You may not have heard this, but new HAM radio operators haven’t been required to learn Morse Code since 2007. It’s still popular among many amateur radio operators. Still, this means fewer people overall have been bothering to learn this communication technique. Do you really need it? It’s fair to wonder if Morse Code is even still relevant these days. I wondered about it myself for a while until I went searching for the answers.

Is Morse Code useful? Yes, you need to learn Morse Code for emergencies. While fewer people use Morse overall, it’s still incredibly helpful to be able to use this method of non-verbal communication.

When Will I Ever Use Morse Code in Real Life

You’re already busy all day, and you’ve been working hard on your preps. Learning Morse Code might seem like calculus, unnecessary. Most people don’t use it in their day to day lives. If you think that’s a good reason to avoid this incredibly useful language, you couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, that is the first reason to learn. Moreover, you should make sure your whole family or group can communicate in this way.

Broken Jaws & Other Horrors

Do you know that dream where you can’t scream? It’s a pretty common one for people who are feeling ineffective or helpless. Sure, it seems like something you can blow right past and ignore in the waking world, but you shouldn’t. Inability to communicate is a huge problem that can happen to anyone. Accidents and strep throat can happen anywhere and anytime.

Hopefully, you and everyone in your survival group will always be in perfect health. However, the odds of this are incredibly slim. If you fall, bite through your tongue or bust your jaw, you need to be able to cry for help. Additionally, if you were pushed, then letting others know about the danger is twice as vital. Screaming only communicates that there is a problem. You can’t give any details.

Shh, They’re Listening

Perhaps a busted face isn’t something you can wrap your mind around as a serious issue. You think you’ll just write it all down and be okay. Maybe you even packed those cool weatherproof writing pads and pens in every bit of your EDC and bug out gear. That’s a great idea, but what if you get captured?

Enemy soldiers, crazy neighbors, serial killers, or aliens from outer space, it doesn’t matter who or what gets you. If you’re not alone and need to let your companions know it Morse will help. Anytime you’re up a creek without a paddle and you at least have the reasonable expectation that someone, somewhere might hear you and help, then you need Morse Code. You can’t bang out ASL on a pipe in someone’s creepy hillbilly murder basement.

Additionally, ASL is excellent and very useful in its own way. However, more people are learning sign language than Chinese these days, so stick to the classics for a better chance at survival. Better still learn both.

Luckily, if you know Morse Code, you can leave a message in the dirt, or tap it out on a handheld radio. Likely most psycho kidnappers won’t be savvy enough to understand the sounds.

Post-Apocalypse Society

So your SHTF scenario doesn’t involve traipsing through enemy territory regularly, that’s a good plan. You might even pull it off. Now, what if the world has ended and things have settled down?

Let’s say the zombies killed eighty percent of the planet, but they mostly froze in winter, and they aren’t roaming anymore. Or perhaps the radiation from WWIII has finally disbursed enough to travel, and you don’t want the kids to inbreed.

Then again maybe the North Koreans or Russians perfected their high altitude EMP weapons and got angry with us, and you want to join resistance fighters after a decade in hiding. Scenarios both likely and improbable can all be solved the same way.

It doesn’t matter what went wrong. The fact is that you may someday need to find other people even if you can survive alone. How do you find other smart survivors and rebuild society? Morse Code can help with this dilemma.

Choices

• You can risk your own life without knowing whether there’s anyone else left. Looking for survivors is a noble death.
• Lighting a signal fire could work, but using Morse smoke signals will be more effective. Fires do happen in nature, after all.
• Then again, if you have a radio, you can assume somewhere out there other living humans might also have radios. In that case, sending out code is a lot simpler than hoping your voice doesn’t get garbled up over long distances. Plus there’s less risk.

Naturally, if your team is headed out to do some scouting or hunting, then you may want to send messages without giving out every detail as clear as day to whoever might be listening. In which case, it doesn’t matter if there are resistance fighters or radioactive bears or even psycho kidnappers. Mostly it’s just about having some common sense.

Seeking a Friend For The End of the World

Another common sense use for Morse Code and an excellent two-way radio like the Midland GXT1050VP4 you can get on Amazon, is just keeping in touch. Not every group of survivors who plan to work together are neighbors, and this particular radio can get a signal as far away as eighteen miles or more if your line of sight is clear.

All radios are less effective when there are buildings or other obstacles, but you’ll still get a couple of solid miles. If your friends are across town, or several miles down a country road when the SHTF, being able to talk quickly and without spewing details to all ears in the area is incredibly smart.

You don’t need a nearby group of survivors who plan to steal their way to a mountain of supplies showing up at your rendezvous. The unfortunate truth is that people will get desperate and dishonest if society falls apart. Don’t be a volunteer victim. 

Keeping in touch via Morse Code on your radios is also a great way to practice the skill. Languages can be learned. However, if you don’t practice, it will take you longer to translate than you might have in an emergency.

Aviators

Not everyone knows a pilot, but they’re certainly useful. If society falls, being able to communicate in a language that lets you make friends with many aviation enthusiasts can only help your chances.

Radio navigational aids such as VOR’s and NDB’s still identify in Morse Code, so someone out there is bound to be using it. Even if you only have a great handheld two-way radio like these Arcshell Rechargeable Long Range Two-Way Radios from Amazon, you can still communicate in a way planes might pick up. 

 

There’s More Than One

Something to keep in mind is that there are several versions of Morse Code. Samuel Finley Breese Morse patented the first electrical telegraph machine way back in 1837. We still use his code today. While the classic American Morse code is where it all started, other similar languages have evolved out of this brilliant concept.

