Change is Here

 Hello Everybody, Frank here.

Fern and I ran across an article by Robert Gore, it involves two parts, ironically, Part 1 and Part 2. Robert included in Part 2 a link to an article from OHMama, I think. The link to this is also included.

Mr. Gore's part 1 & 2 are a little lengthy. He does a very good job of explaining what's going on right now. If you can, please read these. If not, skim both of them.

On a different topic. Congratulations to the folks that got their ham radio licenses last week. Hopefully in the near future, we will talk more radio, but in the meantime, please keep your heads down, pay attention, rely on facts and not hearsay, don't do anything you will regret in the future.

It is Monday, high noon, here in Oklahoma which means we have 47 hours until the possible change with our administrations. Pay attention closely. Things are not always as they seem to be.

Please read the links. Know where everything valuable to you is located.

LINK: The Gray Curtain Descends Part 1 

LINK: The Gray Curtain Descends Part 2

LINK: I AM DONE

Take care all. We'll talk more later,  Frank

Today and Tomorrow??

 Hello Everybody, Frank here.

It's a beautiful Saturday morning here in southeastern Oklahoma. Sun shining, light breeze, nighttime temperatures were above freezing. We have clear skies forecast for a number of days. It's just plain ol' beautiful.

I wanted to drop you a short note today. It involves preparedness.

We all know there is an election coming up Tuesday. And we all know there is a chance of civil unrest.

Where I am today is beautiful and I expect it to stay that way here for a number of days. But that doesn't mean it's beautiful everywhere today and in a few days it may be quite ugly in some places.

This is just a reminder. If you're going to use any item in the next month, let's say. Go get it today or tomorrow, or maybe Monday and Tuesday. Go during the daytime if you can. If you pull up to a store, let's say Wal-Mart, and there are people outside rioting, keep going. Go to another store and pay more.

I know that sounds unbelievably simple and insulting to anyone of average intelligence, but we read about people everyday that drive into situations like that. Teenagers and adolescents don't always make the best decisions. Now may not be the time to experiment with an adolescent.

So what I'm saying here is, if you like ice cream, get a couple of extra tubs today. While you're at the store think about things you're going to buy either way for the next week or month. Stuff like toilet paper, batteries for your flashlights and anything else that uses batteries, general food items - canned, boxed, frozen. If you need fresh foods, buy them. Today or tomorrow. Get a few extra, things that will last.

Some people will find this next area to be a bit offensive. If you smoke or drink alcohol, you might want to get some extra because you may not be ready to quit just yet. Forgive me for saying what I'm about to say, but if you use illegal drugs you may not want to quit right now. 

There are items you may not think about, things you use everyday. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs. Feminine products. Anything you're going to use in the next couple of weeks or month, get now.

Our goats are dried up right now and we are buying milk. It happens every year. Pasteurized milk will last for a long time in your frig. If it does go bad, your dog and chickens don't care. Also get dog and cat food. I know some people believe Fido will turn back into a wolf if necessary, but I'm relatively sure that ain't gonna happen.

I do believe it's too late to buy items for protection. You might still find some places that have firearms. Good luck on procuring ammunition.

Something I rarely talk about. If you are trying to find home protection, you're not going to find an AR type rifle and .223 or 5.56, you're just not. You have missed that boat. But you might be able to find a shotgun and get whatever ammunition you can find for it. Don't do something stupid with it. It may be too late to practice, but know the safety rules. Again - don't do something stupid. If you have waited this long to get family protection, then you have already waited way too long.

Make sure all of your vehicles gas tanks are full. If you have a generator with extra gas cans, good for you. Make sure they are full. If you have camping gear, get some new mantles for your lanterns and a couple of cans of white gas. 

By all means, don't forget water.

The next couple of days know where your loved ones are. As you well know, a short text message will get through much faster that a screaming, out of control, voice message will.

You need to talk to your neighbors. You don't have to tell them everything about your life, just talk to them.

Just walk around your house. Look at what you may need for the next couple of weeks. Make a list. If you need entertainment items, especially if you have kids, give thought to coloring books, crayolas, puzzles. Adults like to color too, by the way. Kids will color a whole lot longer if an adult is coloring with them.

A little bit deeper philosophical thought here. There is a possibility our system is going to shut down. Everybody in your family does NOT have to be a trained ninja soldier and neither do you. But you need to have your head screwed on right. You need to be prepared to do the unthinkable if the time comes. You need to be right with God.

No joke about knowing where your family is. You do not want that stress in your life. Especially if there is no electricity or water.

I hope next week that we have a declared President and that you're eating week old ice cream. But if by chance that's not the case, you can drink that ice cream, too. Try it on a bowl of Cheerios or Captain Crunch. You're going to need all the sugar, salt, starch, calories, protein that you can even imagine if this thing goes sour.

But I really do hope that when you get that ice cream out, that your spoon bends.

Before your spouse gets up, get all your kids around and have a bowl of ice cream for breakfast. Then you go play golf and let your wife deal with kids bouncing off the walls.

Have a good day. May God and Peace be with you.

GO VOTE!!

We'll talk more later,  Frank

The Search for Peace of Mind

 Isn't this where we all are? Preppers, homesteaders, city dwellers, country folks, men, women, husbands, wives, mothers, fathers, children? All of us.

The unfortunate conclusion I have come to is there is no peace. How is that for depressing? The world is in turmoil. The news won't, or is not allowed, to "report" the reality of our situation. The fight for control has ramped up to levels not seen on a worldwide basis in recorded history. Yes, empires, countries, governments and kingdoms have fallen over and over throughout time, but the whole world? What is really going on? I don't think we will ever know.

In the meantime we are surrounded, hounded and bombarded with the strife, anger, fear and opinions of the factions that would rend peace unattainable in this time of history. History in the making is taking place around us, before our eyes every single day. I have always found some parts of history rather fascinating to read about, but am not finding the current upheaval of history very enjoyable to live through.

Everyday I pray to enjoy the day we have been given. This morning the fog across the pasture, the dew upon the spider webs, the songs of the morning bird, the cooing of the dove, the crowing of the rooster are all sights and sounds I enjoyed. I am grateful every single day for the simple pleasures of life that surround us here on our homestead.

At the same time, the heavy blanket of uncertainty clouds my vision and weighs down my heart. Frank and I both wish the momentous events unfolding around us happened when we were younger, or that we could magically not be senior citizens in the midst of it. That our physical abilities would not be waning, but developing or maintaining. But this is the reality of our situation. Nevertheless, I wouldn't trade my knowledge and experience for who I was just ten short years ago, for we continue to learn and hone our abilities to maintain a livable, if tenable, lifestyle if the stinky stuff truly hits the fan anytime soon.

I don't have a way to share advice or encouragement to increase your peace of mind, or my own. We pray everyday, it guides our lives and thoughts. But we have always felt that we were prepared for times like these, not through our own actions, but that we have been guided all these years, through all of our experiences to be ready for times like these. Does the knowledge of that guidance bring peace? In some ways, yes. It doesn't make it any easier living through these days, watching the hatred, anger and disintegration of our society take place right before our eyes.

Frank and I were talking not long ago about reality. You know what? There is no reality anymore. Sounds crazy, doesn't it? The everyday reality of our lives, the "normal" reality of day-to-day life no longer exists. Yes, the sun comes up every morning, the seasons still change somewhat on schedule, my heart is still beating and I am still breathing, but the events happening around my country and world every single day no longer represent the foundations of the reality in which I have lived all of my life. It is gone. Never to be seen again. No, we will not return to the old reality of just a few short months ago. It is gone, never to be seen again. Once an event happens, it cannot unhappen, the genie cannot be put back in the bottle.

