What Preps are you doing this week? Part 4

[Yorkshire Andy]

Not having been on here in a for a little while due to a project I've been working on I thought I would post an update.

So Prep wise, been tweaking my EDC & BOB now the weather is starting to change a little here.

Been on a 4 day break to France to visit my mother and spent 36 hours out in the lower Pyrenees Mountains living off the land and giving my BOB a real work out. Was brilliant (weather was 25c during the day and about 15c at night) Took my BOB as hold luggage. Wild Asparagus is in season out there so always ate well from the land.

I've also been working on a big project at home. Basically I've been spending time over the past year turning my home into a smart home (I'm a closet geek as well as a prepper) and have made a big leap forwards with home security and also ensuring that the connected side is secure. I can now control the lights, heating, hot water, Entertainment (TV/Stereos), CCTV, Doorbell & smoke alarms remotely from anywhere I can get an internet connection (including talking to people who ring the doorbell) so it is always as if I am home. Along side this i've also had CO2, Humidity, Heat (Temp), smoke, noise and Carbon Monoxide sensors installed in each room of the house. I say had, it was muggins here who done the hard work.

Why do I consider this a prep, well it's made the home secure and monitored (not every prep is about the end of the world) and it is already showing savings of just over £5 a week from the energy bill. As the heating program 'learns' about the house it will make further savings and I predict the total investment will pay for itself in less than 18 months. (The internet also has a battery GSM backup and the main alarm and CCTV camera are also battery backed up should I lose power)

I'm now starting to try to design a way of connecting/making an electric curtain pole connect to an internet connected switch so I can open & close the curtains remotely.

Finally I've built and seeded my raised square foot garden project. (well 3 square foot) made from some old pallets and tarp lining. A local transport company let me have the pallets for free so long as I took 20 of them & even dropped them off for free at my home. Used what I needed and sold the rest for £15 on Gumtree!

Sorry it's a long post...

Remember the 80's fashion of pull string curtain poles sure a motor / gear box on the end of the shaft linked to a IP switch could be cobbled together

[Yorkshire Andy]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/23180787 ... 8040200316

That any use? Not cheap mind

[Deeps]

That all sounds brilliant mate, I'm especially jealous of the living off the land in France bit but all of it sounds pretty impressive. I quite fancy the security camera side of things, I'm building ongoing issues with some of the local 'chavistocrasy'. Good to see you back mate.

[ChefSimon]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/23180787 ... 8040200316

That any use? Not cheap mind

I've actually looked at that one, but like you said price is a bit steep.

[Le Mouse]

I spent the weekend in flat-pack hell after IKEA finally delivered my order. At the minute everything is all over the place and not very organised, but at least most of it has been assembled. I'll do the proper organisation over the upcoming long Easter weekend. It's been nice gaining some floor back and the prospect of having some of my preps easily accessible is very satisfying.

Basically I've been spending time over the past year turning my home into a smart home (I'm a closet geek as well as a prepper) and have made a big leap forwards with home security .....(including talking to people who ring the doorbell) so it is always as if I am home.

I will do this when I move into my own house (one day...I can dream) - have seen the adverts for those doorbells that call you on your mobile. As I'll be living alone, something like this would be a real boon to security while I'm out of the house.

[shocker]

@ Chef Simon - could you post a link or name for your battery backed up alarm system, please ? A local club that I am a member of is upgrading their security and the present set up is a little cumbersome (though effective) to use.

Thanks mate...and good update post too !

[ChefSimon]

Just a quick one;

OS maps have a sale on for Easter, 3 maps (1:25 or 1:50 scale, non laminated) for £20.

I've just topped up a couple I've wanted for a while. You also get the digital version for free as well.

[shocker]

From where, mate ? The HMSO shop that I had used in the past shut its doors some years ago. Is it an online deal ?

[Brambles]

From where, mate ? The HMSO shop that I had used in the past shut its doors some years ago. Is it an online deal ?

Here you go Shocks

https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop/? ... 0wodWdkD0A

[shocker]

Thann-queue Brambles