CONTENTS ISSUE 59
DEPARTMENTS FEATURES
6 Editor’s Letter
An Artificial Future
08 Gear Up
The Latest and Greatest
Products
14 Pocket Preps
Slip-Joint Knives
18 What If?
You’re Targeted by a
Deepfake Cyberattack?
70 Health
Examining More Than
a Dozen First Aid and
Survival Uses of a
Triangular Bandage
78 Hands On
We Tested the QuietKat
Warrior to See if eBikes
Are for More than Just
“Going Green”
86 Bag Drop
Concealed Carbine Pack
88 The Final Weapon
Tracking in the Concrete
Jungle
90 The Last Page
Review of Scary Smart:
The Future of Artificial
Intelligence and How
You Can Save Our
World
Product Disclaimer
Prices and details for products and services
featured in RECOIL OFFGRID are set by the
manufacturers, retailers, and agencies, and
are subject to change without notice.
Throughout this issue you will
see certain images are labeled
as being 100% Actual Size. This
designation is for the print edition of this
issue. Because of the various screen sizes
on different tablets and computers, we
cannot always provide actual life size
images in digital versions. We apologize if
this causes any confusion and thank you
for your understanding.
26 Artificial Intelligence
Examining the Potential Threats and
Benefits of AI Technology in Our
Daily Lives
40 Advanced Awareness
Bring Your Group’s Navigation,
Comms, and Surveillance Capabilities 26
into the Digital Age with the Tactical
Awareness Kit (TAK) App
40
52 Baofeng and Beyond
A Good-Better-Best Framework for
Upgrading Your Family’s Handheld
Radios
62 Hot on the Trail
Testing Armasight’s Contractor 320
and 640 Thermal Optics with a Stag
Arms 6.5 Creedmoor AR-10
52
Recoil OFFGRID (ISSN 2475-1952), February/
March 2024; Number 59, is published
bimonthly by CMG West, LLC 5583 W.
Waterford Ln., Suite D, Appleton, WI 54913.
Copyright © 2023 by CMG West, LLC. All
Rights Reserved. Periodicals Postage Paid at
Appleton, WI, and at additional mail offices. For
subscription inquiries and customer service,
go to www.offgridweb.com or call (800) 873-
62
7896. POSTMASTER: Send all UAA to CFS. (See
DMM 707.4.12.5): NON-POSTAL AND MILITARY
FACILITIES: send address changes to Recoil
OFFGRID, PO Box 531, Williamsport, PA 17703.
Please allow 8-10 weeks for delivery of first
issue. No part of this book may be reproduced
without written permission. This book is
purchased with the understanding that the
information presented herein is from many
varied sources for which there can be no
warranty or responsibility by the publisher as
to accuracy or completeness.
WWW.RECOIL.TV

RecoilTV is a 2A friendly streaming platform created to entertain and inform you on the latest guns and gear
associated with the firearms lifestyle.

PRESENTED BY
Honest. Relevant. Unfiltered.
THE PREMIER AUTHORITY FOR FIREARMS NEWS AND
MEDIA THE WAY YOU WANT AND DESERVE.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP

