Hello everyone,

I have a strange problem. I have $400 US that I can spend and I have no idea what to buy! Seriously, this doesn't happen often...ok, ever.

I can spend $400 on toys, but I'm so excited I can't decide and I don't want to blow the money (blow by my definition). I'm leaning on buying a nukalert (perhaps, although I already have a Geiger counter and complete dosimeter set with recharger) or maybe a cool gadget like the loca8tr (http://www.loc8tor.com/introducing-loc8tor.asp -I have no connection to them).

I'm looking for a sturdy, large titanium pot (the larger sizes I've seen are too flimsy or non-stick coated). Who coats titanium? Really? Even the manufacturer says the coated ones should not be used over a fire! Silly people.</rant mode off>

Perhaps some Hoods Woods videos. I've a serious bent toward survival gear.

Ok, what would you guys buy if you had some cash to spend? Are there any cool gadgets you would buy?

-NIM

I just expended $300 on:

1) Revamping my air handling equipment;
2) A case of MRE's
3) A new sheath knife
4) Plywood shielding to secure my garage as a shelter
5) A few small items to supplement my daughter and her boyfriend's BOB's
6) A few small items to supplement my nephew's BOB
7) A few small items to supplement my BOB
8) 15 gals of gasoline and more Stabil
9) I don't remember what else but it was mostly small items meant to round out and fill gaps in my response plans.

If you are interested in a nukealert, check out the RadDetect at http://www.nukepills.com. For the same price it boasts a wider range of radiation detection and faster reaction time. I have no affiliation with either company.

Well, that's a good problem to have! I would say that you should look at your goals, what's important to you, what you're trying to achieve, etc before you try to pick a toy. I try to teach my son that he should divide up "found money" (birthdays, Christmas, etc).

1)Save some for a rainy day/emergency fund
2)Spend some (gotta reward yourself)
3)Give some to a charity
4)Invest some for the future.

You get to use the "Spend some" now for the gear you want. I'd look at the things that I either don't have, but, are important, or that I do have, are important, and need replacing. In my case, it's my backpacking tent, because the aforementioned son has taken my good one, and I have an old one that I had in college. (Let's just say that was a long time ago). Your answer will be different of course, but, it's about priorities, rather than thinking of this stuff as a toy, IMHO. (But, having fun shopping for toys is part of the deal, fortunately!)

Please don't take this as mean-spirited, because it isn't. I'm trying to understand the 'why'.

Why do people want nuke-alerts unless they're working around the stuff, in which case your employer should be providing them?

If there is a nuclear leak or a bomb is dropped, you're probably going to know about it. If a bomb is dropped, you need to take shelter ASAP, change your clothing and wash off any possible radioactive dust. If the S has HTF, what good will it do you to know your radiation level? If your hospitals aren't already out of supplies by the time you get there, the waiting line will probably be so long that it's useless anyway.

Please explain.

It seems that buying a parachute for a train ride would be more appropriate.

Sue

I agree with Susan 100%....

The nuke alert isn't my highest priority item. In fact, its pretty far down on my priority list.

But, living in NYC, I can envision a couple of scenarios where it will help. The first is a dirty bomb. If a car blows up down the block, how are you going to know if it is a conventional explosive, or conventional explosive mixed with radioactive material?

The RadDetect I alluded to claims to have a directional feature. You can determine what direction the radioactivity is coming from and move away from it. It would also be good to have if someone decided to lace the subway platform with a highly radioactive substance without using explosives at all. I guess you could also use it to determine if you had successfully washed all the radioactive dust off of yourself. Or how radioactive your apartment is after the dust settles.

I suppose the only other time it might be of use is in the case of a nuclear plant leak. But unless you just happen to be walking by the plant (or in my case sailing by the plant they have up the Hudson River) you are probably (I hope) going to hear about it from the authorites before the radition detector goes off. That's not guaranteed though. My reserve unit was activated and I was at ground zero on September 12. On about Sept. 18, I was talking with some EPA types who were conducting air, soil, water tests. I asked them what their testing showed. They told me they were sworn to secrecy and could not say. Then they advised me to wear my respirator at all times. Early on we were all told that the TOP priority was to have the stock exchange open on Monday, and that it WILL happen. Gave me the warm tinglys knowing the government was there to help.

