Aging

Thinking about buying some Scotch? Here’s what to consider…

~ grant.gallagher

Author ScotShot Scott is an NRA and USCCA certified Instructor and Training Counselor in a range of firearms, and home and personal defense disciplines. In an Alternate Universe, he is a husband, father, grandfather, scientist, musician, educator and grumpy old professor. Just your average reactionary, short, fat, old, bald guy!

What is “Scotch”? Scotch whisky is simply whisky that is distilled, matured and bottled in Scotland. It’s not complicated and like anything else, can taste anywhere from sublimely good and complex, to downright nasty. To be clear, they key definition of “good” is: “Do I like it when it’s in my mouth?” I’ll leave it for you to imagine Ricky Gervaise saying that….

What is “Single Malt”? Well, this is in two parts.. “Malt”, meaning that it is all derived from germinated (and sprouted) barley – the starch in the grain is turned to maltose, hence “malt”; and, “Single”, meaning that it is from only one distillery. Unlike Scotch Whisky generally, a single malt cannot contain any grain whisky and cannot be blended, and so one will always see the name of the distillery – Oban, Lagavuilin, Glenlivet and so on.

Here’s where it gets interesting! To meet the standard to be called Single Malt Scotch Whisky, a whisky must be presented at 40% alcohol (“80 Proof”; cask-strength spirit can be 60-65% alcohol) and be matured for at least 5 years in cask. That’s a pretty lax standard. For example, distilleries can choose to add a coloring agent (people tend to think a darker color will taste better). More insidiously, distilleries can, and DO, chill the whisky to the point that “long-chain esters” (which provide subtle, long-lasting flavors) begin to cloud out and can be filtered away. They do this because of a perception that a dram that goes cloudy when ice is added is less appealing than one that does not. Hence the methodology of “Chill-Filtering”. So, it’s perfectly legal for distillers to present their whisky to the consumer as an anemic spirit that has had important flavors removed, and unnatural color added, all in the name of consistency.

What to look for on the bottle. A whisky bottle label has all the information you need and increasingly, distillers are sending it to you. Is the alcohol content at least 43%, and preferably 46%? This is important because the higher alcohol content supports the presence of these long-chain flavor esters, that can be revealed with the addition of a little water. Does it say “No added color” or “Natural color”? If so, that tells us that the distiller wants to let the whisky speak for itself. Finally, does it say “Non-Chill-Filtered”? That tells us that the distiller is focusing on *flavor* rather than appearance, and in the end one must refer to Mr G, as above.

What to look for in the mouth. It’s all about taste. You’ll spot the presence of these much-maligned long-chain flavor esters immediately, because the whisky will have a viscosity in the mouth. It will have “mouth feel”, meaning that it will feel “thicker” than water. It will taste spirity from the higher alcohol, and the taste will change, and have ‘length’; you’ll be able to taste changes and echos of the up-front taste after several minutes.

The cask, the whole cask, and nothing but the cask. In the old days, oak casks were used to ship sherry from Spain to Bristol in England, and Scotch whisky producers would buy these to store their whisky in. Nowadays, new oak casks are commissioned in Spain that are conditioned with fresh sherry. At some point, barrels were introduced from Bourbon manufacturers here in the USA. If you’d like to see the difference that these two barrel types make to the final bottle, then compare “Machir Bay” and “Sanaig” from the Kilchoman distillery on Islay. Each is widely available for around $60.00.

New versus Old casks. It’s easy to imagine that when one puts newly distilled spirit into a new sherry or bourbon cask, the cask will have a lot of its previous use to contribute to the whisky and, after 10 years for example, this will lead to a complex chemical reaction. The second fill will have some of this, and the third fill much less. What this boils down to is that a spirit held in second or third-fill casks for 10 years will have much greater characteristics of the new spirit, than one put into first-fill casks, and so will taste “young” (green, grassy, pear-droppy), compared to a first-fill one. This is not required information and is a question that your palette will tell you about.

“It’s an Integrity Bottling, Malt Mates.” A prominent YouTube whisky reviewer, Ralfie, coined the phrase “Integrity Bottling” to define a whishy bottled at ~45%, at its natural color, without chill-filtering. You should be looking for this to spend your precious Dollar on, and eschew those presented at the basal 40% without reference to added color or chill-filtereing. You’ll be surprised.

OK -so let’s ‘Sally Forth”, as they say! We know what we are looking for and now it’s time to explore what our mouth and nose likes! Leave your comments and recommendations in the comments section!!

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HAM Talk – First Radio Recommendations

~ grant.gallagher ~ 1 Comment

Author Michael Daly is a former Captain in the United States Marine Corp. He currently works at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Senior Enterprise Architect in Infrastructure Operations and previously was a Project Manager at the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade MD. He has been involved in military and civilian communications technologies for over 40 years and holds a GMRS radio license (WRDQ914), a HAM Radio Amateur Extra class license (KC2SBR), is an accredited Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Volunteer Examiner, an accredited ARRL Volunteer Emergency Communications Field Examiner, and currently is a volunteer radio operator with the Ocean County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (OCARES), the Ocean County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the ARRL Southern New Jersey Mutual Assistance Team (SNJMAT), and is a NOAA trained National Weather Service Severe Storm Spotter.