The lack of reality is what negates that everyday peace of mind we used to have. Granted, it has been eroding for a long time. We have been watching a slow motion train wreck of our society for many years. That's why we're here, writing. It's one of those things we were guided to do, one of those things that has become harder to do. There is not much left to say. Yes, we are still living our homestead life as we've written about before, but those everyday chores, and seasonal activities can only be repeated so many times before I find it boring to write about. 

Reality. Peace of mind. Gone. It's like we are all holding our breath waiting to see which way the world will tilt. Notice all of the explosions, fires, closing down of food production and processing, shortages, control of businesses, schools, medical facilities, riots and mayhem? Of course you do. That's what brings us to this point.

If you're looking for a conclusion to this article, there isn't one. By the time you read this, reality will have shifted again, and who knows which direction it will go. This is probably by design, it creates confusion, disarray and after a period of time, it becomes normal. Imagine this. Chaos and confusion is normal. Let that sink in for a minute. Picture some of our great grandparents activities, their normal was vastly different. 

There was a book a few years back titled, Who Moved My Cheese by Dr. Spencer Johnson. Well, our reality moves everyday. So there is no conclusion to this article.

You have got to prepare yourself for whatever new reality is coming. Quit playing head games with yourself. Reality is going to explode. Reality will fragment even more. Remember Anne Frank? Read her story.

Time to go milk the goats and enjoy the sunshine.

Until next time, Fern

Frank & Fern Feral

Here are a few glimpses of some of the experiences we have had, things that make us who we are. We published another article like this about a year ago covering the time we lived in Barrow, Alaska. Questions, comments and discussions are welcome. We all have pasts that have brought us to this point. What are some of the things you have experienced that have prepared you for what is taking place in our lives right now? Please share.

The house we built, 1998

First goats, different homestead, about 1998

When we were law enforcement, about 1996

Summer driving to Oklahoma from Alaska, about 2001

When we lived in Dillingham, Alaska on Bristol Bay, we were able to set a gill net out on the beach to catch salmon. We set the net at low tide, went back the next low tide and harvested the catch. One year we canned 96 pints of salmon, our first canning experience.

Frank's largest catch, a 60 lb. king salmon

Summer trip to the lower 48 in our 21sq. ft. home, 2002

Our 20th Anniversary trip

We went camping at Lake Nerka, about 40 miles north of Dillingham, Alaska where we lived, 25 miles by road, the rest by boat through some connected lakes. We went with another couple and only saw two other people during our three day camp out.

Snow on the lake's edge during our August camping trip

In 2004, Fern's 45th birthday present was her one and only hunting trip, on the Nushagak River about 30 miles from Dillingham, Alaska. That was a fun trip. She got a young bull moose within an hour of the start of opening day and was back in town by 1:00pm. It was good timing because the return trip had to be timed with the tides.

Church camp out on a island on Aleknagik Lake

Floating through a herd of caribou

Next up is Nunam Iqua, Alaska where we moved in 2005. Frank was the principal and Fern was the special education teacher. The only way to get to this location at the mouth of the Yukon River on the Bering Sea is by air. The first leg of the trip was done on a plane that holds ten people, usually a King Air. The second leg was completed on a plane that held six passengers, landing on a gravel runway with no buildings or services.

Boat ride on the Yukon River to the store at the next village

The school in Nunam Iqua

Frank the principal

You never know where the experiences of your life will take you or what you may learn from them. We feel we have been preparing for this time in our American history all of our lives. Alaska taught us a lot about ourselves, what we are capable of in extreme circumstances.

And by the way, tomorrow (July 2nd) is our 38th anniversary!

Draw from your experiences, put your skills and knowledge to good use. Keep your wits about you and your powder dry.

Until next time - Fern

Hope Springs Eternal

In this time of increasing uncertainty, stress and anxiety which brings with it a gambit of emotions, never lose sight of the fact that there is always hope. Spring is upon us. Despite storms in the weather with tornadoes that cause destruction and loss of life, storms in the biological attack upon the planet (whether coincidental or man made), impacts upon the world's ability to plant and grow enough food (whether from climactic events or lack of labor due to illness and quarantine), life does go on.

Mud and more mud

A month or two from now, life may not have continued for all of us. That is a large portion of the uncertainty. A month or two from now, the world may be under lock, key and the big boot of government with the freedoms we had a fading memory. Whatever life looks like a few short days, weeks and months down the road, one thing holds true. Hope springs eternal.

Balsam

If those of us that read and write here out in cyber world didn't have hope that our preparations, training and skills would make a difference in our ability to survive and provide for ourselves and our families, we wouldn't even try. Why would we? What difference would it make? Why not just join the eat, drink and be merry crowd, for tomorrow we die?

Why? Because that is not the cloth we were woven from. We have hope and determination in the face of impending doom. Is is easy? No. Are the times upon us scary and uncertain? Absolutely, resoundingly yes.

Clematis

Iris

HOPE springs eternal. And with that, spring with it's new life and promise of a future (of some unknown sort) is upon us. Take the time to breathe in that hope (but not the virus! You do remember that humor is the essence of survival don't you?). Look around. Notice what is happening to the earth and join in that renewal with a determination that you will continue to do all you can to insure that the hope of life is instilled deeply into those you love and care for.

Bridal wreath

Will it guarantee that you and they will make it through this time? No. If you or they don't make it, will you give up hope? It's a tough question. One we all face. Don't turn away from mentally planning for that possibility, as hard as it may be. Frank and I have long said that mental preparation is the most important. If you are not trying to be mentally prepared for whatever may come your way, including death, then you have neglected one of the most important aspects of your preparations.

Basil

Beet seed just beginning to sprout.

Hope is the basic foundation of any preparedness plan. If you didn't have hope that what you are able to learn, practice, acquire or produce wouldn't make a difference in whatever scenario plays out in your life, you wouldn't have bothered to even try.

Nasturtium

Hope springs eternal. Breathe in the new life of spring. Share it with those around you. Use it to bolster your mental preparations, for the storms of life are truly upon us. May the Lord bless and keep you.

Until next time -  Fern

Prove Me Wrong

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

I've been itching to get something off my chest lately. No, it's not body lice or fleas, it's a different kind of itch. It's the type that just doesn't sit well with you or anybody else. What I'm about to say some people will find distasteful. Saying it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. This is not a story about making cheese or what's your favorite grinder. It is grinding in nature, it grinds on your spirit and soul. It grinds down to the very core of mankind.

If you need to, stop reading now. This is not going to be a feel good type talk, because boys and girls, I don't have a solution for where we are heading. For you regular readers, you might find some of the language out of character. My mother-in-law asked me a time or two, "Why can't they make war movies without all of that bad language?" Because war and Mary Poppins just don't fit together in the same movie.

The following is just my opinion, take it for what it's worth. We are in serious, serious trouble. And I mean all of humanity is in serious trouble.

I'm a coward, you're a coward. Prove me wrong. You want the truth? Here it is, but you're not going to like it. Go into a Wal-Mart and look at all the fat asses waddling around. You think we're going to fight? You're out of your mind. Maybe over the last jelly filled donut, but that's about it ladies and gentlemen. We're not going to fight, we are fat, lazy and stupid. We can't get anyone to join the military because we are cowards. If we will let TSA grope our little girls and not fight back, when will we draw the line and fight? We're not. We're cowards.

