Bug Out Camping For Women Preppers

[Bug_out_Bag]

Hi Folks! Well the weather was kind and we enjoyed a very good weekend! Thank you guys for your good wishes! As it turns out, it was just TOF and myself but we both learned much about our BOBs!

For my part, I really do need to reduce the weight and I will do this by reducing duplicate items! I don't know if you guys have noticed this in your own prepping, but for me, it has highlighted the the things I must subconsciously be VERY worried about i.e I have too many torches and lights weighing my bag down, too much tinned food weighing a ton and too much clothing!!!

I also discovEred that my Swiss Army gel cooker is excellent but doesn't burn for very long at all ... one meal to be precise and so this issue has to be rectified ASAP! We cooked over the campfire mostly and TOF brought along some really delicious dehydrated meals which she had put together herself using a Westfalia Laser 2000. Also TOF produced a great fruitcake and cornbread using her cast iron pots which can be used in combination as a dutch oven, excellent!

By the time I rendevozed with TOF, I had no idea that she had left the forum for whatever reason but perhaps she will come back on here to add to this and post some of her photos.

I took my old Midland 40 channel, UK legal, portable, FM CB as TOF expressed an inerest in understanding how to set up A system for herself. I mounted a DV27 onto a biscuit tin with four ground plane wires (2.75 metres in length), made from hi fi speaker cable with lengths of fishing line attatched at the ends and these were then pegged into the ground. This antenna arrangement was set up on the roof of my tent!!! The groundplanes looked like extra guy ropes to the tent! I showed TOF how to use an SWR meter and managed a 1 to 1:1 reading at chanel 20 which is better than I got at home when I put this system together last weekend in my garden. Although CB is pretty much deserted these days we managed a couple of good copies!

I also took my wind up, Midland Base Camp PMR 446 and a little Motorola PMR 446 and we played abouT with these in the woods! I also took a little Baofeng UV 3R with it's modified battery housing which I have set up to run off 4 x rechargeable AA batteries. I took my solar battery charger and it did a good job of topping up the batteries for the all the radio kit. I also took a deep cycle 12 v battery as back up, but would not usually have this in my BOB!

If I go back to camp at the same site again, I will catapult a dipole up a tree! We did a little catapult practice too but did not go hunting!

We tested out my little water filter ('Soldier Water Filter' purchased on Ebay), and it did a great job.

We took turns in emptying out the contents of our BOBs and dicussed all items, areas which could be improved and items which could be added. In addition, I took my EDC and GHB for inspection.

All in all a very fruitful and fun weekend! I will definitely be working on lightening my load!

Excellent! I want to do it it again! Who's up for it?




We

[Lightspeed]

Wow BoB, the radio setup is impressive, I'd love to have seen a tent with an antenna on top of it... and a couple of random contacts on CB as well excellent!

Hope TOF finds her way back on here, she sounds like a useful sort of girl to know, especially if she's good with cake!!!!!!!

[Kenneth Eames]

I'm very pleased all went well and you both learned from the experience. I do hope that TOF returns to the site. You report is excellent and, I do hope that you are able to do this again. It has got me thinking that I must take my BOB out and test that again. Kenneth Eames.

[Skean Dhude]

Glad it went well. Every experience like this makes you much moreconfident in your abilities.

Well done.

[Bug_out_Bag]

I really enjoyed it! I learned alot and will definitely be doing it again. We had good weather, quite warm and no rain, it would be interesting to experience cold, windy and wet conditions which let's face it, in England, we won't have to wait long for!

[Lightspeed]

(30 July 2012, 09:23)Bug_out_Bag Wrote: I really enjoyed it! I learned alot and will definitely be doing it again. We had good weather, quite warm and no rain, it would be interesting to experience cold, windy and wet conditions which let's face it, in England, we won't have to wait long for!

Bad luck with the horrible test weather BoB!

After months of rain, cold and gloom, isn't it just typical that you had to go and pick a weekend of sunshine and blue skies for your test!!!!!



LS

[Bug_out_Bag]

Yes I know! LMAO!!! It really was just too bad!!!

[TOF]

Bug_out_Bag has written a sterling report, here’s my take.
Firstly, BoB is a master in torture. Before I knew it I had verbally promised to remain with SUK. She made me eat chocolate, drink beer and after much of both I agreed to stay, though with a much less active role. She made me sign a piece of paper and I’m on a list and everything!
Now that is out of the way, it was great to test our BOBs away from home, where let’s admit it, you can run indoors if you forgot anything.
I have discovered I am no longer young enough to do without a sleeping bag.
I need to add some ready to eat food, maybe more energy bars and some pouches of tuna.
BoB’s little water filter is a very natty piece of kit which is now on the list of things to add to my BOB.
The little hexi stove did a great job. It’s a keeper.
The SHOW and tell of our BOB contents was very interesting. Both of us realised we had some insecurities about certain things and were lacking in other areas.
The comms talk was most informative, although 99% of what BoB was saying missed me by miles, it was great to see what could be done. I will eventually get into this, but as with a lot of things, it’s a case of prioritising and radio comms comes a bit down the list at the moment.
Here are a few photos.

The Braziers provided free of charge at the campsite.




Breakfast. Local sausages, mushrooms and ham omlette made with dried egg and dehydrated ham. This was the big surprise. It tasted as good as fresh.




Cake.



Chilli and cornbread



A view



Our camp.

---

Oh, I hang my head in shame. I did not try firestarting without a lighter. I think I now have a phobia.

[Lightspeed]

Wicked cooking arrangements girls: Bit heavy for the BOB though?!!!

You know, you really should have used the subject line <<Pics of Braziers provided free of charge to SUK girls.>> for this thread... I think that would have a certain mis-readability about it such as to make this most read thread on the forum!!! :-)

LS

[Kenneth Eames]

Once again, welldone. Unfortunately, on my computer your Photo's have not appeared, only a notice that says removed or deleted. I'm very dissapointed. Kenneth Eames.