• American Morse Code- The original code that all other forms of dot-dash are based upon is very straightforward.
• International & Continental Morse- These evolved out of the original and are fairly universal. This is the code most people refer to when they say “Morse Code.” The International variation has additional symbols but is mostly similar to Continental.
• Wabun (Japanese)- You’ll need to speak and read Japanese or have a translator in order to decode this version of Morse.
• SKATS (Korean)- Korean Morse uses the Standard Korean Alphabet, so like Wabun, you’ll need to either read and speak the language or find a good translator.

What’s The Difference

You don’t have to learn all the variations of Morse Code. One will do for your group. However, being able to tell them apart could come in very handy in a life and death situation. Mainly if there’s a war on our soil, you may want to know if someone in the area is using a foreign language code, and which one.

It’s better if you don’t have to ask if they’re friend or foe but instead can simply listen. Keeping a handy translation guide around for each might also be a good plan for a bug out library.

Final Thoughts

Developing your own secret language takes time and a lot more effort. While it could be useful, only the people you teach will ever be able to communicate with you. ASL is becoming incredibly popular, and it’s hard to keep a secret if you tell everyone. Morse Code is more selective and useful.

Pilots and HAM radio operators, maybe some military types and other savvy survivors are those most likely to speak the language. That means most people who would ‘get it,’ are probably people you can work with. Plus, having some form of nonverbal communication is incredibly useful even if you never meet someone outside your group to talk to.

You need to be able to talk even when your mouth is gagged, and your hands are barely functional. Morse Code is the best way to achieve that goal.

It’s nobody’s business but yours how much wealth you’re carrying on your body. Even when you fly, it’s not always a good idea to let on when you have gold. If you fall, asleep someone could take it off of you. Of course, declaring to customs is important, and you can get in a lot of trouble if someone decides you’re smuggling instead of just protecting your personal property. Can you get away with hiding gold?

How to hide gold from the metal detector at the airport? You can replace any metal part of anything you’re bringing with gold. However, a metal detector will catch it. Even in powder or liquid form, metal detectors detect metal. The best you can hope for is to pass it off as some other metal or to make it appear to be a jewelry piece.  

 

Smuggling Issues

Over the last year, a whole lot of people have been trying to smuggle gold from Dubai to India. Their efforts have gone mostly fruitless because they keep getting caught. Metal detectors will pick up gold because it’s a metal. Moreover, there are gold sniffing dogs. Even eating the gold won’t hide it from fido. If you don’t want to end up explaining to your friends and family why you’re in a hospital in a foreign country with police feeding you laxatives, don’t try to swallow gold.

Some of the efforts have been hilarious, while others were just sad and poorly thought through. A man replaced the underwires in a bra with gold wire and put gold bars in women’s underwear inside a purse which he packed in a suitcase. He then tried to get through a security checkpoint with 794 grams of gold bars and wire worth Rs 29,96,079.

India no longer has a law against gay sex, but posing as a crossdresser to smuggle precious metals through a security checkpoint is still not the best way to fly under the radar. Sure, the country is opening up a bit, but this wasn’t a good idea at all. Likewise, the gentleman who tried stashing gold in his anus and denied it was there probably wasn’t thinking too clearly. Not many people would be if they were that uncomfortable.

How Much

If you’re determined to try and get away with hiding gold and passing through airport security then you need to keep two things in mind: The more you have, the greater the risk, and maybe don’t be greedy. Taking less with you is one way to make sure you don’t look like you’re part of a major criminal organization if you do get caught. Keep it under $10,000, and preferably a whole lot less.

Taking a small amount is less risky and carries lesser penalties. Anything under $2500 is typically not a commercial quantity, and though you can be penalized (more on that later) it’s a much smaller risk.

The smuggling issue is more intense in India right now because local demand is higher than domestic production. The people of India love gold, so the duty tax to import it has gone up to ten percent. This leads to a lot of people wanting to get their gold into the country. If you’re going to try and move gold clandestinely, pick a location where they aren’t actively on the hunt for gold smugglers every minute of the day.

 

Where Can You Stash Gold

Assuming you’re willing to take the risk, then finding ways to stash gold isn’t all that hard. You can always try hiding gold inside of a gutted out golden watch. The watch already has the metal inside it so that it wouldn’t be so suspicious.

You could wear a wig and replace the bobby pins that hold it in place with golden wire pins. Similarly, you could try mixing powdered gold in with similar substances like baby powder, or coffee. Perhaps adding a few grains inside a strongly scented perfume would work, though the dogs would likely still smell it.

Genius Jewelry

Women’s jewelry is a great place to hide that glitter. You can use cheap paints to cover up the true nature of the item, and since it’s already metal, your chances are better. It’s probably best if you don’t try and wrap it up like a gift since gifts have to be declared at customs almost everywhere.

Bracelets

Hiding a small gold coin that’s 1/2 to 1/10 of an oz. inside a beautiful metal and stone bracelet can be effective. In fact, you can get lighter clay pieces that look just like a real stone to reduce the weight of the item and help compensate for the weight of the gold inside.

For a coin that’s less than 25 mm, you can pick up these lovely Panda Hall bracelets with empty bezels from Amazon. All you’ll need is a touch of hot glue, a coin, and something to cover it with.

Necklaces

If you’re seeking more variety in the shapes and styles available, a necklace can be the perfect stash spot. Since you can find necklace bezels in much larger sizes, and plenty of forms, a coin or other small amount of gold will fit better than inside a bracelet. Bastex makes multipacks of different colored necklace bezels so you can bring more than one piece with you. You’ll find them on Amazon along with the clear dome pendant covers to make it look like a finished product.