My first personal recommendation for the new HAM: get a Handi Talk (HT) DUAL BAND (UHF/VHF) portable to start. This is a radio that you can easily carry around, and it covers all the voice frequencies you’re allowed to transmit on as a Technician class HAM, in one radio. Most HTs are roughly the size of a pack of cigarettes and come with at least one rechargeable battery, so they’re easy to carry and convenient to use.

There are a number of manufacturers out there, and they all are worthy of your consideration. Prices can be very affordable (less than $30), but some of the higher-end portables can be upwards of $600. Most Dual-Band HTs also receive the NOAA Weather channels, so you can easily get the latest NOAA weather reports and Emergency Alerts.

My second recommendation: do not spend a fortune on features you may never use for your first radio. Try to find that midpoint balance between affordability and capability, within your own budget. Some features to consider are button layout, display, battery life, ease of programming, and internal features such as memory banks that can store your information on specific frequencies, stations, or repeaters to contact. The presence of such memory banks means that you do not have to manually enter that information every time, just once and save it.

My third recommendation: plan to grow into the radio you buy, but do not buy a bunch of high-end features you likely won’t use (at least initially). On the other hand, if the radio is too bare-bones you’ll quickly outgrow it.

My fourth recommendation: replace that factory antenna on the HT with a better after-market one. The factory antennas are called “Rubber Ducks”. They are short, flexible, and somewhat stubby. They do work, but for a few dollars more a better after market antenna will dramatically improve performance, range, and reception. For most HAMs, this is the first upgrade option, and most HAMs will agree it’s a requirement rather than an option. There are different connector styles so you need to be aware of which one your radio uses (although there are adapters for everything).

Consider buying new from a reputable dealer, this gives you a manufacturer’s warranty, and access to subject-matter experts if you have questions or run into a problem. That seller also has a vested interest to ensure you enjoy your purchase and learn how to use it properly.

With the current supply chain problems in 2022 there are spot shortages of chip components. You may find radios are out of stock temporarily. In addition, consumer demand is up due to recent concerns of social media’s filtering and censoring of information. A lot of people have recently taken an interest in HAM radio because of their concerns of being monitored online.

Be patient if the radio you want is delayed in shipping. Rather than say “buy radio “X””, we’ve looked at a few criteria for you to consider in supporting your HAM radio preparedness. Set your personal budget, consider how you think you’ll be using the radio and how frequently. Look for a balance between affordable price and useful features for your first radio, while allowing yourself a little room to learn and grow into the radio and its features.

The bottom line is that you do not have to spend a fortune to get started. Silver Tigers, can you suggest additional criteria you see as being useful?

“73!” from me, KC2SBR-Mike

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So, you’ve had your first Shooting Lesson; what now?

~ grant.gallagher ~ 1 Comment

Author ScotShot Scott is an NRA and USCCA certified Instructor and Training Counselor in a range of firearms, and home and personal defense disciplines. In an Alternate Universe, he is a husband, father, grandfather, scientist, musician, educator and grumpy old professor. Just your average reactionary, short, fat, old, bald guy!

It might surprise you to know that only a small percentage of gun owners ever take a lesson from a Certified Instructor. Congratulations! You have taken the first step into becoming a Responsibly Armed American! Let’s talk about some initial things you can do to build and grow your new skill. Remember, “Use it, or Lose it!”

Most people who have become new gun owners in the last couple of years are thinking primarily about home and personal defense. In this post, we will focus there. Here’s an interesting little factoid. Over 80 percent of defensive firearms use takes place at the distance of between 9 and 15 feet, so don’t worry about further distances until you’re comfortable with that.

It’s also important to be aware that the TV visual that you only need one shot is, well, made for TV. In reality, you’ll need more, and you’ll want to shoot them pretty fast. So, while we aren’t target shooting, we *are* shooting with focus. We’re shooting with a Defensive Focus.

Here are the gory details. If we need to shoot in defense of our life, or the life of a loved one, then we must do so with purpose. That purpose is to “Stop the Threat”. How is the threat going to be stopped? Does the attacker turn and run when they see our defensive firearm? If so, there is no longer a threat and we can no longer justify shooting. This is important, Tigers!

But if we *do* have to shoot, then we must stop the threat as quickly as possible. The best way to do that is to shoot several times into the heart and lung area. This area is generally referred to as the “High Center Chest”. This is the best way to diminish the attacker’s ability to feed their brain with blood and oxygen. That is what will stop the threat.

So, where is High Center Chest? Take a moment and find a sheet of plain printer paper and fold the long end in it until you have a square. Now, hold it against your chest. Voila! High Center Chest. Easy peasy. Any shot inside that 8 1/4 inch square is an equally effective defensively focused shot. Do you think you could shoot rapidly into a target that size at 9 – 15 feet? Of course you could! So, how do we practice? Let’s hit the range!

