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Emergency Gadgets Reviewed
Posted by
ScuttleMonkey
on Wed Sep 21, 2005 12:42 PM
from the powerless-to-resist dept.
from the powerless-to-resist dept.
Carl Bialik writes "When power lines go down, hand-cranked radios and standalone cellphone chargers could come in handy. Wall Street Journal columnist Walt Mossberg reviews emergency gadgets, including a $50 radio that picks up TV audio and gets 35 minutes of power from a 30-second crank. Of course, Mossberg also offers the caveat that these gadgets could be rendered useless 'should the communications infrastructure itself go down.'"
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Useful emergency gadget (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Useful emergency gadget (Score:4, Insightful)
I hear the CO2 kind will get you a nice cold beer in 2-3min.
As for "emergency" gadgets I'll stick with my Leathermans and a few pounds of beef jerkey.
Parent
My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:5, Funny)
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:4, Funny)
If Dawn of the Dead is any good guide, then propane tanks and flares make a good plan "B"
Parent
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:5, Insightful)
In short, it never ceases to amaze me how humanity devolves during disasters and make a bad situation even worse.
Parent
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:5, Insightful)
But it doesn't matter. Police, firemen and similar people are generally trained to take care of #1 first, not to be a hero. (Now, many people do disregard this and do dangerous things, but they're usually disciplined afterwards, assuming they live.)
If you've got two police officers in a car, and you see a very angry mob beating somebody, intervening immediately is not usually the smartest thing to do. You'd be putting yourself into extreme danger, and may in fact make things worse for the person being beaten.
A much smarter response would be to stay back and call it in and get lots of reinforcements, cops in riot gear, and THEN you can go in. When you're ready, not before. If you're going to enter a battle, make sure it's a battle you're likely to win. If you're not planning to win, don't enter.
Individuals respect cop's authority. Even large crowds generally respect police. But an angry mob? No way would two smart cops do anything about that on their own beyond getting reenforcements.
Parent
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:4, Funny)
How does 'respect' enter into it? I don't care if it's a 90lb homosexual transvestite dressed in a pink tutu that's pointing the shot-gun at me; I'm damn sure going to get the hell out of their way, and find cover.
Parent
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:5, Insightful)
Private citizens were stripped of their ability to protect themselves by the very people who admitted they were unable to protect anyone. And since it's been very popular to blame racism for everything else that's gone poorly in NOLA, it appears that the local government doesn't think poor black folk can be trusted with guns.
Parent
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:3, Interesting)
Yep, that's human nature for you. We think we are all above animals and civilised with our flushing toilets, designer jeans with embroidered button fly and multiple-choice driving theory tests, but all that crap's just a thin veneer which is whipped away by a hurricane, flood or even someone yelling 'bomb' in a movie theatre. The notion that people can be trampled to death in scenes of panic a
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:5, Insightful)
The devolution and degradation of humanity happened long before the riots. It started several hundred years ago when the first slave was taken to America. That's not an excuse for the violence that was inflicted on Reginald Denny, but we should look in the mirror at our own savage behavior, that happens every day when we ignore poverty in our own country, before pointing at the relatively brief amount of "savage" behavior that happens during riots. Quite a bit of their anger is righteous.
There are still pockets of slavery in the South today and the racist tradition is alive and well. Sure, technically they're free, but poverty and social roles still enforces behavior that is very similar in functionality to slavery. My Mom was raised by a black woman. I met her a few times, and she still lives on property owned by my Mom's family (as far as I know, I try not to think of the situation). When I was growing up, my mom referred to her as grandma any time she would speak of her. She was paid a weekly stipend and lived in servant's quarters. My grandparents weren't rich, certainly not well-off enough to pay someone a decent wage. But, this type of arrangement was common, because after slavery was abolished, many black people fell into familiar roles of servant and laborer, and never managed to climb out of them. She is still alive, and while technically free, the woman has never owned anything of any significance in her entire life. I grew up in Missouri (my mom's family lives in Georgia), far enough away from the south to gain perspective on how strange the situation was, and only met her twice (my Mom was estranged from her family a large part of my childhood), but I can't help but think that this strange situation is a common thing. When she talks to anyone white, she calls them Mr. or Ms., to this day. I saw her 3 years ago at my grandfather's funeral, and I was 28, and she was around 90, and she referred to me as Mr. Jon! What year are we in?
So, it's pretty easy (for me) to understand the anger that black people feel, in light of the fact that there are still some who are living the life of modern day slaves. Note that this isn't the kind of legacy that people talk about, and I would like to believe that only having visited my Mom's family in GA twice in my 31 years absolves me of responsibility, but does it? How exactly do I pay her for what she has lost, 90 years of lost opportunity?