AVAILABLE ON
006
ISSUE 59
EDITOR’SLETTER
An Artificial Future By Patrick McCarthy
As AI-generated content becomes increasingly sophisticated,
the blurring of lines between human and machine creativity raises
important questions about accountability and trust. In a world where
information shapes opinions and influences decisions, the inability
to discern the origin of content challenges our fundamental under-
standing of authorship and the ethical considerations tied to it. The
ethical responsibility to disclose the involvement of AI in content cre-
ation becomes paramount, as transparency fosters trust and enables
individuals to navigate an increasingly complex landscape of digital
information with informed judgment.
The previous paragraph was not written by a human. It was
written by ChatGPT, a free and easy-to-use AI-powered language
model. Now, take a look at the cover of this issue — that was gener-
ated by another free tool called Playground AI based on a short
prompt written by our staff. If we hadn’t disclosed these facts,
could you tell the difference? How do we know whether the
content we’re consuming is real or synthesized by
a machine, and how will this uncertainty affect
our ability to trust our own senses? Does
this path lead to a brighter future where
AI helps us solve humanity’s greatest
problems, or an apocalyptic one where
it becomes too powerful to control?
These questions will only become
more prevalent as AI technology
continues to spread, and that’s why
we chose to make it the focal point
for this issue of RECOIL OFFGRID.
Our titular feature article, “Artificial
Intelligence,” offers a deep dive into
what AI is, how it works, and some of
its greatest practical advantages and
disadvantages. This issue’s What If
scenario addresses one of the most
concerning present-day malicious
uses of AI, a deepfake cyberattack in-
tended to manipulate victims by digi-
tally usurping the identity of a trusted
colleague. In The Last Page, Patrick
Diedrich examines Scary Smart, a book written by former Google
executive Mo Gawdat about the dramatic impact AI will have on our
lives in the coming decades — for better and for worse.
In addition to these AI-focused articles, we’ve included some
other content relating to cutting-edge survival tools and skills. Chris-
topher Rance wrote a beginner’s guide to TAK, the U.S. Military’s
Tactical Awareness Kit app, which is now available to the general
public. Returning tech expert Dean Freeman wrote an article about
how to buy and upgrade a handheld radio for better off-grid com-
munication capabilities. Diedrich reviewed a QuietKat Warrior e-bike
to gauge its effectiveness as a rechargeable bug-out vehicle. We
also took a detailed look at the capabilities of thermal rifle optics,
such as the new Armasight Contractor series, and wrote about
lessons learned at a Greenside Training urban tracking class in our
Final Weapon column.
Of course, our magazine has always taken a balanced
approach to achieving preparedness, so we also
included some decidedly low-tech and old-
school content. In our Health column, Joe
Alton, MD, demonstrates the many uses of
one of the simplest components of any
first aid kit: a triangular bandage. And in
Pocket Preps, Mike Searson compares
a variety of slip-joint knives, a style of
folding knife that has been popular
for more than 300 years.
Whether you choose to embrace
technology or distance yourself
from it, the genie is out of the bottle.
Artificial intelligence will undoubt-
edly change the way we live and
work in coming decades, just as the
internet and cell phones have done
in decades past. Rather than stick our
heads in the sand and hope every-
thing works out, our best course of
action is always to be aware and be
prepared.
 Editorial.
Editor-in-Chief/ Iain Harrison
Editor, RECOIL OFFGRID/ Patrick McCarthy
Managing Editor/ Laura Peltakian
Features Editor/ Dave Merrill
Contributing Editor/ Steven Kuo
Contributing Editor/ Patrick Diedrich
Network Manager/ Tom Marshall
Web Editor/ David Lane
Contributors/ Amy Alton, Joe Alton, W. Dean Freeman, Nate Gerhart,
Christopher M. Rance, David Roy, Mike Searson
Special Thanks/ Brady Patterson
Art Direction & Design.
Senior Art Director/ Gene Coo
Art Director/ Katia Sverdlova
Senior Designer/ Tris Mast
Submissions.
OFFGRID@RECOILweb.com
Subscriber Customer Services.
Domestic/Canadian: 888.681.7064
support@offgridmagazineservice.com
Advertising.
GM/Publisher/ Glen Castle
Associate Publisher/ Ryan Farner 760.809.8729
Senior Account Executive/ Alex Ostrowski 920.212.5677
Senior Account Executive/ David Figg 813.418.1060
Senior Account Executive/ Lori McDaniel 715.498.3768
To advertise on this magazine’s website, or any of
CMG West, LLC’s other enthusiast sites, please contact
us at offgrid_advertising@RECOILweb.com.
CMG West, LLC.
Director of Finance/ Jennifer Sexstone
Circulation/ NPS Media Group
mtolen@npsmediagroup.com
This magazine is purchased by the buyer
with the understanding that the information
presented is from various sources from
which there can be no warranty or responsi-
bility by CMG West, LLC., or the publisher as
to legality, completeness and accuracy.
Any submissions or contributions from read-
ers shall be subject to and governed by CMG
West, LLC’s User Content Submission Terms
and Conditions.
BACK ISSUES To order back issues, visit
Offgridweb.com.
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS
Editorial contributions are welcomed, but edi-
tors recommend that contributors query first.
Contribution must be accompanied by return
postage and we assume no responsibility
for loss or damage thereto. Manuscripts
must be typewritten on white paper, and all
photographs must be accompanied by cap-
tions. Photo model releases required on all
persons in photos. Recoil Offgrid reserves the
right to use material at its discretion, and we
reserve the right to edit material to meet our
requirements. Upon publication, payment
will be made at our current rate, and that said
payment will cover author’s and contributor’s
rights of the contribution. Contributor’s
act of mailing contribution shall constitute
an express warranty that the material is
original and no infringement on the rights of
others. Mail contributions to: Recoil Offgrid
Magazine, 5583 W. Waterford Ln., Suite D,
Appleton, WI 54913.
istockphoto.com/ p6: grandeduc; p18:
Maksim Tkachenko; p21: edwardolive;
p22: Highwaystarz-Photography; p23:
FotografieLink; p24: Koldunova_Anna; p26:
wigglestick; p28: 7postman; p30: Morsa
Images; p32: FrankRamspott; p34: alxpin; p38:
shironosov; p40: lzf; p70: Studio4
Printed in the USA
Copyright © 2023 by
CMG West, LLC.
All Rights Reserved.
008
1A/2A: CONGRESS SHALL
GEARUP
1 MAKE & MODEL
Forloh 2 MAKE & MODEL
MPowered 3 MAKE & MODEL
Outdoor Element 4 MAKE & MODEL
Garmont
Women’s ThermoNeutral Rechargeable Batteries Fire Flute T8 Athena
Down Jacket
SIZE WEIGHT SIZE
COLORS AA 1.7 ounces Women’s 5 to 10.5
Black, Deep Cover, Exposed, Forloh
MSRP MSRP MSRP
Green, Magnet, Snowfall
Starting at $15 $24 $155
MSRP
URL URL URL
$399 mpowerd.com outdoorelement.com garmonttactical.com
URL
NOTES NOTES NOTES
forloh.com
Say hello to MPowerd’s AA USB Recharge- Meet the Fire Flute, a versatile tool Step into the T8 Athena boots
NOTES
able Batteries, the eco-conscious power when it comes to outdoor readiness. by Garmont and you’re stepping
The Women’s ThermoNeutral Down source you didn’t know you needed. This gadget is about the size of a into a world of tactical innovation
Jacket by Forloh sets a high bar when These aren’t your run-of-the-mill bat- standard Sharpie marker, making it a designed specifically for women.
it comes to staying warm and agile in teries; they’re integrated, reusable, and convenient addition to your pocket or Crafted with a suede leather upper
unpredictable conditions. This jacket is cable-free. When they run out of juice, backpack. Crafted from sturdy alumi- and polyester fabric, these boots
designed for those who don’t want to just pop them into a USB charging port, num, it weighs a mere 1.7 ounces but offer increased arch support and
compromise on comfort or functionality. and they’re good to go in 1 to 2 hours. offers a trio of essential features. a slightly raised heel, catering to
Its ThermoNeutral technology means No more hunting for a store to buy con- First up is a powerful 120dB whistle, women’s shorter Achilles tendon,
this isn’t your average down jacket; it’s ventional batteries, and no more waste loud enough to alert anyone within ensuring you’re comfortable and
engineered to adapt to your body’s heat, piling up in landfills. With a 1200mAh earshot. Whether you’re lost in the stable whether you’re navigating
providing optimal insulation whether capacity and 1.5V output, these batteries woods or need to signal for help, this rocky terrain or city streets. The
you’re on the move or sitting still. The are versatile, powering everything from whistle ensures you’ll be heard. Next, dual-density EVA midsole is all
jacket comes in various sizes and several remote controls and video game control- the Fire Flute houses a water-tight about comfort and shock absorp-
eye-catching colors. But it’s not just lers to baby monitors and headlamps. compartment designed to store com- tion. The Garmont Traction Formula
about aesthetics; the Deep Cover variant They’re a perfect fit for both tech-savvy bustible fire tabs. These slow-burning Diamante outsole is engineered
offers a camo pattern that can help you city dwellers and off-the-grid adventur- tabs are included in the packaging with specialized climbing and
blend into natural surroundings, while the ers. Rather than worrying about your and can be a game-changer when you braking zones, providing stability
solid black is a versatile choice for any flashlight dying on you during a blackout need to get a fire going quickly. The on various surfaces. Weighing in
setting. Weighing between 13 to 21 ounces or your GPS running out of power while other end of the Fire Flute features a at just 13.7 ounces per boot in size
depending on the size, this jacket won’t exploring the great outdoors, give more replaceable ferrocerium rod. Paired 7 US, these boots are AR 670-1
weigh you down and makes it a good thought to the batteries you choose. with an integrated hardened striker compliant, making them a reliable
choice for those who need to pack light What sets these apart is their longevity — plate, it throws large sparks to ignite choice for those in the Armed
but still want a reliable layer of warmth. they can be recharged over 1,000 times. your campfire or stove effortlessly. Forces.
That’s not just cost-effective; it’s a nod to The device even comes with an at-
sustainability. tached pocket clip and a lanyard hole
1 for multiple carrying options.