We find the plainest target we can lay our hands on. Forget about the zombies and the balloons and the bunnies. Forget about anything with a target and rings and numbers and X’s. These are for different kinds of training. Our ideal target is the “Q” target and every range has them. Now, we either tape on our folded printer paper, or simply draw a square of about 8 – 9 inches with a thick sharpie, then run the target out to 10 – 12 feet.

We safely remove the gun from its case and set it down on the table with the muzzle pointed downrange, and the slide locked back. Load a magazine with five rounds. We bring the gun to a firing condition. We establish our proper two-handed grip and bring the gun back to our chest with the muzzle pointed straight downrange. This position is called “High Compressed Ready” and it’s the only “ready position” we should use. OK – good to go? Let’s fire one shot. We will keep both eyes open and focus on the square.

Extend the gun straight out to the target until both arms are as straight as we can make them, and into our line of sight of the target. The gun should be right in front of our eyes. Our finger should be off the trigger. We should not need to move our head down to find the gun. We should be able to see the gun right in the middle of the square. We touch the trigger but we don’t move it. We press the trigger to discharge one shot. We lift our finger back onto the frame of the gun and return it to High Compressed Ready (HCR).

Did the shot fall anywhere inside the square? Then it’s a ‘hit’! Score ‘1’ for you and ‘-1’ for the bad guy. Now we repeat. We extend the gun, touch and press the trigger, and return to high compressed ready with our finger on the frame. We always look at the target with both eyes. We’re going to repeat this until we can get every shot somewhere inside the square at 10 – 12 feet. This will generally not take more than 15 rounds, but if it takes us a few more, that’s ok.

OK! Now, multiple shots. We load five rounds and extend fully to target as before. We take as much time as we need to let the gun settle back into the square before firing a second time. Now back to HCR. Both shots in the square? Excellent! Extend again and fire three shots, again taking the time we need to get the gun settled and all shots in the square. Use two five-round magazines on this exercise. If we want we can do it again but firing all five shots into the square. That’s good work and 40 or 50 rounds well spent! Time to say “Well Done, Me” and call it a night.

So, let’s review. We are training ourselves to know how quickly we can fire while still getting our shots in the square. The more holes, the less blood to the attacker’s brain and the quicker we will stop the threat.

  • We are training initially only between 9 and 15 feet;
  • We are focusing on the target;
  • We are working from high compressed ready;
  • We are extending the gun fully with both arms, up into our line of sight on the target;
  • We are *seeing* the sights within the target square, but we are not *using* the sights;
  • We are touching then pressing the trigger, letting the gun settle back into our line of sight on the target between each shot;
  • We fire multiple shots as quickly as we can without going outside the square.

We are balancing speed and precision, and learning to shoot with a defensive focus.

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HAM Talk – Types of Radio

~ grant.gallagher ~ 1 Comment

Author Michael Daly is a former Captain in the United States Marine Corp. He currently works at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Senior Enterprise Architect in Infrastructure Operations and previously was a Project Manager at the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade MD. He has been involved in military and civilian communications technologies for over 40 years and holds a GMRS radio license (WRDQ914), a HAM Radio Amateur Extra class license (KC2SBR), is an accredited Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Volunteer Examiner, an accredited ARRL Volunteer Emergency Communications Field Examiner, and currently is a volunteer radio operator with the Ocean County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (OCARES), the Ocean County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the ARRL Southern New Jersey Mutual Assistance Team (SNJMAT), and is a NOAA trained National Weather Service Severe Storm Spotter.

HAM radio is presently experiencing a bit of a resurgence, judging by how many people seem to be taking exams to get HAM licenses. Between increased demand and worldwide supply chain issues, there are occasional shortages of HAM radios in 2022. Even in the best of times, the process of shopping can be frustrating for a new HAM. So many choices, so many features. Such a variety of price points.

When I bought my first HAM radio I had no guidance beyond “get an HT” (A WHAT?). I read everything I could find, shopped, relied on my previous experiences, read as many reviews as I could, I reached out to other HAMS I was meeting to get their opinions (much like asking gun enthusiasts which gun and caliber is best for home defense, you quickly discover every HAM has an opinion on a best “first radio”).

Looking back, I still basically picked my first radio almost at random. I got lucky and picked one that has met my every need over the last several years. The radio I selected is still in production, while other radios I considered at that time are now discontinued.

But for we Silver Tigers, there are some special criteria to consider, since we’re motivated by preparedness rather than strictly by hobby interests. You’re going to be looking for things related to long battery life, ease of use, reliability, and durability. A radio with several accessories available in the marketplace for future purchase is also important. My goal is not to tell you which specific radio to buy, instead I want to present for your consideration some factors as you shop, that will support your preparedness.

To begin, do we want a portable device, a mobile device (not the same) or a base-station? I would suggest to start with a portable. These are also called a “Handi Talk” or “HT” as a your First Radio, but let’s also get familiar with what else is available.

