50% off Anker SOLIX C1000 Portable Power Station

 If you are in need of a portable power station with a built-in inverter, this Anker unit is 50% off today at Amazon.

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Revising Our Vehicle Bags

The last couple of days I've been putting together/revising get home bags/bugout bag to keep in all four of our vehicles, because of the state of the country and potential for post-election unrest.

The bags are more urban/suburban focused than "head for the hills." My wife works in the city, one daughter commutes about 30 miles to a suburban college, the other daughter works a couple miles away but sometimes goes on short road trips, and I work about 25 miles away. We are in SE Pennsylvania near Philadelphia.

Note that the links below are Amazon Affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking through I'll get a small commission at no additional charge to you.

I already had the bags. Mine is a 5.11 Rush 12 (https://amzn.to/47SU17Q), one is a Maxpedition Falcon II (https://amzn.to/47QTUcR), one is an older REI Trail 25, and the last one is an older Nike daypack. 

I already had a lot of the contents in my accumulation of camping gear. Some of these are on the way and should arrive in the next few days. The bag in my truck will have some variances but I wanted to ensure the girls all have some basic survival gear.

• Canteen / water bottle (2 Swiss surplus with cups, a French surplus canteen with cup, and a stainless 40 oz. Klean Kanteen with cup.) The bottles are filled halfway.
• Fire making kit (matches and a Bic lighter.)
• Coghlan's 36-hour Survival candle (https://amzn.to/3Y7oUSB) One of these can warm a small space like the inside of a car a few degrees to take the edge off. They come with a book of matches inside the tin.
• Bandana and/or USGI triangular bandage .
• Headlamp + spare batteries (https://amzn.to/4dC2o95)
• Mossy Oak Multitool (https://amzn.to/4dFd5rb) I'm impressed with these for the price.
• Silcock key for opening spigots on commercial buildings. (https://amzn.to/3TSPcpa)
• Flat pack duct tape. (https://amzn.to/3zIbXp5)
• About 50' #36 bank line (https://amzn.to/4823RUT) I prefer this to 550 cord because it's much thinner so you can pack a lot more for the same volume.
• AMK .3 Med Kit (https://amzn.to/4gLW8OR) (This is in addition to each car's FAK.)
• Water filter (https://amzn.to/3YcNXDG) These can thread onto a standard plastic water bottle or use the included dirty water bag.
• Long aluminum spoon (https://amzn.to/3zHNosl) (When I was in the Civil Air Patrol in the 80s, my WW2/Korea/Vietnam vet mentors beat it into to me to ALWAYS have a spoon. Also, sporks suck unless the spoon and fork are on opposite ends of the utensil.)
• Lifeboat rations (https://amzn.to/3BvNXGl)
• Work gloves
• Space blanket (https://amzn.to/3Ukmfmv)
• Mylar survival poncho (https://amzn.to/3XUndGR)
• Aluminum cookset (https://amzn.to/47V0qiM)
• Ziplock with instant coffee, chicken boullion, tea bags, and Gatorade powder
• Esbit stove and fuel (https://amzn.to/3zNDEwM).
• Hexamine fuel tablets for the Esbit stoves (https://amzn.to/4emGs2R). These also make GREAT fire starters.
• Socks in a Ziplock.
• We all wear glasses, so some Zeiss lens wipes in a Ziplock. (https://amzn.to/3XSpJgW)

Each vehicle has a blanket and a spare hoodie or coat, and a knit cap. I also want the girls to keep spare boots in their trunks. Each vehicle will also have a 6-pack of bottled water.

All vehicles have a Noco Boost Plus GB40 Jump Packs (https://amzn.to/3ZRJjw8) in case of a dead battery. The Nocos are in hard cases (https://amzn.to/3zMOgf8). They also provide USB out, so I'm including a multi-plug charger cable (https://amzn.to/4ePGv7d).

Is this a comprehensive, end-of-world survival kit? Of course not. The idea behind these is that if any of us are stuck away from home and need to hoof it we have some basic supplies for a day or two of walking.

Yom HaBiperim and the Threat of Supply Chain Attacks

First of all, "Yom HaBiperim" is one of the funniest things I've read in the past 24 hours. Mad props to @RUOC90177786 on X for coining that one.

On a more serious note, Israel's amazing strike on Hez'balless yesterday should give everyone in security field pause. It demonstrates that if you don't own and control your entire supply chain you are incredibly vulnerable to attack. This applies to pretty much everything that security breaches can impact. It's not just an issue for NGO terrorist organizations, in the age of globalization it's also a major vulnerability for nation states that depend on a vast array of items from other countries. E.g., IT assets, software, or munitions.

The pager attack was a respin of Project Eldest Son. This was an operation during the Vietnam War in which various types of small arms ammunition were modified to explode when a Communist soldier attempted to fire his gun. It was done by replacing one cartridge in a box of ammo with one that was loaded with C4 high explosive, instead of smokeless gunpowder. This caused pressure in excess of what the gun was designed to handle and it would then explode in the user's hands.