IQ levels are decreasing. Too many people are ignorant and stupid, but the fact is they are out breeding us. That's not going to change. Go to any maternity ward, look around, how many people speak English? We are losing this battle on every front. Public schools, next time you go to pick up a child, look at the population that looks like you. Ask your child how many students have a hard time speaking English.They can pick any bathroom they choose. Is that guy in a suit really a guy?

In polar bear country they always recommend to keep one last round in your gun. I've lived in polar bear country, I've seen polar bears walk by. When polar bears come to town, kids don't go out to recess that day. You and I are the invaders, the unwanted guests in our own country. Keep one last round in your gun. You may need it.

Abortion is murdering babies. Can you believe this? Okay, so one day I wake up and I decide that I just don't want my baby anymore. I'll just take it down to the local doctor's office and let him kill it. How long is the warranty on that baby? One day, two days, six months. Oh, I changed my mind. Will you kill this thing for me? It is just too inconvenient right now. 

If we as a society have stooped to a level that it's okay to murder a child that we don't want, then there is no hope for us. But that's where we are. Our politicians that we elected, along with their Hollywood friends, celebrate this as an achievement. Yes, we are cowards. Sick, perverted, deranged cowards watching those cheerleaders bounce up and down stuffing our faces with Cheetos.

Moving on here. We all know the world is changing, it can't continue the way it is. So what are we going to do then? If something can't continue, it won't.

What are you going to eat when everything falls apart? What are you going to feed the kids that you decided to keep? For those of you that actually believe in keeping your kids alive. Do you have replacement handles for that shovel? The guy that used to come around and tin the pots for everyone, he's not around anymore. Do you have any seeds? What are you going to feed those chickens and goats?

Look at some of the figures. We are now an oil exporting nation. How is that possible? Anything that doesn't make sense is a lie. We are still importing millions of barrels of oil, so how can we be an exporting nation?

There is talk about shutting down the border. When? What about those African people coming across the border? They're not coming from Central America. Those people that are coming from the Congo didn't come on a rubber boat, they flew in on a jet! God only knows what kinds of diseases they are bringing with them. And those are the ones we catch. What about all the ones we don't catch? Where's the wall???

Go to a major city, not even a major city, just a big town. Pull up a seat in a mall and get a pop at a food court. Sit and watch the people go by for a little while and listen to their language. I don't mean their profanity, I mean the language you don't understand. Then go down to Sam's and Costco. Look around, open your eyes. And if you believe the government numbers about anything, then - here it comes again - you are a special kind of stupid. Wake up!

The packages in the grocery are getting smaller. The toilet paper rolls are getting smaller. Snickers bars are getting smaller. Not trying to be insensitive here, but I would appreciate it if they would leave the size of a pat of toilet paper alone. Just charge more. But I guess some government study said our toilet paper pats are too big and need to be smaller to accommodate the average American. Due to the invasion, the average Americans are smaller in size, so we need smaller pats of toilet paper.

I am truly sorry there is slavery anywhere in the world, but slavery is color blind. Read your history. Speaking of reading history, you are aware that the Civil War was not fought over slavery. And you are aware that the Vietnam War did not start in the Gulf of Tonkin. And you are aware that the Twin Towers falling did not happen because of being hit by jets. And you are aware that John Kennedy was not killed by a single bullet. That means that you are aware that our government will kill any of us any time they want to. In my life time our good buddies, the Chinese government, killed millions of their own people, millions and millions and millions, it made Hitler look like an amateur. They kill their citizens, our government kills our citizens. Anything the government tells you is probably a lie. They control the way you think, how you are taught, what you eat, and if you disagree with them, they will kill you.

Got seeds, water, shelter, food, protection? Probably not. Because you believe what the government tells you. Here it comes again. THAT MAKES YOU A SPECIAL KIND OF STUPID.

I know, I'll just take my family and run out in the woods and survive. I saw a guy on Dancing With the Stars do it. Pull your head out of your ass. That's TV, that's entertainment. Well, I'm just going to drag my travel trailer out to my relatives and live happily ever after. What are you going to eat, Bubba? I know you've got a case of chili, good for you. Got a shovel? Got two shovels? Got canning jars? Got a canner? Got beans to put in those jars? Got the soil ready? Or are you still chasing that rainbow? Seriously. What is your family going to eat while they're chasing that citified rainbow sprinkled with pixie dust?

What about your neighbors? Your current ones and your future ones? Do you know them? Are they strung out on opiates like a huge part of our population? Not just opiates, that's just one small category. Look at all the other mind altering drugs that way too many people take everyday.

Got that garden turned yet? I doubt it. Got your mind screwed on right to deal with the things that are coming? Are you prepared to defend yourself while you're sitting on your ass watching Dancing With the Stars or some other unrealistic 'reality' show? I know it's more fun to watch cheer leaders bouncing up and down while eating frozen burritos, Cheetos and drinking Pepsi cola. Don't forget your Xanax, of course. If that's the way you live, you are dead. And so is your family after those neighbors that you don't know get finished with your wife and kids. How do those cheerleaders look on TV now? How does that burrito taste now? Pulled your head out yet? Got that garden turned over yet? Ready to work your ass off from dawn till dusk and then some just to survive?

Do you know what a sanctuary city is? Well, you're not welcome there. I live in a sanctuary city, population of two and no one is welcome here. I am not the government, what I say is true. Don't come to my sanctuary city unless you are invited. You better call before you come. These sanctuary city things are unbelievable. How can this be? There are big cities now that don't investigate or enforce what are considered to be petty crimes. Like my home town, where I was born and raised, Dallas, Texas. People are moving in there faster than they can move out. Multiple sources tell me crime is escalating rapidly. This is happening in every major city. Look at the homelessness nationwide. Go tell those people that the economy is doing better. All skewed government lies.

The stuff you were taught in school, no matter how old you are, is not true. What the government says is not true. Walk into a new wave style church, God forgive me, but what is being taught is not true. There are not solutions to the plethora of problems mentioned above. We can't go back to something that didn't work the first time. We can't deport millions of people from other countries. We can't do it. If you think we can, then you are a special kind of stupid.

So what do we do, realistically? Well, let's see. We need to go back to God. We need to go back to the Constitution. Do you really think that's going to work? That is what got us to where we are today. In my humble opinion, there is going to be a major reset in this country and the rest of the world, also. Things cannot continue the way they are. How is that reset going to look? That's like trying to predict what a car crash is going to look like before it happens. You know it's not going to be pretty. Some will choose to continue to sit and watch the cheerleaders bounce up and down. Some, but very few, will grab a shovel and a package of seeds.

What most of us don't understand is that everything that we have has been built on a forward progressing model. None of us have ever seen an negative reverse model on a large scale. Everything we have been taught is a lie. It's not true, it's not realistic and it is not sustainable. Remember the story about the tower of Babel? Some things just can't continue upward. It's impossible. Pixie dust will not solve our problems. 

There are many things not mentioned here. What happens when the population exceeds it's limit? Read the story about the coyote and the rabbit. One goes up in population, then the other goes down. We have too many people on the planet. There is going to be a reset. I don't expect our government to tell us that the sky is falling and we're all going to die. I don't expect our government to tell us the truth. I would hope that most people were capable of intelligent thought, but hope is a poor strategy. Whatever term you want to use for what is coming, whether SHTF, TEOTWAWKI, brace for impact, it doesn't make any difference. The coyotes and the rabbits fluctuate, and so will we as humans. Are we going to survive this thing? Most of us, myself included, will not.