Generally, radios come in three styles, each with its own advantages and disadvantages. Portables (HTs) are small and handheld. The power source is usually internal to the radio. Their prices average lower than the other two types I’m going to mention but some feature-rich handhelds can run hundreds of dollars, they transmit at low power (usually up to 5 watts) but with the right options can transmit many miles.

Mobiles are a little bigger, a little more expensive, have more features, and are a little more powerful. As the name implies, they initially were intended to be mounted in vehicles (although many people now also use them as Base Stations as well). They require an external power source such as an external battery or a 12V DC power supply, and transmission power can average in the 50 watt range.

Last are Base Stations. Even bigger still, more expensive, and more powerful. They require external power sources and typically also have multi band capabilities to transmit and receive on any possible HAM frequencies you eventually might use with more advanced licensing. They have way more features than you’re ready (or licensed!) to use at this point. These are typically larger and not very convenient to move around, and require an external power source of a 12V DC power supply. Because of their transmitting power on certain frequencies (HF, up to 100 watts) they can also be dangerous if used incorrectly.

In the next part about choosing a radio, we’ll talk about my specific recommendations. So, it’s “73!” from me for now (Best Regards in HAM-speak).

KC2SBR-Mike

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In our Land of Plenty…

~ grant.gallagher ~ 1 Comment

… we have nothing to worry about. Food, cars, electricity, gasoline, toilet paper, are all available in abundance, with no fears about where our next roll of the soft white stuff will come from.

That is, until you go to the store or dealership and find out that shelves and car-lots are bare. Maybe not everything at the same time, but these shortages are popping up continually now. Something most of us have never encountered in our lifetime is suddenly staring us in the face. It’s irritating and inconvenient, but is it REALLY something to get worried about? We always manage to get by. Next year, the cars will be better and have even more exciting accessories. You’ve thought about trying a new brand of cracker and since your usual brand isn’t on the shelf, now’s the time. There isn’t any kernel canned corn, so it’s creamed corn today. You had your heart set on making a loaf of fresh bread, but there are no packets of yeast to be found. Little adjustments that are annoying but nothing to get upset about. But that’s today. What’s (not) in the stores tomorrow?

Let’s start with a few facts about food. In order to produce field crops, the ground has to be fertilized. Commercial production does not allow the sustainable and thoughtful rotation of crops from year to year. Smaller farms may be able to do this, but the big growers need all their land to produce, all the time. Specific crops have particular nutritional needs, and these have to be provided artificially on big farms. No problem, right? We can lay that fertilizer down in March for wheat and twice over the course of a few months for corn and our crops will be magnificent. Amber waves of grain!! Corn as high as an elephant’s eye on the fourth of July!!

Unless you can’t get the fertilizer. What happens then?

Take a minute to consider all the food areas that corn, wheat, rice and oil affect (hint: ‘moo’, ‘oink’, ‘cluck’). What does this mean to our ability to buy the food products we want? Well, nothing unless there is an interruption in sourcing fertilizer. How could this happen?

On April 19th of this year, U.S. fertilizer manufacturer CF Industries (CFI) advised its customers that railroad-mandated shipping reductions will result in nitrogen fertilizer shipment delays during the spring planting season. Union Pacific informed CFI, without advance notice, that it was mandating CFI and around 30 additional shippers, to reduce the volume of private cars on its railroad, effective immediately. Effectively, CFI was told to reduce its shipments by nearly 20%. Non-compliance, according to CFI, would result in the embargo of its facilities by Union Pacific. That means CFI will be unable to accept new rail sales involving Union Pacific customers for the foreseeable future.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the USA is experiencing severely-restricted access to the source of fertilizers, too. Did you know the US receives about $10.3 billion worth of fertilizer from the Ukraine, or that $1.3 billion worth comes from Russia? So there goes that source for the foreseeable future! Maybe you’re a little uncomfortable with this info that crop yield is going to be down significantly. You should be. But wait, there’s more, and in the next part of this post you simply won’t believe what is happening.

Please consider leaving a comment, using the link at the top of this page – thanks!

HAM RADIO – an Old, Proven Technology: 2 – Yes, there’s a test…

~ grant.gallagher ~ 4 Comments

Author Michael Daly is a former Captain in the United States Marine Corp.  He currently works at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Senior Enterprise Architect in Infrastructure Operations and previously was a Project Manager at the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade MD.  He has been involved in military and civilian communications technologies for over 40 years and holds a GMRS radio license (WRDQ914), a HAM Radio Amateur Extra class license (KC2SBR), is an accredited Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Volunteer Examiner, an accredited ARRL Volunteer Emergency Communications Field Examiner, and currently is a volunteer radio operator with the Ocean County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (OCARES),  the Ocean County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the ARRL Southern New Jersey Mutual Assistance Team (SNJMAT), and is a NOAA trained National Weather Service Severe Storm Spotter. 

Welcome back. Last time, we talked about the process for applying for your HAM license. This time, we’ll talk about actually getting it! This is where the fun starts – you have to study. The ‘Technician’ test is really very easy, provided you put in an hour or two a week of genuine study time. It’s a 35 question test and you must get at least 26 questions correct. Years ago there was also a requirement to be able to copy morse code at 5 words a minute, but that is no longer a requirement for any license.

