Emergency Gadgets Reviewed 422
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.'"
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.
Not Useless (Score:2, Interesting)
It will still receive FM
It will still receive NOAA Weather Channels
It will still recharge your cell phone
It will still recharge AA batteries
It will still function as a flashlight
That's an odd definition of 'useless'.
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 at first seems bizarre and very animalistic indeed. Please understand that this is more of an observation than elitist-nerd 'Sheeple' criticism; I know I'd be first out of the door when that balcony seating starts collapsing.
As far as the raping and killing go, it's pretty obvious that those who indulge in such actions at times of crisis were probably violent and of low moral fibre to begin with. However, if you're stuck in a stadium and someone's trying to take the only bottle of water you, your wife and your kids have, don't you think you might feel a bit 'itchier' in your trigger finger, a bit stronger when restraining that person than if he was stealing your iPod off your porch swing? (Please excuse the overly-rhetorical question).
While looting is obviously stealing, I'm glad it is differentiated from vanilla theft because there's the element of mob mentality and opportunism involved that is almost hypnotic to watch. Don't make the mistake that all looters are criminal low lifes (or as current events have highlighted, black) and don't underestimate people's keen eye for a bargain or a freebie. I know getting something for free is not always equal to stealing it, but I'm talking in the context of the aforementioned mob mentality and the 'mitigating circumstances' of it being a burnt-out/flooded/abandoned store that pushes people's moral compass from law-abiding to CHA-CHING! Seriously, it's rather hilarious to see that high-earning middle-class couple stumbling out of a broken shop window with seventeen white candles cradled to their bosoms. Although I jest, would you not be at least tempted to grab - only a teeny, tiny, single - iPod from that burning Wal*Mart? I know I would, yet I'm racked with guilt over the roadworks sign I 'borrowed' while drunk the other night.
If I may be a bit cheeky here, could I ask if anyone knows of any good books or films dealing with disasters that have decent character and behavioural insight? I've bought Richard Doyle's Flood from Amazon, but I'm saving starting it until I go on holiday to Portugal (roll on Saturday!). Something with a nuclear holocaust theme (claustrophobic bunker?) would be good. As a preemption I'll say that I've already seen The Day After Tomorrow and found it entertaining, if scientifically dubious and/or far-fetched.
Cheers!
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:3, Interesting)
How could they be stripped after they shot the police?
I'm not advocating violence or shooting in general, but if anybody comes on my property to take my constitutionally protected rights to bear arms, then they will be leaving in a body bag.
I guess this was a test to see who was really prepared to protect themselves from the government. Another victory for the government.
This is the first time I have heard of such a thing, and I am almost shocked to hear such a thing. And yes, this was entirely illegal to do under any circumstances in the USA at least.
The ham radio in my truck (Score:2, Interesting)
I have a general class ham radio license and have a 2-meter radio in my 4WD truck and a smaller 2-meter radio that I keep in my backpack. There are two main types of radios that hams use, they use an HF radio for bouncing a signal off the ionosphere and talking to people hundreds or thousands of miles away. If they only want to talk to hams locally or in a nearby city they usually use a higher frequency radio such a 2-meter radio that does not bounce off the ionosphere.
About 5 years ago I had a girfriend who was a ham with a technican class license who had a 2-meter/440 radio in her car. If there was ever a disaster and got seperated we had agreed on which frequencys we should use to contact each other. It is not unusual to hear husbands and wives who are hams checking in with each other while one is at home and the other is doing errands. In a major disaster they should still be able to stay in touch with each other.
I have several battery packs for the 2-meter radio that I keep in my backpack. One is rechageable and the other battery pack is not rechargeable but contains AA alkaline batteries which can be replaced from the extra stash that I always keep on hand. Here in Arizona there are ham radio repeater stations on my of the mountain tops. Most repeater stations have battery and/or solar power backup. The can be used to communicate with hams who live 100 miles or so away on the other side of the nearby mountains. The ARRL [arrl.org] has some info about becoming a ham. Most of the local hams all know each others name and callsign.
I also keep several LED flashlights around such as the Pack-lite [ccrane.com] which are so efficient that they will run for 200 hours on high and 1,200 hours on low. I also keep a couple of 5-gallon cans of water in the back of my truck.
Toilets anyone? (Score:1, Interesting)
I wouldn't bother too much with crankable radios and stuff. I used to live in a house without electricity for a while. What I did was get one of those big ass 6 volt batteries they use in boats. My portable radio would run off that thing for a month if not more, for a good number of hours each day. And my current portable radio runs for a month on a single AAA battery (!) for about the same, when I use it several hours a week.
When I get the chance I'll probably install one or two 100 watt solar panels and use them to charge a UPS. That should provide enough power to charge a cell phone, use a laptop for a few hours a day and have some light at night.
Re:My Mossberg emergency item... (Score:3, Interesting)
Indeed.
I'd go further.
The second a government representative tries to violate one's constitutional rights, one should be entitled to use whatever force is necessary to preserve them against anyone.
That's right, the second Joe cop tries to take your legally owned firearm, you can kill him and nosey neighbor Frank across the street.
You see, Frank is either "with you" or "against you" (i.e. with the state), and, until proven otherwise, you're entitled to assume the latter. So, either Frank supports your (and his) constitutional rights, or he supports tyranny. Frank better chose.
Why the presumption that "all" are the enemy when one's constitutional rights are violated? Because you are one, and they (government) are many and powerful. The only chance you have is to enlist those like you who value liberty, and some incentive for them to act in kind never hurts.
Of course, you damn well better know which side of the constitution you're on before you go killing cops and others. Prepare to fry if you're wrong. That should be deterrent enough against "accidents".
You're in the militia (Score:3, Interesting)
Are you an able-bodied male between ages 17 and 45? You're part of the militia, bucko.
Re:The best gadgets... (Score:2, Interesting)
I will always carry a space blanket with me whenever I am out in the woods and in my pack for disaster times.