more than just wiring up a chip and connecting it to an antenna.

 

Filed under: radio hacks

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RadiantBee Is A Flying Microwave Antenna Calibration System

Many of the projects we link to here at Hackaday have extensive write-ups, pages of all the detail you could need. Sometimes though we happen upon a project with only a terse description to go on, but whose tech makes it one worth stopping for and unpicking the web of information around it.

Such a project is [F4GKR] and [F5OEO]’s RadiantBee, an attempt to use a beacon transmitter on a multirotor as an antenna calibration platform. (For more pictures, see this Twitter feed.) In this case a multirotor has a GPS and a 10 GHz beacon that emits 250 ms chirps, from which the receiver can calculate signal-to-noise ratio as well as mapping the spatial response of the antenna.

The transmitter uses a Raspberry Pi feeding a HackRF SDR and a 10 GHz upconverter, while the receiver uses an RTL-SDR fed by a 10 GHz to 144 MHz downconverter. The antennas they are testing are straightforward waveguide horns, but the same principles could be applied to almost any antenna.

There was a time when antenna design at the radio amateur level necessitated extensive field testing, physical measurements with a field strength meter over a wide area, correlation of figures and calculation of performance. But with computer simulation the field has become one much more set in the lab, so it’s rather refreshing to see someone producing a real-world simulation rig. If you ever get the chance to evaluate an antenna through real-world measurement, grasp it with both hands. You’ll learn a lot.

We’ve covered very few real-world antenna tests, but there is mention in this write-up of a radar antenna test of a measurement session on a football field.

Via Southgate ARC.

Filed under: radio hacks

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Top 5 Best 9mm Single Stack Pistols for Concealed Carry

by Nicholas

While there is no such thing as the ‘perfect carry gun,’ there’s also no denying that some guns are better for concealed carry than others. When searching for a concealed carry gun, you obviously want to look for a pistol that is small and slim enough to keep hidden. But you also want to have a pistol that is comfortable to shoot and offers enough power for self-defense. The wide variety of 9mm single stack pistol on the market now is slim and compact enough to conceal, while also offering more power than a .32 or a .380.

That’s not to say that a 9mm single stack doesn’t come without limitations. While they are slim, the trade off is less ammunition in the magazine. And while a 9mm is certainly more powerful than a .380, it lacks the extra punch of the .40 S&W or the .45 ACP.

Therefore, while a 9mm single stack pistol may not be the perfect carry gun by any means, it certainly is one of the most ideal. Of course, no 9mm pistol is created (or perhaps more appropriately, manufactured) equal. While you’re hardly limited in your options because several major gun manufacturers produce 9mm single stack pistols, there’s a small number of these 9mm single stacks that simply stand out from the rest.

Your concealed carry weapon must be comfortable to carry, accurate, and utterly reliable. While only you can decide what’s comfortable to shoot or carry for yourself, each of the single stack 9mm’s that we’re about to review set the bar high when it comes to accuracy and reliability.

Shown in alphabetical order, here are the top 5 best single stack 9mm pistols for concealed carry…

GLOCK 43

When the Glock 42 in .380 ACP was released, it caused quite a stir since it was the first time Glock had entered the .380 pocket carry market. But while many people praised the G42, others felt that it should have been chambered in 9mm.

Glock listened and released the G43 right after. The G43 essentially resembles a Glock 19 that’s been shrunk and slimmed down. In other words, it looks like a classic Glock clear and through, only smaller and thinner.

The G43 is also slightly smaller than the other 9mm single stacks on this list. Total dimensions are 1.2 inches wide, 4.25 inches high, and 6.25 inches long. Total weight of the gun is just eighteen ounces when unloaded. Out of all the pistols on this list, the G43 is probably the only one you could consider for a pocket carry gun.

While the standard magazine for the G43 holds just six rounds, an available extended magazine will hold seven. This extended magazine also comes with a longer base plate so that you can wrap your pinky finger around the gun. In contrast to this, your pinky will be left dangling under the weapon should you opt for the six-round magazine. A good idea may be to have the smaller six-round magazine in the gun for optimal concealment and then have the slightly larger seven-round magazine on hand as a spare.

