Defending Against Mobs

With the current social/political mood rather restless, I've had a few people ask me how best to react to mobs and/or riots. I live in a rural area, so we aren't expecting much in the way of violence (one murder a year in the county is big news), but most of us have to travel to “the city” for shopping or other business and there have been some disturbances down there. I've witnessed one good riot in person and have followed a few others closely, but I'm not an expert by any means and so I started looking for expert advice.

The best advice is the simplest: stay away from crowds. Use the “rule of thumb” for any disaster waiting to happen, by which I mean “If you can't cover it with your thumb held out at arm's reach, you're too close.” Avoiding problems is the easiest way to deal with them, so not being where the trouble occurs is the simplest way to deal with an unruly mob.

The worst thing you can do is to go looking for trouble. Unless you have serious back-up on many levels, from legal to firepower, you're not going to be able to do much good. The only time preemptive action will work is if we enter a truly WROL (Without Rule of Law) scenario and that is a “survive at any cost” situation.

Defense against an unruly mob or group of attackers is a roll of the dice.

• Locally, we had a bar owner shoot and kill a man who had already assaulted one person and was in the act of assaulting the bar owner. The local prosecutor looked at the evidence and decided to file no charges, but after a couple of days of “protests” he changed his mind and turned it over to a grand jury. The grand jury indicted the bar owner for murder.
• The lawyer couple in St, Louis that were armed while telling protesters to leave their property have been charged. That case is still ongoing.
• People who display a firearm against a crowd attacking their vehicle may get away unscathed, but there are groups ready to identify them and ruin their lives. Being fired from a job, having your personal information posted online, being defamed in public media and forums, and civil lawsuits are all tactics used by the organizers of some of these protests.

Some of you may have heard of Masad Ayoob. He's been teaching firearms use for decades internationally and is one of the world's experts on defensive firearms use. He did a rather long interview a few months back on this subject and covered it in detail. I strongly suggest you find the time to sit and watch or listen to his advice. At the very least, read through the shortened transcript.

The highlights are:

• Avoid crowds.
• If you run into a crowd, try to get away.
• If you can't get away, try to deescalate the situation.
• If your life is in danger, you do have the right to defend yourself against that threat, but only that threat.
• Know your target and what is beyond it. You're responsible for everything damaged by your bullets.
• Not everyone in a crowd is a legal target; most of them are not going to be violent.
• Handguns are easier to keep control of, are less likely to over-penetrate a target, and are easier to use in a vehicle than a long gun.
• Outside of WROL, you will be held responsible for your actions.
• Lawyers will be involved and they're expensive.
• Know your local laws and how they are enforced. Some areas are not friendly to self-defense.
• Being in a car adds to the problems; newer cars won't let you run over a person and airbags deploying will incapacitate you for minutes.
• Firing a weapon inside a car will damage your hearing permanently.

He did cover the “Rooftop Koreans” briefly, as well as a few other historical examples of people defending themselves against unruly mobs. The LA riots were a WROL situation since the police had been pulled back. There were about two dozen “unsolved” deaths, but no definite examples of defenders killing rioters. More recent events have been treated differently, depending entirely upon the political views of the courts and prosecutors involved.

Short of a total collapse of infrastructure I feel fairly safe in my area, but I know some of you are living in areas that are likely to see rioting if things don't calm down soon. Keep your eyes open, your training current, and your powder dry.

Guest Post: Is GMRS For You?

GMRS stands for General Mobile Radio Service and is a licensed service in the USA that shares some of the FRS (Family Radio Service) channels but allows use of radios and antennas that give you more range. In this article I will outline the steps to get a license, as well as talk a little bit about what equipment is available. 

Why GMRS?

Unlike Ham Radio, a GMRS license requires no test; just 3 questions on an application and a $70 payment. The license is good for 10 years and covers you and your immediate family all the way down to your grandchildren, including in-laws! You can conduct a family business using GMRS (so it’s good for a ranch or farm), but your employees are not covered; they would need their own license so they can talk with you. Many Public Service organizations such as CERT or REACT also use GMRS. With this license you could have you our own repeater if you wanted (or form a group to pay for putting one together)

How Much Range is "More"?