I would recommend you get a good shovel and a package of seeds. Make sure it's a good shovel because you're going to be digging a lot of six foot deep holes.

We'll talk more later - Frank

Life Is More Serious

Realization that mortality is ever closer comes to those who are fortunate enough to age. When we were younger we knew one day we would die, but as with many things, that was off in some distant future. Aging is another stage of life with many opportunities to learn, just learn different things than we did in our younger years.

Life has gotten more serious. Things that once seemed so important, things that needed to be done 'like this' or like I wanted them to be, now seem so trivial. What was once worth arguing over, now is inconsequential. I often think, why was it such a big deal when I was younger? I wish I had learned this earlier in life.





A few months after Frank's bypass surgery he was walking in the yard, doing some normal something, I don't remember what. All of a sudden my breath caught in my throat and I thought, "He didn't die!" I could have just stood there and cried. Maybe sometimes it takes a serious shaking of our world to get us to see what is most important in life. Frank and I had many very serious conversations after we realized the only restorative choice he had was a bypass. He needed to know that I would be okay if I were left here alone. They were very difficult conversations, but left us both with a peace in knowing where we stood and plans were in place for "what if".

Then my Mom's dementia progressed to the point that she obviously was in need of serious care for her welfare and safety. It was very difficult to come to the realization that my siblings did not see the needs she had until she finally insisted that death would be better than the options they offered. She had stated these things many times with me, but I was just the girl and exaggerating things. Mom was okay. Even though she was have major delusions, obsessions, paranoia and health issues. She was okay. She wanted to continue living alone and that was fine according to my siblings. 

So following on the heels of contemplating Frank's mortality and my mother's mental incompetence, Life Got Much More Serious. Add to that our continued aging process.

The reason I list these specific experiences in our lives is only to make a point that if the SHTF today, tomorrow, next week or next year, the seriousness of life will make these few occurrences pale in comparison. If we were starving and having to defend ourselves and our food supply on a daily basis, how could that even compare to our 'normal' experiences of life? Let's face it, as people age, they have more health issues. It's a fact of life. But as Frank and I say regularly, "I'm not dead yet." With that philosophy and outlook, we have a lot left to do and offer, a lot of life left to live.

We talk about quality vs. quantity. This can be applied to so many things. Take life, the actual breath in your body. Neither of us care to remain on this earth if we are not functional. This may upset some of you, but fortunately at this time, we have a choice. Frank and I agree that if we have a serious health issue that will incapacitate us to the point that we are not functional, and the only health treatments out there will only prolong life for a short time at the cost of our mobility, cognitive abilities, etc., then we will forgo the offered treatments. Quality of life over quantity of life. 

Again, apply that to an SHTF situation. There won't be extensive medical treatments, no surgeries unless you are in a very unique situation. Health and medical attention will be provided by those around you or your own knowledge and abilities. Are you ready for that? Mentally? Do you have supplies that can be utilized for some health needs? Do you know how to use them? What are you going to do when you run out?

Life is more serious. We are focusing in on the essentials whether it is in our garden, in what we store, in how we manage our daily chores or in how we

communicate with others. We are downsizing and becoming much more focused. Frank's response to a comment yesterday said we don't talk about the conditions of the world, our country, the economy or the need to prepare anymore. We don't. There have been many that think we're the tin foil hat wearing nut jobs. Some want to know where our bunker is. There have been those that literally laughed in our faces. There have been those that said they were coming to live with us, to which we promptly responded - no you're not, we're not going to feed you. Most just look at you and politely nod their heads, but you can tell that they don't agree and think we're just plain weird. As a consequence, we don't talk about preparing or SHTF or a collapse much anymore.

We have been preparing to live, depending solely upon ourselves, for most of our married life. Almost 40 years. We rejoice that the electricity is still on and we hope to have air conditioning through

another hot Oklahoma summer. But if it's not and we have to adjust, we have tried to train ourselves to deal with that reality. Our bones are older and creak a little more. We may move a little slower and accomplish less in a day than we did a decade or two ago, but our minds are sharper, and we have learned so many more things. If the collapse had happened a decade ago, there are untold amounts of knowledge and experience we wouldn't have had access to that we now do.

Life is more serious. It would appear inevitable that we have strife, conflict or outright war coming here in our country, in our neighborhoods throughout the land. Many, many sources indicate the economy is on the brink. We saw an

article a few days ago indicating a housing collapse is now occurring or on the precipice in 40 major cities around the country. 2008 anyone? You don't even hear about it because of all of the lies, innuendoes and major contention in Washington. We have no national government, we have warring factions spending our tax dollars to attack and 'investigate' each other. What about the country? What about The People they were elected to serve? That is a joke. There is no functional government anymore, looking out for the welfare of our country. There is only a slow motion collapse into anarchy in the once hallowed halls of congress and our nation's capital. Where can that lead? What kind of example are they setting? No wonder there is more contention, hatred and violence on every street corner in America.

Enjoy every day, for it is a gift. Live your life in gratitude of your daily gifts. Work hard, for nothing is more satisfying than the results of your own two hands or applying your mind to something. Relish the sunshine on your face and the love and admiration of your family. Earn and maintain the reputation of being an honest person of high moral character and integrity. In the end, what really matters? The only thing you will leave behind is your legacy, good, bad or otherwise.

Relish the joy and freedoms of your life everyday because if Life Is More Serious now, just wait until that day arrives that we are no longer falling off the cliff as a civilization, but we hit bottom with a resounding crash.

Until next time - Fern

Get Out of the City

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

A few days back I was reading comments on WRSA and I ran across this little clip. If you have a minute, and it won't take much longer than that, just read it and get the gist of what it is saying. Fern and I have written numerous articles about storm clouds, don't get on the bus, ample food storage, water, chickens, eggs, goats, cheese, gardening, what type of vegetables, canning, and the list just never ceases. It's not just us, there are hundreds of folks out there writing and providing information to help you see what is obviously coming. 

It doesn't make any difference if you're right, left, red, blue or pink. This thing is going to affect everybody. There won't be bastions where there is relative safety. If by chance there is, you and I won't be there.

This guy's comment, it was profanity laced, but read what he is saying. Here at Frank and Fern we don't support this style of language in our written blog, but that doesn't mean that this man is wrong. I'll say it again. Read what he says, get the message. It is time to get out.

Now, if you would, take a minute and read this fellow's comment.

Western Rifle Shooter Association


Anything Left to Talk About
 **Language edited by Frank and Fern

Leonard | April 7, 2019|

I have a lot of sympathy for people that are genuinely trapped in suburbia but I suspect that 9 out of 10 people that say “I simply can’t move to the sticks” are full of ****.

What, you need ******* dialysis treatment twice a week?
“Muh wife and daughter”.

Sack the **** up. Get out of town and if you don’t have the the authority to force everyone to follow then you weren’t the man of the house anyway. If you can’t force a move then what do you think is going to happen when things get ugly and your “household democracy” kicks into action.

“Who votes we just do what the man on the radio tells us to?!”
If you are in the suburbs you are ******. 

Period.

End of story.

Gangs are going to go door to door and burn out anyone that resists. They will take their casualties and have a thousand recruits waiting to fill the gaps because life will be so cheap as to be worthless. The leaders will send their soldiers and if you fight back then they’ll toss bodies at you until they win just to get your guns, much less whatever you’re using them to protect.

At that late point all your excuses about “muh wife and daughter’s social lives” are going to seem pretty ******* lame in retrospect.

