Show us and/or describe what is in your daypack?

[gforce]

Re: Transciever

I think it is technically legal to own, and it is legal to operate a HAM radio in an emergency situation without being licensed. I always carry my Yaesu VX-7R in the whites and can normally get into some nearby repeater. As opposed to my cellphone which is normally useless. Do you fellow HAM VFTT'ers agree?

However the licensing process is not very difficult and will teach you certain things which are important for proper operation.

Can you describe the portable antenna you mentioned?


Glenn

 

[griffin]

Gotta know what the rubber duck is for though. Signalling device, good luck charm, last piece of food?

Maybe it was looking for the Rubber Chicken?

Thanks for the lists, everyone, it's making me rethink some of the things I do and don't take with me.

 

[DougPaul]

If you or anyone needs more information I would be more than willing to help. I suspect Doug would also though I don't want to volunteer him for anything.

Yeah--I don't even answer questions...

Handheld amateur transceivers (HT = handitalkie) have been discussed before. A bit of searching should find some threads on the topic.

There are a number of hams on this bbs, most/all of whom will happily answer questions. (Perhaps it should be a separate thread.)

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

I think it is technically legal to own, and it is legal to operate a HAM radio in an emergency situation without being licensed.

In the USA, it is legal for anyone to use any communications radio in a life-or-death situation. To transmit illegally is a federal crime.

I always carry my Yaesu VX-7R in the whites and can normally get into some nearby repeater. As opposed to my cellphone which is normally useless. Do you fellow HAM VFTT'ers agree?

Sometimes one works, sometimes the other, sometimes neither.

Can you describe the portable antenna you mentioned?

A twinlead J-pole for 2M. You can make one yourself or HRO sells them. (I suspect the "compact antenna" is just the antenna that comes with the HT or a 3rd party version.)

Doug

 

[NewHampshire]

Nice looking kit Brian. Gotta know what the rubber duck is for though. Signalling device, good luck charm, last piece of food? Gotta know.

Keith

You know what they say, keeping your wits about you is half the battle in survival siutations. So I guess she is there to keep me sane ...sort of like Tom Hanks in Cast Away and his buddy Wilson the volley ball! (Ok, maybe not a good example .)

B.

 

[Neil]

I sure aint got no rubber chickens in my pack. In fact, I don't have a fraction of that other stuff. I always make sure that I can see in the dark and keep warm and dry at night and treat cuts and scrapes (hopefully not mine).

I read somewhere that carrying a shovel in order to dig one's own grave before laying down in it might be a good idea but I'm too much of an optimist to do something as crazy as that. Maybe Pigpen.

 

[Pig Pen]

I sure aint got no rubber chickens in my pack. In fact, I don't have a fraction of that other stuff. I always make sure that I can see in the dark and keep warm and dry at night and treat cuts and scrapes (hopefully not mine).

I read somewhere that carrying a shovel in order to dig one's own grave before laying down in it might be a good idea but I'm too much of an optimist to do something as crazy as that. Maybe Pigpen.

My only criticism would be to remind you of how important is to have something with which to wipe your ... There are other types of emergencies if you know what I mean.

 

[Woody]

I feel like I over pack for day hikes

I like to think I will be able to handle a night out without too much of a problem. I've never had to actually test this out with an unplanned bivy.
My summer daypack has:
Headlamp
pocket knife or sometimes a multitool
map
compass
gps
extra batteries
rain pants
rain/wind jacket
fleece sweater or softshell jacket
bivy bag
Nalgene bottle
camelback
water filter
toilet kit
gloves
food (that doesn't need cooking) probably some gu's as well
cell phone (and unfortunately probably my pager as well)
first aid kit
Small close cell pad
lighter or two
bug spray

 

[Dugan]

If it squeaks, you can use it as a backup for your whistle.

Whether duck or whistle shaped - I'm beginning to wonder what the point of a whistle is. I've been on two group hikes where a whistle was used. Each time, the intent was to signal where the main group was to a separated hiker, when we didn't know if the individual was ahead or behind.

In both cases, though less than .25 miles away (probably even less) the individual did not hear the whistle.

So... if I need to signal someone with a whistle, and they're far enough away that I can't hear them, the above experience tells me that they won't hear the whistle.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Nice job there Rambo...but one question where are your extra clothes?

Like I said. There are things I'll add. Depending on the weather or expected weather I'll add different clothing.

Keith

 

[SAR-EMT40]

In both cases, though less than .25 miles away (probably even less) the individual did not hear the whistle.

So... if I need to signal someone with a whistle, and they're far enough away that I can't hear them, the above experience tells me that they won't hear the whistle.

I really don't consider the whistle to be a long distance signaling device. It is generally much better than voice though. It generally reaches farther than voice and much more importantly it uses a lot less energy to make a pretty good amount of noise. Just yelling you are guaranteed your voice will eventually give out. No such problem with a whistle.

Keith

 

[sweeper]

I really don't consider the whistle to be a long distance signaling device. It is generally much better than voice though. It generally reaches farther than voice and much more importantly it uses a lot less energy to make a pretty good amount of noise. Just yelling you are guaranteed your voice will eventually give out. No such problem with a whistle.

Keith

Obviously You boy haven't got 'Fox-40' Whistles, "The Loudest Whistle in the World". You won't bring them in from miles away but, you may want to put a pair of earplugs with the whistle.

