OPSEC with your preps

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DrPrepper said:
Living in a neighborhood, I do talk a little about prepping with my neighbors, because if SHTF, I don't have a farm or bug-out to go to. Instead, I talk to them about being prepared for the things that we can experience- forest fires, big snowstorms, things like that. I also have quizzed my neighbors on their resources, so I know who has generators, who has old running cars, who has guns, who has what skills, etc. I know who cans and what equipment they have, and on and on. If something happens, I don't want to survive in isolation- my neighbors are all in to work together to keep all of us safe. I also have talked about prepping with the girls in my office, who also prep to a degree. We don't share quantities, etc, but we do share skills. One girl is Mormon, and she has shared a lot of information with the rest of us on food storage, getting items from the local Bishop's Storehouse, etc. Of course, every one of my neighbors and co-workers also knows I am perfectly capable of defending what I have. I've had a few of my neighbors come to the range with us, and so they know first hand I am not kidding when I tell them I can handle a weapon. I don't advertise prepping, but I think OPSEC can be a bit overdone sometimes. I prefer to think of prepping as a lifestyle, and I want to encourage as many of my friends and neighbors to live that lifestyle as possible.
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I agree, but I think that it depends upon where you live and what your neighbors are like. It sounds as though you live around like-minded people. In your situation, the ideas can rub off onto others when some began to realize that everyone else is prepping for common situations, like forest fires.

And then there are situations where just the opposite rubs off--people who live minimallistically (sp?) and have little if anything extra.
 
Homesteader33 said:
The Mr's and I have recently had this conversation, the conclusion is to have another place on our acreage to "stash" stuff. Now how do you stash stuff away from view? We have 34 acres and luckily 20+/- a couple is wooded and our neighbors won't be a problem either. So I have to build a "stash house" of some sort without making to permanent of a trail to it, don't want tractor tires or side by side tires leading someone right to it. So not sure how I am going to accomplish this task/feat!
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This is something I have thought about. This is one of the ideas that I have had. What about building an additional section of basement, with a heavily reinforced slab above it for parking. Access to the space could be done in a few ways. It could be what looks like a shed on top for access to stairs. Also, a hidden entrance from the basement of your home, that is behind a shelf or something. A space like that could hide your preps, be a place to go during storms, and more.
 
Points of clarity. The ceramic balls were to fill-in the wall space. I don' think you would want to fill your wall space with sand. The reason for ceramic balls is that as they are impacted by bullets, they shatter and are replace by undamaged balls. Ceramic chips may not drop into the gap and leave a vacancy in the ceramic protection for the next bullet to penetrate.

Planters and mini walls filled with sand can offer as much protection for the bad guys (bullet proof cover to hide behind) as for the good guys. As for OPSEC, neighbor involvement is a real hit or miss proposition. Since I am a terrible judge of humans, I will not be letting my neighbors in, either my plans or my property, once the. SHTF.
 
TMT Tactical said:
Points of clarity. The ceramic balls were to fill-in the wall space. I don' think you would want to fill your wall space with sand. The reason for ceramic balls is that as they are impacted by bullets, they shatter and are replace by undamaged balls. Ceramic chips may not drop into the gap and leave a vacancy in the ceramic protection for the next bullet to penetrate.

Planters and mini walls filled with sand can offer as much protection for the bad guys (bullet proof cover to hide behind) as for the good guys. As for OPSEC, neighbor involvement is a real hit or miss proposition. Since I am a terrible judge of humans, I will not be letting my neighbors in, either my plans or my property, once the. SHTF.
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I don't think I would fill my walls with sand for the same reason that I wouldn't fill them with ceramic balls, I think they would be a heat sink. My walls were designed to protect me from the heat in the summer and cold in the winter. Any design that defeats this design is unlikely to ever get incorporated in my home. Every day of every winter of my life my walls have protected me from the cold, not one bullet has ever penetrated my home.

Things that I have considered are stone or brick facia or planters, which will protect me from wild fires as well as ballistic protection. A book wall could help protect one wall of a safe room.

In my last home I had book cases waist height on the second floor. It ran the entire length of the stairwell. and made a defensive position for the second floor. The house is post and beams so there are heavy beams so there is heavy wood about a foot and a half down each side of the stairwell and the floor is car decking so it is over 2" of solid wood. I wouldn't have wanted to fight my way down the stairs but nobody was coming up. It was the only place in the house to put that many books but once it was in place the books were arranged for maximum protection.
 
Weedygarden said:
I agree! If I had someone flying a drone over my property for snooping or snoopervising, I would be so tempted to have some target practice!
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I wonder if a radio (as in Ham on a KW) keyed when they are around would severely disrupt their ability to communicate with the controller and they would have an accident. No one would get in trouble for shooting one down.
 
ssonb said:
Naw they will not .....the control freqs for civvie drones is up in the" Giggle Hurts" range 2.4 and 5.8.
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So, how hard would it be to take control or block the frequency with white noise?
 