This is part of the problem, is that racism is an embarrassing legacy for whites, so it often is not talked about. This is the first time I've written about this part of my family legacy, and I hesitated, even though I am pseudo-anonymous, but stories like these need to be told more often, so that people understand what is really going on. It's similar to the story of the teenage girl that is raped and has an abortion. As compelling of a case as it makes for abortion, the story is not told, often because people are embarrassed and ashamed. So, the injustice remains hidden.
Parent
Emergency item: power generator (Score:4, Informative)
Parent
Re:Emergency item: power generator (Score:3, Funny)
If you have a Pontiac Vibe or Toyota Matrix (same car, different shell) you have a 110V outlet on the dash already (100W Max).
Re:Emergency item: power generator (Score:3, Informative)
2. Worry about water, food, flashlights, batteries, and a good battery powered radio. Right now this think is a STRONG cat 4 storm. Don't trust any strength projections that past 24 hours.
Plan on this being a cat 4 storm. The kind of storm that can KILL people.
I.E. losing their reef tank maybe the lest of your parents worries. I hope not, but I live 5 hours north east of Key West and we got 40 mph gusts from
That's revolutionary! (Score:5, Funny)
Sorry, I couldn't resist
TV on Radio (Score:4, Informative)
Re:TV on Radio (Score:5, Informative)
As anyone who has lived in the 3rd world can tell you, you can pick up TV on ordinary FM radios it is a matter of tuning it to the right frequency. I have seen these things in Asia for years.
This is 100% dependent on the frequency structure in the country in which you are located. To do this with an "ordinary" FM radio in the US, you can only pick up channel 6, at 87.75MHz (with 87.7 being close enough). If you have one of the Japanese radios that has extended coverage to do both the Japanese 72-93MHz FM and the American/European 88-108MHz FM bands, then you can also get audio from US TV stations on channels 4 (75.75MHz) and 5 (81.75MHz).
There are other radios out there that have got TV audio capability on them. They frequently only cover channels 2-13 because it is easier to build a VHF than a UHF radio.
For reference, the frequencies are as follows:
Channels 2-6: 59.75, 65.75, 75.75, 81.75, 87.75 (note the gap betwen 3 and 4 is 10MHz, not 6MHz as elsewhere)
Channels 7-13: 179.75, 185.75, 191.75, 197.75, 203.75, 209.75, 215.75
Channels 14-69: 475.75, 481.75, 487.75, etc, every six MHz up to 805.75
Note also that frequencies within any vacant TV channels in the channel 14-20 range (470-512MHz) may also be licenced to business or public safety two-way radio users, especially in larger metro areas.
Last note, which I am providing to explain the huge gap between frequencies: the structure of a TV channel is this: It is 6MHz wide. The audio is 5.75MHz from the bottom of the channel, and uses the upper .5MHz of the channel (that is, 5.75MHz +/- .25MHz). The video is at 1.25MHz from the bottom of the channel to 5.5MHz from the bottom of the channel. Below the 1.25MHz point is cruft called a Vestigial Side Band. For example, on channel 2, 54.00-55.25 is cruft, 55.25 is the video carrier, 55.25 to 59.5 is video, 59.5 to 60.0 is audio, 59.75 is the audio carrier.
Parent
Of course! (Score:4, Funny)
I mean, in an emergency, I want my iPod recharged!
How difficult can it be? (Score:3, Funny)
I don't see many people during a disaster, finding the manual, and trying to find out how to use the power switch - "Hmmmm, now how do use the on switch?"
Anyone? (Score:4, Funny)
Limited Usefulness Lifespan (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Limited Usefulness Lifespan (Score:5, Funny)
Because of this, I recommend holding off on purchases of emergency supplies until a few days before the emergency happens, that way freshness and technological protocol compliance can be assured. Alternately, don't schedule any emergencies until after a digital television compliant emergency radio is available for purchase.
(PS, the radio also picks up... radio.)
Parent
Emergency (Score:5, Insightful)
A radio could be quite useful, but not nearly as useful as a couple of cases of bottled water.
-Peter
Re:Emergency (Score:3, Informative)
If the situation is properly run, not like the NOLA fiasco, the radio could prove to be more useful, directing you to shelters, food/water canteens, and evacuation points. You can't get all that from a bottle of water.
Judging by recent events (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Judging by recent events (Score:3, Insightful)
The least problem (Score:5, Funny)
If you can no longer get shortwave signals on your radio because the communications infrastructure itself went down, listening to the latest news is the least of your problems. You should be looking for the stone ax and the closest cave to move into.