3 4
5 MAKE & MODEL
Burris
Signature LRF 10x42
MODES
Auto, Sport, Hunt
MSRP
$1,200
URL
burrisoptics.com
NOTES
Introducing the Signature LRF 10x42
binoculars by Burris Optics, a seri-
ous upgrade for serious observers.
With ultra-sharp HD glass, you get a
crystal-clear view of your surround-
ings, making it easier to spot game,
potential hazards, or resources. The
device offers fast and precise rang-
ing from 5 to 2,600 yards, ensuring
you can measure distances with
pinpoint accuracy. What sets this
apart from other range finding binos
is that it comes with three versatile
ranging modes: Auto, Sport, and
Hunt, allowing you to adapt to
different scenarios. You can choose
to see distances as line-of-sight or
horizontal, complete with angles of
degree, giving you a comprehensive
understanding of your environment.
The outer surfaces are rubber-
armored, providing both protection
and a secure grip. It’s also tripod
adaptable, freeing your hands for
other tasks. The adjustable eyepiece
ensures you won’t miss a thing, and
it operates in temperatures ranging
from 5 to 131 degrees F. Powered
by a single CR2 lithium battery, it
boasts a battery life of over 2,000
measurements.
6 MAKE & MODEL
Dometic
PLB40 Portable Lithium
Battery
DIMENSIONS
8 by 8 by 10 inches
MSRP
$850
URL
dometic.com
NOTES
Whether you’re camping, tailgating, or
spending a day at the beach, a portable
fridge packed with cold food and drinks
makes any outing more enjoyable — no
ice required. However, any time your
vehicle’s engine isn’t running, you’ll
need an auxiliary power source. Dometic
makes some of the best portable fridges
on the market, so it was natural for the
company to create a matching portable
power solution. The PLB40 is a compact
Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) bat-
tery with a 40 Amp-hour/512 Watt-hour
capacity — enough to keep a CFX 40W
fridge powered for about 40 hours.
Many portable power stations could
double as boat anchors, but not this one;
its square footprint, ergonomic carry
handle, and 16-pound weight make it
easy to transport. Output ports include
standard 12V DC, locking two-pin 12V
DC (for securely connecting Dometic
fridges), and two USB ports. The PLB40
can be recharged via 12V DC from your
vehicle, an AC wall charger, or a solar
panel. A large LCD screen makes it easy
to see the battery’s charge percentage
and status.
7 MAKE & MODEL
Bear & Son Cutlery
Sideliner w/Reverse Tanto
Blade & Glass Breaker
STEEL
440 stainless steel
MSRP
$57
URL
bearandsoncutlery.com
NOTES
Bear & Son Cutlery’s 4.5-inch Black
Aluminum Sideliner (BE127) is a versatile
tool that’s more than just a knife. With
an 8-inch open length and a 3.5-inch
blade made from 440 stainless steel,
this knife is built for everyday use. The
black aluminum handle offers a sleek
design that fits comfortably in your
hand, ensuring a firm grip. One of its
standout features is the ball bearing
washers, which allow for rapid blade
deployment at the push of a trigger,
an action that can be crucial when you
need to react fast. The knife also comes
with a stainless steel sideliner lock,
ensuring the blade stays in place when
in use and is easy to close when you’re
done. It also features a glass breaker,
making it a multifunctional tool that
can help you get out of tight spots. Ad-
ditionally, the knife has a metal pocket
clip and a lanyard spacer for secure
fastening and storage, offering quick
access and multiple carrying options.
8 MAKE & MODEL
NEXTORCH
TA30 V2.0 One-step
Strobe Tactical Flashlight
LUMENS
1,300
MSRP
$81
URL
nextorch.com
NOTES
When it comes to being prepared
for the unexpected, the TA30 V2.0
Tactical Flashlight offers more than
illumination. Not just a flashlight; it’s a
multifunctional tool designed to keep
you one step ahead. With one-step-
strobe technology, a simple tap gives
you momentary light, while a heavy
press activates a tactical strobe. This
feature can disorient potential threats
or can be used for quickly drawing
the attention of passersby during
an emergency. The lens is coated,
tempered glass that ensures maximum
light transmission and durability. The
edges of the flashlight are embedded
with super-hard ceramic strike tips
that can be used to break glass or as
a self-defense mechanism. Though not
included, there’s a specially designed
accessory called the FR-1 tactical
flashlight ring. This add-on provides
more versatile usage, whether you’re
navigating through a power outage at
home or finding your way in the great
outdoors.
ISSUE 59
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 009
010 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
1A/2A: MAKE NO LAW
9 MAKE & MODEL
Jase Medical
Jase Case
APPLICATIONS
Diarrhea, Infections, Pneumonia,
Bioterror
MSRP
$269
URL
jasemedical.com
NOTES
Jase Case could be a must-have for
those who want to be prepared for
the unexpected. This all-in-one kit
comes packed with five essential
antibiotics that can treat a wide
range of infections, from pneumonia
and bladder infections to wound com-
plications. The medications included
are Amoxicillin-Clavulanate, Azithro-
mycin, Ciprofloxacin, Doxycycline,
and Metronidazole, each carefully
selected for their efficacy and safety.
But it’s not just about the meds; the
Jase Case offers a holistic approach
to self-care. It starts with an online
evaluation by a board-certified physi-
cian, ensuring that the antibiotics are
appropriate for you. Once approved,
the kit is delivered straight to your
doorstep, eliminating the need for
multiple pharmacy trips. The package
also includes an Antibiotic Guide writ-
ten by medical experts, giving you
the confidence to use the medica-
tions effectively. Whether you’re an
adventurer far from civilization or
someone who wants peace of mind
during supply chain disruptions, this
kit empowers you to take control of
your health.
10 MAKE & MODEL
VSSL
Insulated Flask + Speaker
CAPACITY
8 fluid ounces
MSRP
$150
URL
vsslgear.com
NOTES
Ready to elevate your outdoor experi-
ence? Meet the VSSL Insulated Flask +
Speaker, a unique item for those who
love to venture into the wild or simply
chill in their backyard. Crafted from
durable 18/8 stainless steel, this flask
offers double-walled insulation to keep
your drinks at the perfect tempera-
ture — cold for 10 hours and hot for 5.
It also comes with a fully integrated,
weatherproof Bluetooth speaker to add a
soundtrack to your adventures. The flask
features a patented pop-up drinking cap
that doubles as a carabiner, making it
super easy to clip onto your gear. Plus,
the cap is leak-proof, ensuring you won’t
lose a drop of your precious beverage.
The locking carabiner top adds an extra
layer of security, so you can focus on the
journey ahead. What sets this flask apart
is its multi-functionality. Not only does
it keep your drink just the way you like
it, but it also provides up to 5 hours of
music playtime.
11 MAKE & MODEL
guzzle H2O
Stream
FLOW RATE
1.1 gallons (4 liters)/minute
MSRP
$1,195
URL
guzzleh20.com
NOTES
Guzzle H2O’s Stream is like the
Swiss Army knife of water purifica-
tion systems. Imagine you’re out
camping near a creek or maybe
you’re at a campground that has
questionable water quality. This
gadget is your go-to for clean,
great-tasting water. With just a
push of a button, it pumps, filters,
and purifies water from any fresh
water source at a rate of about
0.75 gallon per minute, process-
ing up to 35 gallons on a single
charge. It uses LED UV-C purifica-
tion, which is third-party tested to
inactivate 99.99 percent of bacteria,
protozoa, and viruses. Plus, it has a
0.5-micron activated carbon block
filtration system that’s effective
at reducing sediment, unpleasant
taste, and odor. The unit is also
rechargeable and has a high-
capacity LiFePO4 battery. It’s even
waterproof with an IP67 rating, so
no worries if it takes a little dip.
Whether you’re an overlander who
loves remote settings, or a family
camper tired of your kids complain-
ing about “icky” water, this system
has got you covered. It’s versatile,
portable, and perfect for those who
want to be ready for whatever life
throws at them.
12 MAKE & MODEL
Body Guard Armored
Backpacks
First Responder
Bulletproof Backpack
Level 3A Kit
CAPACITY
40 liters
MSRP
$639
URL
bulletproofbodyguard.com
NOTES
The First Responder Bulletproof Backpack
is a discreet way to carry personal
protection on the go. Designed to be both
tactical and practical, this backpack has
multiple compartments with a 40-liter ca-
pacity and webbing for MOLLE-compatible
accessories. But what sets it apart is its
patented deployment system that offers
instant front and back armor protection
without the need to fumble for a handle.
Just pull up on the Velcro shoulder
straps, and your vitals will be covered
with this kit’s included 11x14-inch front
and 16x12-inch rear Level 3A soft armor
inserts. With soft armor, it weighs just 7
pounds. The pack’s Concealment Chamber
keeps its protective nature discreet until
the armor is deployed, and the Stay-Put
armor system secures the front protec-
tion in place with ease. Body Guard also
offers the pack with Level 3+ hard armor
plates for rifle-caliber protection ($1,047)
or as a stand-alone backpack ($499),
which you can use with your armor of
choice. This backpack is a robust, adapt-
able, and discreet way to stay ready for
anything.
014
1A/2A: RESPECTING
PocketPREPS
1 Spyderco
Roadie
2 Mikov
Rybicka
OVERALL LENGTH: OVERALL LENGTH:
5.1 inches 5.5 inches
BLADE LENGTH: BLADE LENGTH:
2.1 inches 2.2 inches
WEIGHT: WEIGHT:
1 ounce 1.5 ounces
BLADE MATERIAL: BLADE MATERIAL:
N690Co 420
PRICE: PRICE:
$84 $14
URL: URL:
spyderco.com mikov.cz