I got out 10 years ago and it was a ******* hard sell and a harder move. Once we got here none of us second guessed whether we were better off back in the hives. All the hardship to get here has paid off a thousand times over, and we’re not even in the deep end of the **** yet.


Wasn't that long, was it? Actually a pretty easy read. So, are you one of those type that thinks you will see what is happening before it gets here? It won't do any good to talk to you, because you should have already done it.

I know, I know, I just can't do it right now. Today I'll use excuse #431. I hope I don't upset anybody here, but if I do, get over it and find a way to take your family to safety. If you just show up at grandma's house, she may turn you away. How is she going to feed you? Think about these things.

There will come a day when you are going to feel ashamed of yourself. Okay, you sensitive types put your fingers in your ears. You are going to feel very ashamed of yourself when that tenth guy has his way with your daughter. Wrap your head around that. That's hard, isn't it?

Okay, I'll let you go so you can go back and watch TV, eat Cheetos and pound on your chest like a gorilla. We're not all gonna make it through this thing, even the most prepared won't all make it through it. Get your head screwed on right and quit riding the fence. 

Sorry about the bad news. The fat lady has sung.

We'll talk more later,  Frank

Why Are You Back, Frank?

We received a very interesting question in a comment today that we thought was worth bringing to everyone's attention. The question and Frank's response are included here in their entirety. This should make for an interesting conversation. What do you think? Let us know.

 

W. - I'm glad to see you back, but I'm wondering what changed that made you come out of "grey man" mode?

 

 

 Hi, W.

Well, well. Interesting question. Actually, I'm still in the grey man mode, more of a summer grey than winter grey, but still grey, none the less.

I would guess the primary reason was politics. Corruption is rampant in our government and I'll try to get back to that. I have never seen a Trump television show. Yes, I have the basic gist from news clips and the sort. So the Trump that I know, or what I've been exposed to, is a flamboyant, wealthy, property developer who has a propensity for pretty wives and well advertised divorces. I really never thought that he would get elected, but he did.

Now, going back to corruption. The Clinton family. Yes, I do believe in God, but I hoped and prayed to God that Hilary Clinton would NEVER be president. And you see, God answered my prayer. Bernie Sanders, who should have been the democratic nominee, in my opinion would probably have beaten Trump. Senator Sanders is a hard core socialist. This opened my eyes sharply to what Americans, not all but most, truly want. Most Americans support the concept of a socialist government.

Back tracking a little here. Are we a socialist government? Absolutely. Look at all the current social programs. Way too many to name, but a few - Social Security, the plethora of welfare programs, public schools and on and on. But we are not a pure socialist country. Why do the immigrants want to come here? Primarily for the social programs. Do you blame them? No. I don't.

Your question. The grey man mode. What little difference Fern and I make in this world might help a handful of people see things different. My belief again, our country, nation, society is on an irreversible, destructive path that is going to end in the failure of our society. I really do not believe it can be changed, and I am by no means alone.

Fern and I encourage everyone to prepare for whatever is coming. Look at this last midterm election. Look at the squalor, filth and trash that has infested congress, not that it wasn't already infested. This is just the beginning of a large boil that will spread to infect us all. Look around, seriously, with your eyes wide open, and it cannot be missed. "Just like a snowball headed for hell."

Can we still have good times? Sure. But it can't continue. Consumerism has consumed us all. It's not just our country, look all across the Middle East, Europe. We are on a horrendous, downhill slide.

You need food. You need water. You need protection. You need shelter. You need communication. YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE YOUR HEAD SCREWED ON RIGHT.

Thank you for your question, and I genuinely mean that.

By the way, summer grey is lighter and cooler than winter grey.

We'll talk more later,  Frank Feral

 

Radio - CB & the Future

Hello Everybody, Frank here.

Hope everybody is doing well. Weather is gradually changing, or it is for us lucky people that live in the south anyway. I know some of you still have a little snow here and there, maybe even a lot. A lot of you still have water covering everything. On an individual basis, this water is devastating. On a national basis, and even worldwide, we need to pay very close attention to these floods. This could very possibly cause a strain on our food supply. Pay attention. This might affect us all. I hope those folks dry out soon and recover quickly. As for you folks still shoveling snow, we are getting ready to plant a garden. There are reasons why old people move south. If you live long enough, you will get old.

Okay. Moving on.

The basic nature of man is to communicate. We've always wanted to know what's going on in other parts of the community and even know what's going on in other parts of the world. It's just a basic, innate, psychological response of man. We want and need to know what's going on, close and distant. Right now, most of us have immediate communications - TV, commercial radio, cell phone, computer and other forms of electronic gizmos. That's a professional term, by the way, only used by the highly qualified. Use at your own peril and risk. I will attempt to drift back into reality here.

So, what if there's a disruption in this immediate communication? Maybe something like a power grid malfunction, happens all the time locally, natural disasters occur, power goes down. But there's always a back up not too many miles away. Power companies come in from other parts, fix things up and 'Bingo!' we're good to go. Ice cream is back on the shelves, frozen burritos are restocked. Yep, Bingo! we're good to go. Another one of those high tech terms, you know, Bingo!

But all joking aside, we are going to have a shut down. There's lots of terms for it, call it what you like. The power will go off, then the local gas stations won't be pumping gas, the hospital generators will run out of fuel, as will the nuclear power plants. Sure hope you're not downwind from one. Anarchy will occur and things will go dark. It IS going to happen.

So, how are you going to communicate? Since it is an innate human need, it's kind of like psychotropic drugs, once you are addicted, you are, well, addicted. You have to have them, kind of like sugar, which is addictive. Instant communications, don't tell me you haven't noticed from every teenager to grandmother, people using their smart phone for some purpose. Get the point here? How are you going to check to see what everybody's doing on Facebook? Yes, it is addictive. Ok? 

So, what are you going to do when the power goes off and stays off? Yes, you need water, you need food, you need shelter, you need the means to protect yourself and you need to have the mind set to deal with all of these issues. Why is mindset important? Because if your head is not screwed on right, it doesn't make any difference how many preps you have. If you check your phone every five minutes to see if you have a message, then you're in trouble. You are addicted. Well, I'll just quit my cell phone. It's a psychological addiction. You'll have the same withdrawals from a psychological perspective as a person having physical withdrawals from psychotropic drugs, sugar, alcohol, tobacco, just to name a few. Some people are obsessed with flushing their toilet. Oops, power is off, water plant motors don't pump, your cell phone is dead, the police aren't coming, the grocery stores are in utter chaos and you don't have a clue what's going on. 

Welcome to reality. Get the picture? You might as well sit down in your driveway and start crying.

Next chapter. So, today we're going to talk about CB radios. Why? Because it is the most common two way form of communication out there. Yes, I know CB's get a bad rap and there's good reason for that. There's a lot of nasty language from foul mouth people. Well, they will quickly be off the air, they will be sitting out in their driveway crying right next to many. They will be off the air because they don't have power, and they won't have batteries, or a small solar panel to keep a car battery charged.

CB used to be an 11 meter frequency. That is a ham radio term. 11 meters is also about 27 Mhz, but you don't need to know that. What you need to know is how to push that button and have a successful transmission, which means you need an antenna, a piece of wire connecting the antenna to the radio, and power for the radio, which in this case will come from a car battery and a small solar panel. That's it. Yes, the system needs to be tuned to work.

