5 Minute blogs with tips on camping, the outdoors, and Scout Advancement.
1- The BSA Handbook and the BSA Fieldbook are full of personal tools and skills. Your fellow Scouts and Scout Leaders are full of skills, techniques, information, instruction, and ideas that you can learn to fill up your tool belt of skills and knowledge. The reason that I use the tool belt for the analogy … Read more
1- I just learned that “Semper Paratus” is the slogan for the US Coast Guard. To them, Semper Paratus means “Always Ready.” I chose it because I translated the Latin phrase into “Always Prepared.” Either way, my personal salute is to each member of all of the branches of our military service. “I believe luck … Read more
1-Remember: Print out the directions to the trailhead or camp for the driver. Electronics do not always work. Be Prepared with a backup. A copy of printed directions with each vehicle/driver/co-pilot. 2 copies of all permits, reservations, and contacts. A copy with 2 different folks. Trail maps, Topo maps – 2 copies with each Patrol. … Read more
1- As a Scout and as a member of the human race and as someone who values the outdoors and nature, we strive and practice to be considerate of everyone. And to have a conservation mindset of the natural world! This is our promise in The Outdoor Code. 2- Epictetus (pronounced Epic-TEE-tus) was a Greek … Read more
1- In Sit. Rep. #132 we talked about what to do if you get lost. Remember SSSTTTOPPASSS? Let us talk about how to increase our odds of survival in bad weather. The mental aspects are also covered in #132. Another tool in your personal kit is how to build a native shelter. In this context, … Read more
1- These blogs, these Sit. Reps. are written primarily for Scouts, parents, and Scout Leaders. I also try to make the information useful to anyone that is beginning or refreshing their camping and outdoor skills. At best I consider myself an Outdoors Person. I am not a good hunter or fisherman. But I love going … Read more
1- Camping for the first time? Let’s walk through some considerations together. A: Shelter, do you have a tent or are you staying at some other kind of shelter? What is your backup plan if the shelter is not available? B: Water, do you know how to treat or filter to make the water safe … Read more
1-Ham Radio Questions: Authorized and prohibited transmission: communications with other countries; music; exchange of information with other services; indecent language; compensation for use of station; re-transmission of other amateur signals; codes and ciphers; sale of equipment; unidentified transmissions; one-way transmission What, if any, are the restrictions concerning the transmission of language that may be considered … Read more
1- Rope and Line; jargon, technicalities, and terms: (Forgive me dear Coasties and Sailors as I use the term “rope”) – Working End: a rope has an end that ties the knot, – Bitter End: is the end of the rope after the knot is tied, – Standing: is the part of the rope that … Read more
1- In case you have to (MUST) use a knife or hatchet or axe as a hammer to split wood. Here is how you do it without destroying your valuable tool. And it is simple. Acquire a wooden or rubber mallet to strike the head of the knife, hatchet, or axe. I have found a … Read more