Considering devices like the Kindle and Kindle on the iPod Touch can allow you to carry a large amount of reference (or other) material with you, pretty much full time, I wonder what material people think is valuable?

I understand the limitations of electronic devices, but in reality, with a bit of planning, electronic devices can be viable for a fair amount of time and you simply are not going to be lugging an encyclopedia set around with you with traditional medium.

Anyone else do this? What materials do you carry? What would you like to carry?

-john

They sell Faraday Cages with those Kindles?

;-)

sure.

;-)

-john

I have a PDF reader loaded on my PDA with FM21-76, Swedish survival manual, PSK sheet & everything from RAT cutlery. So long as I have power, I have tips & tricks at my finger tips.

A emergency charger might be a good idea.

A solar charger might be even better.

Sue

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpWJPobfWd8

Stuff like this downloaded from Youtube using Youtube downloader from http://youtubedownload.altervista.org/ onto a number of 16GB SDHC cards, which I can then watch, using an Archos 605.

One of the great advantages to electronic media is the ability to not only view text and photographs i.e. pdf format etc but also video and audio such as the podcasts from http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/page17.asp

http://www.theoutdoorsstation.co.uk/

I EDC a Sony PRS-505 for pleasure reading. In my EDC bag is an SD card with PDF files of many US Army manuals, Where There Is No Doctor, other medical texts, and a bunch of reference texts. The 505 isn't the best pdf reader, but since I'm carrying it anyway, an extra memory card doesn't cost me much weight and bulk, and it might come in handy sometime. And yes, I also have a AA-powered charger and extra batteries.

With the price of USGS maps up, it might be cheaper to have those saved as pdf's too. Never thought of having them on a handheld computer.

I have a lot on my Palm PDA (Sony TH55E). Almost every useful material which I've found on this forum is in there, plus many more. They are mostly in PDF format, some in JPEG images, several in MS Word .doc format, and some in a plain text. Video is too space consuming but it's also records and plays Ok (for the proof of something, for example) with this PDA.

Plus, I've acquired many palm software titles over the years, which are in fact are the interactive documents. They are ranging from the simple knots reference chart and subway guide - to the several languages vocabularies and 3 different GPS navigation applications with the integrated map database covering about 1000 mile radius from my home location. Everything is on the 2 trans-flash memory cards - 4 GB total (+1 backup stick of 2GB).

Regarding the power for my PDA. No problems at all - it's not a fridge. It holds the charge for 10-14 hours of reading (that's sufficient for about a week of intensive use). However I have a power kit right on my person almost all the time (in the pockets of my ScotteVest).



It consists of 3 components:

• one is a bit smaller than a cigarette pack with a bunch of different connectors and adapters, standardizing all of my everyday devices (actually much more than that) to a single mini stereo audio phones male connector, piece of electrical wire, piece of nichrome wire (to improvise a particular ohmmage resistor), high voltage rectifier, several voltage regulator IC's (step-up and step-down) with schematics, variable resistor, screw terminal, gold plated neodymium magnets, mini voltmeter, and a single AA cell 5V charger (bottom of the image);
• another component size is like a 1/8" thick stack of postcards. It contains 7 sheets of solar film panels producing 200mA at 7V each (may be configured for producing a different voltage and current), and a piece of aluminum foil (not shown because they are a part of another, sealed for now, pocket kit);
• the last component is the 4 AA USB charger. It's slightly wider than a cigarette pack, and equipped with 4 Eneloop rechargeable AA's. It allows to charge them from any 5V source and to discharge them at its regulated 5V output port. Usually, it gives at least 4 charges for my PDA with the freshly charged Eneloops (shown at the top of the image).
• oh yes, I forgot about the 4-th component - AC and Car options, it's ScotteVest, you know :
  
  The smallest I could find. However while shopping make sure the AC adapter can provide enough current to power your device. As a rule of thumb - the 500 mA is the minimum for the most of a nowadays electronics.

As you can see I can rig a charger for my palm PDA, phone, radio, flashlight, etc... to use almost ANY source of electrical power, and in many different ways. Once I've charged my PDA to 50% from 14 soup plates with salted water (galvanic cells). Another time I've got enough juice to trigger the "charging" indicator using a Wimshurst machine (electrostatics). I'm using this kit on a daily basis (primarily charging from an available USB ports though).

I don't believe in high probability of damage from EMP, but I do have an aluminum case for my PDA (the PDA is not in it all the time though).

Thanks for reminding me about Where there is No Doctor.

I'm using an iPod Touch, and have an application to and read various files such as PDFs, applications for offline storage of Wikipedia, applications for offline maps (topographical and street), dictionary, and book readers where I can download public domain and Kindle books.

My setup can be seen in this post, although I do carry a few additional issues like spare cable, and a external battery pack that takes AA batteries, but again, supplies USB charging capability. The main optimization is that I only need one cable.

I have been keeping reference manuals for gear I carry, personal information (in an encrypted notes application), and a number of medical related (Kindle) books such as:

First Aid: A Pocket Guide
Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary
Medicine For Mountaineering
Mountaineering First Aid
Illustrated First Aid Guide
98.6 Degrees
Current Medical Diagnosis
Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook

You get the idea.

Being able to have PDFs and self prepared stuff has been great, but I'm *really* happy with the ability to get commercial books now as well.

-john