 

Legal Loopholes & Pitfalls

The good news is that you may not have to declare your gold at all. If you’ve brought a piece of jewelry from home, then you aren’t obligated to declare it explicitly at customs. At least, not in the USA. You may want to check local laws in other countries before you assume anything. The other side of that coin is that when you buy abroad, you do have to declare your purchase.

Fortunately for most Americans and tourists traveling through the USA, there are plenty of exemptions you can potentially qualify for. If your only concern is saving on those duty fees and you’re not selling gold, then you could be in luck. Be aware places like China might not allow you to leave out of country even if it is your own personal gold jewelry from home.

For those who are worried about traveling with their jewelry or watches and getting taxed or taxed twice for something you already own, there’s an easy solution. You can register them at a CBP (Customs and Border Protection) office or the airport before you leave to avoid any confusion. This is especially important if you originally purchased the item while out of the country in the first place.

Getting Caught

So you tried to move some gold without declaring it, and you got caught. What happens now? Even if it was a genuine accident, you could be fined and have your property confiscated. Running or lying would be a terrible idea at this point and almost certainly make things a whole lot worse. Call a lawyer.

Let it Go

Under most circumstances, for example, if you decide at the last second that it’s not worth the risk, after all, you can declare contraband and turn it over. Gold or foods won’t get you in much trouble, but drugs and weapons may be a different story. Hence, don’t try to smuggle gold inside arms, even legally registered and checked weapons.

Undeclared

If you were caught after you tried to pass the item off, be polite. Hopefully you have a lawyer helping you out, but either way, the penalties are similar.

• Less Than $2500- Section 592 of Customs Law says a fine of $300 will be given as a “spot penalty” for the non-declaration of a forbidden non-agricultural product, and the product will be confiscated.
• You Can Ask For a Hearing- If you’d rather go to court, you are welcome to do so. However, the fine assessed in court may be as high as a thousand dollars.
• Agricultural Products- Anything that can harbor parasites could cost you as much as $10,000. As a result, you should never try and hide your gold in any foods or other agricultural items.
• Money Laundering- Transporting commercial quantities, at least within the US, is punishable as money laundering. Fines can reach as high as $500,000 or twice the value of the gold in question (whichever is more), and you could be looking at twenty years in prison.

Final Thoughts

Metal detectors, as long as they’re functional, are going to spot metal on your person or in your luggage. You can try distracting the agents or disguising the nature of the metal, but the risk is incredibly high. Twenty years in jail for a large quantity of gold is not a consequence you should ever take lightly. A much smaller piece might be reasonable, and if it’s personal jewelry, you can always opt to simply declare and register it.

Especially if you’re planning to fly to or from India, or anywhere else that has dogs sniffing for gold, the likelihood of getting caught is more significant than your chances of getting away with smuggling.

No one can tell you what risks are worthwhile to you. Sometimes getting a gold coin through customs undeclared is worth the trouble for a person. For most of us, it’s not.

It’s just water. It won’t hurt you! We’ve all heard that line growing up, but there’s more to water than H2O. Still, there’s surely no problem with drinking water out of a sealed container if it’s just been sitting there a while, right? I wanted to get to the heart of the matter, so you know what’s really safe to drink.

Can you get sick from drinking old water? Yes, you can absolutely get sick from drinking old water. Unfortunately, there’s no such thing as perfect water storage. Contaminants and other issues can compromise your supply if you’re not careful. 

 

Looking For Trouble

You can’t always see, or smell when water is polluted. However, that doesn’t mean that you should stop looking at and smelling things before they go in your mouth. Your first line of defense is what you perceive easily.

Examine water containers for any signs of damage. Are there leaks? Does it seal properly? Is it stored somewhere off the ground and out of direct sunlight? If you can answer no to any of these questions, then think twice. Keep an eye out for any haziness in the water. Cloudy, any color at all or the presence of bugs and debris are all bad news.

Your nose is incredibly sensitive. A sense of smell is one of the things we developed as a species to help warn us of danger. Though it’s far from universal, things that smell nice tend to be okay. Meanwhile, when smells make you gag, your nose is trying to tell you something is wrong. Always listen to your instincts.

Too Late

What if you’ve already had the bad water? How soon will you know something is wrong, and can you even tell? Luckily there are some pretty common signs you can watch out for that indicate the water supply might be where your trouble is coming from.

• Stomach cramps within forty-eight hours of drinking questionable water is a significant indicator. You can get stomach cramps from other sources like food poisoning or illness, but water could be the culprit.
• Nausea can be a sign your water has gone off. Often when invisible microorganisms are present, one of the first signs is feeling queasy. Even if you don’t vomit, never ignore a warning.
• Dizziness or getting ‘the spins’ isn’t normal at all. If you’ve eliminated other likely problems such as hunger, exhaustion, and dehydration, then bad water could be to blame.
• Weakness like unexpected fatigue or the inability to tense muscles normally might be a water issue.
• Confusion, lack of ability to focus, or even fuzzy thinking may also be a sign of bad water. When your system gets polluted, and you’re not getting what you need, cognitive function can falter.

Don’t wait until it’s already too late to check for problems. While you’re at it, grab some LifeStraws, like this three-pack from Amazon. Prevention is the best medicine because when it works, that’s all you need.

Water Can Kill You

A nasty taste in your mouth, and some symptoms aren’t the only issues with bad water. If you drink enough contaminated water to start throwing up regularly, you can become severely dehydrated. Drinking more bad water will only make it worse. Unfortunately, that’s not the only way to die from bad water, and each one is worse than the last.