Further back, the British did this in the 1890s and 1930s against tribes they were fighting.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Project_Eldest_Son

Even when buying equipment from supposedly reliable vendors, the problem of counterfeit products is severe enough that even Cisco has a web page about it. See https://www.cisco.com/c/en/us/about/legal/brand-protection/identify-counterfeit-products.html

If I was a nation state, I'd look at augmenting IP-addressable hardware with a chip that periodically phones home to a controller, or maybe even sniff network packets for things of interest. It wouldn't have to be a computer or router. It could be a network printer, webcam, or any other device connected to a network. IoT devices in particular are notably insecure out of the box which allows millions of them to be coopted into botnets.

But it's not just network and telco gear.

In the past 10 years or so, China has flooded the world with dirt cheap handheld VHF/UHF transceivers. The Baofeng UV-5R is the most well know of these. They've seen use in Ukraine, Syria, and are extremely popular in the US amongst various groups ranging from Antifa to right-wing militias. They're also popular with ham radio operators. Heck, I have three within arm's reach right now.

The Baofeng is a software defined radio (SDR). That means that much of the RF signal processing that would traditionally be done with hardware is actually done by software running on the radio's chip. That means that within the limits of the hardware, functionality can be added or removed with a firmware update.

For example, until the FCC mandated that Baofeng remove the capability to transmit on FRS, GMRS, and MURS frequencies, the UV-5R could do so even though it is type accepted in the US only for ham frequencies. Baofeng modified the firmware to block transmission on these frequencies on new radios sold in the US, but this didn't affect existing radios.

The problem from the FCC's standpoint is that because of how that Baofeng implemented the frequency restriction, the radios can be unlocked so that they're capable of transmitting on the forbidden frequencies. A search on YouTube for "Baofeng unlock" gets you the info needed to do so. The actual unlock procedure takes about 10 seconds. I've confirmed it myself.

These radios can be programmed using a special USB cable that connect to a computer and a free, open-source software package called CHIRP. This is probably the most common and definitely easiest way to program in frequencies in the radio's memory channels.

Now imagine that the firmware has a backdoor in it that allows features to be modified or cause the radio to transmit, after receiving a specific RF signal over the air. For example, suppose you are fighting an opponent known to use Baofengs. You want to locate enemy fighters. Broadcast a signal that triggers any Baofeng receiving it to transmit a reply. Because it's an SDR you can write the firmware so that the radio's transmit light doesn't come on, so the user is none the wiser. The force that initiated the ping then uses direction finding equipment to locate the radios and then drone strikes their enemy.

I really don't think this is far-fetched.

Guns for Jews

On the eve of the Holocaust in 1939, the world Jewish population stood at about 16 - 17 million. By 1945, it was 10 - 11 million.

In 2024, it's at about 15.7 million. In 80 years we still haven't recovered the numbers lost due to the Nazis. 

We currently make up about 0.2% of the world's population and about 2.4% of the population in the United States.

Antisemitic trope is that the Jews control the world. Just going by the numbers this is laughable, smooth-brained thinking. Sure, we're prominent in many fields, but that's due to our culture which emphasizes learning and hard work. There are plenty of Jewish losers, too.

If the events of the past 11 months have taught us anything, we are a very small part of the world and that a vast number of people don't like us and don't want us defending ourselves. Thus, Israel must become independently able to defend itself. Likewise, Jews in the United States must embrace their Second Amendment rights so they can defend themselves against modern day Nazis, especially those being imported wholesale by the Democrats from assorted third world countries.

If you're a Jewish American looking to get equipped to defend yourself, check out my ebook "Guns For Jews" to help you get started. Get arms and training.

The 3-3-3 Radio Plan for SHTF Communications

I mentioned this in my post the other day but want to call it out for greater exposure.

As far as I know this originates in a 2013 post at the RadioMaster Reports blog.

Essentially, it's a basic communications plan explaining when, where, and how to use your radios in the event of an emergency where other forms of communication fail.

• Turn on your radio every 3 hours at the top of the hour local time.
• For a minimum of 3 minutes.
• On Channel 3 (whether it's CB, FRS, GMRS, or MURS).

That RadioMaster Post has reference cards you can download and print, or keep in the notes application on your phone.

Buytwowayradios.com sells a printout of the plan which is laminated, and also offers a PDF download version for free.

Disseminating this procedure among the people you plan to communicate with if the SHTF will go a long way to maximizing the value of your radios.

Hard Case for my Yaesu FT-187ND

Last week I took advantage of the most recent Harbor Freight Parking Lot Sale and picked up an Apache 3800 hard case to use with my Yaesu FT-817ND. The Apache case is a Pelican knock-off at around 1/3 the price. It's plenty good for my needs.

The label on the bottom of the case:

The pressure relief valve:

The case has two layers of pluck-to-fit foam. I have the radio and LDG tuner in the bottom:

I then created a tray using a thing piece of nylon, the top layer of foam, and some Gorilla tape, to hold various cables, some 550 cord and bank line, and a power cable.