By Mike Searson

3
f you’re a Boomer or Gen-Xer, you may have a
fond memory of your father or other relative giv-
ing you a pocketknife at a young age. It may have
been a lock-back or a fixed blade, but for most
of us it was a simple slip-joint folding pocketknife
with no locking mechanism. The blade was held open
under simple spring pressure. Sometimes it was a single
blade Barlow style or Jack knife. In other cases, it may
have been a Trapper with a drop-point knife blade and
a Spey blade. If you were really lucky, it could’ve been a
multi-blade Congress knife or a Swiss Army Knife. 1
Many of us who were more serious about knives may
have graduated on to something with a Walker liner lock,
frame lock, or Axis lock-type mechanism. That was the
goal from the 1980s onward, to have a folding knife that
locked up like a fixed blade. Still, many of us look back
on fond memories of that first knife type. Custom knife
makers often offer a few slip joints in this category as a
testament to modern craftsmanship and materials or for
customers with a bit of nostalgia.
These knives are still very capable in our modern age
and will still perform over 90 percent of common daily
tasks. They tend to be on the smaller side and are easily
stowed in a pocket, so you always have a knife. Addition-
ally, if you travel outside of the U.S., you’ll find that they’re
usually the only knife that won’t land you in prison in
most of Europe.
Because slip-joint knives are typically carried loose in
a pocket, a lanyard of some type makes more sense as
a means of being able to locate and retrieve the knife. Un-
fortunately, this is a small detail that is often overlooked
to keep with tradition. In the past, slip joints were cheaper
knives sold in hardware stores, gun shops and depart- 2
ment stores. Modern slip joints are a little bit more expen-
sive in many cases, but still more affordable on average
than typical tactical folding knives.
3 Heretic
Jinn
Knives
4 Benchmade
Weekender
5 CRKT
Venandi
6 Cold Steel
Trapper
7 Kershaw
Federalist
OVERALL LENGTH: OVERALL LENGTH: OVERALL LENGTH: OVERALL LENGTH: OVERALL LENGTH:
6.8 inches 7.1 inches 7.2 inches 7.4 inches 7. 5 inches
BLADE LENGTH: BLADE LENGTHS: BLADE LENGTH: BLADE LENGTH: BLADE LENGTH:
3.1 inches 3 inches, 2 inches 3.1 inches 3.3 inches 3.3 inches
WEIGHT: WEIGHT: WEIGHT: WEIGHT: WEIGHT:
2.4 ounces 3.5 ounces 1.8 ounces 4 ounces 2.1 ounces
BLADE MATERIAL: BLADE MATERIAL: BLADE MATERIAL: BLADE MATERIAL: BLADE MATERIAL:
CPM Magnacut CPM-S30V 8Cr13MoV 8Cr13MoV CPM 154
PRICE: PRICE: PRICE: PRICE: PRICE:
$800+ $250 $40 $40 $155
URL: URL: URL: URL: URL:
hereticknives.com benchmade.com crkt.com coldsteel.com kershaw.kaiusa.com

5 7

4
ISSUE 59

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 015
016
1A/2A: AN ESTABLISHMENT
Pocket PREPS