Heavy Metal

If you or someone in your party is lethargic, or can’t move their limbs, it could be a sign of heavy metal poisoning. Under any normal circumstance, you’d need to get them to a hospital right away. Heavy metal poisoning can certainly kill people.

Children, the elderly, and anyone with a weakened immune system will be most susceptible. Your first line of defense is to get away from the source immediately. Additionally, even when heavy metals don’t kill, the damages can be long-lasting. Things like brain damage and congenital disabilities in children are avoidable if you’re careful about contaminants.

Sadly there’s no treatment for Cadmium poisoning. However, there are some things you can do for mercury, arsenic, and lead poisoning. Chelation therapy can help, but the OTC remedies remain largely suspect. If you can get medical help, the chelators bind the metals in your body and help you dispose of them.

Additionally, even when things aren’t worst-case, having someone non-functional slows everyone in your party down. Ultimately that makes surviving much more difficult. When TEOTWAWKI happens, mobility and health are as important as skills and tools.

“Other”

Heavy metals and visible insects or debris aren’t alone. You can get dysentery from polluted water, especially if you drink downstream from where others eat, use the bathroom and bathe their dirty bodies. Chemicals can each into bottles and deposits of soap, and other foreign contaminants can mess with your supplies. Never assume something is ‘clean enough.’ Take the time and put in the effort to make sure your water is safe.

 

How Often Should I Check My Water

You should check the water before you drink every time. However, for long term storage, there are some ways to reduce the risk. Obviously, if you have a well on your property, you’ll want to test it regularly. For those who have to store water above ground, things are a little different.

Stored Water

I’m going to assume you probably don’t have a water tower of your own. Emergency water storage can include a number of solutions. Depending on how prepared you are and your circumstances, any of these things might be your drinking water source:

• Rain Barrels
• Above ground large storage tanks
• Gallons or Jugs stored in a pantry or basement
• Hot water heaters and the back tanks on toilets
• Bathtubs and sinks full of standing water
• A clean aquarium

Sometimes you simply have to keep water in the containers you have. This can happen in fast emergencies, like a sudden hurricane. Finding or keeping water where it is may not be ideal, but if you’re stuck without another choice, do what you must.

Water Rotation

If you’re preparing a bug out or bug in location (or even a BOV) you should rotate and check your water supplies every six months to a year. Store it off the ground and away from any obvious sources of heat. Also, always check to be certain that the container is clean and food-safe when possible.

Sticking to these simple rules should keep your water drinkable. If you’re worried about it anyway, then grab a handy LifeStraw Go Water Filter Bottle with the two-stage integrated filter straw inside from Amazon to put your mind at ease. 

Taking the guesswork out of something as vital as water safety is always a good idea. When your life depends on the decisions you make because the world is falling down around you, it’s a terrible time to realize you skipped the basics. No one wants to die from an avoidable mistake. Skip the drama, and just keep up your rotation and supplies.

 

Final Thoughts

Contrary to the popular rumor, humans are not made of ninety percent water. However, we are still about 70% water. That’s a lot of fluid to maintain. When experts recommend a gallon of water per person per day for emergencies, that’s no joking matter. Keeping that water clean and potable is the difference between life and death, or at least life and severe ongoing health issues.

Our planet is also about seventy percent water, but you can’t drink most of what’s laying around without processing it first. While there are a ton of ways to purify water, many of them require expensive, bulky, or powered equipment to make sure it’s safe. That’s why I like Life Straws so much. Portable is good.

Always remember to double-check your water and the equipment you’re using it with. A clean bottle or jug is as important as the liquid you store inside.

It’s perfect. You have a location in an isolated area full of food, tools, seeds, and everything else you might need to survive forever. You even have running water and clear lines of sight to help keep yourself safe. It’s a great plan… If you can get there. Sadly that’s not a guarantee. Moreover, there are some other flaws in the bugout plan that need addressing.

Bugging out can be a perfect plan, but you know what they say about plans. I looked into the downside of using a bugout plan, and it may not be the best idea.

Why is bugging out a bad idea? Everyone’s doing it. When supplies run low in cities, where do you think people will go? It’s not always necessary, and that makes it wasteful. Plus, most people probably can’t hack it. 

 

Let’s Talk About Sanity

Look, I hate to bring this up, but we need to look at some common delusions. When the grocery stores are open, and your power is running, it’s fine to say, “Grab your tinfoil hat and gun, we’re all gonna die when SHTF!” You look crazy, but it’s mostly harmless. More importantly, convincing yourself that you are somehow magically protected by a perfect plan is a big problem.

Truly functional emergency preparedness is about doing what you can to be ready for realistic scenarios. It is not about convincing yourself that you can do anything with the right gear or team. It’s not even about convincing yourself that you can go it alone and make it all by your onesie savvy.

Every plan you’ve ever made can be messed up by one really sneaky thief or a shot in the head from a farmer who saw you coming a decade before you started prepping at all. They know how to prepare the home they have for long term sustainability. Especially farmers. They have weapons, like this quiet and effective Snake Eye Tactical Crossbow you can pick up on Amazon.

Before we go any further, you need to accept two simple facts. First, there’s always someone smarter, faster, stronger, or better prepared than you are. Second, you cannot have a perfect plan, and you missed something important. It doesn’t matter what you missed.

You Underestimate Things

Both humans and animals are less stupid than you think. The wild areas around cities will be filled with bug out teams, desperate people, and everyone who lives there. Supplies aren’t going to be abundant in the wild for a long time after any significant event.