This is not a self-contained go-box, since it doesn't include an antenna, power supply other than the small FT-817ND battery pack, and a tablet or laptop for digital modes. However, I can combine this with another box that will contain the other items. It's designed for vehicle-mobile operations, not manpack ops.

Getting Comms Squared Away

This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

After a couple years away from doing anything with ham radio, a coworker has rekindled my interest in the past couple of weeks. He has a GMRS license and is studying for his Technician license. His primary interest is backup comms with family and friends who are within a few miles.

That said, we're hoping that after he gets his Tech license we'll be able to communicate via simplex on 2M with the use of directional antennas at a distance of about 20 - 25 miles. Several years ago a ham friend and I did just that, over a similar distance. I may need to go to a higher elevation, however.

Aside from all that, the state of the country worries me and has had me wanting to setup emergency backup comms with my brother and mom, who live in the same subdivision that I do. It's unlikely that both our Internet and cell service would both go down, but the possibility is non-zero.

Since GMRS covers immediate family regardless of whether they live with you, I've set them up with an unlocked Baofeng UV-5R programmed for GMRS and MURS, for emergency use only. (I am well aware that the UV-5R is not type accepted for GMRS or MURS, so it will not be used for non-emergency commo.)

The variant of the UV-5R that I've owned for years is the discontinued UV-5RA. As far as I know the guts are the same but the case is shaped differently so some accessories like higher capacity batteries are incompatible.

Therefore, today I got a 2-pack of current production UV-5Rs. The package I ordered included:

• 2 radios with standard capacity batteries and antennas.
• 2 3800 mah extra capacity batteries.
• 2 antennas that are better than the regular OEM Baofeng antennas.
• 2 desktop chargers.
• 1 programming cable and a mini-disc with CHIRP on it. (I recommend downloading CHIRP directly from the developer's website.)
• 2 earpieces.

Additionally, I have order in with Amazon for an additional programming cable, 2 battery eliminators (that allow you to power the radio off a 12 VDC outlet), and a 4-pack of speaker/mics.

Much of this will go into a radio go-bag along with extended patch cables and various coax adapters. I'll keep one my old UV-5RAs in my truck, where I also have a Tram mag-mount antenna.

Earlier this week I received one of Ed Fong's J-Pole antennas to improve performance in static situations. J-Poles are one of the more popular options for HT users seeking to improve the performance of their radios, and Ed Fong's has been well-regarded for years. It's very well made. It worked well for reception in my brief test but I've yet to transmit on it. 

I also picked up a 1/4 wave 2M ground plane antenna from Zulu Delta Antennas on eBay. The "Jungle Antenna" is similar, except that this has 4 ground radials instead of the Jungle Antenna's 3. I bought it mainly as a curiosity but from my understanding, J-Poles and 1/4 ground planes perform roughly comparably.

As an aside when I've tried to build a J-Pole I always had problems stripping the twinlead without cutting the conductor. As long as you have a SO-239 bulkhead socket and the ability to solder, I'd find a ground plane antenna easier to build.

But gear only gets you so far. Technology without knowledge is useless. I therefore went over how to use the Baofeng with my brother and gave him a reference card for the 3-3-3 radio plan so that we're both on the same page if we need the radios.

For anyone looking to really improve their commo game, ham or not, I highly recommend the book, The Guerrilla's Guide To The Baofeng Radio, by NCScout. While the book contains a large amount of information that is Baofeng-specific, the meat of it is about technique. Beware of and avoid other similarly-titled guides that are knock-offs.

NCScout's other book, The Guerrilla's Guide to Signals Intelligence, is also worth reading. This knowledge may come in handy if there's unrest following this Fall's election.

I urge everyone to get their communication plans in order well before the election.

Using the RTL Dongle and SDR on Apple Silicon

It's been a few years since I played with a software defined radion (SDR). I have one of the inexpensive RTL dongles and on Intel based Macs or Windows and Linux machines, there's a variety of SDR applications you can use. I tried a few but they kept crashing on me so I settled on gqrx.

Gqrx is built for Intel CPUs but it runs OK under Rosetta 2 on my M1 MacBook Air.

To install Rosetta 2 from a terminal prompt type this and hit Enter:

    $ softwareupdate --install-rosetta --agree-to-license

(Note: The dollar sign is the prompt, don't type it.)

Then install gqqrx using Homebrew. If you don't have Homebrew installed you'll need to do so first.

Install Homebrew:

    $ /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

Install gqrx:

    $ brew install --cask gqrx

When you first start it up you'll need to select your device on this screen:

After it starts check this out for instructions on getting started.

My RTL dongle has a USB A connection so I needed to use a USB A-to-C adapter to connect it to the Mac. For an antenna I used my Comet GP-3 2M/70cm mounted on my chimney.

2M and 70cm were quiet in my area last night but I was able to receive the local NOAA Weather station clearly:

And the FM broadcast spectrum was full. Here it is tuned to WMMR Philadelphia:

I'm thinking about picking up one of the receivers from SDRplay which in conjunction with their software, which is built for Apple Silicon, should perform better and be easier to setup. The SDRplay also receives a wider spectrum than the cheap dongles (which are good for the money).