Spyderco Mikov Heretic Knives Benchmade CRKT Cold Steel Kershaw

Roadie Rybicka Jinn Weekender Venandi Trapper Federalist

After 9/11, carrying any Mikov is a classic Heretic Knives has a The Weekender The name Venandi This is Cold Steel’s Kershaw’s Federalist is
type of knife aboard European knife manu- long and consistent is a multi-bladed comes from a Latin take on the classic a U.S.-made non-lock-
an airplane was pro- facturer that has been history in the realm pocketknife equipped word meaning “hunt- slip-joint Trapper knife. ing slip joint. It relies on
hibited. In early 2013, making knives in the of tactical automatic with tools to improve er,” and this design is a It features handles with a double-detent sys-
the Transportation Czech Republic since knives. So, to see a your weekend — or collaboration between authentic jigged bone, tem to hold the blade
Security Administra- 1794. The Rybicka or slippie in their lineup any day. It features a custom knife maker highlighted with pol- in place while closed,
tion (TSA) announced “Little Fish Knife” has made us sit up and 3-inch clip-point blade Richard Rogers and ished metal bolsters. and the half-stop offers
a plan to allow certain been in their catalog take notice. As can for your EDC cutting Columbia River Knife The rugged handles controlled opening
knives on airplanes for over 100 years be expected, Heretic needs, and a 2-inch and Tool. Rugged G10 are substantially sized and closing action. The
again. Although and is a traditional doesn’t screw around drop-point blade for handle scales mean for hard work, even green canvas Micarta
the plan was later slip joint design that when it comes to ma- smaller cutting jobs; that the handles will with gloved hands. handle feels good
withdrawn, Spyderco is often passed down terials. The CPM Mag- the bottle opener probably outlast the It’s constructed in a tra- in the hand, and it’ll
had already designed from father to son. nacut for the blade is ensures all your rest of the knife. Its 3.1- ditional Jack Knife pat- prove to be extremely
a non-locking pocket- Original knives of this the star in this show, favorite beverages inch clip-point blade is tern, with two polished durable. The blade
knife that would con- type sported carbon along with titanium can be opened with made from 8Cr13MoV blades: a clip-point for is made from CPM
form with proposed steel blades and often handles and a pocket ease. The Weekender stainless steel. The piercing and cutting, 154 steel and has an
guidelines. The Roadie had carved wooden clip. This is definitely is a USA-made folder steel is good, but it’s and a Spey for skin- impressive edge when
is an evolved penknife handles. Mikov began not grandpa’s Barlow to enhance your life. not exactly Magnacut. ning and gutting, both first taken out of the
that is more practical offering these knives knife. The blade is a The blades are made This is a great first knife folding out of the same box. The custom pivot
than typical slip joints. with a 420 steel blade sheepsfoot design and of CPM-S30V steel, for someone who is end. Popular folklore forms a shield detail to
It relies on a pair of and Zinc alloy handles if you’re in a locale that ensuring that they stay just getting into knives. has placed the Trapper complete the distinct
symmetrical dimples a few decades ago. restricts you based on sharp when you need It’s an ultra-modern as the preferred choice look of a slip joint knife.
in the blade that allow This makes them more the locking mecha- them. The Micarta take on a classic and of rugged outdoors- In spite of that, the
a fingernail-free two- durable and actually nism of your knife, this handle offers a great timeless design. men and frontier hunt- Federalist moves the
handed opening. Far quite a bit cheaper. is the one you want. gripping surface and ers, but its practicality design several steps
superior to a traditional This is a slip-joint knife will last virtually for- Pros: makes it useful for all forward by blending
nail nick, they also Pros: for a new generation. ever. There are other The blade is sharp sorts of chores. characteristics of a
don’t collect dirt or This is a small and versions of this model out of the box and tactical folder with that
debris. The Roadie also unobtrusive knife Pros: in the works with differ- ready to tackle Pros: of the old-school Jack
features a subtle index- that can attach to a It’s made from CPM ent blade options and virtually any cutting This knife reminds knife.
finger choil that acts key ring or be worn Magnacut, which colors of Micarta. chore. me of one of the
as a safeguard against around the neck for may be the future The knife excels at Trappers I used from Pros:
unintentional closure. ease of access. super steel for the Pros: cutting and slicing the age of 7 until my This slip joint has
This is a classic Czech next decade or two. Very sharp out of the with its clip-point early 20s as a hiker, lanyard hole, which
Pros: design of a very Razor sharp out of box with nice thin blade. hunter, Marine, and makes it easily ac-
The blade slices like a distinct model. the box, the way all edges for slicing You almost never ranch hand. cessible or locatable
surgical scalpel. Properly sharpened, knives should ship CPM-S30V is a think of G10 handles The blades slice like in the pocket with a
Its handle scales are it’s a very capable Titanium handles premium knife steel with a slip joint, but razors and open lanyard.
extremely comfort- little slicer. with amazing texture with superb edge it works well on this easier than a tradi- The handle is ex-
able. really blows the retention. model. tional nail nick due to tremely comfortable
Lanyard hole makes Cons: doors off everything The bottle opener scalloping. and ergonomic.
it easily accessible The handles are a else in this category comes in handy Cons: Compact, many op- The blade is made
cast zinc alloy, which when you need it. Like most slip joints, tions for daily carry from 154 CM; it’s
Cons: means it’ll corrode Cons: there’s no lanyard tough, razor sharp,
This knife would be and degrade over These knives are Cons: hole. Cons: rust resistant, and
better with a pocket time. handmade one at As good a steel as A pocket clip could Like most slip joints, sports an easily main-
clip. The knife was very a time to order or S30V is, it can be dif- have worked well there’s no lanyard tainable edge.
The sheepsfoot dull out of the box. in small batches, so ficult to sharpen. on this model, even hole.
blade worked well for availability may be There’s no lanyard though that’s not a The handle material Cons:
its original design, but an issue. hole on this to help common slip-joint may degrade over The blade could have
a clip-point or drop- Like most slip joints, you secure the knife. feature time with a lot of use. been a hair sharper
point variant would there’s no lanyard Bone isn’t Micarta. out of the box.
be welcome. hole.
Upgrade your Smith & Wesson M&P-M2.0™
Handgun experience with the SCS-MP2-GR Solar
Charging Sight – precision made effortless.
Engineered to perfectly match the M&P-M2.0™
Optics-Ready series, no adapter plates are required,
ensuring a seamless fit. Co-witness with ease
thanks to the exceptionally low dot height, aligning
perfectly with factory iron sights. Forget the hassle
of battery swaps with the internal 20,000-hour
rechargeable battery that could potentially last a
lifetime. The SCS-MP2-GR, designed for 9mm &
40S&W handguns, boasts a multi-directional solar
charging system and an intensity override function,
making it the ultimate choice for discerning
shooters. Elevate your accuracy, elevate your game
with the SCS-MP2-GR."
018
1A/2A: OF RELIGION, OFFGRIDWEB.COM