I agree that if a nuclear bomb goes off it isn't going to be of any use at all. You really won't need a radiation detector to know what jsut happened.

You are right to think that these things are of only limited use at best. I would not buy one if I had to decide between a radiation detector and the other more conventional PSK, BOB items.

The other thing that bothers me is that, unlike the other items in my PSK, BOB, I can't figure out how to test the damn thing without exposing myself to radiation. There is always the nagging feeling that it is a snake-oil pr scam and I am carrying around a high-tech pacifier.

Well radiation particals are moved by the wind. Which really means, you just have to make sure your not down wind of an explosion (or any chemical accident/incident). Besides if the source is made up particals, they might have catch up with you and surround you.

An non-explosive "dirty bomb", so called smokey bombs are generally made of diffrent, weaker radiation emmiters (alpha, beta), which are either not detected or very hard to detect with these small detectors.

and "lacing" radiation emmiters, is a very very inefficient way to distribute it and doesn't creat as much fear.
checking you home and your self is much more efficient, when you use a proper geigercounter.

The only use i can think of these devicese are for explosive scouts and EOD, as a back-up warning...

Hi Susan,

My thinking for the nuke-alert was something along the lines of..

Gee that's a pretty shiny bobble!

and...

If I was unable to receive local radio (happens frequently where I am out of all civilization/cell/phone/am/fm/etc) I would not know if a bomb had gone off (unless my melting retina indicated it.)

The nukealert would allow me to scan for radioactive regions in my wanderings around the post apocalyptic word of the future (Which, I imagine is similar to the Fallout world).

I say this laugh to myself. You are correct that it is mostly useless as I doubt that scenario would happen. Any other suggestions for toys?

Here’s a suggestion… how about a PLB? You may have to scrounge a bit more money, but you’re obviously most of the way there for an item that is functional, practical, reliable, and useful.

Skip the nuke toys.

$400 isn't that much. I'd pick up trade goods (booze and smokes) after making sure my vehicle was in good shape (including tires), had plenty of stove fuel stocked up, and had new boots.

"...$400 isn't that much..."

Boy do I wish I could say that...

I think I agree with those of you who say that a Nuke Alert wouldn't be high on the priority list. I'd put the $400 toward adding more food to my supplies, and maybe use some to help supply family members (like my 93 year old grandfather) with items they'd need in an emergency. Shiny baubles are nice, but first things first.

Me too! Nowadays I'm always looking at a large amount of money in terms of how many student loan/mortgage/whatever payments I could make with it, how many Wendy's cups of chili it would buy, etc.

$400 sure is a lot of chili...

I wish I could say it with a straight face. But realistically, it doesn't buy all that much today. You can't get a new rifle for that amount, not a good one. You can't buy much of a computer with it. It isn't a month's rent. And I don't think you can buy a car without an engine for $400.

It's to big to be "chump change", it's too small to be "real money".

Oh, and for what it is worth, it's about as much as I pay every month to not have the repo men come for my diploma and skull.

If you shelter in place, some kind of radiation detector could help you decide when to leave.

Obviously if you are too close to ground zero you won't survive at all, but there is also likely to be fallout that affects a much wider area than the initial explosion. The really nasty stuff fortunately has relatively short half-lifes so it should be viable to wait it out. Also, it takes time to fall so you could have an opportunity to get to your shelter before the outdoor environment becomes too hostile. I gather we're talking about remaining indoors for a couple of weeks, preferably within some kind of improvised radiation-shelter that you can discover how to build on the internet, within your house (which you also should seal against dust).

"Running away" would also be a viable plan, but I'd rather shelter in place if I can. With fallout you are at the mercy of the winds and anywhere that you might run to could be affected if the winds shift. I'd rather be indoors with my gear. Being self-sufficient for a couple of weeks is also a good goal for a number of other disaster scenarios.

You could rely on news reports to tell you when the fallout has decayed to safe levels, but there could be local variations so having your own measuring device could enable you to leave earlier than otherwise if the news reports are conservative, or it could warn you if the news reports are optimistic. And of course it's nice to be self-sufficient.

Go with the Hoods Woods videos if you don't already have them. I just got some of them myself,and I'll say they are the best survival videos I've ever seen. A wide range of topics are covered and they are covered in much more depth than any videos or books I've viewed. If you can't understand the techniques after watching Ron's videos I doubt you ever will.