Some desperate and starving people may die, but plenty of others will quickly pick up the survival skills they need on the fly. This ability to adapt and improvise is why we’re at the top of the food chain.

Animals aren’t going to hang out and wait for you to find them. When hunting season starts, lots of smart critters head for the hills. Those that don’t will end up getting depleted pretty quickly. All those extra bodies of people fleeing big cities mean animals will head further out, or back toward the cities to escape and then you’re out of luck. Similarly, the plant life will be stripped off because the areas outside metro areas can’t sustain all those hungry people.

More important than all of these things combined is that nature, even abundant nature will kill you without mercy. Most people will die of infections, freezing, and other elementary complications long before they starve.

 

Bug In

Bugging out is what you do when there’s a fire headed for your house, or when it’s burnt to the ground. It’s the solution to hurricanes, floods, and other unavoidable messes. However, it’s not an end-all-be-all, every egg in the same basket solution. You need a bug in plan.

Being able to stay home gives you the home-court advantage. This is where you know the area and people the best. Bugging in means not needing to move a lot of people, equipment, and supplies anywhere. Also, you may not be able to bug out. Vehicles fail, and broken ankles happen. There are plenty of scenarios where traveling isn’t a choice for you or your group. Are you ready for that?

Plus, home is where your bed is. Sleep is more important than you think. Not just comfort, but your actual sanity and ability to function at all depend on getting enough high-quality rest. If you’re not a young, healthy regular camping enthusiast, sleeping on the ground is a terrible idea.

Prepare Where You Live

For now, let’s let go of the bug out location. You may need one, but first, you need a bug-in plan. If you’re a renter, some things won’t be practical. You may not be allowed to beef up your windows and doors. Homeowners should undoubtedly take a look at basic security features like that.

Power

If you rent or own a home, then power is usually one of your first concerns. When the lights go out, you need a backup plan. Carefully shielding your running lights with some great blackout curtains is a start.

Traditional gas-powered generators are highly effective. However, they have two major flaws. First, they need gas, which is expensive and may not be readily available in an emergency. Second, generators are loud. Not only will this make it harder for you to hear trouble coming, but it will also paint a noisy target over your home if everywhere else is nice and quiet.

Consider an alternative camping generator. You can pick up more than one if necessary. An excellent solar generator like the Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 240 runs on solar energy. It won’t work in a nuclear winter, but you probably have more significant problems if that’s the case anyhow. Otherwise, I suggest you invest in a couple of them. You can get Jackery 240s on Amazon. Plus the company can also help you find some solar power cells for the roof. 

Water

All the light and heat in the world won’t help if you starve or die of dehydration. Water supplies can get old and funky over time. Make sure you rotate them often and check for leaks or pollutants.

As long as you have water put away, there’s another easy solution in case your supply grows unwanted mold or has some other contamination issue. I like these Life Straw Water Bottles also from Amazon. They take the guesswork out of safe water. All you have to do is fill it up and sip. Anything that can double as bug in or bug out gear is golden in my book.

Beyond Basic Long Term Food Storage

People can survive a whole lot longer than they think without food. Anyone who watches Naked and Afraid can tell you that even a mostly unprepared homemaker can live off their body fat for twenty days if they have water and shelter. However, you’d be severely compromised. The energy to do what needs doing is pretty crucial if you want to survive.

Spices & More List

Before We discuss actual food storage options, here’s a quick rundown on some things to add to your supplies that might not otherwise occur to you.

• Garlic is tasty and great for your immune system. It can be sprinkled on wounds to help keep them from getting infected.
• Regular iodized table salt provides us with necessary iodine and salt we need to survive.
• Ginger can help with digestive issues and spice up your food.
• Cayenne pepper helps keep your circulatory system in better shape.
• Vinegar, especially apple cider vinegar, can help prevent kidney stones and aid in cleaning among other uses.
• Onion powder is packed with antioxidants.
• Tumeric reduces swelling.
• Black pepper will give meals a kick and make the tumeric hundreds of times more effective.
• Cocoa powder affects the pleasure centers of your brain and will help keep spirits up when things are tough.

Food Storage

We have lots of great articles right here on newbie prepper to help you with your food storage. In general, you want to look out for practical solutions that don’t waste much space and last as long as possible. Canned goods and freeze-dried foods are the best for the long term.

Get into the habit of rotating your stocks. Buy new items and then store them at the back of your supplies. Things near the front should be closer to their expiration dates. Use those first. When you add to your supplies, take out some of the older foods, and cook with them to keep things fresh.

Learning to can things yourself is incredibly useful. However, there are some things that you need to leave to the professionals. Pumpkin, for example, is incredibly prone to developing problems because you need ultra-high heat to make it safe enough for storage.

When you’re just starting, or you need more supplies in a hurry, pick up Keystone Meats. They keep well, and the flavor is outstanding. For those who are just realizing their whole plan hinges on getting somewhere else, this can be a lifesaver and a time saver for getting your current home emergency ready. 

 

Final Thoughts

You can never be ready enough for every emergency. That’s why we talk so much about having equipment that does double or triple duty. Moreover, it’s why we discuss skills acquisition in addition to or in lieu of just buying stuff.

I’m not saying you should ditch all your bug-out plans altogether. You should, however, reassess and consider a good bug in plan part of your necessary preparations. If you want to survive, you need to make sure you can do that wherever you are. Be ready for everything to go sideways and your plans to fall apart. Most importantly, never assume your best strategy is the one that you’ll be able to act on but have one anyhow.

There are no perfect plans, just reasonable efforts. Don’t get discouraged, but don’t leave everything to a bug out plan you may have to change or toss out the window either.