Re:The least problem (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:The least problem (Score:3, Funny)
Baylis generator = no batteries at all (Score:5, Informative)
Unlike the more recent models, it operates on a spring driven generator for about 45 minutes, or in sunlight. It has no internal batteries at all.
The lack of batteries is a Very Good Thing. Rechargable batteries die, and sometimes they short out. If so, you got no radio - cranked or solar.
The downside is that the radio is the size of a loaf of bread. The upside is that it has a very large speaker and very nice sound.
I toyed with the idea of adding an external power tap, but there are dire warnings about opening it up and releasing the giant spring. Someday perhaps...
Re:Baylis generator = no batteries at all (Score:5, Informative)
It's the size of a loaf of bread, and it's ugly, but it's not really aimed for American gageteers.
Parent
Re:Baylis generator = no batteries at all (Score:3, Funny)
Does it get cable? (Score:4, Funny)
iRecharge? (Score:5, Funny)
Compact Power Systems also introduced a product called the iRecharge, a rechargeable portable battery that fits snugly around your iPod, iPod mini or iPod shuffle giving the iPod and iPod mini 12 hours of extra play time and the iPod shuffle 40 extra hours. It has an on/off switch, so you can charge your iPod as needed, as well as a charge-level indicator that glows to tell you how much juice is left.
My house is destroyed, I have no food and water, but thank god I can still listen to U2 - Vertigo!
sounds like me (Score:5, Funny)
Only of limited use anyway (Score:5, Insightful)
A technicians-class FCC license is very easy to get, and small handheld tranceivers are not very expensive.
Thats MUCH more useful in an emergency than a TV. I can hear the weater broadcasts, radio, and emergency bands and much more usefully, I can actually transmit.
Re:Only of limited use anyway (Score:4, Insightful)
Parent
Sorry, license required (Score:3, Informative)
Not true. The only case where you can transmit without a license is when you are in immediate danger of loss of life or property. "Immediate danger" does not cover most emergency situations.
But I'll up the GP one -- don't stop at Technician, get your General Class ticket. Techs can't really communicate without infrastructure (simplex VHF is normally very short range). General C
Slashdot screenshot (Score:3, Funny)
Review? (Score:5, Insightful)
Multiband radios (Score:5, Informative)
It's a cheap gizmo for the beach or a day outing, not a sturdy radio for emergencies. Of course, an iPod charger isn't exactly an "Emergency Device" either.
What I'm really looking looking for:
There are several radios which use which have some of this feature set, but it seems like there is a market for a radio which has all of these features.
To be truthful, I want a pony.
Buckets, it's all about buckets. (Score:3, Insightful)
Buckets. Emergency tech is low tech. You are going to care less about whether your Treo works and more about clean water and a warm place to take a dump. (Store your water in jerry cans, obviously, not buckets.)
And don't wait. The entire Houston area was all out of plywood by Monday night, according to a friend of mine there.
Make friends with a ham radio operator (Score:3, Informative)
My comments are mine alone, and do not represent the views of my employer, friends, family or cats.
cheaper, better hand-cranked radios (Score:5, Informative)
"Hummer" flashlight (Score:5, Informative)
First of all, it's a linear generator, so each time the weight inside crosses the center it makes power; second, it uses an LED which is much lower power than old incandescent bulbs; and third, it has a supercapacitor which can power the LED for a few minutes with 30 seconds of shaking. Just be sure to shake it horizontally, as the instructions warn that you might break it if the weight hits an end too hard on a vertical downstroke.
The best part is you never have to worry about the batteries running down or leaking when you don't use it, and you never have to avoid using regularly for fear of running the batteries down. It has a power switch, so you can shake it up and use it as needed, then just shake it again when it runs down.
Slashdot readers would be recommended to get the "red" model, as that is translucent and you can see the guts of it operating, for higher geek value.
Re:"Hummer" flashlight (Score:3, Informative)
Water. (Score:3, Insightful)
Remember your water heater -- lots of clean water there. Turn off the input valve in case the water supply gets contaminated.
Get a good water filter, and possibly something to kill viruses, like iodine.
Re: Mossberg also offers the caveat... (Score:5, Interesting)
Also, shortwave is always a good bet. And finding a way to listen the Hams is always good, even when you aren't in an emergency.
Parent
Why? People would just sell them (Score:3, Insightful)
Like it or not, there is always going to be a large part of the population that is going to expect the government to bail their ass out of every mess they get themselves into.