By the way, that same solar panel and battery will also provide power for your scanner, shortwave radio, AM/FM radio, a small LED light and it will charge your handheld radios and some rechargeable AA batteries for your flashlights. If you don't have these things right now, then go out and get in line sitting in the driveway because that is where the vast majority of people will be. Sitting on their fat butts waiting for the government to come and save them. Enjoy the wait, because I ain't gonna be there and neither is Fern.

What I put together today is four previously published articles about CB radios. It's the basics, but it will provide you with a plethora of information to get started. Remember, this information is dated, some of the embedded links may or may not work. CB radio, in my humble opinion, will be the most useful radio tool available to man. Now, don't run out and buy a bunch of CB radios today. Read, learn, talk and listen. Ask questions, discretely. There are other forms of radio communication, too.

Let's get this thing started. Radio - CB & the Future.

We'll talk more later,  Frank 


P.S. Fern and I had a interesting visit from a relative that we see very seldom. It was a pleasant visit, a young man, his wife and two daughters. The reason I mention this is that when he was about two or three, we had a picture of him holding a day old chick. You see, Fern and I have been preparing for many years now, and this young man, now in his 30's, also has chickens and is preparing for what is coming. He and his wife's father have many CB radios. It's just interesting to observe that there are others that are preparing. Fern and I hope to see him more in the future and wish him the very best, and I wish all of you, the readers, the very best also. Many people think time is short.


Originally published June 8, 2013


Radios - CB

Hello, Frank here.

In a previous post we talked about safety and family radio regulations. This time I'm going to direct you to some of the popular CB manufacturer's sites and to a few dealers that sale and service radios. This way you can start to look at some of the features the radios have and get an idea of the approximate cost.

While you are looking at the CB radios at the dealer's sites, you will notice a radio called a 10 meter radio, sometimes called an export radio or one of the big boys. I'll discuss these in greater detail, when I talk about ham radios.

There are CB radios that can cost less than $50.00 and there are CB radios that can cost hundreds of dollars, but they all come from the factory with the same advertised power maximum which is four watts. 

While you are perusing these radios, check out the ones with the letters SSB, which stands for single side band. Not all manufacturers produce SSB radios. Understand, it is still a CB radio with 40 channels, but has single side band capabilities. This is not technical and don't let it throw you off. 

If what you want to do is talk to your neighbor two miles away, then any CB radio will do that job if you are in a pretty flat area. This is assuming you have the proper antenna which will be discussed more later. If you want to talk to and listen to people hundreds of miles away it can be done with a CB radio that has SSB capabilities with the proper antenna. 

The more popular CB manufacturers are: 

Cobra
Midland 
Uniden 
Galaxy

After you look through these manufacturers websites, you will see that they also make many other communication items. Some of them, but not all, make marine band radios, weather radios, scanners, GMRS/FRS radios and accessories. In future posts, we will go into further detail about all of these.

Next are a couple of online retail outlets. This is not an endorsement, pro or con, for these companies. I have bought from all three and am happy with the service I have received.   

CB World

Bells CB Radio 

Walcott CB

Looking at these online retail sites will give you some ideas about prices and the products that are available. Between looking at the manufacturers and some retail sites, this should give you lots of information to play with. 

Remember, to operate a CB radio, you will need an antenna, a radio and a source of power. Almost all of these units operate off of 12 volt DC power. They are intended for mobile operation inside of a car, but can be easily used at home as a base station with a 12 volt DC power supply. Again, this is not complicated or technical. If you are going to put it in your car, you have a power supply. If you are going to use it at home, then you will need a separate 12 volt power supply.

Don't be in a big rush. In the next few posts, we will talk about CB radios, antennas, power supplies and SAFETY.

There is one recommendation I would make. If you are looking for a CB as a means of communication. I would be looking for one that has SSB (single side band) capability. This will narrow your search greatly. 

And for fun, check out CB Radio Magazine, this site will answer many of your questions because there is a continuous debate about the best radio or antenna.

We'll talk more later. 73, Frank 



Originally published June 14, 2013

 
Radio - Mobile CB

Hello, Frank here.

So, it's time for a CB radio. I wouldn't purchase one just yet, there are some other things I want to tell you, especially about 10 meter export radios. But, if your heart is set on a CB, then let's talk about a possible radio for your vehicle, which is referred to as mobile, or a base station which in many cases can be the same style of radio.

CB radios can go in cars, trucks, boats, four wheelers, farm tractors - anywhere that has a motor and some type of battery. We talked earlier about single side band, SSB.  The type of radio you choose depends upon what type of mobile operation you want. If you want a basic CB radio, there are numerous types to choose from. But if want to include weather (NOAA) and/or SSB, then your selection choice drops sharply.

Examples: If you take your pick-up truck and go mudding, then you probably want a very basic CB radio. If you spend more time in your vehicle in a quiet world, then please consider an SSB CB radio. What activity you do will determine what type of radio you want and the type of antenna.

Some folks for mobile operation have a magnet mounted antenna. But again, if you are mudding or hill climbing, then you will want something permanently mounted. There are lip mounts which attach on the lip of a hood or a back door hatch. 

Mirror mounts, are what you think of when you see the big rigs. Mirror mounts, in some cases, will also attach to luggage racks. What you get depends on your need. 

The antennas themselves come from eight feet long to about two feet long. As a general rule, the longer the antenna, the farther you can transmit and the better your reception. There are all metal antennas, metal antennas with little spools of wire in the middle, fiberglass antennas with wire embedded in the fiberglass. Some are flexible, some are rigid.

So much for antennas, mounts and radios. Now you need to decide which type you want. Included in a previous post are some websites for CB radio dealers. I will include these sites again at the end of this post.

So, now you have picked a radio, you've picked the type of mount and antenna you want. The power supply is going to be the 12 volt system in the vehicle. It is best to connect the radio power cable directly to the battery. The positive side connected to the battery and the negative side to the battery or to any good solid metal attachment. You might have to buy a little extra cable to do this.

A cigar-type plug connected in the cigarette lighter outlet or any 12 volt accessory outlet will also power the radio. The problem with plugging into a cigarette lighter adapter is that sometimes there will be engine and computer noise from the vehicle on the radio.
In future posts, I will talk more about power supplies. The closer you connect the power cable to the battery, the less background noise there will be from the vehicle.


Whatever type of mount and antenna you choose, you will need to run coax cable to the antenna connector on the radio. Most mag mount antennas come with this cable already connected with a plug-in adapter on the end of the cable. Some mounts come as kits with cable and adapter provided, with others you will have to provide your own. Most people run the cable through a door opening and bring it into the vehicle. If you run it underneath seats, make sure it is not in an area where moving the seat forward or backward will damage the cable. 

Now that just about covers it. You have the radio, a place to mount it inside your vehicle, and the antenna with a cable plugged into the radio. A slight warning here, NEVER key the microphone on the radio to transmit without an antenna connected. This is a very easy way to fry the radio.

You are ready to go - almost. There is this little thing called SWR, which means standing wave ratio. Somebody with an SWR meter needs to check and see if the SWR on your radio is low or high. Either the antenna or the coax cable will need to be adjusted to lower the SWR if it's high. This may sound extremely complicated, but if you are going to be successful with a CB radio, then the SWR needs to be low. You ask, "What is SWR?" To make it very simple, SWR is the radio frequency waves bouncing back from the antenna to the radio, restricting the ability of your transmitted signal to be transmitted successfully. This applies to any transmitted signal, whether it is mobile, base, CB, MURS, or ham radio. Any local CB shop should be able to help you tune your radio system so that the SWR is low and your enjoyment is maximized.