When you read things on the internet, you really have to take them with a grain of salt. For example, microwaving your phone will not charge it. More alarmingly your microwave and phone might explode. The worldwide web is the most significant source of information ever created by humans. Unfortunately, it’s also the greatest source of disinformation ever created by humans as well. When I first heard that you could wrap a device in foil and it will shield it from EMFs I laughed. Then I stopped to think about it, and the theory is sound enough.

Will wrapping your electronics in aluminum foil protect against EMF? Yes, both aluminum mesh and foil will protect devices against most EMF radiation. The presence of a Faraday cage around a device will help protect it and block out signals. This includes signals you want to send and receive. 

Why Foil

It’s ubiquitous enough. Foil can is everywhere. Grocery stores and even dollar stores carry it. In fact, you probably already have aluminum foil in your kitchen drawer. All Aluminum foil is thinly pressed sheets of ninety-two to ninety-nine percent pure aluminum. So what is it about this inexpensive household supply that stops electromagnetic fields in their tracks?

Is Aluminum Special

Looking at it, the thirteenth element, aluminum, isn’t rare or unique. Aluminum makes up about eight percent of the core of the Earth. Likewise, on the surface, it’s the most common metal. Overall it’s the third most common element. The only things there are more around us are silicon and oxygen.

What aluminum does have is corrosion resistance, incredible strength, and very little weight compared to other metals. The aluminum oxide on the surface of aluminum prevents rust from forming. Incredibly it’s almost as durable as steel, yet it only has about a third of the weight. Moreover, aluminum is reusable. This makes it incredibly versatile and cost-effective. In fact, about three-quarters of all aluminum ever produced is still in use.

There’s no such thing as pure aluminum in nature, possibly because it binds so easily with other elements. In short, there’s nothing special at all about aluminum. It’s as far from unique as anything can be.

 

How a Faraday Cage Protects Devices

Enclosing a device, person or anything really inside a solid layer or a mesh of either aluminum or copper will create a Faraday Cage. However, copper is far less cost-effective and less corrosion proof. The lovely turquoise-colored tarnish that old copper pipes or unsealed copper jewelry get is a problem. It might make a pretty picture, but it’s also damaging the metal.

The surrounding material conducts and distributes external charges. This, in turn, cancels any effect the charge might have inside the field. Faraday Cages are often used to protect sensitive equipment from electromagnetic interference like computer forensic tests. Alternately, you can use a Faraday cage to keep waves inside too.

The casing around a microwave oven is an excellent example of this. That mesh pattern in the window lets you watch food cook without getting hit by the microwaves. Microwaves are another example of electromagnetic radiation.

I Tried It

Full disclosure, I wrapped my cell phone in foil and had a friend call me. Nothing happened. I wanted to make certain that the technique works. I’m satisfied with the preliminary result. I expected the phone to ring. Though the science is sound, I still thought it might be a little too simple.

Using foil will block the waves. However, I’m concerned about larger applications. While DIY is fantastic and cost-effective, sometimes you need to go with the pros. I use Empshield to help keep my home and equipment safe from attacks. You should check them out when you’re ready to cover a larger area like your home or business.

Can It Fail

Sadly a faraday cage is far from perfect. The attenuation, blockage of the outside force, isn’t complete. Foil is better than mesh in this case. Because it’s solid, it disperses better. However, they both have limits. Waves, like radio waves a phone or walkie talkie might need to function, are impaired. Radio is a form of EMF radiation, but there are others.

The length of the waves can change the efficacy of the shield. The power of the transmission also matters. Additionally, proximity can be a problem. For example, near-field high-powered frequency transmissions might pass through. Hence, high-frequency RFID is likely to get past your makeshift foil faraday cage.

Recently studies have pointed to some alarming results. It seems that Faraday Cages don’t quite wok the way we thought. A mesh cage or one made of very thin foil may be much less effective than a solid or thicker one.

How To Protect Against EMF

EMF weapons or nuclear explosions in the atmosphere, which create EMF waves may be the future of warfare. The ability to damage an area without destroying the buildings and other resources is an advantage. People wouldn’t be able to communicate.

Moreover, people would be without essential services and technology. That leaves them vulnerable to attacks. Most alarmingly, there’s evidence that prolonged exposure to EMFs may cause cancer. How can you protect yourself and your property?

Take Steps To Protect What’s Yours

• Take aluminum foil and wrap up extra equipment and wires.
• Place things inside an aluminum trashcan with an aluminum lid.
• Get yourself a suit of EMF protective clothing. Workers who handle powerlines often wear these suits, but you can pick up EMF resistant fabric and make your own.
• If you want to protect your whole house contact the people at EMPshield.com. They can help you with making your entire home EMF proof.

The walls of a home have no integrated protection against EMF. Simply put, wood, nails, drywall, stone, or brick don’t protect you. Sure, they’ll keep out the elements, but that’s it. If there’s an attack in your area, the whole grid could go down.

Without adequate protection, there’s nothing you could do. All your electronics and even the wiring in your walls would be a toasted mess. You’d be out power and thousands of dollars in equipment.

What Does the Shielding Effect

There is a tradeoff of sorts when you shield your whole house. For example, some models of cell phone won’t work inside. However, you’ll be protected against most electric shocks. It may seem counter-intuitive to use metal to avoid shock, but it works. Plus it discourages EMFs in your home.

Some signals within your home may be amplified as well. You’ll want to test anything that has wires inside it to see what the exact effect is on your equipment. For example, a television remote could be effected. You may want a TV that has a backup set of buttons for power and channel changing.