There are many free resources on the Internet to help people study for the Technician test (there are also MANY that charge you money). I have found the free ones to be every bit as good as the one’s that cost money. It’s up to you.

I happened to use this one, but there are many out there. Under their resource tab they have study guides and practice exams using actual exam questions to help you get used to taking the exams and master the study material. There is a whole pool of 423 questions they draw from for the exams so it’s unlikely you will memorize the entire pool of questions and answers. The preferred goal is to learn the material so you can pass the exam.

You can also take practice exams that randomly ask questions, or you can take exams that focus the questions on specific topics. For me, I found working through a specific topic study guide and then taking an exam that focused on that topic really helped me. Then going back over anything I might not have a good grasp of, then taking the simulated exams where its set up like a real exam. That all helped me push my practice score up rapidly.

I also downloaded and used an app on my phone that did the same and anytime I had a spare moment I’d take an exam or study a topic. Your goal should be to consistently score above 80% on any practice exams. When you can do that consistently, you’re ready to take a REAL exam.

Where do I go for the exam? Years ago you’d have to travel to an FCC field office and sit for the exam, today many volunteer organizations offer the exams locally to you, so you no longer have to travel a long distance to sit for an exam. For example the Ocean County ARES (one organization I am involved with) conducts license exams at Robert Miller Airport in Ocean County every other month, but there are many other organizations through out the state. Its pretty easy to find a location, day and time convenient to you.You can go to the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) website and find a list of exams being offered in your area. Some exam locations allow walk ins meaning you just show up and take a test. Others require you to register before hand. Make sure you’re aware of the exam location you want to attend does allow walk-ins.

What do I need that night for the exam? You will need to bring the following with you on the night:

  • $15.00 cash or check made out to ARRL-VEC
  • A government issued photo identification – drivers license, passport, etc.
  • Federal Registration Number (FRN) from the FCC you previously obtained.

I also brought with me a few Number 2 pencils, a sharpener, an eraser (although many places will provide these as well).

Leave your cell phone in the car, you won’t be allowed to have it out for any reason during the exam and frankly cell phones going off are a distraction.

Take your time, answer each question. What will be different is that this real test is paper based, while all your previous practice exams were online. If you studied there will be no surprises. Those practice online exams you took will look identical to this paper exam. It’s multiple choice, so fill in and darken the little circle that corresponds to your answer for each question. There is no rush, I even took a moment when I thought I was done and just closed my eyes and relaxed for a few minutes. Then I went back and counted all the filled in circles just to verify I didn’t miss one. Don’t forget to check your answers.

When you’re ready, turn in your exam and it will be graded right there and verified separately by three volunteer examiners. You will know that evening if you passed or not. If not, you will be allowed to try and pass again that night. By all means try it again, there are different exams that pull different questions from the same question pool. Different exams means different questions.

When you pass you are given a receipt indicating you passed. It will take a few days to a few weeks for the FCC to process your exam paperwork and formally enter you into their record systems and assign your call sign. They used to mail you a paper license and I believe these days they send an email with your call sign. if you need or want a paper copy of your license, you can download it from that same CORES website where you got your FRN.

You’ll also be offered the chance of taking the next level exam that same evening, at no additional fee. It does not hurt to try even if you did not study for General. You passed the Technician already, so even if you do not pass the General exam that has no effect on your Technician. I have seen some people attempt and pass all three exams in one sitting. That’s quite an accomplishment if you can do it.

So now that was all Easy Peasy wasn’t it?? You passed and now you’re a HAM. You will have quite a satisfied feeling when the Volunteer Examiner tells you you’ve passed and you finally get your first call sign. It’s an accomplishment, be proud of yourself. Celebrate! You now have a skillset that will serve you and your family, and perhaps your community, in an emergency.

If you have any questions related to getting your first license, or just related to communications, please feel free to reach out to me, me at [email protected]. I hope to write a series of these blogs talking about specific topics of related interest such as how to select a first radio, other radio and communications technologies and when you might need each, Fox Hunting (Radio Direction Finding), Parks On The Air (off the grid operations), Building your own antennas, how to get power while your operating remotely, and other topics related to communications and preparedness.

Please take a moment to leave a comment!

HAM RADIO – an Old, Proven Technology: 1 – Applying for a License

~ grant.gallagher ~ 3 Comments

Author Michael Daly is a former Captain in the United States Marine Corp.  He currently works at the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Senior Enterprise Architect in Infrastructure Operations and previously was a Project Manager at the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade MD.  He has been involved in military and civilian communications technologies for over 40 years and holds a GMRS radio license (WRDQ914), a HAM Radio Amateur Extra class license (KC2SBR), is an accredited Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) Volunteer Examiner, an accredited ARRL Volunteer Emergency Communications Field Examiner, and currently is a volunteer radio operator with the Ocean County Amateur Radio Emergency Service (OCARES),  the Ocean County Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES), the ARRL Southern New Jersey Mutual Assistance Team (SNJMAT), and is a NOAA trained National Weather Service Severe Storm Spotter. 

