Your Survival Guy’s iPhone was impacted by yesterday’s nationwide cell service outage. I was able to use WiFi and the SOS function. We also have a landline. But it was a stark reminder of how much depends on our cell service working properly. With loved ones living away from home, it’s not a bad idea to communicate with them about these potential issues with communication. Your Survival Guy has been a longtime proponent of investing in a satellite phone, too. After much speculation that the outage was caused by a cyber attack, AT&T has revealed that, in fact, it was a technical error at … [Read more...]
A War Beneath the Waves – Trillions of Dollars at Stake
It’s a war not many are aware of, but national security and trillions of dollars are at stake. Since the 1940s, China has claimed significant portions of the South China Sea using what has come to be known as the 'nine-dash line' map. More recently, Beijing began weaponizing man-made islands in the sea, allowing it to exert greater control over one of the world's major subsea communications cable highways. This has caused panic in the tech industry and the U.S. military as the subsea cables are vulnerable to sabotage attacks and espionage. Anna Gross and Alexandra Heal in London, Demetri … [Read more...]
Difference Between Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) and Satellite Messengers
Personal Locator Beacons (PLBs) PLBs work off of the COSPAC-SART international search and rescue satellite system and use a low-power homing signal. They are a one-way communication, have no monthly cost, and must be registered (required by law every two years) with NOAA. PLB's downfall is there is no way to confirm your SOS has been received by a satellite or that a rescue mission is underway. RESQLINK™ VIEW RLS - $364 Weight: 5.22 oz Battery Life: 5-year battery life | 28 hours Operational Life** Unit must be sent in to replace battery. No Subscription Required Digital … [Read more...]
It’s Not Just the Government Watching You
You know from the Edward Snowden leaks that the United States, and many other governments around the world, have massive surveillance networks. The proliferation of electronic surveillance has created a virtual Panopticon for Americans and others, in which their lives are constantly exposed. But it isn't just governments that are surveilling citizens. Unethical employees of Big Tech corporations have now been caught peering into your most vital personal electronic information. VICE reports: Google fired dozens of employees between 2018 and 2020 for abusing their access to the company's tools … [Read more...]
Here’s Why You Definitely Need a Satellite Phone
There's never a bad time to reassess your preparedness for a disaster. Make your first step reading through this piece I posted on October 22, 2018. If you don't have a satphone yet, getting one should be a priority. Cellular technology undoubtedly proved its usefulness after 9/11 when many landlines simply didn't work in the Northeast. First responders and civilians alike were able to connect via cellular networks much more reliably. But cell systems are not infallible, and Hurricane Michael was the most recent evidence that relying on a cell network in the midst of a disaster situation … [Read more...]