115: Tactical Comms, False Statistics, Nuclear Accidents

Tactical Communication Systems, Prepping Related Statistical Research, and Three Ways To Evade or Reduce Radiation Exposure in a Nuclear Accident

The Memorial Day Episode of The Prepper Podcast was Awesome!

Feedback submitted by Paul Freeland – From Kansas

https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/41623/25/56010/1432070036/72c93394fde630fe73cc7e05d41bfe35

Thank you for your Memorial Day Show.  It has reminded me just how extremely important our fallen heroes are.

You Can Create Cheap Tactical Communication Gear With These Awesome Tips.

Feedback submitted by Warner – From Belgium

https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/74127/32/56010/1444262585/f18afbe5d4d4135448ceea15414c492e

Warner’s Question about Tactical Communication Setups:

Pretty much all electronic hearing protection is generally Comtac or Peltor (500 dollar headsets).

How can I achieve the hearing protection with radio communication on a budget?!

My Answer about Setting up a Noise-Blocking Communication Setup:

Create a Budget Friendly Hearing Protection and Radio System with a Few Cheap Components

Breaking it down, you need to:

1. 1. Know Your Radio
   2. Have a good headset
   3. Have a radio
   4. Need a “signal converter”

First, You Must Understand Your Radio and It’s Connections

You can adapt almost any radio for use with headphones, but you have to know what kind of connection type it has.

A great resource for this is the radio connection chart at Planet Head Set.

Next, get an electronic  headset that is comfortable and reliable.

Get a good quality headset with a 3.5 mm stereo jack for iPod.  These are fairly cheap in comparison to some of the more digital ones that are designed for more.

For the headset you could go with the Howard Leight 1030110 Sync Noise-Blocking Stereo Earmuff

Third, You Need a Decent Radio that You can Program.

If you don’t already have a radio, then you will need one.  My guess is that you already have one, because you are an awesome super prepper.

On the off chance that you DON’T have a radio in mind, I will be explaining how to connect everything using Baofeng Radio since it is a cheap programmable radio: BaoFeng BF-F8HP 8W High Power – BaoFeng’s Best TRI-POWER (1, 4, 8 Watt) (USA Warranty) Dual-Band 136-174/400-520Mhz (VHF/UHF) Ham Two-way Radio – With Large Battery, High Gain Antenna, Earpiece, Charger, and More

The Baofeng Programmable Radio has a Kenwood K1 Connection which you can find in the Planet Head Set Chart I mentioned already.

Baofengs have amazing capabilities, but are super cheap.  You can program it to do almost anything.

Fourth, Design a Simple “Conversion Kit” to Connect Your Headset to Your Radio

Really, all you need is a touch mic.  You don’t need some fancy hands-free gadget when these work just fine.

No one will be able to hear your mic as long as you have phones plugged into it.  You will need one that your phones WILL plug into.

Another benefit of this setup is that you can unplug your headphones, and use it as a speaker.

Get a cheap Baofeng Speaker MIC for 6 bucks: BAOFENG Speaker MIC For BAOFENG UV-5R 5RA 5RB 5RC 5RD 5RE 5REPLUS 3R+

And Connect a stereo male to male adapter between the two!

StarTech.com MU3MMSRA 3 feet Slim 3.5mm to Right Angle Stereo Audio Cable – M/M

You could use a coiled cable setup, if desired.

My Motorola Setup Works Well

I use a completely different setup at work.  I have a Motorola with a multipin setup.  The great equalizer? The mic with a 3.5mm jack.  Headphones can be put in these.

The issue with the jack in these headsets is that they are mono plugs.  So a stereo headphone jack will only deliver sound to one ear.

For most applications, I think this is fine.  If you want a “stereo sound”, then the best setup may be an adapter would work, like this retractable mono cable.

This Seems Like an Expensive Setup, But it Isn’t AT ALL!

Baofeng setup: 65 for the radio, 40 for the Howard Leight, 6 for the mic, 4 for the cable for a total of 120 dollars!

Create a Budget Friendly Hearing Protection and Radio System with a Few Cheap Components

Breaking it down, you need to:

1. Know Your Radio
2. Have a good headset
3. Have a radio
4. Need a “signal converter”

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Gun Control Statistics are Usually False. Figure it out for Yourself.

Feedback Submitted by Dave – Of Colorado

https://www.speakpipe.com/msg/41623/31/56010/1442646577/b0a59324348be926665630a04203a84e

Dave’s Question About How Statistics are Cited By Opposing View Points in a Debate:

What are the statistics how gun control affects crime rates?  How do you find the statistics?