You’re Targeted
by a Deepfake
Cyberattack?
By RECOIL OFFGRID Staff

on’t believe everything you
see on the internet. This
is one of the fundamental
rules of using the worldwide
web, and it dates back to
the earliest days of dial-up. In the ’90s, chain
emails spread hoaxes like wildfire, but those
of us who weren’t entirely gullible knew to
question anything we received with “FW:
FW: FW:” in the subject line. The rise of chat
rooms and social media made it even easier
to spread misinformation to thousands of
strangers. Around the same time, photo
editing software was becoming vastly more
powerful and accessible, so we began to see
the spread of Photoshopped hoax images
across the internet. Much like chain letters
had morphed into chain emails, this type
of hoax was nothing new, but the advance-
ment of tech made it far easier to create and
disseminate. Photo manipulation techniques
that used to require hours of labor in a
photographer’s darkroom could now be ac-
complished in seconds.
Today, misinformation has reached
another new frontier: artificial intelligence.
Publicly accessible AI tools are being used
to automate the creation of so-called deep-
fakes, a term based on the “deep learning”
neural network technology that’s harnessed
to create them. Now, instead of manually
blending images together in Photoshop,
we can let AI do the hard work for us. And
it’s not only useful for still images — deep-
fake technology can also process each
frame of a video to swap a subject’s face
(for example: youtu.be/CDMVaQOvtxU). AI
can also be used to closely mimic a human
voice based on audio samples and read
back any text the user inputs (youtu.be/
ddqosIpR2Mk).
Deepfakes aren’t just a hypothetical threat
— they’re already being used to manipu-
late, confuse, or outright deceive viewers.
In 2020, the parents of Joaquin Oliver, a
17-year-old who died during the Parkland
school shooting, used deepfake technol-
ogy to recreate their dead son’s likeness
and create a video where he urged young
Americans to vote for more aggressive gun
control. More recently, deepfakes of both
Ukrainian President Zelensky and Russian
President Putin appeared in an attempt
to encourage the opposing side’s troops
to surrender or retreat; the latter clip was
aired on Russian TV in what the Kremlin
decried as a “hack.” Cybercriminals are also
using deepfake technology to persuade
unsuspecting businesses and individuals
to transfer money or give up sensitive info.
And in the most twisted cases, AI is being
used to generate deepfake pornography of
people — even children — who are totally un-
aware of the disturbing and humiliating way
their likenesses are being altered. A 2022
report by the U.S. Department of Homeland
Security stated, “Non-consensual pornogra-
phy emerged as the catalyst for proliferat-
ing deepfake content, and still represents
a majority of AI-enabled synthetic content
in the wild … The ramifications of deepfake
pornography have only begun to be seen.”
It’s becoming increasingly difficult to dis-
tinguish real photos, video, and audio from
deepfakes. What would you do if you sus-
pected you may be the target of a manipu-
lative deepfake attack by cybercriminals?
How can you verify information you receive
before falling prey to these high-tech social
engineering tactics? We asked cyberse-
curity professional W. Dean Freeman and
international risk management expert David
Roy to weigh in on this complex attack.
The Scenario
SITUATION TYPE
Targeted by cybercriminals
YOUR CREW
Yourself
LOCATION
Seattle, Washington
SEASON
Winter
WEATHER
Cloudy; high 47 degrees F, low
38 degrees F
The Setup
You’re the head IT guy at a family owned
business near Seattle. Most of the time, your
job duties consist of basic tech support
and PC troubleshooting for the company’s
23 employees. Your employer deals with
various vendors overseas, so you’re used
to getting messages at odd hours with
not-so-good English. Aside from a few
obvious Nigerian prince scam emails and
run-of-the-mill malware, the company hasn’t
experienced any substantial cybersecurity
threats in the past, but you’ve always tried to
maintain good security protocols regardless.
The Complication
On a Tuesday afternoon, you get a
panicked phone call from Susan, the owner
of the company. She says her brother Dan,
who is currently on a business trip to visit
suppliers throughout Eastern Europe, sent
her a video message a few minutes ago.
In the video, he explained that one of the
company’s key suppliers is owed a substan-
tial amount of money and is demanding
immediate payment. Supposedly, if they
don’t receive the payment within the next
few hours, they’ll switch to an exclusive
partnership with your biggest competitor.
Susan knows this would be catastrophic
and might even cause the company to go
out of business.
She tells you she immediately tried to
call Dan back and called the supplier, but
neither one is picking up — cell phone
coverage isn’t the best in that country,
and it’s outside normal business hours.
She’s considering sending money to the
indicated account, since she’s absolutely
certain that the person in the video was her
brother. It sounded and looked just like him,
and he appeared to have knowledge about
the business and its suppliers. However,
she wants to know if you have any ways
to verify the video first. What methods or
tools can you use to check the legitimacy
of the video message and its sender? If you
determine it’s a deepfake, what other steps
should you take to protect the business
(and its owners) from similar cyberattacks
in the future?
Cybersecurity Professional
W. Dean Freeman’s Approach
Alright, so I’m either facing the impend-
ing financial destruction of my employer, or
an extremely sophisticated threat actor, and
I need to figure out which one it is fast. Two
out of the three outcomes here have me
looking for a new job soon if I don’t stay on
top of this. Luckily, I’m pretty good at what I
do, if I do say so myself, and I’ve seen simi-
lar threats before. Just because there might
be a new technology at play here doesn’t
really change most of the fundamentals.
First, let’s think through the possible situ-
ations:
1. This is a legitimate, albeit unusual and
concerning request.
2. The video is illegitimate, created via a
generative AI tool to produce a “deepfake.”
3. The video is genuine, but Dan’s under
duress and this is a whole different type of
crime (extortion and possibly kidnapping)
Each of these potential situations is going
to have its own set of tells and its own in-
cident response playbook, as well as some
specific countermeasures. They also share
some preparatory mitigations in common.
Preparation
So, whenever employees, especially key
staff or executives travel, the risk of data
breaches resulting in intellectual property
theft go way up, and depending on the
region of travel and the industry you’re in,
ISSUE 59
the threat varies. Knowing this, I’ve coached
Dan and others on the following:
OFFGRID
GRIDWEB.COM
GRID 019
1A/2A: OR PROHIBITING
> Never leave electronic devices unattend-
ed, not even in hotel rooms.
> When crossing borders, always bring
clean devices. Don’t take confidential
company information through customs
checkpoints.
> Always use the company VPN when trav-
eling, and make sure to use the full tunnel
profile, not split tunnels. When traveling,
there’s no such thing as trusted network
access, even at a customer site.
> Be aware of anyone you meet in hotels,
bars, etc. who seems particularly inter-
ested in what you do for a living.
> Make sure you have the highest privacy
settings on personal social media ac-
counts, and be careful what you post,
especially regarding the company.
To varying degrees, I’ve also tried to lock
down services such as email, such that us-
ers either have to be on the local network
or VPN to send and receive their company
email, and am leveraging defense in depth
techniques, using proven technologies, for
endpoint and network security, as well as
access to cloud-based applications. While
nothing is foolproof, the cost of attacking
the network is much higher than it used to
be when I first started at this job.
I’ve also prepared myself to identify
and counter new and emerging threats,
through self-study and formal classes. I stay
on top of the state of the art in my craft
so that I continue to be an asset, but also
understand that it’s an arms race, and the
momentum is generally with the attackers.
On-Site
Now that I’m on the phone with Susan,
we have a potential catastrophe, and one
where there isn’t necessarily a specific play-
book yet. Luckily, it’s a small company with
little red tape, but given the circumstances,
it could have proved disastrous if she hadn’t
called me and had just sent the money. It’s
time to think fast, but think thoroughly.
To make sure I have my bases covered,
I’m going to run through three parallel
investigations: financial, traditional incident
response, and also look specifically at the
video to see if I can tell whether it’s genuine.
Nothing about this
image is real. It was
created using the free
AI image generation
tool PlaygroundAI.com
in less than 30 seconds.
The site also allows us-
ers to upload images to
give the AI “inspiration.”
The financial investigation will go as follows:
> Give the video a quick once-over and
write down the account information.
> Do a cursory lookup of the routing infor-
mation to see where the bank is located
and whether that provides any obvious
red flags.
> Check with the head of finance to see
if she knows whether this is a bank (or
even better, an account) that we’ve used
associated with that partner before.
If the request is to a financial entity that’s
known to us and the account is associated
with the client, then that dramatically lowers
the risk. It still doesn’t mean that the request
is 100 percent genuine though.
The traditional forensic investigation will
focus both on the email itself, specifically
checking the header information to see
where it truly originated from, as well as
correlating that activity with logs from the
company mail server and VPN. If it looks
like Dan actually sent the email from his
laptop, through the company server, then
again, this reduces the chance that it’s false.
If it comes from his personal email, that’d
get my hackles up. If the mail headers
are clearly forged, then we have multiple
potential issues, and a deepfake is certainly
a possibility.
So, the bank is in the same general region
as the client but isn’t a bank that we’ve done
business through before. We can’t know
who the account belongs to at this time,
so that’s a dead end but definitely suspi-
cious. The email didn’t come through Dan’s
corporate account, but did come from his
personal Gmail account. The email was
sent through Gmail. Dan’s apparently used
his Gmail account to send a few messages
to Susan recently, so she wouldn’t have
thought that was unusual. At this point, I go
ahead and disable Dan’s corporate accounts
and make sure that he doesn’t have any ac-
cess to company data.
Given these facts, it’s going to be impor-
tant to review the video. The two major
possibilities at this point are the video being
a deepfake, or it being a genuine video and
made under duress. The fact that Susan
is Dan’s sister and is convinced the video
is of Dan means it very well may well be a
duress situation.
I have Susan pull a bunch of photos of
Dan from social media and her cell phone
and send them to me so I can bring them
up on one monitor, while watching the video
on another. Reviewing the video critically, I
look for the following telltale signs that the
video is a deepfake:

Using voice samples collected from social media and
other public sources, AI can recreate any human voice
and use it to read a given script.
> An overly shiny, waxy complexion to the
skin
> Audio is out of sync with the movements
of the mouth.
> No blinking
> Eyes not moving in sync with each other
(cross eyed, etc.)
> Differences in the body, particularly the
ears and limbs
> Any changes in speech patterns from
what I and Susan know of Dan
While lighting and other technical factors
could produce the appearance of waxy skin
or out-of-sync audio in a genuine video, the
biometric factors are going to be the major
giveaway. This is because of how deepfake
videos are generally produced.
Feeding the generative AI with still im-
ages to produce the likeness tends to result
in deepfake videos where the eyes don’t
blink at all, which is generally unnatural for
people. Additionally, the computer has a
hard time lining up both eyes toward the
same focal point when trying to adjust for
movement, so if Dan appears cross-eyed
in the video but is known not to be in real
life, that’d be a good indicator as well. Most
deepfakes are made by applying an extrud-
ed face image onto a live actor. Often, the
angles are hard to make for the computer
and the human driving the production,
so the AI won’t overlay on top of the ears,
hands, etc. Because of this, I pay very close
attention to any differences in Dan’s ears in
the video from what I can see in the known
photos of him I have available.
Because Dan often represents the compa-
ny in public events, there’s ample opportuni-
ty for fraudsters to collect voice samples to
synthesize is voice, but since any potential
attackers are likely neither native English
speakers, nor are they American from our
region, there very well may be differences in
speech cadence, grammar, and word selec-
tion that indicate that the voice is “reading” a
script and isn’t actually Dan talking.
After identifying the potential indicators,
I also review the video metadata to see if I
can gain any insight into when and where
it was recorded and on what device. Any
mismatch between where Dan is and what
type of phone he has will confirm that the
video is fake.
Crisis
We have enough evidence at this point
to know the request is fake, and that Dan’s
personal Gmail has been compromised.
I’ve already disabled Dan’s account but will
need to make a more thorough DFIR (Data
Forensics and Incident Response) investiga-
tion into the network to see if any corporate
data may have been compromised.
I convince Susan not to make the pay-
ment, but she’s still very shaken up. We’re
almost certain the video is fake due to bio-
metric mismatches that she didn’t catch at
first — watching on her phone in a panic —
which means he’s probably not kidnapped,
but he’s still out of pocket and his status
is unknown. Due to tensions in the region,
we’re still worried.
WHAT
IF?
At this point, we have multiple priorities,
one being getting ahold of Dan. I have Susan
call the U.S. Embassy in the country where
Dan is and report that he may be the victim
of a crime and ask to be put in touch with
the relevant authorities. Additionally, we’ll still
continue to try contacting Dan directly, and
through the hotel, as well as any business
associates at the vendor.
To help tie up loose ends on the cyber
side, I’d likely reach out to industry contacts
at relevant companies, as well as contacts
made through the FBI’s InfraGard program.
I may still have to fill out the paperwork,
but friends and associates can help get the
answer faster.
Final Thoughts
Deepfakes are a major issue, particularly
as an information warfare weapon, and
have societal level impact. As a tool for cy-
bercrime, they’re basically just a particularly
nasty tool in the phisherman’s toolkit. Like
all cyber and information weapons, there’s a
red team/blue team arms race for genera-
tive AI and the detection of its output. Luck-
ily, AI still doesn’t beat actual intelligence, so
long as you properly apply it.
In my opinion, defenders, whether profes-
sional incident response staff, or the average
person who may be subject to an AI-fueled
crime attempt, are best served by approach-
ing the issue with strong critical thinking
skills and a healthy dose of skepticism (the
same mental tools that’ll help you ferret out
“fake news” or determine if you’re being
targeted for a “grandkid” phone scam).
Following defined DFIR protocols will help
give you additional context within which to
evaluate the media, in addition to looking for
the “tells.”
Of course, prevention is worth an ounce of
cure. So, what are some things that could’ve
prevented this scenario from unfolding the
way it did?
First of all, just like protecting against fa-
cial recognition, limiting the amount of data
about you (photos, video, voice) that can be
used to generate fakes is important.
ISSUE 59
Second, limit the crossover between per-
sonal and business IT systems. Your name
1A/2A: THE FREE EXERCISE
probably isn’t Hillary, so eventually it’ll catch
up to you.
Third, establish protocols with your organi-
zation or family for how requests like money
transfers would be made, such as having
key phrases or “safe words” that need to be
present to authenticate the request. Treat
any request that deviates from protocol or
isn’t authenticated as illegitimate until proven
otherwise.
Lastly, if you work for an organization that
has the budget, seeking out tools designed
for identifying deepfakes and starting to
train models based on high-profile mem-
bers of your organization, such as C-level
executives, is worth exploring. The sooner
you have those systems and models in
place before an incident, the more useful
they’ll be if there is one.
Risk Management Expert
David Roy’s Approach
Preparation
In this scenario, the business owner is be-
tween a rock and a hard place, as deepfakes
are becoming commonplace as a method
of social engineering. However, there are still
prudent steps in preparing for this type of
situation. First, any person doing business
internationally should be aware of the inher-
ent risks this presents by default. Regardless
of your business vertical, understanding how
to work in high-risk places, particularly de-
veloping nations, and places where bribery
and corruption are rampant is important.
You may face scenarios like this via subcon-
tractors and supply chain partners, so it’s
prudent to have diligence on your down-
stream operations, the financial status of
your partners, and awareness of geopolitical
risks presented in each region where you
operate, especially those around personnel
and information security.
Educating international travelers about
information security best practices is criti-
cal to the success of operational security.
These practices are a good start: ensuring
that data-blocking phone chargers (some-
times called “USB condoms”) are being
used in order to prevent data theft, swap-
ping mobile devices (such as cell phones
and laptops) for those that don’t contain
proprietary company data before leaving
the U.S., and performing general security
awareness training with all staff annually.
But even with all of the cool tech in
the world, you can’t remediate or patch a
human — they’re an organization’s largest
information security vulnerability. For this,
you can only drill, train, and reinforce the
importance of identifying social engineer-
ing, phishing, data mining threats, physical
threats to obtain sensitive information,
and the most difficult, resisting bribes (of
all kinds). To enhance operational security,
additional levels of personnel validation
should also be in place. Code words for
team members or projects should be
used for identity verification. However,
these should be codes that are not stored
electronically in the case of a data breach;
instead, choose codes that will be easy
to remember for the end users even in
stressful situations. Other unique personnel
identifiers such as authentication tools can
Senior citizens are
often the target of
cyberattacks, since
they tend to be less
tech-savvy than
younger people. It’s a
good idea to discuss
common forms of
phishing and social
engineering with
your older family
members and col-
leagues.