I thought it would be helpful to everyone as an initial pair of articles (intended to be first in a series of HAM radio related articles) to give an introduction to how in 2022 one actually gets a HAM license. If you’ve never been licensed (or even if you previously held an older Novice license) and are considering licensing now, I’d like to walk you through the current process. It is fairly simple, it’s not a mystery, and it should never be intimidating. Despite some of the cryptic jargon HAM Radio is actually a fun and interesting hobby with valuable real-world skills that we all would want and need if an actual emergency occurred. So, let’s get going.

Why bother getting a license for such old technology? Communication is a vital component of safety, security, and preparedness in the 21st century. Our modern connected world with smart phones and the Internet has amazing capabilities when they work. These might practically overload us with information, but they give us a global reach to communicate almost instantly. However, if an event occurs that interrupts, disrupts, or destroys the infrastructure that supports all that modern communications, you’re instantly cut off – figuratively and possibly literally. What then? HAM radio provides a modern solution rather than an old solution; the tech has kept up with the times. In fact, many radios today are amazingly capable and physically no larger than a pack of cigarettes.

In such a scenario where real world events are disrupting our world, maintaining situational awareness is vital to allow you to make sound and timely decisions. These decisions may well affect you and your loved ones, and those decisions can only be as good as the information you have to work with. The goal is to make good decisions that result in a good outcome for you. It is better if such decisions can be made proactively because you have good information, available in a timely manner. Your goal should not be to sit idly and wait for circumstances to force you to be constantly reacting to the world and events around you under duress. A HAM radio can give you that connection to vital, timely information, and other people, when all else around you has failed.

Such timely information could be things such as getting the latest status of Red Cross shelters around you when you need to evacuate. It would be desirable to know before you travel to, and arrive at, a given shelter location whether its full and people are being diverted elsewhere or that other new shelter locations are opening up. You can get current weather reports from NOAA. You might need to contact authorities because you need rescue assistance. Maybe you want to email family outside your affected area and let them know you’re safe? Or perhaps you need to send or receive digital data such as electronic documents or images?

HAM radio can facilitate all of these things, even when the Internet and cell phones are completely dead. This “old” technology has actually kept up with the times and several things you do with a cell phone or the Internet you can do with a HAM radio. That is where HAM radio fills a critical niche in your personal safety and preparedness plans.

So what are these HAM licenses and which one do I need? As a simple overview there are three levels of licensing: ‘Technician’, ‘General’, and ‘Amateur Extra’. While you do not need a license to passively listen, you do need one to legally transmit in most situations. Basically each license grants you increasing privileges on various different operating frequencies and different modes of operating. ‘Technician’ is the first, introductory license; for most people this is really all they’ll need. It gives you the ability to talk on shorter range UHF and VHF frequencies, reach out to other HAMs directly, receive NOAA weather reports, and most importantly, reach out to local repeaters which greatly extends the range of your radio.

Next up is ‘General’, and this gives you more privileges on UHF and VHF frequencies. It also adds some additional HF frequencies, which allow you to speak to people farther away. The highest and most advanced license is ‘Amateur Extra’. This last one basically is “everything” an amateur HAM can do. However, for the majority of people, that first Technician license will meet the majority of your communications needs. The licenses must be taken and passed consecutively, so you must pass Technician before you take General, and you must pass General before you take Amateur Extra. You can’t just skip over Technician to get to one of the advanced licenses.

Okay I’m convinced I want to be a HAM. What do I need to do? So, if you are a first time test taker or have not yet gotten one, you’ll need to obtain a Federal Registration Number (FRN) from the FCC prior to testing. You will not be able to take a license test without an FRN.  Registration for an FRN is done online at the FCC’s Commission Registration System (CORES) website. It only takes a few minutes to get one.

The FCC also requires a valid mailing and email address in order to obtain an FRN. By obtaining an FRN, your name and address become part of the public record at the FCC. If you would prefer not to have your home address be part of this public record, you could use a post office box number or work address as an alternative. You are expected to update the FCC whenever your mailing address is changed.

OK – so go get your FRN, and tune in again for part 2!

Please take a moment to leave a comment, using the link at the top of the post!

Firing your first shots – trigger press.

~ grant.gallagher ~ 1 Comment

Author ScotShot Scott is an NRA and USCCA certified Instructor and Training Counselor in a range of firearms, and home and personal defense disciplines. In an Alternate Universe, he is a husband, father, grandfather, scientist, musician, educator and grumpy old professor. Just your average reactionary, short, fat old bald guy!

“Tell me, Carlice… why do we press the trigger?”
Nervously, she replies, shuffling her feet, “Dr Lochter, Dr Lochter… to fire the gun.. we press the trigger to fire the gun..” Her voice trails off.
“No, Carlice, that is IN-cidental.”