As the G43 is a Glock, it’s very accurate and reliable. Glock was the company that made polymer framed striker fired pistols popular in the first place. If the 60% of U.S police departments who carry Glock models can trust them, so can you. The G43 is no exception as reliability testing of the weapon has been stellar.

If there’s a downside to the G43, it’s the price. Expect to pay anywhere from $450 to $550 for one. Part of this is due to the high popularity of the gun and the law of supply and demand. So, if you’re on a budget, you may want to keep searching.

RUGER LC9S PRO

The Ruger LC9 is a gun that has evolved over the years. It began as just the Ruger ‘LC9’ in 2011. While it received acclaim for its slim profile, it still suffered from an exceptionally long and gritty trigger pull. This was primarily because the LC9 was a hammer-fired pistol in an incredibly small package. Ruger remedied this issue by producing the Ruger LC9s, a striker-fired version of the LC9 with a much-improved trigger pull.

Still, the LC9s still needed some improvements. People complained about the fact that it had a magazine disconnect safety (meaning the gun cannot fire without the magazine fully inserted), as well as an external safety on the frame. Ruger removed these things, and the result was the LC9s Pro that we have today. It’s one of the best 9mm single stacks you can buy.

The LC9s Pro is exceptionally durable. Ruger has come to be known for durability, thanks to an alloy steel slide and barrel with a glass-filled nylon frame. Width on the weapon is just 0.9 inches, which is even less than the Glock 43.

The LC9s Pro comes standard with a seven-round magazine, but a nine-round extended magazine with a longer base plate is available as well. As with the G43, it would be wise to carry the smaller magazine in the gun for carry and then keep the longer magazine as your spare. The LC9s also has the trigger safety mechanism like Glock. The trigger cannot be pulled unless a smaller lever attached to the front of the trigger is pulled as well.

Another advantage to the LC9s Pro is the price. While it shouldn’t be considered a ‘budget gun’ per se, purchase price is around the $350 – $375 range, which is slightly cheaper than some of the other pistols on this list.

SMITH & WESSON SHIELD

Even though it’s only been out for four years now, the Smith & Wesson Shield has already become a legendary gun in the firearms world. It’s essentially Smith & Wesson’s popular and proven M&P pistol, slimmed down for concealed carry. In addition to 9mm, the Shield is also available in .40 S&W.

There are several factors that make the Smith & Wesson Shield one of the top 9mm single stacks for your consideration. It’s been proven to be completely reliable and accurate. It’s essentially a slimmed down M&P. Numerous individual tests of the Shield have confirmed accuracy and reliability.

The Shield also sports a relatively smooth six-and-a-half-pound trigger, with easy to see white three dot sights. The total width of the Shield is 0.9 inches, with a length of just over six inches. The Shield ships with both a seven-round magazine and an extended eight-round magazine. The slide is machined out of stainless steel and then further coated in Smith & Wesson’s usual Malanite finish, so the Shield is very resistant to both rust and corrosion.

The Shield is too big for pocket carry, at least for most people. But it’s perfectly at home inside the waistband, where its slim profile will carry nicely. The Shield can be found anywhere from the $375 to $425 range.

TAURUS 709 SLIM

If you’re on a budget but still desire a reliable 9mm single stack pistol for concealed carry, you’ll want to give a serious look at the Taurus 709 Slim. Taurus is known for making guns for the budget minded. While they have had a spotty reputation in years past, they have recently undergone a major renovation period. The result is their guns are now competitive quality-wise with other major manufacturers.

The 709 is less than an inch wide and has a length of just over six inches. When empty, the 709 weighs just nineteen ounces, which is comparable to the other guns on this list. It’s the cheapest pistol on this list (you can buy the 709 for around $250). It still comes with all of the features you would expect on a higher priced pistol, such as good ergonomics and loaded chamber indicator.

Unlike the other pistols on this list, the 709 comes standard with a thumb safety on the frame, like a 1911. While it’s convenient to engage, and disengage, some people may not like having to deal with a manual safety on their personal defense pistol.

