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Favorite SAR toys

Started by ♠SARKID♠, August 23, 2007, 08:04:39 AM

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♠SARKID♠

Okay, anyone who has been involved with SAR for a while has a few fun personal items that they've added to their gear to make things a little more interesting.  Post you're favorite "ES Toys"

My favorite is my new radio.  I got a Kenwood TK-280 for graduation and I love it to death!

floridacyclist

That's a nice little toy..I was looking at one of those up until they changed the standards and left it hanging.
Gene Floyd, Capt CAP
Wearer of many hats, master of none (but senior-rated in two)
www.tallahasseecap.org
www.rideforfatherhood.org

IceNine

Ahh yes... over the past year I have spent quite a bit if time sweat and tears searching to upgrade all of my equipment from my huge bulky molle kit to a much lighter blackhawk commando vest and pack

I think my favorite toy (mainly because it is the newest one) is my MIOX water purifier my MSR

I also enjoy some of the small things like the new Elixir that camelbak came out with that makes water taste less like crap and more like lemon lime Gatorade, while still keeping your camelbak unclogged and without the sugar residue that NEVER seems to come out.

got a good wind proof waterproof lighter (got tired of magnesium)

and an inflatable 3 man tent, small foot pump and it packs smaller than most camp pillows.

"All of the true things that I am about to tell you are shameless lies"

Book of Bokonon
Chapter 4

afgeo4

What's a good currently fully CAP compliant portable (handheld) radio to have? I'm looking for something sturdy, simple to use, but good for ground team work.
GEORGE LURYE

♠SARKID♠

Quote from: afgeo4 on August 23, 2007, 03:28:45 PM
What's a good currently fully CAP compliant portable (handheld) radio to have? I'm looking for something sturdy, simple to use, but good for ground team work.

You have to have a radio off of the CAP NTC compliant radio list.  It has to meet certain requirements to be legal for CAP.

afgeo4

Quote from: SARKID on August 23, 2007, 04:42:38 PM
Quote from: afgeo4 on August 23, 2007, 03:28:45 PM
What's a good currently fully CAP compliant portable (handheld) radio to have? I'm looking for something sturdy, simple to use, but good for ground team work.

You have to have a radio off of the CAP NTC compliant radio list.  It has to meet certain requirements to be legal for CAP.
Correct... I want someone to give me some feedback on which one.
GEORGE LURYE

♠SARKID♠

Ah, sorry.  If you have the money, go for a motorolla.  But be prepared to dish out a solid grand.  E.F Johnsons are just as good as motorolla, for the same price.  iCom is great for not too much money, plus some of their radios are completely drop-me-in-a-lake waterproof.  Kenwoods are great, especially if you're on a bit of a budget.

If you're looking for sturdy, go for motorolla.  I live just outside of Milwaukee, and we have a local hero.  He's a cop for city of milwaukee and his nickname is "Motorolla Mike".  He has the name because he has prefers to beat suspects with his handheld motorolla rather than a nightstick.  And after every beating, the radio still works, lol!

afgeo4

Quote from: SARKID on August 23, 2007, 05:35:24 PM
Ah, sorry.  If you have the money, go for a motorolla.  But be prepared to dish out a solid grand.  E.F Johnsons are just as good as motorolla, for the same price.  iCom is great for not too much money, plus some of their radios are completely drop-me-in-a-lake waterproof.  Kenwoods are great, especially if you're on a bit of a budget.

If you're looking for sturdy, go for motorolla.  I live just outside of Milwaukee, and we have a local hero.  He's a cop for city of milwaukee and his nickname is "Motorolla Mike".  He has the name because he has prefers to beat suspects with his handheld motorolla rather than a nightstick.  And after every beating, the radio still works, lol!
Yet another reason for me to avoid Wisconsin.  :-X
GEORGE LURYE

ELTHunter

I'm  not impressed with the E.F. Johnson's.  I'm on the second mobile. On the first one, it first quit transmitting on high power, than a few months later quit on low power.   I've heard several people complain that the frequencies were lost from the programming for no apparent reason.

On the hand-helds, I guess they could make a heavier radio, but it'd be hard.  I wouldn't carry it far away from the car.  Give me my Vertex VX 150 any day.