If you’re a new gun owner, then I hope your Firearms Instructor wouldn’t send you to a well-known lover of meat, Chianti, and lima beans to learn the basics, but I like to think that there’s some truth in the example. I also hope that they wouldn’t describe the moment when the trigger trips the firing pin as a “surprise break”. This may increase apprehension in new shooters, all of whom are perfectly aware that pressing the trigger causes the gun to fire and they’d rather it wasn’t a surprise, thank you.

So, what have I observed going on in peoples’ minds when they begin to increase pressure on the trigger to fire their gun – any gun – for the very first time? Many new shooters are perfectly calm and remember everything we worked on in the classroom. For some though, the nervous voice in their head almost immediately says “why hasn’t it FIRED yet?”, and they rapidly pull (or as we say, “slap”) the trigger. This jerks the gun and undoes all the good work they just put in regarding stance, grip, presentation, aiming, breath control, etc. Less frequently, but still commonly, they may well press the trigger well but then immediately flick it off, or rush the gun back to their chest, perhaps with their finger still on the trigger.

All of us who teach firearms, particularly handguns, to new shooters, are aware of these things and many more, which is why we always give you only one round when we haven’t seen you shoot before.
Here at ScotShot, we have developed a method that is specifically designed to separate proper trigger press from the gun’s firing. As we will tell you, it is your job to press the trigger, it is the trigger’s job to fire the gun. Here’s what we do.

Once we are happy with your grip and stance, and feel that you are positioned correctly, we ask you to shoot with our guidance:

“OK – when you’re ready;

  • finger on the trigger;
  • pause your breath;
  • steady press back and hold for two;
  • breathe;
  • relax your finger;
  • finger off, and gun in.”

Your finger starts off the trigger and ends off the trigger. The gun returns to compressed ready and so the next shot also reinforces the proper push-out to eye level. We use this technique exclusively in the preparatory classroom period, and with live-fire as much as necessary for the student to see that they can achieve a group of shots.

There’s a number of things that can conspire against new shooters and prevent you from shooting optimally. We will explore some of these in later posts, but one less obvious thing is the importance of which part of your finger actually touches the trigger. It’s important to use the fleshy pad at the end of your finger.

You might find yourself pushing your finger through to the first joint because this feels more comfortable, but this may well pull the shots to the side (or use your finger tip, which pulls the shots to the other side). We prepare you in the class by asking, “If I gave you a small little screw and asked you to close your eyes and tell me what shape it is, which part of your finger would you roll it around on?” Now it’s obvious [1].

That’s the ScotShot way of trigger press. It’s not the only way, but it’s a way that we have found works pretty well, most of the time, for the majority of new shooters. Good luck to all of you who are learning to shoot for the first time, or learning the basics of defensive shooting!

How does this sound? Do you prefer a different method? Write and tell us!

[1] If it’s me, I might well say “tiny wee screw”.

Training with your Home Defense Firearm

~ grant.gallagher ~ 1 Comment

Author Glenn McDermott is the owner of the Firearms Education Center, and runs First Level Training, where he focuses on providing new shooters with the skills they need to confidently take their first shots on the live-fire range. He is an NRA Certified Pistol and rifle Instructor, and Chief Range Safety Officer. Glenn is also certified in defensive firearm instruction by the USCCA. This is the second of two blog posts.

Training with your firearm is important. As the saying goes, owning a piano doesn’t automatically make you a musician. There are several ways of training with your firearm, but the most important thing IS to train.

I like to train my students with a S.I.R.T. pistol. S.I.R.T. stands for ‘Shot Indicating Resetting Trigger’, and these pistols use a laser to indicate where your ‘shots’ are hitting. The resetting trigger simulates the feel of the trigger on your gun. These features help you developthe critical skills of sight alignment, sight picture and trigger control. Other tools are very useful when it comes to training. For example, the “iTarget Pro” uses an app on your smart phone to simulate target-shooting or air-soft guns. You could even set up a small laser ‘shooting’ range in your garage, basement, man-cave or she-shed.

It’s important to train with your surroundings. Not only do you have to train with your firearm, you must train in the place you may have to defend. What do I mean by this? Well, several considerations must be taken into account. What is ‘cover’? What is ‘concealment’? In what direction is it safe to fire?

A typical 9mm round can penetrate 6 layers of drywall easily, so you must pick directions in your house that it’s safe to fire from, and not dangerous to fire towards. For instance, in my home, looking out the front of my house, I can only shoot safely at a 10-2:00 o’clock position. The other areas in my home have houses in the line of fire, so they are not an option. Pick a safe spot inside or outside the home for family members to congregate out of harm’s way if an intruder has breached your security measures.

Make sure your home does not invite an intruder; home security starts with a secure home. Do a perimeter check, take a walk around your house and look for ways to get into your home. Think like an intruder. Do you have lawn furniture by a window that can be used as a step to enter by a window? This is just one way your home can be broken into.

Keep your house well-lit; burglars do not like to be seen. Use 3” screws on your door hinges and striker plates to make it more difficult to break in through a door, and have a code word to communicate a potentially bad situation to others in your home.