Many CB radios have a built in SWR meter. These meters are not known to be tremendously accurate, but they are a good start. Some antenna systems will say pre-tuned at the factory and that is probably true. They were pre-tuned at the factory for whatever piece of test equipment they were using. That does not mean it is pre-tuned for your vehicle and your radio. How you tune the radio's SWR can be affected by the location of the antenna on the vehicle, the length of the cable running from the antenna to the radio, or how the excess cable is gathered, normally under a front seat. So - being tuned at the factory - take that for what it is worth.

Firestik is a new website that I would like for you to check out. I have done business with these folks, as I have the others mentioned. They make good, quality, American made products. Their site also has a library of information. Besides looking at their products, go to their FAQ and technical help sections. This should answer the vast majority of CB technology questions and problems.

This may sound technical and complicated, but it's really not. Next time we will talk about specific radios for mobile use in a vehicle, because there is a big difference between vibrating down the highway at 65 MPH in the rain or snow, and a radio sitting stationary inside your house. As stated earlier, some radios will do both. 

We've learned some new terms this time. Study some of the websites. Remember, some radios have weather, SWR, and even have alarm clocks - which could come in handy if you are sleeping in your car, for whatever reason. If you know of a reputable, local CB shop that installs radios, stop by and visit with them. You might pay a few extra bucks for this service, but if the people know what they are doing, they can teach you how to install a radio properly.

I would still recommend a CB radio with SSB. There are only a few on the market. One is made by Cobra, some are made by Galaxy and Uniden makes a new one. If you want to sit at home at night and talk to stations around the country, then your best bet is a single side band. If you want to talk to your neighbor down the street, SSB will also work for short distance line-of-sight communications. Again, remember, CB radio is line-of-sight communications unless you are using a radio with SSB. Yes, on rare occasions any CB radio will work long distance by bouncing off the ionosphere. But a radio with SSB, will bounce off the ionosphere more often and with more reliability.

Think safety.

We'll talk more later. 73, Frank

CB World

Bells CB Radio 

Walcott CB

Originally published June 21, 2013


Radio - Base CB
 
Hello, Frank here.

Last time we talked about mobile CB radios. For a base station most of the equipment will be the same - power cable, radio and coax cable. What you will need different this time is a power supply. Since almost all CB radios operate off of 12 volt or 13.8 VDC, then you are going to need a separate power supply that produces this voltage.

In most cases, you will also need a base type antenna. If you have a metal roof, you can get creative and stick a magnet mount antenna, (the kind used on a vehicle) on your roof, and it will work okay. But most choose to go a different route. I am going to talk about two antennas - the 102 and the A99. I will also give some examples of power supplies. 

Next I am going to give a formula that will be used through all levels of radio communications. And guess what it is? P = E x I.  Now, you need to remember this. P equals power or watts. E equals voltage. I equals current or amps. Alright. If your radio uses four watts of power (P) and the voltage is 13.8 (E), then divide P by E and get I, which in this case is about .3 amps. So, you will need a power supply that produces .3 amps. Most amateur power supplies are rated with their output in amps. Now, you might say, that is not a lot of amperage. You will need

more than .3 amps to transmit. But then, 4 watts is not a lot of power. Another rule: The rule of 80. The maximum you ever use of any piece of equipment is 80% of maximum rated output. So, in this case, go ahead and purchase a power supply that puts out at least 2 amps minimum. 80% of 2 amps is 1.6 amps. You need .3 amps for a 4 watt radio to listen, so there is power to spare with this set up, but not a lot. Something else to remember, you cannot have too much amperage, but you can have too little. 

This is a side note here. If you are never going to add any more equipment to your system, then a 5 amp power supply will work fine for years to come. But - if you have plans to add more power to a CB radio or you might buy a manufactured radio that uses more power, like an 11 meter radio, or most ham radios, then you might want to buy a larger power supply now. Remember, you can't have too many amps. Universal Radio and Bells CB both have many power supplies and a lot of information. I have done business with both companies and am satisfied with their service and products.

Example: Let's say you purchased a 30 amp power supply, which is a good choice for long-term planning. This is, of course, at 13.8 volts. Everything we are talking
about here is. Then go back to the formula of P = E x I. You have 13.8VDC (direct current) times 30 amps, equals 414 watts. That is your usable wattage output. Now figure in the rule of 80 - 414 times 80% equals 331 watts, which you can use very comfortably with a 30 amp power supply. We'll talk a whole lot more about P = E x I. Learn it now. Look up above to see what P, E, and I mean.

 There are many, many antennas sold by many, many dealers. Every antenna promises the maximum output and the best reception. I'm going to recommend the classic 102, which is a stainless steel, whip antenna. 102 means one hundred and eight inches in length. It is actually a 102 with a six inch spring attached to the bottom. Wa-la! giving you 102 inches. To mount this antenna you will need a trucker mirror type mount, because it will probably go on a pole attached to the outside of your house. We'll talk more about attaching the antenna to the pole in just a minute. By the way, the 102 antenna, in my opinion, is the best antenna made for mobile operation. It really looks cool on a jeep. Again, my personal opinion.

Next is the A99 made by Antron. It is about 16 feet long, comes in three fiberglass pieces and is a standard in the industry. It comes with a radial plane kit. Some will say the kit is needed and others will say it's not. This antenna is a pole mount only and if you use the radial plane kit, you will need to go a little higher because the radials point downward at an angle. The mounts that come with this antenna, will mount poles about an inch and a half in diameter. Do some research and find the exact size, because you want the pole to be smaller than the mounts call for. The same is true with mounting the 102. 

Now you are going to need some cable or coax. It is actually called coaxial cable. On each end of the cable you will need a PL259 connector. Of course, it depends on how far your antenna is up in the air as to how much cable you need. Buy a few extra feet. Depending on the length needed and the power used, a standard cable is RG-8X. If you're running high power, and greater length than, let's say 25 feet, then you will need a different coax cable. We'll talk more about that when we talk about high power equipment.

Okay. Now, you've picked out a power supply that will cost you any where from $50 -$100. You have chosen your antenna. A 102 antenna will cost at the most, $50. An A99, with radial attachment, will be, maybe $130. Without the radial attachment, less. Pre-made coax cable with connectors on each end, let's say, 25 feet - $35 or $40 or less. Now you need a radio.

All CB radios operate on AM, which is amplitude modulation. They all operate around 26 to 27 Mhz (megahertz). This is the operating frequency. All manufacturers make a good, solid radio. You can find one from $75 to $125. Some have weather (NOAA), some have alarm clocks, some the dials change colors, others light up at night and during the day, some have echo, some have talk back, some have SSB, some have adjustable power, adjustable microphones, adjustable input power - there are many, many choices to pick from. Like I said before, if you want to talk to your buddy half a mile down the road with no hills in the way, any radio will do. If you want to talk to somebody a long ways away, then not any radio will do.

Talk back and echo, I think, are a little silly. Lighted dials come in very handy, especially in a mobile situation, and sometimes they just look cool. A weather option is your choice. SSB (single side band) is necessary if you want to talk long distance. 

Cobra makes the 148, which is a classic SSB radio. Galaxy makes a handful of SSB radios: 949, 959, 979. Uniden makes the Bearcat 980. These are all strong contenders for single sideband radios. The Uniden is a new radio. It hasn't been out long, but it is well worth a look. My personal preference is the Galaxy line of radios. All of these radios tend to cost a little bit more than your average non-SSB radio, and work well in a mobile environment. Having the same radio in your house and your car means you become more familiar with the knobs and it's operation. Something to think about.