You can use built-in equipment just fine. Additionally, you can use your battery-operated devices. Your battery-powered alarm clocks are fine, and light sockets are a perfect example of integrated technology. Your lights will still work as well.

Wifi & Faraday Cages

A wifi router may be affected by a faraday cage. Because it emits radio waves, some of these will be absorbed by the cage around it. Sadly, the signal won’t be as strong. I suggest you use a wired connection to help avoid this issue in an EMF protected home.

Heat

The other noteworthy effect of a faraday cage is the heat. The waves bouncing around may be absorbed, but they are converted into a small amount of heat energy. Energy cannot be created or destroyed. It has to go somewhere. Putting in some extra fans or kicking up that ac unit a little bit more often may be necessary.

In winter, this can become an advantage. After all, extra ambient heat means less need for heaters. Simply running your devices normally might help keep your home a tiny bit warmer. How much heat depends on the energy being dissipated.

Obviously, if you have a hundred devices at home, it’s going to heat up more than if you’re a tech minimalist. Smarthome devices, extra computers, and having a large number of people who all use tech at home change how warm it gets inside. Most things won’t cause a huge or even noticeable effect. However, you may want to consider using less tech inside the house.

 

Final Thoughts

Is it worth going to all this trouble to protect your home and family from something like EMF? Of course, it is! Everyone has to make their own decision about what works for them. You can opt to have just one room where you keep duplicate equipment and parts. A basement is a great idea if you’re able to build from the ground up.

Remember how your parents told you to pick up every day? A little bit of tidying can save you a ton of trouble. You can store things inside a protected container when you aren’t using them. It’s a simple solution you can use daily. However, in the long run, you want to protect the whole house. Those with a separate bug out location should look at protecting both. Your home and your survival abode both need to be prepared.

Don’t risk your survival or your family’s health. Proper preparedness is about doing everything you can to ensure you make it through whatever life throws at you.

Grab your bag and hit the trail. There’s nothing quite like the freedom of being able to drop everything and go for a hike. Whether it’s necessary for survival, training, or just good fun, hiking is a fantastic pastime. It certainly keeps the military in great shape. Surely their packs are perfect for long distances, or are they? I had to find out for myself, so I took a closer look at what makes a backpack right for hiking.

It turns out there are a lot more factors involved in choosing a backpack than I expected. Everyone has their personal style and color preferences, but backpacks are diverse and specialized equipment. What works best in one scenario just isn’t right for everyone, every place, or every circumstance.

Are military backpacks good for hiking? No, they are not. The armed forces use bags designed to go over armor or uniforms and never rip. They aren’t made for comfort on long trails. Get a good framepack if you want to do serious backpacking.

Backpacking Options

Before you run out and grab the first pack someone suggests at a sporting goods store, it helps to know what you’re looking at. Learning the language enables you to keep things straight so you can get what you need and what you want. As it turns out, there are over a dozen types of ‘backpacks’ on the market today. I’ll break them all down for you on the list below.

Types of Backpacks

• Compression Sack-

A compression sack is designed to pack everything down into the smallest space possible. If you hate wasted space and need a secondary pack, this is the bag to pick.

• Daypack

Its lightweight and durability characterize the Daypack style. These are for a weekend adventure, not a long haul.

• Drawstring

Drawstring packs typically have a single compartment, and the straps are also used to draw the mouth of the bag shut. Hence the name drawstring. These are similar to knapsacks but made to carry less stuff more efficiently.

• Dry Bag

Made for wet climates, a drybag is essentially a frameless frame pack. They’re more durable than a day pack, but hold less and weigh less than a standard framed backpack.

• Duffel

Duffle backpacks look like a combination of a standard duffle bag like you might take to the gym and a backpack. The unique looks and easy access to your things make this style more suited to urban use than emergency prepping.

• Framepack

This is the type of backpack you typically see on “backpackers.” The aluminum frame helps hold up more and keep you balanced while you’re on the move. Most framepacks come with elastic loops or ties on the bottom to hold a sleeping bag. You can also find styles that have an old school external frame rather than the modern internal design. I prefer this TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Internal Frame Backpack I found on Amazon. 

• Hydration Pack

A hydration pack sometimes called a hydro-pack or camelback (brand name) is made to hold gear and water. There’s a hose to drink from on the go, and these are ideal for distance runners and cyclists.

• Knapsack

Rucksack meets drawstring pack. These lightweight, semi-waterproof nylon bags often have a zipper pouch in addition to the main compartment.

• Laptop Backpack

You have probably owned a laptop backpack if you carry your computer with you. The main element here is a padded compartment for a laptop or notebook. Usually, these bags are waterproof and about the same size and design as a child’s school backpack.

• OutDry

OutDry packs are a hybrid backpack. They take elements from many outdoor bags for an all-inclusive, mostly weatherproof pack with no frame.

• Rain Cover

As you might expect, a rain cover backpack is made to keep the rain out. The cover is almost always entirely removable, though they may attach at the top, bottom or side. Sometimes theses ingenious packs incorporate a special pouch for the cover. Otherwise, they’re very similar to a daypack.

• Rucksack

The most significant difference between a rucksack and a more traditional backpack is the closure. Where most packs have a drawstring or zipper closure, a rucksack has straps and buckles.

• Slingbag

Slingbags usually hold a little bit less gear. The design is easily identifiable because there’s a single long strap that goes over one shoulder or across the body. They look like a semi-triangular crossbody bag that sits low on your back.

• Suitcase Backpack

While suitcase backpacks can look like many styles, what makes them unique is the handle and wheels. A suitcase backpack is made for heavy loads that need to be wheeled around behind you or carried on your back depending on where you are.