Taking all these factors into consideration, now you must ask yourself a tough question. Do you have the temperament to shoot someone? Are you able to shoot someone, knowing that your action may take another’s life? Do you know when to shoot and when not to shoot? These are hard questions that you and only you can answer. Ponder the consequences morally, ethically and mentally. If you do shoot someone, are you prepared to watch them die? If you have any problem with the outcome of a personal defense shooting, or the legal ramifications, then maybe a firearm in your home is not for you.

So then, let’s talk about some non-lethal forms of personal defense. There are some effective non-lethal defense tools on the market, one being pepper-spray guns. Kimber makes a very effective product called the “Pepper Blaster II”. It’s a compact gun that shoots an irritant-like pepper spray, at a speed of 112 MPH , with a range of 13 feet, powered by a CO2 cartridge. It’s a thick sticky substance that sticks on your attacker, and causes extreme eye and breathing discomfort, incapacitating him so that you can get away.

Another product is the “Byrna SD”. This gun shoots small paintball-like projectiles that break open on impact and expel a pepper “dust-like” substance that causes your attacker much discomfort and pain by affecting vision and breathing. If you have never seen these in action, search them on You Tube and see for yourself.

Finally, be a responsible gun owner. The gun owning community receives a lot of bad press, so be an advocate of the second amendment and your Constitutional rights. Know how to use your firearm safely, know how to fieldstrip, clean and maintain your firearm, and remember the three NRA safety rules:

  • ALWAYS keep the gun pointed in a safe direction.
  • ALWAYS keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
  • ALWAYS keep the gun unloaded until ready to use.

And treat all guns as though they are always loaded, know your target and what’s beyond, be sure your gun is safe to operate and know how to use your gun safely.

“The Firearms Education Center” – Be Safe, Be Smart, Be Educated.

Editor Note: check your local laws regarding the ownership and use of products mentioned in this post. Some States such as New Jersey are very restrictive.

Reaching out with Ham Radio.

~ grant.gallagher ~ 3 Comments

Author Todd Ellis balances his work life with community volunteerism.  A Critical Infrastructure communications expert, Ellis helps design systems for rail, bus and airports and was awarded two related patents.  After hours, Ellis is an Auxiliary Police Officer in his local township, teaches firearm safety courses, is an adult Scouter and a 4th Degree Knight of Columbus.  Ellis and his wife Stacey reside on their uniquely sloped property known as Leprechaun Hill in southeastern Pennsylvania.

The Internet is a wonderful tool for people to communicate with each other via e-mail and websites. Newer technologies like video conferencing have moved from the business world to everyday use. Different video conferencing platforms like “Microsoft Teams” or “Cisco Webex” or “Zoom” are great, but contact has to be pre-arranged; rarely will you bump into someone online for a chat. It also requires good data speed or bandwidth, and reliable connectivity.

There are some older communication technologies that need reconsideration. One method is amateur (or “ham”) radio. The term “ham” started in the 19th century when telegraph stations using Morse code had poor technique – they were said to be “ham fisted”, and the term stuck. The wonder of ham radio is that it does not require an internet connection, and ham operators are located worldwide, so it’s a great way to make new friends all across the globe!

So, how do you get started? It’s a little technical. People must take a test as stipulated by the Federal Communications Commission (or the federal agency in their own country abroad) and receive their license to operate. However, if you can figure out how to set up a computer and run programs, you’re probably technically minded enough to pass the test.

Once licensed, hams can buy two-way radios and talk to one another both locally, and over long distances. Generally, your capabilities are limited to your interest in the hobby, how much physical land you own, and your bank account. Some radio equipment is very cost-efficient and good for using around town. Some people have erected small radio towers or erected large antennas that allow reliable communications worldwide. Most find a place in the middle that allows for high enjoyment with moderate cost and effort.

Ham radio operators come from every walk of life. Everyone from truck mechanics to physicians have come hams. Some of the more famous people who have been licensed hams include Senator Barry Goldwater and King Hussain of Jordan. However, the most important folks are those who use their radios during emergencies to provide communications where no communications infrastructure exists. Case in point, amateur radio has certainly been in use across Kentucky during December’s awful tornado event. Following Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, ham radio was the only method to reliably connect with those in the affected area.

Those who have limited mobility or other disabilities enjoy the hobby. It’s truly gratifying to know about people who have made friends in other countries without ever leaving their home. Radio allows people to broaden their horizons who otherwise would have been limited to their immediate surroundings. It’s amazing to finally meet someone face-to-face without ever realizing they were physically handicapped. In one memorable situation, a young man who professed to have “a map in my head” really did – he had memorized directions from listening to taxi dispatchers and had effectively memorized a map of a city. However, being completely blind, he had never actually “seen” a map, yet he provided cheerful assistance to anyone asking for local road directions.

The hobby also causes one to use one’s brains! Cognitive decline happens faster with those who put their brain in neutral; having a somewhat technical hobby can help keep you sharp. Making new friends along the way is certainly a terrific side effect!