As for Motorola, they used to be really solid radios.  I've used the commercial models for about 10 years.  In recent years though, it seems they aren't nearly as robust as they used to be.  I've switched to buying Icom commercial radios instead.  I've found they are as robust, but lighter and cheaper.
Maj. Tim Waddell, CAP
SER-TN-170
Deputy Commander of Cadets
Emergency Services Officer

IceNine

Go on a hunt this has been discussed WAY TOO many times to turn this into another thread about radios
"All of the true things that I am about to tell you are shameless lies"

Book of Bokonon
Chapter 4

Tubacap

My favorite toy is my jeep.  I mounted my inverter to the front console so I can run the computer as long as I want, I have a cell phone holder with charger right next to the steering wheel, and I just purchased a strobe light.  My only problem is my lper can hear the strobe louder than most ELT's. 
William Schlosser, Major CAP
NER-PA-001

♠SARKID♠

Quote from: Tubacap on August 24, 2007, 03:03:09 AM
My only problem is my lper can hear the strobe louder than most ELT's. 

Yeah, that happens pretty universally.  We have that problem with our vehicles too.  Where did you get the strobe?  Im looking to put an amber sweep on my dash.

Tubacap

Autozone.  Has anyone done any shielding with the strobe with successs?  If so, how?
William Schlosser, Major CAP
NER-PA-001

SARMedTech

"Corpsman Up!"

"...The distinct possibility of dying slow, cold and alone...but you also get the chance to save lives, and there is no greater calling in the world than that."

floridacyclist

Quote from: SARKID on August 24, 2007, 04:57:08 AM
Yeah, that happens pretty universally.  We have that problem with our vehicles too.  Where did you get the strobe?  Im looking to put an amber sweep on my dash.

Why the dash? The purpose of a flashing light is to be seen from all around, dashlights are meant to be seen from the front (like when you are trying to move folks out of the way or pull them over).

Better to keep a mag-mount flasher in the trunk if you're going that way at all, plus it just looks more professional.
Gene Floyd, Capt CAP
Wearer of many hats, master of none (but senior-rated in two)
www.tallahasseecap.org
www.rideforfatherhood.org

SARMedTech

Also, a true strobe is more than just a little dangerous when flashed in the eyes of oncoming motorists. We've had a thread about this before and the consensus was that lights are not necessary unless they are to warm people in a park, along an interstate, etc that we are there so they dont run us down. Otherwise, I say leave the strobes to the dance clubs. Also Im now sure how legal a strobe light on your dash is.

I recently bought a blue LED light for the front window of my car and I only use it to respond to IMERT deployments because we have to be at a rally point in 4 hours or less and my rally is about that far from my home...further if the rally is Scott AFB.
"Corpsman Up!"

"...The distinct possibility of dying slow, cold and alone...but you also get the chance to save lives, and there is no greater calling in the world than that."

Stonewall

When I first got to NATCAP, the squadron van was fully decked out with a red light bar and two rotating teardops on each corner in the rear.  Those were different times.

Since then and up until I left NATCAP, we had a amber/white dash light with the reflection mirror cupped around the light so the light wouldn't flash the driver.  I bought a couple of rear amber strobes to mount inside the vehicle so they could be seen outside the back windows but never got around to mounting them. 

We'd never drive with the lights, but when you're in an urban area like Northern Virginia/DC area, andy you pull off the side of the road, the more you're seen, the better.
Serving since 1987.

ELTHunter

I don't have them, but always felt it would be safer to have some kind of roof mounted amber light.  Most of our searches here are in mountainous terrain where the road can curve around and someone can be on you without ever having a chance to see your regular flashers.  Even if you have some shoulder to use, I'd rather give someone a chance to know somethings going on around the bend before they get there and take a door off or something.
Maj. Tim Waddell, CAP
SER-TN-170
Deputy Commander of Cadets
Emergency Services Officer

smgilbert101

We've found a second use for our strobes.  On PT test night, we put one vehicle in front of the cadets and another following the cadets during their mile runs.  We've noticed that other cars do slow down when they see the strobes, the standard four-way flashers were largely ignored; in a few cases it made the situation more dangerous when people flew past.

Favorite toy...hmmm... the Camelbak and Nighthawk gear I bought to replace my aging TA-50.

Steve Gilbert
SWR-TX-434
Too much rack for my uniform, favorite job is "mentor" (or was that mental..hmm)
ex-alot of things and sometimes gumbly old bear.

afgeo4

I just bought an amber LED mag mount flasher from e-bay. It's not as bright as some strobes out there, but it's good enough and no noise or interference.

I'll be using it for flightline driving and light UDF work in NYC area where any extra lighting is welcomed given the density of traffic.
GEORGE LURYE