1st timer

[jansman]

Welcome to the forum. Preppers are definitely in the category of ‘All the gear, no idea’! Get out and practice is my advice.

Water filter: Get it out of the packet, get out in the garden ( if you have one) , catch some rainwater, and filter it. Done. You can treat it with chemicals or boil it after filtering if you wish ( I drink water straight from the * covered* water butt when I am gardening). Make sure your filter is kept from freezing after use though.

Fishing kit: Now you are talking! Fishing is my passion. If you are coarse fishing, you WILL need an Environment Agency Rod License. The EA ALWAYS prosecute if you don’t have one.

Do you have family or friends who fish? If you do, then you are away! If not, your local tackle shop will offer advice. Then there is YouTube. I have 50 years experience, but techniques change, and I follow several anglers on that channel to stay up to date. My favourite is TA Fishing. Check it out, Graeme is very down to earth, and welcoming to beginners to the sport. It’s a good watch too!

If you have the kit, use it. It’s no good learning to swim when the boat is sinking, as they say.

[jennyjj01]

I have practised using a compass, but if I didn't know which way was north, I'd have gone in the wrong direction

Useful tip. If you get yourself generally lost , say in Cumbria and you need to find, say Bournemouth, just find a house with a satellite dish.... It's pretty much pointing south, which is where you want to go Every House... pointing South. LOL.
You might laugh, but Hubby actually uses this sort of navigating when he gets lost when we go on holiday, and that's often.

If anyone ever went to the Coronation Street set at Manchester ( Or pays close attention), there were houses on opposite sides of the street, with satellite dishes each pointing in different directions. That cannot work.

I'll get my coat!

[jansman]

… or wait for the needle on the compass to settle and point North. Then walk in that direction.

[Arzosah]

I have practised using a compass, but if I didn't know which way was north, I'd have gone in the wrong direction

Useful tip. If you get yourself generally lost , say in Cumbria and you need to find, say Bournemouth, just find a house with a satellite dish.... It's pretty much pointing south, which is where you want to go Every House... pointing South. LOL.
You might laugh, but Hubby actually uses this sort of navigating when he gets lost when we go on holiday, and that's often.

If anyone ever went to the Coronation Street set at Manchester ( Or pays close attention), there were houses on opposite sides of the street, with satellite dishes each pointing in different directions. That cannot work.

I'll get my coat!

I laughed **and** I loved it! Nice one! Very much about the real world.

[Arzosah]

… or wait for the needle on the compass to settle and point North. Then walk in that direction.

I know, I know ... but is it the red bit of the needle, or is it the other bit? I've found out that information at least ten times, and my brain refuses to keep it. I have a prejudice against that knowledge, unfortunately, just like I can't understand spoken directions, I have to see a map, or see the directions written down. My brain is not altogether healthy, I'm afraid

[jansman]

… or wait for the needle on the compass to settle and point North. Then walk in that direction.

I know, I know ... but is it the red bit of the needle, or is it the other bit? I've found out that information at least ten times, and my brain refuses to keep it. I have a prejudice against that knowledge, unfortunately, just like I can't understand spoken directions, I have to see a map, or see the directions written down. My brain is not altogether healthy, I'm afraid

The red bit is North b The compass is ( despite how a modern one appears) a very simple device.If the Vikings could get from Norway to Greenland... https://www.livescience.com/44366-vikin ... unset.html

A fascinating article.

[Arzosah]

Okay, I'll try again to keep it in my head I need a mnemonic - red bit is go, thats the opposite of a traffic light. That'll do

Wonderful article, thanks for linking.

[jennyjj01]

Okay, I'll try again to keep it in my head I need a mnemonic - red bit is go, thats the opposite of a traffic light. That'll do

Wonderful article, thanks for linking.

Red points to Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.... Who lives at the North Pole.

[pensden]

hummm so why a 8cm ruler down the long side & a 2cm one on the short side and that round disc underneath the compass with 3 tracks running all the way around any Idea what that's for,I feel a YouTube moment coming on

[pensden]

yeah I think I need to stay away from YouTube for a bit been watching too many u.s & Canadian prep sites who think following shtf they'd be inundated with desperate people doing desperate
things ie home invasions & gangs trying to steal their stash etc & for a while forgot I lived in England & we'd never behave like that ... or would we, I chose fishing because I really couldn't see myself killing & butchering anything with legs ...sorry fish,I get really into prepping lots of lists & numbers etc but this other stuff other than camping & campfire cooking I'm pretty rubbish at it so definitely needs work