My Answer Covering How to Read Statistics and Understand What They are Saying:

Most people that are spouting statistics are looking at articles online, not actual research.

I just quickly added sat two statistics side by side.

If you look at the top 5, all but one state is liberal with strict gun laws.

If you look at the top 10, 5 of the 10 have below a C rating.

Now from what I showed, you would think that laws are bad for deaths, but if you only look at the map from the bradycampaign.org, it looks quite the opposite.

The difference is a matter of statistical opinion.

In the map, they choose DEATHS, without counting the scenario, how many hospitals are close to residents, or even who dies (the victim or assailant).

If you want to research some of the items I discussed here, there are websites you can use.

Places for research:

• FBI Crime Statistics
• CDC Firearm Mortality Statistics
• Pew Research Center (for opinions)
• Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation
• Statista has some easy to read charts as well.

All Opinions are Biased and You Cannot Trust them.:

Be wary of a fear-monger that spouts 10% truth with 90% opinion.

Look at the sources that are being pulled from.

This website that used gun ownership and data from the American Academy of Pediatrics while getting deaths from national vital statistics reports from Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation to match it up.

Top Three Ways to Protect Yourself from Radiation Exposure

Feedback Submitted by Patrick

Feedback from Patrick, where I made a mistake on an episode and accidentally said fluoride helps with radiation exposure.

You don’t use fluoride tablets instead of iodide tablets for radiation absorption!

My Answer, where I cover my error.

I accidentally said fluoride tablets.  I meant iodide.  So instead, I will expand on this and give you more awesome value.

What are the Three Ways to Protect Yourself from Radiation Exposure

You Live Closer Than You Think to a Nuclear Reactor

If you live in a rural area, especially in the mid-eastern United States, I Promise that you are closer than you think to a Nuclear Reactor.

These babies produce clean and consistent power… until something goes wrong.  So I recommend you check the map to see where you live in reference to a reactor.

You need to have an idea of prevailing winds and what will drift your way.  Radioactive plumes don’t just sit still.  They are moved by the prevailing winds.

Even Better still, many of the reactors were intelligently built on fault lines.  You probably shouldn’t live in the “death circle,” but if you do, you need to know how to reduce your exposure if an accident occurs.

#1. Get Out Of Dodge, Bug Out, Leave

If the leak is small enough and you have enough warning, you can just leave.

Have a Bug Out Location (BOL) that you can go to in every direction from home.  Also, have 3 routes to get to every BOL.  

Have 3 rest points (rally points) on every route in which you can meet up with your caravan if you get separated.

BOLs don’t have to be a 15 acre farm.  Hotels, Family Residences, and Close Friends that you have a mutual agreement with are all special circumstance Bug Out Locations.

#2. Purchase Potassium Iodine Tablets Now

Radioactive Iodine (Radioiodine, or Iodine 131) is a product of radioactive decay.

Your Thyroid gland has no idea if iodine is radioactive or not, and it LOVES IT.  It will absorb a bunch of it.  This is why it is so susceptible to radiation exposure.  It is one of the MOST sensitive to radiation for this reason.

Potassium Iodide is a stable version of Iodine that you can take.  

Your Thyroid will fill up on the good stuff.  Then, it can’t absorb the bad stuff because it is full.

This could be the difference between life and death in an emergency.

#3. Gas Masks, HEPA Filters, and… Shop Vacs?

Gas Mask:

Obviously, getting a good gas mask will help you by filtering out radioactive particulates that are full of nasty alpha particles (not bad out of the body, but especially nasty inside).  For this reason, I am not going to spend much time on it.

HEPA Filters:

HEPA filters have low micron pores.  These are typically good enough to clean the air of radioactive isotopes and Viruses/Bacteria.

Shop Vacs:

Shop Vacs can be used to force HEPA cleaned air into the house, creating a positive air pressure in your home, so the nasties have a hard time entering the home though any cracks and openings.

You need to seal off as many openings as possible to make this much more effective.

This is a good way to create a “clean room” as well.

Understand ONE THING! The HEPA filters in your shop vac will now be contaminated, along with the dust in it, and the shop vac itself.  It will be difficult for you to safely change out these filters.  Shop vacs will also become a radiation “hot spot” that you want to stay away from.

You are better off just replacing the entire vacuum quickly… or fabricate an external HEPA filter holder you can trash and rebuild.

Don’t Get Caught in the Fallout

Radiation and Contamination isn’t a joke.  Don’t stick around to deal with the deadly consequences.

You first need to leave.  If you can’t leave the area, then you can take iodine and attempt to purify your air to keep that stuff out of your lungs.