There is still one specific feature of the 709 that warranted its inclusion on this list. It has repeat strike capability. This means that if you pull the trigger on a loaded chamber, but the gun doesn’t fire, you can simply pull the trigger again to try and get the round to fire. In contrast to this, with each of the other pistols on this list, you would have to eject the round manually before firing again. This feature could ultimately save your life if you need to shoot now but don’t have the time or can’t manually rack the pistol.

As with all Taurus guns, the 709 comes installed with Taurus’s Security System. A small mechanism is located on the top right side of the slide. When you insert a key, that ships with the 709, into the mechanism and rotate it, the gun will be unable to fire. If you have small children and they somehow find your gun, this option provides added protection against accidental discharge.

WALTHER PPS M2

The last 9mm single stack but certainly not the least is the Walther PPS M2. When the original PPS, now known as the Classic model, was released in 2007 it was almost ahead of its time. Back then, the 9mm single stack pistol had yet to be recognized as an ideal option for concealed carry. So, in a way the original PPS paved the way for the 9mm single stack market (and the .40 S&W single stack market, as it is available in both calibers).

While the original PPS is an excellent weapon with superb reliability, it still had some faults that needed to be corrected. Most notable was the fact that if the back strap was removed, the gun is unable to fire. This could prove fatal in a fight if your gun is knocked away and the back strap disengaged from the grip. And while not necessarily a ‘fault’ but more of a preference issue, many American shooters also disliked the European style paddle magazine release.

Walther took the PPS and remade it into an almost entirely new gun called the Walther PPS M2. While the dimensions are incredibly like the original PPS, the new M2 model features improved ergonomics like Walther’s flagship PPQ. The PPS M2 also no longer has the removable back strap of the original model. Also, the paddle magazine release has been swapped out for the more traditional push-button release.

The PPS M2 has three magazines available: a 6-round, 7-round, and an 8-round. These are not compatible with the magazines for the original PPS. All in all, the PPS M2 is one of the most highly ergonomic and reliable single stack 9mm pistols on the market.

CONCLUSION

Any one of these five 9mm single stack pistols is a perfect choice for concealed carry. The best strategy for deciding which one is best for you is to physically go to a sporting goods store and compare them by holding each of them in your hand. While each of these pistols is superbly accurate and reliable, the one that is the most comfortable or the best for your purposes is entirely up to you and you alone.

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Lucid Dreaming | 5 HTP question

Due to my other half getting very annoyed that my constant kicking and sleep talking is keeping her up iv decided to try getting up at 6am and taking a 5htp then staying awake an hour then back to bed....will this work or does it take a while to kick in?
Im using 5htp to make my dreams more vivid and ofcourse to induce lucidity....thankx =)

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Comparison: 9mm vs. .45 ACP

by Nicholas

Of all the topics subject to debate in the world of firearms, the one that probably receives the most attention is the debate of 9mm vs. .45 ACP.  While some would say that this debate has gone on for far too long, others will be quick to point out that choosing a personal caliber is a decision that can only be made after much thought and research.

The purpose of this article isn’t to claim superiority of one firearm caliber over the other, but rather to present the arguments for or against each one. After going over the basics and pros and cons of each caliber, we’ll delve further into specific categories and the advantages a particular caliber has over the other under each category.

This article isn’t for those who have already chosen a caliber for their pistol, rather, it is for those of you who are trying to decide and have narrowed your options down to 9mm or .45.  The important thing for you to know up front is that these calibers are currently the two most conventional ones in the United States and have been around for many years.  Neither of them is a bad round, and both will probably do what you expect them to.  However, if you’re still unable to decide, hopefully, the information in this article will be able to help you.

Let’s start by talking about the 9mm…

9mm

The 9mm Luger round has a total bullet diameter of 0.355 inches.  It was designed originally for use by the German military in 1902 for the Luger pistol, which was then to become their standard service pistol.

