Duh, that’s easy. I want to be as well prepared and trained as I can be. Preparations are never complete and the learning process never stops. I never think that I’m all prepped, I’m not, there’s always something else that can be done. My primary shelter is home. I’m planning on setting caches this spring so that I’ll have supplies throughout my AO that I can access. May not be able to make it home sometime. Might have to live in the woods for a few days. Might, maybe, what if…it never ends…..

It takes money (I demonize it, but need it to live in this world), research, time and dedication. Solar power system, food, heat, fuel etc start to get expensive fast. I get paid twice a month. I pay my bills and then after assessing the damage to the checkbook I go shopping. What kind of shopping you ask…prep shopping, what else?

I go grocery shopping frequently, but never to the same store twice in a row. We have small communities here and it doesn’t take long for gossip to flow. Somebody’d start getting nosy if I was at the same store all the time buying groceries by the cartload.

I also peruse the hardware stores frequently looking for deals on oil, containers, electrical stuff or otherwise. Got a bargain of 48 long taper candles for $1.00 once. Just had to get a couple bux worth.

Food & water & security

Heat

Communications equipment (inc. power)

Everything else

I need at a minimum food and water to live. In the Rubicon room it doesn’t get much below 50 even in the winter. If I lose the furnace I won’t freeze. I have a MR. Heater as backup. Need security to keep it all.

My house had been deemed the communications hub for the local team. I have great elevation, lots of room for antennas (80’ Rohn 45 tower going up this spring) and can get all but one teammate on VHF simplex. As soon as he gets his 11 element beam installed we should have simplex comms and even better comms once my 80’ stick is in the air. He is about 80 miles away line of sight through trees and hills. We are well within repeater range now.

I have numerous 2 meter rigs, a 150 watt 2 meter amplifier, a 70cm rig, scanner, AM/FM stereo, and 10 meter rig on line now. After snow melts I’m going to install more antennas for 2 meters, CB, HF and whatever else strikes my fancy.

I also support JW’s ham repeater. It’s on battery power 24/7 and draws 12 amps on transmit.

To support the communications system I need power and a way to replenish it. I bought 2 Siemens solar panels, a Trace C-40 charge controller, 50 feet of #4 wire, 5 115AH batteries (more to come), scored about 200’ of 8 gauge from a teammate. Everything from the charge controller to the radios is about finished. Panels can be setup outside for temporary use. They’re getting installed this spring.

I’m up here in the NE USA. Winters are quite cold, it’s currently 15 degrees outside and the wind is howling. I’d guess it’s about -5 wind chill, that’s warmer than it’s been all week.

There are 2 major roads into my county. What if they were closed for a long period of time? The only other easy way is from I-95, go through Fireman’s AO and then drive 100+ miles to my AO. Only other option to that is drive to the top of the state and then head about 150 miles South to my AO. That’s all there is unless supplies are flown in.

So if the roads are blocked, store deliveries can’t be made, what happens? Everybody rushes to the store and "panic buys" hoping that there is still food on the shelves when they get there. Stocks are depleted within a couple of hours. Long lines of people waiting and then they all go to the gas station. Don’t believe me…just watch the news immediately following a disaster somewhere, you’ll see.

Am I going to be one of those people, HECK NO! I’m preparing now! If my county’s supply is shut down I’m going to last a long time before I have to start worrying. Gasoline is in stock, food, water, heat, comms and much more. The team can also pull resources together. There are deer and other wildlife in my area. If it’s a survival situation, to heck with the DIF&W laws, I need food to live.

I am currently active duty military and if all goes well, I’ll be discharged in Sept, 2003. I am anticipating a rough winter and not having a decent paying job for awhile. So I’m preparing NOW!

Do you want to be one of the unprepared "panic shoppers" who is caught off guard and hopes there is food and flashlights left to buy? How about freezing, you want to be at home wrapped up shivering in a blanket because the power went out? Doesn’t sound too appealing to me.

Get off your duff and train. Have fun with survivalism, I sure am.

As Sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane would say "I luv it! I luv it!"
Eli

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