Now, we have a radio, an antenna, cable, and a power supply. That's about all you need. There are some things I cannot tell you on a blog. You are going to need a pole to put up your antenna. Some people use fiberglass. You can purchase these at some Army/Navy stores. Hardware stores that carry fencing supplies that come in 10 foot sections work pretty good too. I like to have the pole attached to the ground, attached to the side of the house and just far enough above the roof line so that the antenna will fit. Mount the pole in it's chosen place; mount the antenna to the pole; connect your cable to the antenna; run your cable into your house however you choose; READ THE RADIO MANUAL; READ THE RADIO MANUAL; connect the cable to the back of your radio; connect your radio to the power supply, which is real easy - red connects to red, black connects to black; turn the on/off switch in the appropriate direction - which is normally also your volume; and you are in business. If you purchased an SSB radio, most CB SSB is conducted on the LSB (lower side band). It is usually done between the frequencies of 30 & 40. Example: Channel 34 LSB.

Now, CAUTION. During a thunderstorm or electrical storm unplug your radio antenna connection. Some people also disconnect their power supply. Depending on how you ran your coax into your house, put your antenna connection into a glass jar, because lightening can and will fry your radio and all associated equipment. CAUTION. If you choose to pep up your radio and run more power, then you can do RF (radio frequency) damage. If you don't know what you are doing then don't do it. With 4 watts of power this is not a concern. 

I have talked on my SSB CB radio from southeastern Oklahoma to Grants Pass, Oregon; Ontario, Canada; and southern Florida. I hope you enjoy your CB radio. But if you do want more options, or more power, then in a couple of posts we are going to be talking about 10 meter and export radios, which are on many of the sites I have given you before. 

We'll talk more later. 73, Frank



Originally published June 27, 2013

Radios - CB Export/10 Meter

Hello, Frank here.

I would like to tell you about a CB radio that is not really a CB, but it can be. I don't understand exactly why these are made or sold, but I would assume it has to do with profit. There is going to be some new jargon on this post, so like always, if you don't understand everything, wait a little while and it will soak in. 

Export radios, to the best of my knowledge, are what they say they are. These radios are meant to be sold outside of this country - exports. Other countries use different bands and frequencies for their radio communications. Therefore, these radios are easy to modify and can be used for the frequencies and bands in this country as well. Some export radios are programmable via computer which makes it easy to add the CB frequencies. Another option is power capabilities up to 100 watts, 200 watts and more. These radios also tend to be more expensive. Are they legal to use on the CB frequencies? The answer is no. Do people use them on the CB frequencies? The answer is yes. Some of the previous sites I have posted sell export radios. If this is what you are looking for you will probably never have any problems with the FCC unless you are interfering with other forms of transmission. 

10 meter radios are similar in nature to export radios. Almost everything I said above applies to 10 meter radios. Let me explain the difference. A 10 meter radio operates on the amateur radio frequencies or ham radio. You have to have an amateur radio license to use the radio on 10 meters. I will talk more about amateur radio licensing and frequencies in a future post. Okay. Follow me here now. Some of the ham bands are 10 meter, 12 meter, 15 meter and so forth. The CB radio frequencies fall between the 10 and 12 meter ham bands. CB is often called 11 meters. Meters have to do with the length of the frequency signal. But at this time, that is not important. It will be discussed more later.

So. You can buy a 10 meter radio with a small modification or you can program in the CB frequencies with the computer program option if it is available. Let's clarify something here. A ham radio license does not allow the ham radio operator to operate on 11 meters because CB radios are approved by the FCC to operate on CB frequencies only. Is it legal to operate a 10 meter radio on CB frequencies? The answer is no. Do people use 10 meter radios for CB purposes? The answer is yes. These same dealers mentioned above also carry some of the 10 meter radios. It's a matter of driving 56 MPH in a 55 MPH zone and driving 95 MPH in a 55 MPH zone. Both are illegal, one will attract a whole lot more attention than the other. 

Can you mount these radios in your car or truck? Sure, you can. If the radio runs higher power, it will come with the appropriate size power cable. If you need

to extend this cable to your battery, use the same size cable or larger. In most cases, you can use the same antenna as any CB radio, unless you are running an exorbitant amount of power. In that case you need to make sure your antenna will handle the power. If you need to tune these, you can do it yourself or you can take it to your local CB shop and they can tune your rig for you.

If you are giving thought to purchasing one of these types of radios, please get one with SSB. Remember, some, but not all of these radios can be used for 10 meter ham radio operation.

If you choose to use this type of radio for a base station, your one amp power supply will not work. A quick review here: P = E x I. P = power or watts, E = voltage, and I = current or amps. Let's say you are running 200 watts of power. That is your P. Your voltage will be 13.8, that is E. That is 200 divided by 13.8, equals 14.5 amps or I. Don't forget the rule of 80. This means you will need at least 18 amps just to run this radio. That's why on the last post it was recommended that you purchase a 30 amp power supply for your home. 

There is something I failed to mention on the last CB post. You cannot take your base station and outside antenna to a CB shop and have it tuned so you will need to do it yourself, or have a competent friend help you. This will involve an SWR meter, and a three foot jumper, which is a short piece of coax with a 259 connector on each end which allows you to put the meter in line between the radio and the antenna. This will allow you to tune your SWR down. Read the FAQ at this site. It will answer most of your questions about SWR. Again, make sure your base station antenna can handle the power you are using. Don't push any antenna to the maximum, use the rule of 80.

If you can, ground your radio. The radio may or may not have a ground plug on the back, most CB's don't. If it doesn't, slide in a piece of flexible, coated, copper wire about size 12-14, where you attach the screws to mount the radio. This will give you a good, solid ground. In your car, find a screw somewhere connected to metal. In your house, run the ground wire back the same way you brought in your antenna wire and attach it to the three foot copper rod that you placed in the earth. Do you have to ground your radio? No. Will it help clean up some sound issues? Yes. When we talk about ham radios, grounding will be covered in greater detail.

By the way, if you choose to get your ham radio license, you can use these radios to operate on 10 or 12 meter frequencies. Just a little bonus there if you decide to make that switch. 

I know all of this information about the CB radios, export radios and 10 meter radios is a general and broad view. I would encourage you to read some of the earlier posts about laws, regulations, safety, and some of the websites that have FAQ sections about radios and antennas. There is a lot of information about CB radios that is not included here. In future posts we'll be talking in more detail about power supplies, antennas, coaxial cables, connectors, ham radios, GMRS, FRS and commercial radios.

What I have to say now is a personal observation. The reason I got into radio communications is because someday there may not be the regular types of communications that we have now. When I say regular, I am talking about cell phones, hard-line phones, internet, television, AM/FM radio, etc. A lot of people currently have CB

radios. Some folks approve of the type of traffic on them and some don't. But if there is a nationwide emergency, CB radios and GMRS will be excellent forms of communication. Most people don't realize that the two-way communication radios that they have right now are of an excellent quality and can be used during an emergency. Of course, I hope this day never comes. But I believe that the wolf is at the door. I would recommend all families have some type of communications, whether it is two-way or listening only. We will talk more about receive only radios - how to power them with things such as rechargeable batteries, small solar panels or car batteries. This is all part of communications. 

This finishes up my posts on CB's for now, more will come later. Next I am going to talk about GMRS, FRS, and MURS. 

We'll talk more later. 73, Frank