Angie said:
I wonder if a radio (as in Ham on a KW) keyed when they are around would severely disrupt their ability to communicate with the controller and they would have an accident. No one would get in trouble for shooting one down.
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Use the tube from a microwave. Very powerful and in about the correct wavelength.
 
Weedygarden said:
People can fly their drones over your property and there is nothing legal that you can do about it.
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A friend had his teen son follow the drone that was flying over their property. Friend drove over to guy's house and told him he really didn't need to be doing that anymore over his farm, he almost shot it. If you can shoot a flying bird, why can't you shoot a flying unknown object?
 
You can catch it in a net... You own the part of the sky above your property that you use. If the net was there it proves that you use it.
 
In a SHTF scenario a drone could come in handy to monitor your area. Correct me if wrong but wasn't there a Fed court case of a guy shooting down a drone that was above the legal minimum ?
 
bargeahead said:
In a SHTF scenario a drone could come in handy to monitor your area. Correct me if wrong but wasn't there a Fed court case of a guy shooting down a drone that was above the legal minimum ?
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I have thought that a drone could be a good thing during SHTF for exactly that, monitoring your area, but it could also give away that there is someone who has some capabilities.
 
Gee whiz, I was out shooting clay pigeons on My Property and your drone flew into my shooting range. Sorry about that, accidents do happen. Since I like to move my shooting range around on MY Property, you might want to avoid flying over MY Property. :archery:
 
Weedygarden said:
I have thought that a drone could be a good thing during SHTF for exactly that, monitoring your area, but it could also give away that there is someone who has some capabilities.
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Having a working drone fly around your property is the double edged sword. You get to look out for intruders. The intruders now know you have power enough to waste on charging drones. Tough call.
 
I think it may be harder than some think for an observer to assign the location of a drones owner.
Possible.. but not a quick slam dunk as few can count on reliably observing the landing.

I rather have the ability to operate a drone and get good recon and deal with the managable risk of giving away I have power than not having the Intel it provides.

Its also a force multiplier since it can cover greater areas at less risk to personnel than patrols do.
...of course terrain dictates so this may not apply in many cases.
 
I have asked and asked the wife not to tell ANYONE when we are going to gone overnight.

Before the end of the year we are taking several long weekends vacations to visit out of state. Honey we'd hate to come home to find our house vandalized and robbed, please don't tell ANYONE. Her head nods up and down.

Two stray kittens (females) were dumped along our road which means they are now adopted by the wife for life. Wife is going to take them to the vet to see if they are old enough to get fixed. I'll go with her, help carry the cats and then treat her to lunch at Subway. She agrees.

Vet checks the cat's teeth (age) and said it would be better to wait another month and go to the front counter to set up the appointment. One of the two ladies at the front counter asks for name, address and would this date suit? No we will be out of state then. How about...no we won't be back yet. Then how about...no we will be gone then too.

Now the two employees and the three customers in the waiting room know where we live and what dates we will be gone. So much for OPSEC. I'd have more success explaining logic to a Liberal!
 
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The Lazy L said:
I have asked and asked the wife not to tell ANYONE when we are going to gone overnight.

Before the end of the year we are taking several long weekends vacations to visit out of state. Honey we'd hate to come home to find our house vandalized and robbed, please don't tell ANYONE. Her head nods up and down.

Two stray kittens (females) were dumped along our road which means they are now adopted my there wife for life. Wife is going to take them to the vet to see if they are old enough to get fixed. I'll go with her, help carry the cats and then treat he to lunch at Subway. She agrees.

Vet checks the cat's teeth (age) and said it would be better to wait another month and go to the front counter to set up the appointment. One of the two ladies at the front counter asks for name, address and would this date suit? No we will be out of state then. How about...no we won't be back yet. Then how about...no we will be gone then too.

Now the two employees and the three customers in the waiting room know where we live and what dates we will be gone. So much for OPSEC. I'd have more success explaining logic to a Liberal!
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No matter how hard you try, people know :( I hold the mail (the post office people know), Board the diabetic cat (The entire vet office knows) and tell the neighbors I trust to watch the place. At least the neighbors will call if something happens :) My DW and I NEVER post jack squat to social media till we are back home, then you get to see the vacation pics :D
 
My car was worked on this week and my daughter has a friend whose car I borrowed. I am also in my second week of house sitting, away from my area. I dropped my car back home so people will think I am home, and am driving the friends car. I wanted to return borrowed car the day I got my car back, but I am waiting for a response to return it. Recently someone walked by as I was in my yard and said, "Oh, you've been gone for a while." I had no idea I was being watched by people who almost never speak to me. Wake up call! If she was watching, who else is as well?
 
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