Although the web site below will give you a demo of the whistle sound it in no way is an example of the volume to will get.

Fox 40


Having said all this, that's about as high tech as I get. Water Bottles, Food, Small 1st Aid Kit, Camera, a warm shirt and that about all I took on my Cannon hike With Big Earl this past week.
I used everything but the shirt, could have used another water bottle, but that was the only thing missing = a well planned trip.

 

[Dugan]

I really don't consider the whistle to be a long distance signaling device. It is generally much better than voice though. It generally reaches farther than voice and much more importantly it uses a lot less energy to make a pretty good amount of noise. Just yelling you are guaranteed your voice will eventually give out. No such problem with a whistle.

Keith

So - not necessarily that it will be heard further, but that you can do repeated blasts at regular intervals for longer than you could do with voice alone. That I can accept.

Sweeper - don't know what kind of whistles, but both were LOUD!

 

[Paradox]

I can kill bears with my bare hands, eat them and then jump in their body luke skywalker style.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe I first heard of this survival technique in the short story by Jack London: "To Build A Fire". The protagonist tried to disembowel his dog and climb in the carcase to survive. The dog ran away before he could get his hands on it. Has anyone out there tried this in real life?

 

[Paradox]

My stuff:

Daypack (Kelty 58”, DaKine 26”, GoLite 15”
10” poles.
12.6” rain jacket
13.3” rain pants
10.5” fleece pants
3.5” fleece gloves
18” fleece pullover sweater
13.2” XL polyester shirt
6.5” L polypro shirt
7.5” XL polypro shirt
3.5” LED headlamp
Ibuprofen, Imodium, cimetidine, benedryl
Talcum powder
Water as camelback or bottles
15” Filter for water
MIOX 6.4”

Fanny pack.
2” DEET in zip-lok bag
7.5” Camera (charged)
7.5” Garmin 60CSx GPS
Cell phone (charged)
Extra AA batteries, AAA batteries
Map, with trail descriptions
3.8” compass,
Cash, Visa, license, health ins card
leashes
options: 11.9” binoculars, 14.5” stabilicers, 15.7” trail guide
3.5” wallet, snowshoes,

Dogs: 1 cup of food per dog per 7 miles
4 large dog biscuits per dog per 7 miles
Pack
Cloth bowls
Water


Does anyone else out there use talcum powder for a chaffing problem? Any other solutions?
Has anyone tried Superglue for blisters?

 

[DougPaul]

If it squeaks, you can use it as a backup for your whistle.

This line was a joke with a small point.

In both cases, though less than .25 miles away (probably even less) the individual did not hear the whistle.

So... if I need to signal someone with a whistle, and they're far enough away that I can't hear them, the above experience tells me that they won't hear the whistle.

Recently finished reading "Angels in the Wilderness", by Amy Racina. She fell while solo hiking on an unmaintained backcountry trail and sustained immobilizing injuries. Someone heard her calling for help after 3 days and answered by 2 toots of a whistle. She probably wouldn't have lasted another day. Had she lost her voice, she would not have been found.

She now carries the whistle that answered her, a gift from her rescuers.

Like anything else (including cell phones, ham radio transceivers, sat phones, and PLBs), there is no guarantee. But a whistle is light weight, cheap, requires no batteries, and increases the chance that you will be found.

I consider it worth carrying in my pack.

Doug

 

[Tim Seaver]

Like anything else (including cell phones, ham radio transceivers, sat phones, and PLBs), there is no guarantee. But a whistle is light weight, cheap, requires no batteries, and increases the chance that you will be found.

A good way to never forget a whistle is to replace your sternum strap buckle with one of these.
Some manufacturers are already using this buckle or something similar in their line of packs.

I made the mistake of pointing out to my 4 year old son Isaac that his LL Bean vest had one of the whistle buckles on it. BIG mistake.

Yeah, it's LOUD.

 

[DougPaul]

A good way to never forget a whistle is to replace your sternum strap buckle with one of these.
Some manufacturers are already using this buckle or something similar in their line of packs.

I just "test fired" my sternum strap whistle, a mini-Fox 40, a classic Fox-40, and a storm. While the sternum strap whistle is loud and readily available, the others are louder and lower pitched. (The lower pitches will carry farther.) The strap whistle didn't make my ears ring--the others did. (Still ringing after 5 min... )

I wouldn't leave my regular whistle behind because I had a strap whistle.

Doug

Still trying to clear my ears...

 

[Chip]

Still trying to clear my ears...

What ?

I have a decent length of duct tape on one of my trekking poles and also on my fuel bottle. For overnights I carry pole ferrules that'll fit the tent pole I'm using. My Big Agnes came with one but I had to find proper sized ones for my Kelty and Sierra Designs. Tensioned tent poles are difficult to field repair well without ferrules, and super simple with them and some tape.

 

[SAR-EMT40]

Obviously You boy haven't got 'Fox-40' Whistles, "The Loudest Whistle in the World". You won't bring them in from miles away but, you may want to put a pair of earplugs with the whistle.

Although the web site below will give you a demo of the whistle sound it in no way is an example of the volume to will get.

Fox 40

Obviously you aren't looking closely at my photos. The whiteish colored one is actually a Fox40 that is luminous.

Keith