BigSAC.org Forum

Has anyone heard about a plan by Cal Fire to no longer consider amateur radio repeaters a "public benefit?" The long and short of it is that some repeater owners are apparently getting notices that Cal Fire and/or other agencies want them to either vacate or pay large fees, similar to what a cell si...

Okay, my friend Adam is a classically-trained watchmaker. Here is his input: The staple for self-winding movements of good quality is the ETA calibres 2824-2 and ETA 2892. They are both tanks and the difference between them generally comes down to what kind of case you are trying to cram it into. Th...

Some links - laceration repair: Ethicon Wound Closure Manual (long, very detailed) http://www.uphs.upenn.edu/surgery/Education/facilities/measey/Wound_Closure_Manual.pdf Laceration Repair: A practical approach (Covers things like regular vs. sterile gloves, what to use for irrigation, etc). https://...

Yeti is no longer at the top of the price/performance curve. If someone here really needs a high-end cooler, I'd look at Pelican. Their coolers are literally a giant Pelican box with high-performance insulation built in.

For some reason, they really seem to go cheap on the luminous paint on some of the lower-end models. This is definitely the case with Casio. I agree on this being a critical feature.

For comparison, my Seiko will easily be readable until morning if charged in room light.

Update: I've now been using the TB51 Truckfridge for about 3 years, and I can officially say that it is awesome. It will run indefinitely on a 100W solar panel, even in the Summer. If you're thinking about spending the money on a Yeti-like cooler, consider one of these instead. The only reason you m...

The #1 item on the list for our SAR team is a 2m telescoping antennas. These can enable you to get a message out when everyone else is in the dark. The premium ones are from Smiley Antennas in San Diego: http://www.smileyantenna.com/product-p/14610.htm There are also cheap knock-offs on eBay. You ca...

I am very hard on watches and personal electronics, and I've researched this a fair amount. My personal pick is a "middle of the road" certified dive watch. To be considered a "dive watch," they have to pass several tests: 1. Water resist to 200m 2. Screw-down crown 3. Timing bezel with one-way ratc...

Here are some excellent, free books on disaster medicine and rescue, paid for by your tax dollars: 1. The DHS Austere Emergency Medicine Field Guide https://www.amr.net/solutions/federal-disaster-response-team/references-and-resources/dhs-austere-ems-field-guide.pdf 2. U.S. Army TCCC (aka Care Under...

Here is a surprisingly good article on choosing respirators for smoke, hazmat aand CBRN hazards: https://theprepared.com/gear/reviews/best-gas-mask-respirator-survival/ Note that recently-expired cartridges are also available cheap on eBay, as lots of fire/ems/leo units refresh this stuff regularly ...