Behind the times?

[woodwose]

I was just surfing the internet when I ran across this article at the link on the bottom of this post. Call it high tech, survival in the 21st century, or whatever you want. I was just wondering if we weren't behind the times.
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,232764.shtml

As for me, I am sticking with the tried and true.

[MCBushbaby]

I admit, nothing is easier to ensure your devices' power than bringing along a portable solar array that straps to your pack. I use it to power a GPS unit which, according to the specs, has an 8-hour battery life (what the hell? Should be at least a day). So while hiking I'm recharging for the next day :)

[woodwose]

I admit, nothing is easier to ensure your devices' power than bringing along a portable solar array that straps to your pack. I use it to power a GPS unit which, according to the specs, has an 8-hour battery life (what the hell? Should be at least a day). So while hiking I'm recharging for the next day :)
You actually use a high tech item? Hmm, I posted this in amusement. I wouldn't carry a lot of high tech items into the wilderness though... might be too heavy. :D We all seem to be low tech back to basics in this forum from what I can tell.

[spiritman]

You can't give a guy shi!t for using something high tech, at one point in time everything you have ever used was top of the line.

[owl_girl]

Lol that’s a good point.

[Rick]

I've debated this same issue sooooooo many times. I'm with Spiritman. All of us believe in "high tec" or we'd still be throwing rocks at deer. Now, where you choose to stop on the technology timeline is entirely up to you. We have some 1750's enthusiasts on here and if that's their fancy, cool. For me, anything that makes my life easier and makes the likelihood that my family and I can survive is on the list of possibilities. I don't use a solar array but, trust me, I've looked at them over and over again. They are getting so light weight and so powerful they make an attractive option for cell phone, sattelite phone and GPS, any of which could be invaluable in a solo rescue. (Yes, I carry GPS and Cell). Now, if TSHTF GPS, sattellite and Cell Phone probably won't work but otherwise, being in the wild with those devices can really help. And I'll bet some of you use walkie-talkie when at hunting camp "just in case".

For me, tried and true is always on me but I sure keep my eyes open for the new stuff.

Beam me up, Spiritman.

[spiritman]

Sorry Rick no teleporter, it's after the high tech line I drew. but only because i couldn't find one in my price range of $0-2.00 so....

btw "throwing rocks at deer" had me bent in half!

[Rick]

That's okay, Spiritman. I didn't mind the cost of the teleporter but the 200 miles of cable so I could take it back country was a bit steep. :O)

[spiritman]

I only wanted it to get me OUT fast! then I figured I would be pulled back just as fast so I realized it would be a worse thing to have left behind than not to have.

[MCBushbaby]

You actually use a high tech item? Hmm, I posted this in amusement. I wouldn't carry a lot of high tech items into the wilderness though... might be too heavy. :D We all seem to be low tech back to basics in this forum from what I can tell.

Mainly for thru-hikes. I borrow a GPS from a friend and usually have a cell phone with me, so it's nice to have batter power after a couple weeks. :) But yes, everything else I use is pretty much rustic.

[Chris]

If SHTF GPS will probably still work. It is satellite driven afterall, unless the DoD purposefully turned it off that is, or decided to jam domestic use of it.

[Rick]

Agreed. There are, or course, other reasons that it and other techno products won't work. People have to run and control all the "stuff" and if they are unable to or unwilling to do their job, then none of it works. Sat phones and GPS are a bit more "survivable" but folks are still monitoring and adjusting. If they can't do that then the clock starts ticking on functionality.

I spent the bulk of my career in telecommunications and sun spot activity, other debris in orbit, inbound comets/meteors (even small stuff), orbit decay, and mechanical malfunction were just some of the things that were tracked minute by minute to keep the com links operational. Add in the DOD's whim as you stated and it's all vulnerable.

Which goes back to Woodwose's argument that the tried and true is pretty much, well, tried and true. That's why my tried it true is always with me.

[woodwose]

If SHTF GPS will probably still work. It is satellite driven afterall, unless the DoD purposefully turned it off that is, or decided to jam domestic use of it.

Sometimes it doesn't work under tree cover as has been my experience with them. Always good to have a compass with you and use the GPS as a backup for a second verification I say.

[Nativedude]

If SHTF GPS will probably still work. It is satellite driven afterall, unless the DoD purposefully turned it off that is, or decided to jam domestic use of it.

In an imminent crisis or SHTF scenario, the DOD will disable civilian use of GPS. All satellite signals will be used for the command of fighting an attack. If anyone was using their GPS in the 2-3 weeks following 9/11, you noticed that there were sporadic periods where your civilian GPS did not work? That was because the Gov't. had disrupted those signals in case terrorists were using them to plan further attacks!

Fire by friction was high-tech to the Cavemen that invented it. Spark-based fire was high-tech when it came to be. But even though these methods were high-tech at there inception, they work regardless of satellites, batteries, electrical power, gas, oil, etc., and worked well before any of these inventions came into existence. As for GPS units, they rely on a power source (batteries) and and satellite signal. The sun, the moon, the stars, and even a compass with its magnetic source will work regardless if there is a break down of modern society.

The "old tried & true" methods have been around for hundreds of thousands of years and my guess is that they will be for hundreds of thousands more?! ;)

[spiritman]

Oh, I didn't know I was.. Maybe your interpretation of what I said to him and not you is wrong. Sorry.

I don't want to get into semantics arguments with anyone again so I'm going to let this slide despite it's intent.