After that, the 9mm grew rapidly in popularity all over the world.  Countries saw it as a versatile, good all-round service caliber and had new military sidearms chambered for it, such as the Browning Hi-Power and Walther P38, both of which served in World War II.

The 9mm continued to become even more widespread after the Second World War, and eventually became the standard pistol round of NATO.  Today, the overwhelming majority of armies around the globe use sidearms chambered for 9mm.

The 9mm is also the most popular pistol round in the United States.  Not only has it found favor with law enforcement and the United States military (who use the round in the current standard issue Beretta M9 pistol), but it is also used heavily by civilians for concealed carry, home defense, target shooting, or by preppers for SHTF sidearms.

There are many advantages to owning a pistol chambered in 9mm.  For one thing, because of its immense popularity, 9mm is extremely easy to find and currently the cheapest pistol round to buy. These days, you can expect to buy a box of 50 rounds of 9mm FMJ for around the $10 to $15 range, which is around half the price of what you can expect to pay for .45.

Because of its smaller size, pistols can carry far more rounds of 9mm in the magazine in comparison to other pistols.  The Glock 17, for instance, holds 17 rounds of 9mm in the magazine.  The Canik TP9-series of pistols holds 18 rounds.  The Springfield XD-series holds 19 rounds.  You get the idea; double stacked pistols with 9mm hold a lot of bullets.

The 9mm is also easy to shoot with mild recoil, which makes it a great round to use in teaching new shooters.  The mild recoil also means that you can get multiple shots off quickly without being thrown off your target.

On the other hand, opponents of the 9mm will be quick to point out some disadvantages.  It has been claimed that the 9mm, at least in FMJ form, is lacking in overall stopping power and delivers less energy and wound size than .45 ACP does.

.45 ACP

The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) round has a total bullet diameter of 0.425 inches.  This is a true American caliber as it was originally designed by John Browning for use in the Colt M1911 pistol; this reason alone is often what makes people grow so attached to it.

In its more than hundred year service life, the .45 has gained a reputation for being a so-called ‘one shot man stopper,’ with the idea that it can bring down a human sized target with only a single bullet.

There is no doubt that the .45 ACP is a great round of self-defense even in the form of FMJ ‘ball’ ammo.  The diameter is also substantially larger than the 9mm, which naturally creates a larger wound cavity or hole when striking a target.

Despite being a large round, recoil for the .45 is still generally relatively soft or mild.  While it has definitely got a larger kick to it than the 9mm, the .45 has gained a reputation by some novice shooters for being a high-kicking round, which simply isn’t true.

On the other hand, .45 does have its cons.  First and foremost, it’s more expensive than 9mm (nearly twice as much), so it’s not the best round for the budget conscious shooter.

Since it’s a larger round, this also means that pistols chambered for .45 typically carry less than those chambered for 9mm.  The 1911 holds just 7-8 rounds in the standard magazine, and even ‘high capacity’ .45 pistols rarely hold more than 12-13 rounds.  The FN FNX Tactical is currently the highest capacity .45 pistol in the market, at 15 rounds, and it’s a very big and bulky gun.

Still, there’s no denying that the .45 packs a wallop, which may make up for its low round count.  Next, let’s put the 9mm and .45 head-to-head in a few key categories and see how they perform:

9mm vs. .45

• Bullet Penetration. Penetration between the 9mm and .45 is fairly even, though the 9mm has the slightest edge overall. In the end, it all comes down to the type of bullet you are using.  A 9mm round can have anywhere from eight to sixteen inches of penetration, while a .45 will have anywhere from eleven to fourteen inches.  Special loads made for self-defense of both calibers may have greater penetration overall, as there are some .45s capable of reaching up to nearly thirty inches and 9mms that can reach forty.

• Bullet Expansion. The .45, being the larger bullet, wins this one, though again by a slight edge. A .45 can expand up to 0.75 inches on average, while the 9mm will expand to around 0.35-0.50 inches. However, certain self-defense 9mm loads can come closer to the .45 on bullet expansion.