Mobile and Base Stations are up to 50W, but GMRS uses repeaters like you have with Ham. So depending on your terrain, you could communicate 5-10 miles between your house (with an outdoor antenna) and your car while you are out; with a repeater, that might be 50 miles. 

How Do I Get a License?

Get a FRN (Federal Registration Number)

If you already have a Ham License you might have a FRN already. If so, skip to “Apply for a License". 

1. Go to https://apps.fcc.gov/coresWeb/publicHome.do
2. Click on Register.
3. Answer the questions. 
4. Register as an Individual as GMRS licenses are only good for Individuals.
5. Wait for the email with your FRN

Apply for a License

1. Go to https://wireless2.fcc.gov/UlsEntry/licManager/login.jsp and log in.
2. Click on Apply for a License (on the left hand column).
3. Choose the bottom choice in the box (ZA - General Mobile Radio Service)
4. Answer the additional questions about whether you are exempt as NO.
5. Answer the question about whether you have been convicted of a Felony.
6. Review to make sure all your answers are correct. 
7. Sign by typing your full name and answering the question about what your title is as SELF.
8. Follow the link to Payment. Please note that it will take a few minutes for the invoice to show up in the system, so wait about 2-3 minutes before clicking the link.
9. Wait a few days to get the License.
10. Order your radios!

Radios

Do I Need a Handheld?
The answer to this depends on 3 things:

1. Do you only need a range of less than1mile under normal circumstances?
2. Do you have access to a repeater you can access with only a Handheld?
3. Are you wanting to have a passenger communicate while driving?

If the answer to any of these is yes, then a handheld is for you.

GMRS handhelds can have more power than FRS handhelds as well as better antennas (FRS only allows for fixed , non-upgradeable antennas). GMRS handhelds are are channelized the same as FRS and follow the same plan, but many GMRS handhelds also allow you to use repeaters. 

The Btech V1 handheld is about $60 (about twice what an FRS radio costs) but has 5w compared to the 2w of the FRS, allows you to access repeaters, and allows you to use a better antenna.

When Should I Get a Mobile? 

(and how much power do I need?)
Are you wanting to drive and talk at the same time? Many states have laws on the books saying you can’t hold a cell phone while driving, and it's hard to distinguish a handheld from a cellphone while passing a cop.  

Mobile radios range from 5w-40w in the models available currently (unless you want to go to eBay and get an older Motorola or other brand that needs a special programmer), and prices range from $99 on the low end to $249 or so for the more powerful units.

• Mobile radios in the 5w category, such at the Midland MXT105, tend to be direct only (no access to repeaters) and come with fixed or magnetic mount antennas. 
• Radios of the 15w or 40w variety, like the Midland MXT115, have fixed or magnet mount antennas but also allow you to access repeaters. 

If you don’t want to drill a hole in your vehicle, a magnetic mount antenna will work for most uses. There are various “Gain” antennas available; many of them are short (6”) ¼ wave antennas, but you can get larger antennas (such as ⅝ over ⅝ wave) that are 25” or so. More gain generally means further range. 

In short, if you are going to be out in a vehicle and want to talk, get a mobile radio.

Are Base Stations Worth the Expense?
I’ve not found many, if any, dedicated base stations for GMRS. The most common way to build one is to take a mobile radio, add a power supply, and purchase a base station antenna and coaxial cable. 

Probably the most common use for this would be when there isn’t a repeater locally available and you need more power than a handheld would give you or need to be able to talk directly to a mobile or handheld out in the field. On some channels you can use up to 50w to do either.

Base station antennas go from little spikes that are 6” tall to giant monsters that are 11.5’ tall; it all depends on who you want to be able to talk to. For “around the 10 acres,” a simple spike mounted high and clear of buildings and nearby trees might be sufficient; if you need to be able to access a repeater 10+ miles away then you might need a 6 foot tall antenna; but if you want to talk directly to a mobile out in the field, you might need the 11.5’ monster. 

There are many kinds of “coax” cable out there, but for a base station you want a minimum diameter of 0.400” and to keep it as short as possible, as the losses inside the coax go up dramatically by length.