• Tactical Military

MilTac backpacks are the type you see soldiers wearing in the field. They often have a plethora of compartments and include straps for the chest or waist along with connection points for molle bags. These are made to handle rugged and rough circumstances without wear and tear.

• Tote

Most tote backpacks usually are a durable but lightweight nylon material. The defining feature on these hybrids are the top handles, which are made to look and carry like a tote bag.

• Traditional

A few million school kids wear these every day. Two straps, the main compartment and a front pouch make up a conventional backpack.

Why Do Backpackers Need A Different Pack

With som many styles to choose from why would backpackers need a different pack at all? Surely one of the other styles works just as well. The truth is that you can manage with any backpack, but emergency preparedness is all about being as ready as you can for when SHTF. A military pack makes an okay option, but so do lots of the others.

What makes a frame pack different is the ability to carry a whole lot more in relative comfort. You can get a fantastic internal frame backpack on Amazon, like this Mountaintop 50L-60L Hiking Backpack with Rain Cover. 

The rigid frame holds the bag in place and allows you to keep things organized. It avoids rumpling and squishing, which can be necessary depending on what you’re carrying. However, more important still is that fact that it holds the pack in place. This stability allows you to take the weight comfortably for long distances.

Padded straps give your shoulders a break and keep you from getting bruised. Improperly distributed weight and too-thin straps can hurt badly. The chest and waist straps help your body distribute the load more evenly, thus also sparing your shoulder muscles some of the strain.

I suggest starting with a great pack like the High Sierra Appalachian 75 Internal Frame Backpack from Amazon.

How To Pack

Cramming everything in wherever it fits is incredibly inefficient. Being prepared is about more than gear. Knowing how to maintain and handle your equipment and training to use it is a vital part of the process. If a backpack is part of your bug out gear, and it should be, you need to go backpacking.

What Goes Where

First off, there is no secret to perfect packing. The gear and equipment each person has are bound to vary. That said, there are a few tips I can give you for packing your frame pack correctly so that backpacking will be a fun experience instead of unnecessarily painful.

• Don’t overdo it

If you pack more weight than you can handle, fatigue and pain will slow you down. I’ve said it before, and I’ll repeat it, emergency preparedness is about more than just having the right gear.

• Learn where your brain is

If that statement makes no sense, then you probably don’t know backpack terminology. A “Brain” is the easy to reach pocket on top of the flap that goes over your top closure. This is where you put your map, GPS, a snack, knife, or anything else you might need quickly.

• Be smart about your kangaroo pouch

Don’t stick wet gear in with your dry goods. Instead, use that front pouch on the bag to keep it separate. You may also want to stuff a couple of plastic bags in there to help insulate the wet gear and avoid soaking through to your inner compartment.

• Weight Goes On Your Back

Whatever parts of your gear are the heaviest should be up against your back when your pack is on. For ultralight packers that may mean jeans and a jacket. If you have metal gear or other dense, bulky goods, make sure this is where they end up when the bag is full. This will help keep you centered; literally, it aids in keeping your center of gravity near your body.

• Compression Sacks Are Your Friends

While you don’t want to overpack, a good compression sack or two will help you remove excess air and keep your whole pack together. Instead of leaving your clothing loose, pack it down in one of these handy sacks for added convenience. You can pull out what you need when you stop for the night.

• No Faith Rule

Just because you bought a rip-proof, wear-proof and waterproof bag doesn’t mean it’s invincible. Always carry a needle and thread to repair any tears. Plus, it’s a good idea to bring waterproof bags and covers to keep things dry inside.

• The Definition of Necessity

Before you pack anything, lay out all your supplies. Make a checklist, so you know what you need like spare socks, enough water, food, and a firestarter. Once you have everything together, take a long look at what you plan to take with you. If there’s anything you don’t need then set it aside.

Pack the bag with no extras, test it for weight and see if you have room for any bonus items. If you do have space, look over your luxury items carefully. Pull out what you think you can fit comfortably. Once that’s done, get rid of half or more and only include a couple of unnecessary treats.

Pro Packers

You won’t get to be a backpacking expert overnight. However, once you’ve been on a few trips, you will know what you really need and what should stay at home instead. Over time, you’ll get better at anticipating your needs. This is a skill, and it can take some time to get it right, but it’s worth the effort. Just like building muscle, learning to pack correctly is something anyone can do if you’re willing to put in the effort.

Make The Most of What You Have

If you jumped the gun, it’s okay. Part of proper prepping is knowing how to use what you have to your advantage. When you plan to pack and carry different types of backpacks, then you need practice with all of them. Muscle alone won’t save you. Learning the pitfalls and strengths of your equipment is something you can only do with time and practice.

If your funds are limited, then you may need to wait to upgrade and expand your equipment. There’s nothing wrong with doing things this way. In fact, it can be an advantage to learn how to work with less or imperfect gear. Work within the budget you have and learn to shop smart and save more.

 

Final Thoughts

Backpacking is a sport as well as being a skill. Time and training will get you where you need to go on your journeys. Start small. Take a day pack, or even your military backpack and go for an afternoon the first few times. Work your way up to overnights.

Especially if you’re not used to being outdoors, it can take a while before you feel ready to tackle the longer journeys. Find a friend to travel with so that you have backup in case something unfortunate happens. Anyone can break an ankle if they misplace a foot on the trail.

There are hazards to learning any sport, but backpacking gives you a tremendous sense of freedom. Getting out in nature, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, is a pleasure as well as a vital learning experience for any prepper.