• Bullet Velocity. The .45 is a slow-moving round and therefore has less bullet velocity than the 9mm. The 9mm can fire between 1,000 to 1,350 FPS (feet per second), but the .45 will average around 800 to 1,150 FPS.

• Capacity. In general, most full-size service pistols chambered in 9mm will hold anywhere from 13 to 19 rounds of ammunition in a standard magazine. Full-size pistols chambered in .45 will generally hold anywhere from 7 to 13 rounds.  Although extended magazines are available for both calibers that will increase total round counts.

• Price. The 9mm is around half the price of a .45 ACP. Expect to pay $12-15 for a box of FMJ 9mm, and around $25-30 for a box of .45.  Special self-defense loads in both calibers will be more expensive.

Conclusion

Remember that, in the end, both 9mm and .45 are pistol calibers and therefore underpowered compared to rifle rounds. Also remember that shot placement, or where you shoot an attacker, is more important than the round used itself.  In other words, the differences between 9mm and .45 are fairly marginal when you look at the bigger picture.

In that regard, the debate between 9mm and .45 isn’t really a debate over which caliber is superior. People are still arguing over which one is better suited to the tastes of a specific shooter.  You may find that you see merits in both 9mm and .45 and decide to buy a pistol in both calibers.  After all, two is always better than one, right?

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A Walk-In Broadcast Transmitter

[Mr. Carlson] likes electronics gear. Mostly old gear. The grayer the case, the greener the phosphors, and the more hammertone, the better. That’s why we’re not surprised to see him with a mammoth AM radio station transmitter in his shop. That it’s a transmitter that you can walk into while it’s energized was a bit of a surprise, though.

As radio station transmitters go, [Mr. Carlson]’s Gates BC-250-GY broadcast transmitter is actually pretty small, especially for 1940s-vintage gear. It has a 250 watt output and was used as a nighttime transmitter; AM stations are typically required to operate at reduced power when the ionosphere is favorable for skip on the medium frequency bands. Stations often use separate day and night transmitters rather than just dialing back the daytime flamethrower; this allows plenty of time for maintenance with no interruptions to programming.

If you enjoy old broadcast gear, the tour of this transmitter, which has been rebuilt for use in the ham bands, will be a real treat. Feast your eyes on those lovely old bakelite knobs and the Simpson and Westinghouse meters, and picture a broadcast engineer in white short sleeves and skinny tie making notations on a clipboard. The transmitter is just as lovely on the inside — once the plate power supply is shut down, of course, lest [Mr. Carlson] quickly become [the former Mr. Carlson] upon stepping inside. Honestly, there aren’t that many components inside, but what’s there is big – huge transformer, giant potato slicer variable caps, wirewound resistors the size of paper towel tubes, and five enormous, glowing vacuum tubes.

It’s a pretty neat bit of broadcasting history, and it’s a treat to see it so lovingly restored. [Mr. Carlson] teases us with other, yet larger daytime transmitters he has yet to restore, and we can’t wait for that tour. Until then, perhaps we can just review [Mr. Crosley]’s giant Cincinnati transmitter from the 1920s and wait patiently.

Filed under: classic hacks, radio hacks

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Lucid Dreaming | 97% of the people won't believe this triggers LD

This night I woke up from a dream. It was a rather dull/average dream. And I felt like I could go back there if I put in the will/effort. I even thought of making it lucid and changing the dream because it was so dull. But I got lazy and thought it was too much work and I'd rather just fall asleep and black out sort of.Too bad because this could have been one of my first DEILDs

The thing is, I haven't put much effort except for a little intention to LD these last past days. Except in a chat I mentioned that when I wake from lucid dreams and hold on to them I can re-enter them at will. I did not put much thought into it yet, this little re-affirmation of facts must have been the trigger for my DEILD last night because it was floating into my conscious awareness at night. That this simple re-affirmation has such a powerful effect that it almost has me into a LD. Is simply astonishing really. Maybe that's the key. Simply remembering or believing that you can LD and HOW TO DO IT. And having this fact float into ur awareness might be enough to LD.

Anyone else have this little nuggets that trigger LDs ? There must be a 1000 ways really

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