What Preps are you doing this week? Part 12

[Yorkshire Andy]

I'm not a big fan of the smart home stuff. It has it's place if you really need to be able to turn things on and off from far away but otherwise it is just another thing to go wrong and force early replacement of the item concerned. And in the worst case scenario, an open invite for hackers, burglars and other unfriendlies to look/listen inside or even control your home.

Fortunately a couple of table light smart led lamps were cheaper than a couple of timers and the worst a hacker can do with them is turn them on or off and change the colour

disco hackers

Although did make the wife look up as I turned the light from daylight to what I can only describe as old sodium orange street light colour whilst I was playing

[Yorkshire Andy]

Well that could have proved interesting ....

300 miles from home go to fill the car after the drive .... supermarket (Sainsbury's to keep lil happy)

Fill car fine lock petrol cap pull out key and the bloody lock barrel stays attached the key and it's blooming stuck... so key is useless with the round cylinder clamped to the key

Ever the prepper I've the spare car key with me..

Quick assessment i can unlock the cap with a flat driver...if needed and I've the spare key so can start and drive the car

Get to camp site.. boot empty tools accessible ...

Soak in gt85 oil spray for 10 mins

Small hammer to tap the cylinder off having failed trying the grips / pliers

Managed to rebuild the cap and lock and have the key working again



Also had my new tool set out and fixed a broken toy

[Frnc]

Everyone ready for the heatwave? Had to shut my window last night, due to neighbours talking, but managed to get some cool air in this morning. Ditched my summer duvet (Tog 1) and used and empty duvet cover, doubled over. Got the E facing blinds tilted to keep the morning sun out.

[Arzosah]

Well that could have proved interesting ....

300 miles from home go to fill the car after the drive .... supermarket (Sainsbury's to keep lil happy)

Fill car fine lock petrol cap pull out key and the bloody lock barrel stays attached the key and it's blooming stuck... so key is useless with the round cylinder clamped to the key ....

Eep! That's something to think about ... glad you managed it all so well.

[itsybitsy]

Purchased a new emergency radio which can be charged up via solar/wind up/usb and battery - DAB/FM. Also bought a new LED torch which almost burned my retinas out when I turned it on to inspect it , a 10 gallon collapsible water container, kilo of baking soda and some hedge clippers - extendable.

Water is much more of a concern for me now that I'm in a house with no garden (and therefore no water butts) other than a large hedge that runs around the short strip of land around the property and a 3m x 1.5 metre unfenced grass strip which houses the water meter in an underground box; the downstairs bathroom is currently serving as a water storage area, which I do need to figure out properly long term, but for now, I'm just happy to have around 100 litres on hand.

[itsybitsy]

Please can you discuss ropes and knots in the topic created in the DIY and Handicrafts section as we are way off topic on here - yet again. The relevant posts have been moved to this new topic.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Purchased a new emergency radio which can be charged up via solar/wind up/usb and battery - DAB/FM. Also bought a new LED torch which almost burned my retinas out when I turned it on to inspect it , a 10 gallon collapsible water container, kilo of baking soda and some hedge clippers - extendable.

Water is much more of a concern for me now that I'm in a house with no garden (and therefore no water butts) other than a large hedge that runs around the short strip of land around the property and a 3m x 1.5 metre unfenced grass strip which houses the water meter in an underground box; the downstairs bathroom is currently serving as a water storage area, which I do need to figure out properly long term, but for now, I'm just happy to have around 100 litres on hand.

There's all sorts of shapes and sized of water storage containers available for the caravan / camper van market

For example a big one

https://www.tanks-direct.co.uk/250-litr ... ight/p6170

If you can say stash a slim flat one behind the sofa for example
Or a flat one under a bed assuming the floor will take the load

https://www.tanks-direct.co.uk/150-litr ... flat/p6059

Get black plastic so the sunlight doesn't affect the water...

[itsybitsy]

no way I'm putting water containers under the bed or behind the couch Andy! It really would have to be the end times for that.

Edit: or unless I move into a motorhome and the older I get, the more attractive that option becomes!

[Frnc]

5l containers fit under my bed easy enough, I just have to tilt them slightly to get them under the edge, then they go vertical. I did have a 10 under, but I'm not doing that anymore. I have 1 on a small bookshelf, 1 on one of my racks, and 2 on the floor in the prep room under the window. So that's 60l. Enough for now. I have a 25 and two more 10s empty in the loft.

[rik_uk3]

I purchased an ATS-20+ radio that are under £20 on ebay...its tiny.

Runs off internal battery you can charge via USB C (small solar phone charger will work. Comes the a telescopic antenna on a BNC connector so you can hook up whatever antenna you fancy.

It covers standard FM range for all your commercial stations plus the ham radio (HF) short wave bands. Has Lower sideband & Upper sideband and there are a load of youtube videos about using the set.

As said its tiny but has a great speaker built in plus a headphone jack. You can pack this away in a small tupperware type box. A perfect little emergency radio (bottle top for scale)