Repeaters 

Join an Existing Group

There are some 1700+ repeaters in the US, many of which are open or private but you can join the group. Check out https://mygmrs.com/browse where you can search by state for repeaters around you. Joining a repeater group, or supporting an open one, means that you won’t be an unknown person (or family) when you need to use it. 

Like Ham Radio,  you want to be brief and to the point when communicating among your family during an emergency. Many of these repeaters have “Nets” where everyone checks in and verifies their equipment works. Some just have a net to chit-chat!

Buy Your Own Repeater
Let’s say that your family is all over the place and that you can’t tie up someone to act as a relay sitting at a fixed location (like a base station). In that case, the next step might be to buy your own repeater. A good antenna, coax and backup power are necessities for good repeater operation, so expect to spend between $600-$4000 for a repeater/antenna/coax.

There are 8 repeater pairs of frequencies you can use, and you want to coordinate such that you don’t “step on” someone who is already using a channel in your local area. Again, check out https://mygmrs.com/browse where you can search by state for repeaters around you, and listen a lot before you decide to buy/install a repeater.  

While there are a few low power repeaters that are easy to program and are good for “local” use, a higher power repeater will have to be programmed with a special programmer and “tuned” for the channel you choose. Getting a high, clear location that is able to “see” the areas you want to be able to operate is a big consideration.

Final Thoughts
Practice! In the middle of an emergency where your cellphones are dead isn’t the time to break out the GMRS radios for the first time. Instead, join a group of like-minded individuals and families.

I can’t stress enough that you need to practice! Send the kids off to play/explore with a handheld and use the radios to check in periodically; it will help them to understand how to use the radio as well as give them the discipline as to how to use them when needed. Go to the grocery store and practice using the radio to “ask for the thing you forgot.” Remember, cellphones may not be there when you need them.

Tom King
KA6SOX / WRJK601

Omniblade Alternatives

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

If you're a patron of the Assorted Calibers Podcast, by now you should have heard Oddball's review of the Omniblade, a $60(!) machete-hammer-hatchet-saw "multitool". If you aren't a patron, don't worry; the episode will be free on Monday. However, if you don't want to wait, here's an executive summary: It sucks. 

https://amzn.to/31AMQAa

As part of the commentary on that podcast episode, I mentioned that I would write an article for this blog where I would recommend for you cheaper and more effective tools than the Omniblade. The good news is that this is that article; the bad news is that I'm over budget... by $6. 

Machete and Hatchet

https://amzn.to/31SJUiH

I'm a big fan of the kukri-style machete, as the design makes for a good chopper of more than just foliage. I have owned a Cold Steel Kukri Machete ($30) for over a decade now and it has yet to disappoint me. Not only is it well-balanced and a pleasure to swing, but its 1055 carbon steel construction is as close to indestructible as I've found -- a far cry form the Omniblade's cheap 420J2 Stainless Steel which bends when chopping wood. Also unlike the Omniblade, the kukri machete doesn't need a specialized hatchet blade to chop wood, as I have used it to cut branches as thick as my arm off of trees. Not only does it do that well, there's not a dent to be seen. 

Price: $30

Weight:  almost 1 pound (15.87 oz)

Saw

How about a real saw instead of a saw blade on the back of something awkward? The Corona Folding Saw ($18) has an ergonomic handle, a chrome-plated high-carbon steel blade, and folds away for ease of carry. Plus, it doesn't have other sharp bits sticking out at uncomfortable angles waiting to cut you when you use it. 

Price: $18

Weight: 0.54 pounds

Hammer

I can't think of a reason why you'd need a hammer while out in the woods (pounding stakes? Get a rock!) but if you really want to carry one, why not get a tool that does other things along with hammering? The OX Tools 10" Molding Bar ($18) is also a chisel and a nail puller. 

Price: $18

Weight: 0.75 pounds

 

Comparison

The Omniblade:

• weighs 2.35 pounds
• costs $60
• is made of cheap materials

My suggestions:

• weigh a combined 2.28 pounds
• cost $66 total
• are made of quality materials

In short, the real tools are lighter, more durable, more likely to work properly, less likely to injure you, and for a negligible difference in price. 

