Well it's spring again so I'm thinking about hiking, biking and camping and working on my survival bag. And now that I'm into electronics one thing merged into the other. I was at work thinking about both subjects and I thought, if I had to pick up and go suddenly knowing I might need to relocate for quite a while to a place that I didn't have easy access to all the stuff I have now, what 5 electronic things (components) would I stuff into my bag? Then I thought 5 components and 5 tools. So I'm asking everybody this question, and why those particular things?
I don't want to get all dark and defeatist about this, just a thought.

My list right now is.....

Components
1. Bag of LEDs
2. Bag of voltage regulators, L7805, L7812
3. Bag of resistors, differing values
4. Wire
5. A solar panel, maybe like this, http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=solar+battery+charger

Tools
1. Knife
2. Pliers/wire cutters
3. Screwdriver w/many tips
4. Multimeter
5. Rechargeable batteries

I'm new at electronics so my choices will probably change over time.

 

Well it's spring again so I'm thinking about hiking, biking and camping and working on my survival bag. And now that I'm into electronics one thing merged into the other. I was at work thinking about both subjects and I thought, if I had to pick up and go suddenly knowing I might need to relocate for quite a while to a place that I didn't have easy access to all the stuff I have now, what 5 electronic things (components) would I stuff into my bag? Then I thought 5 components and 5 tools. So I'm asking everybody this question, and why those particular things?
I don't want to get all dark and defeatist about this, just a thought.

My list right now is.....

Components
1. Bag of LEDs
2. Bag of voltage regulators, L7805, L7812
3. Bag of resistors, differing values
4. Wire
5. A solar panel, maybe like this, http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=solar battery charger

Tools
1. Knife
2. Pliers/wire cutters
3. Screwdriver w/many tips
4. Multimeter
5. Rechargeable batteries

I'm new at electronics so my choices will probably change over time.

Well, let's start with, what would you want to do if you had to pack up quickly? You would only need resistors if you plan on repairing something with through-hole components if you are in survival mode but you want to have a hobby, then you would need them to prototype a circuit (but you cannot make much with just LEDs and resistors).

If you just want lighting with your solar panel, then you might also want a soldering iron and solder. If you have the right value of resistors, I don't see the point of the voltage regulators.

 

Yes, lighting is my theme right now. Didn't choose solder because you can twist the LED and resistor leads together. Yes, the voltage regulators might be unnecessary. No, it's not about a hobby, it's about what would help you in this situation and in the long term.

 

Yes, lighting is my theme right now. Didn't choose solder because you can twist the LED and resistor leads together. Yes, the voltage regulators might be unnecessary. No, it's not about a hobby, it's about what would help you in this situation and in the long term.

Butane Torch with an extra canister and some solder. The Torch would be dual purpose for lighting a quick fire; I would consider something that could re-charge my batteries. Finding a light weight solar panel would also allow for a larger surface area and more wattage.

kv

 

Depends on where you are going and your reasons for going.

It might be:

1) wallet with ID, cash, bank card
2) passport
3) smart phone (don't own one)
4) reading glasses
5) hearing aid
6) medication (in lieu of #3)

 

I get the vibe that you're talking doomsday but don't want to come right out and say it. So assuming a doomsday scenario, forget about packing components. There would be a wonderland of neglected electronics around from which to scrounge components. You would need electronics which are immediately useful, which can't be found laying about. I would suggest:
solar panel
tablet/small laptop
SDR stick + antenna
wind-up power source
tazer

 

If you expect to be alone, A good knife, a BIC lighter, an LED flashlight with a hand full of alkaline batteries, and good clothing.

 

Components
1. Bag of LEDs
2. Bag of voltage regulators, L7805, L7812
3. Bag of resistors, differing values
4. Wire
5. A solar panel, maybe like this, http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=solar battery charger

Tools
1. Knife
2. Pliers/wire cutters
3. Screwdriver w/many tips
4. Multimeter
5. Rechargeable batteries

I've spent many hours hiking, biking and camping, and never once had anything on your lists but the highlighted items with me. Lately an LED flashlight with rechargeable batteries that I do not charge in the field.

Voltage regulators? Resistors?

 

I get the vibe that you're talking doomsday but don't want to come right out and say it. So assuming a doomsday scenario, forget about packing components. There would be a wonderland of neglected electronics around from which to scrounge components. You would need electronics which are immediately useful, which can't be found laying about. I would suggest:
solar panel
tablet/small laptop
SDR stick + antenna
wind-up power source
tazer

Never thought about Doomsday; especially if there is Zombies.
Compound Bow
Samurai Sword (If you can locate one)
Shot gun
Tazer
Light weight Hatchet and a big knife.

 

9V battery & steel wool.

 

Well it's spring again so I'm thinking about hiking, biking and camping and working on my survival bag. And now that I'm into electronics one thing merged into the other. I was at work thinking about both subjects and I thought, if I had to pick up and go suddenly knowing I might need to relocate for quite a while to a place that I didn't have easy access to all the stuff I have now, what 5 electronic things (components) would I stuff into my bag?

You're asking a very ill-defined question that has no set answer (or, I should say, is not answerable is some set way).

Survival kits serve many different purposes and have many different constraints. When I was in search and rescue (in the Rocky Mountains) I maintained several different survival kits. The kit that I had on my belt the entire time I was in the mountains was very different than the kit that was in my daypack which was very different than the kit in my backpack which was very, very different from the kit that was in the back of my Bronco. Then, later after I became a pilot, those were different from the one I put in the back of the plane every time I went on a cross-country flight.