Please don't buy poor-quality tools, especially if you plan to use them for survival. 

Glass Windows and Cold Weather

Where I live, the windows change with the seasons for a lot of people. There are some high-tech (very expensive) windows that do everything for you, but most of us still use screens in the spring and storm windows in the fall and winter.

Erin covered how to protect your windows from extreme weather a while back. I have nothing to add to that particular subject, so I'll work with other aspects of window work, specifically older styles.

Storm Windows
Older houses often have permanent brackets mounted on the outside to allow the residents to attach storm windows, which are basically a separate pane and frame assembly that covers the outside of the window in place of the screen and frame assembly used in fair weather. The extra layer of glass and, more importantly, the dead air trapped between the two layers of windows, adds insulation value while creating another barrier to wind and weather.

The glass is almost always single layer and frames are made of wood. Since glass is expensive and hard to ship in large sizes, most windows will be broken up into several small “lights” or pieces of glass. This makes replacing a broken pane easier and cheaper, but adds seams that require more effort to keep sealed. Unless you have a glazier in the family, learning how to replace a broken window pane can be a challenge.

Updated older houses usually have “combination” storm windows. These are generally an aluminum frame with a large, fixed upper pane of glass and a fixed screen on the bottom half, with a sliding glass pane that allows some control of the amount of air flow. Permanently attached, combination storm windows eliminate the seasonal chore of switching screens and storms. Normally single layers of glass, they perform the same insulating function as removable storm windows. Their quality and ease of repair varies drastically with the multitude of “installers” that sold these for many years.

Newer houses have multi-layered windows with built-in screens. Much more efficient at keeping heat on the proper side of the window, these are now standard. Frames are rarely made of wood any more, plastics require less maintenance and last longer than the original owner of a house, so they have replaced wood. Various gasses sealed between the layers of glass are touted as being better, but once the seal breaks you're going to have fun trying to wipe the condensation off of the inner surfaces.

Insulating Windows
A few of the tricks we use up north to keep the cold outside will also help if you're ever in a situation where your house has no heat and you're needing to conserve what you can. They all come down the the same basic idea as clothing: layers. Anything that will trap a layer of air provides insulation value; being able to see through it is a bonus.

Exterior Plastic Sheeting
This is clear or translucent plastic sheeting placed over the outside of a window and held in place with thin strips of wood called lath or strong tape, normally 4-6 mils (thousandths of an inch) thick. There are several types available, with plain plastic and shrinkable plastic being the main difference. Plain plastic needs to be anchored securely and stretched tight to keep it from flapping in the wind; any movement will put stress on the attachment points and can cause tears. Shrinkable plastics can be installed looser and then snugged up by applying gentle heat to make it contract.

If you're expecting severe storms or doing windows on the north side of a house you might want to look into one of the construction sheeting plastics like Visqueen reinforced sheeting. It has a netting of plastic cord embedded in the plastic, making it much more durable.

As tempting as it may be, don't wrap the exterior of your walls with plastic. Creating a complete vapor barrier like that increases your exposure to any toxins in the house (like from emergency heat sources) and will cause condensation and mold on your walls. Houses need to “breathe”, too.

Interior Plastic Sheeting
These can be found on Amazon or in most home improvement stores fairly cheap. They're all “shrinkable” plastics and much thinner (less than 1 mil) than what you'll see used for exterior work. The ones I use at work are crystal clear and do a great job of killing drafts coming through the antique windows in our office. Simply run a strip of double-sided tape around the window, stick the plastic onto the tape (start from the top to make it easier), and run a hair dryer over it to make it shrink to a tight fit. Get extra tape, because the rolls they include in the kits can be shorter than you'll need. I have to use the patio door sized kits for the 4' x 5' windows in our office -- we have more glass than walls.


Keeping a couple of window insulating kits or a roll of sturdy, clear plastic on a shelf could serve you well if you ever have to deal with a broken window for a few days until it gets replaced or need to seal off a room or two to heat in an emergency. It looks better and is a lot more useful than slapping a piece of plywood over the window.

Prudent Prepping: Purple Panic Pack, part the 2nd

The dust has settled and the First 72 Hours have passed. Follow along as I build a long term plan via Prudent Prepping.

This post will be short on pictures and light on links, due to the way New! Improved! Blogger handles everything and I don't think it's legal to mail enough 80 proof Editor Medicine to have another post like last week's corrected and massaged for public view.

Purple Pack Update

https://amzn.to/35on8jg

As mentioned last week, I am making what I hope is my last ever GHB for a friend who doesn't have any experience planning how to build one. This is the pack I purchased, in purple since that is the favorite color of my friend. Both of our work schedules have been tight and out of sync, so very little has been done to fill the "Information Gap" as to why I want to add certain things to the pack. 

I want there to be understanding as to why I'm suggesting things, and also for there to be some time to actually look over, and possibly try out, what is being suggested. I want the "Why?" questions to change to "Aha!" statements. 

The only purchase I made for the Purple Pack this week was a 22 oz Iron Flask brand water bottle (also purple), since I know that it will fit into a standard cup holder. Iron Flash is a brand that I like and have used for over a year now. 

Recap and Takeaway

• It doesn't matter how much you know unless they know how much you care. Great equipment without knowing why it's there or how to use it is useless.
• 22oz Iron Flask: Purchased from Amazon for $21.95 with Prime.

* * *

Just a reminder: if you plan on buying anything through Amazon, please consider using our referral link. When you do, a portion of the sale comes back here to help keep this site running!

If you have comments, suggestions or corrections, please post them so we all can learn. And remember, Some Is Always Better Than None!

NOTE: All items tested were purchased by me. No products have been loaned in exchange for a favorable review. Any items sent to me for T&E will be listed as such. Suck it Feds.

Ear Protection

This week I'm taking an in-depth look at the types of ear protection available, the pros and cons of each, and what to look for when choosing your protection.

The three kinds of ear protection shown can be purchased below.

• Foam Plugs
• "Dumb" muffs
• Powered muffs

Lokidude

Secondhand Stress

Not actually Erin.

Picture by KJ Photography

& is used with permission.

We've all heard of secondhand smoke, which is where someone who isn't a smoker can suffer the ill effects of cigarettes by being around one or more people who do smoke. I put it to you that Secondhand Stress also exists, whereby you suffer the stress experienced by others.

Case in point: me. I am largely a hermit by choice, preferring to stay at home so I don't have to interact with irritating people. As such, the "lockdown" had little effect on me personally. I didn't even mind wearing a mask, as that both covered my "resting bitch face" and made people more inclined to avoid me. However, I have experienced growing levels of stress for quite some time, because even though the lockdown doesn't affect me, it affects the family members with whom I live. They are becoming increasingly short-tempered and irritable, and because I live with them that means the tension levels in the house increase, and therefore my stress levels go up.

In my case, not only am I more irritable than usual, having both a shorter temper and my anger burning hotter when I do snap, but all this stress is also taking its toll on me physically. I feel exhausted all the time, with no energy or desire to do anything except sleep, and yet when I do sleep for 8 hours or more, I never feel fully rested. I am also less creative and my ability to communicate complex concepts is diminished, both of which cause me frustration and only add to my stress levels. 

This feeling is somewhat similar to depression, but there are key differences. 

• While I cannot speak for others, when my depression kicks in it happens very quickly, whereas in this case it has been slowly building for 6 months. 
• My depression has never lasted this long. Again, other people are different, but mine is cyclical and would always break within a month. 
• My depression has always been based on feeling of sadness, helplessness, and worthlessness, whereas what I am feeling now is based on frustration and impatience which threatens to explode into outrage at the slightest mishap or inconvenience. 

I don't have any good advice for how to fix this other than to emphasize the importance of everyone having a quiet place of their own where they can retreat to get away from irritation. Humans are territorial animals, and having a "den" where we can control the environment and not be bothered is critical. 

Learn from what is going on now because these lessons will be important later. If we ever have a grid-down disaster, or experience an emergency which requires long-term isolation, I expect to see these symptoms again. Even if you don't experience "cabin fever", unless you live alone the odds are good that someone in your family or tribe will, and the stress that they feel will soon be spread across your entire environment.