First and foremost, the contents of a kit have to sit within the bounds of the size and weight limitations of the kit. The next thing that has to be considered is the primary purpose of the kit and, for most of them, they are called "survival" kits for a reason. The goal is generally to enable you, with the proper training/practice beforehand (i.e., not making the common mistake of relying on the survival pamphlet that comes with some store-bought kit) to survive an initial period of time (usually considered to be three days, but there's nothing magical about that) starting with just what you have with you while you get yourself organized and prepared for a longer stay. Next, the contents have to reflect the environment you are going to be in. A summer kit differs from a winter kit (though in the high Rockies the difference isn't as much as you might think) and a desert kit differs from an arctic kit. In addition, the kit needs to reflect the probably reason for its use: Is it because I got lost? Because I got snowed in by a blizzard? Because I got flooded out in the middle of the night? Because of a widespread and violent societal breakdown?

As for the 9V battery and steel wool, I used to keep that in my daypack kit until I realized/discovered a few things about it. First and foremost is that it isn't as sure a thing as it seems at first. In order to get it to light a fire reliably your tinder has to be good enough that it would actually be easier to light using several other methods. Second, it is highly consumable. I much prefer a block of magnesium, particularly the ones with a metal match (flint stick) embedded in one side. I still have the one I got when I was about 13 and it still has a lot of life left in it even though it has probably started upwards of a hundred campfires. Usually I don't even shave off any of the magnesium and just use the metal match to spread sparks into the tinder. If prepared well, it only takes one or two strikes.

As for electronics, they pretty much have no place in a survival kit, though I acknowledge that today is not the same as 40 years ago when I first started putting survival kits together. In today's world, I would agree that a cell phone is a good thing to have with you in the "non-apocalyptic" situations. I would not classify it as being part of a survival kit, though, since a survival kit is something that you have prepared ahead of time and that, other than periodic inspections, is something that sits there ready to grab and go. A cell phone just doesn't fit that model. Today I would put in a personal rescue beacon or something similar. In my belt kit I had nothing electrical at all, not even a flashlight (that was in my daypack, but not as part of the survival kit in my daypack). Today I would probably include a small AA-powered LED flashlight.

 

You're asking a very ill-defined question

Obviously, I wasn't asking "if there was a doomsday event" what gear would you take. Everybody is asking that. What I was saying was think outside the box of all the typical emergency preparedness and think of electronics related things only list that you would bring that would help hopefully at the moment and later on down the road (no pun intended) that would help get things back to more than just a basics state.
For instance there may or may not be power where you get to but all the communications options, cell phone, laptops, what ever are knocked out.
I made a list that would hep me mainly at night. I would rather carry a LED light around to see that a torch with fire. I would save the fire for warmth, keeping dry and cooking.

"Butane Torch with an extra canister and some solder" & "wonderland of neglected electronics" I thought were good ideas more of what I'm talking about.

 

Obviously, I wasn't asking "if there was a doomsday event" what gear would you take. Everybody is asking that. What I was saying was think outside the box of all the typical emergency preparedness and think of electronics related things only list that you would bring that would help hopefully at the moment and later on down the road (no pun intended) that would help get things back to more than just a basics state.
For instance there may or may not be power where you get to but all the communications options, cell phone, laptops, what ever are knocked out.
I made a list that would hep me mainly at night. I would rather carry a LED light around to see that a torch with fire. I would save the fire for warmth, keeping dry and cooking.

"Butane Torch with an extra canister and some solder" & "wonderland of neglected electronics" I thought were good ideas more of what I'm talking about.

You seem to be saying things that are self-contradictory. You say that you are NOT asking about a post-doomsday event and then proceed to talk about things to pretty much only make sense in a post-doomsday world.

If we are not talking about post-doomsday, then the concern is about physically staying alive until I am found or find my own way back to civilization. I don't care about things that will help out "later on down the road that would help to get things back to more than just a basics state" because we aren't talking about a post-doomsday event and so once I get found or find my own way back I am immediately back to everything I had before.

 

One last question why does a serious situation have to be "doomsday".

 

One last question why does a serious situation have to be "doomsday".

Please describe a scenario you have in mind such that people would need to be prepared to help get things back to a more than just basics state afterward. That will help establish a meaningful context for the discussion.

 

This reminds me of a question I was asked on a "new employee bio questionnaire " at the last place I worked, and everybody's bio got posted on the company blog. The question was "what would you bring with you to a deserted island?" The question seemed pretty stupid to me. It seemed to imply "what would you bring with you if you knew you were going to be deserted on an island?" - an implication that i found to be shared by others by reading the blog and finding other's answers like "my ipod" and "my comic book collection ".

My answer to the question was:
"If I were going on a casual trip to a deserted island, i would bring a lunch and a camera. If I knew I was to be deserted on an island, and had a choice of what to bring, I would bring 3 lunches and a satellite phone."

Apparently my response was censored by the same dumbass who generated the questionnaire. My official published response was "food, camera, cell phone."

Either ask: 1) " if you could have only 5 components to build a circuit, which 5 would they be?", or 2) "which 5 electronic widgets would you keep in your doomsday bug out bag?"

Anything in the grey area between those two questions is going to generate retarded answers and/or criticism.

 

What would you bring with you to a deserted island?

Colonel O'Neill's response would be, "Uma Thurman".

Anything else he could improvise.