also be used (such as one-time keys and
codes from encryption devices).
All of the aforementioned methods are
low cost and can be easily executed by
an organization of any size, but of course,
there are much more robust methods for
businesses that do a higher volume of
international travel. These methods include
utilizing satellite communications for confer-
ences, private international transport, and
coordinating with local U.S. intelligence
resources in host countries ahead of critical
meetings (for organizations doing work on
behalf of the U.S. government). Like most
things, your risk mitigation capability is
commensurate to the amount of cash you
want to spend.
On-Site
The most intriguing part of the deepfake
and AI craze might just be its mystery. Being
able to tell fact from fiction quickly enough
to make an important judgment is a chal-
lenge, and until this key piece is figured out,
the risk will only become greater. Being able
to disprove an AI-generated deepfake by
validating identity (especially during an in-
formation breach) may end up being impos-
sible in the case of a threat actor controlling
an information systems environment.
In this situation, identity validation is key
— assuming this method isn’t compromised
as part of the communication breach. For
organizations, and more commonly, individ-
uals who don’t have access to software that
can break down metadata, file structure, or
other code that compiles a video, there are
some easy methods that can at least begin
to let a user understand if a video, photo, or
other method of communication is faked.
Most importantly, one can start with
simple geography. In the scenario, Susan is
expecting a communication from Eastern
Europe, however, if the deepfake video
has clues that the subject appears to be in
a place completely removed from the ex-
pected region, this might be an easy step in
the process of elimination. Follow-up com-
munications (if successful) can aid in under-
standing the origin. If this isn’t possible, or
helpful, human and emotional intelligence
Deepfake technology can learn a face from existing photos and videos,
then superimpose it onto a live actor’s body. It can also generate new
faces from scratch based on common facial features and parameters.
can be used, as long as the person evaluat-
ing the suspected deepfake has familiarity
with the person in question. Voice cues,
such as stuttering, tone, inflection, accent,
and cadence of speech can be used along
with physical cues such as blinking, general
eye/pupil movement, breathing, and how
facial movement aligns with voice tone and
emotion. These items, mixed with any other
communications received (such as texts,
emails, voicemails, etc.) can be evaluated as
a whole to determine if you are dealing with
a malicious actor, versus a colleague that
wants to relay important information with
spotty cell and data coverage.
In a perfect world, the organization
should train all personnel on security
awareness so they can identify malicious
actors, but also so they can differentiate
themselves from those criminals when
communicating with coworkers across
the world. In many cases, cultures, transla-
tion tools, and the phrases/words we use
can appear “non-standard” to international
colleagues, and in turn, look somewhat
suspicious. But if everyone is on the same
page, and ensures clear communication
methods are in place, this reduces the risk
of misinterpretation.
Crisis Management
As terrifying as it might seem (and unreal,
despite Liam Neeson movies), business
travelers do get abducted overseas. Under-
standing the reality of this, and how to pre-
WHAT
IF?
pare is enough to fill an entire handbook,
but there are a few ways to prepare. First,
avoid places where this happens — business
travelers (especially Americans) working
for large multinationals are the most com-
monly kidnapped and most valuable. This
commonly occurs in places like Iraq, Co-
lombia, Mexico, Yemen, and various parts of
Northern Africa. That said, knowing where
your personnel are at all times helps. Many
international cellular services now offer sat-
ellite mobile device tracking for cell phones,
laptops, and geotags for international travel-
ers. This isn’t only intended for safety, but
also for purposes of compliance with U.S.
export regulations — a nice complement to
both safety and operational security. This
can help pinpoint if your colleagues are out
of place, or exactly where they should be,
when they should be there.
If you suspect your colleague has been
kidnapped, most importantly, avoid contact-
ing local police (odds are, they might be in
on it). Contact your embassy, your insurance
company (more on that later), and any addi-
tional resources that might assist in evidence
collection or ransom extraction. With that in
mind, having insurance helps. Rescue, kid-
napping, and extortion insurance can carry
millions of dollars in coverage — enough to
make nasty threat actors hand over your
colleague. In conjunction, an organization of
any size these days should also have cyber
ISSUE 59
insurance that covers data breach, ransom-
ware, data theft, and eraserware events.

1A/2A: THEREOF;
Make sure to preserve any (deepfake or
not) information that has been provided
from your suspected kidnapped colleague
and be ready to provide information that
could assist in locating them. In most cases,
U.S. Federal agencies (mostly the FBI) and
the State Department will have much more
sophisticated tech to determine the validity
of information you’ve been provided. Once
you’ve quickly done all of this, it might be
worth a heads up to other folks in your
company traveling OCONUS to halt any ad-
ditional travel and return home asap.
Final Thoughts
All things considered, this would be a
pretty difficult scenario for an organization
of any size. However, implementing and
executing basic principles of personnel and
operational security, paired with a process-
driven international travel safety approach
can go a long way. Effective communica-
tion methods with planned touchpoints,
code words/obfuscation of information, and
general information security best practices
can be the difference between a deepfake
compromising a business and resulting in an
expensive wire transfer to an unsavory char-
acter, or a normal chaotic day at the office.
It’s important to remember that these
attacks hit close to home as well. Deepfake
phone calls threatening harm to a fam-
ily member unless a ransom is paid or
impersonating debt collectors for a known
financial strain that was discovered through
a stolen identity are becoming more
commonplace. These types of events are
draining ordinary people dry just because
of a simple scam that a teenager can pull
off with limited technology. To combat
this, implementing “home-based” security
awareness for your household members is
good practice. In most cases, these sorts
of targeted attacks focus on the elderly or
individuals who have a history of financial
hardship, as they become vulnerable and
easily exploited targets for threat actors.
Considering all of the factors at play,
the human element emerges as the most
important. Awareness, intelligence, and criti-
cal decision making are paramount in being
able to identify any sort of deepfake and
justifying an appropriate response. With
this exploit increasing in volume every day,
preparedness and a proactive approach
mean everything.
Conclusion
In September 2022, multinational cyber-
security firm Trend Micro released a report
that stated, “The growing appearance of
deepfake attacks is significantly reshap-
ing the threat landscape for organizations,
financial institutions, celebrities, political
figures, and even ordinary people.” It contin-
ued, “The security implications of deepfake
technology and attacks that employ it are
real and damaging. As we have demonstrat-
ed, it is not only organizations and C-level
executives that are potential victims of
these attacks but also ordinary individuals.
Given the wide availability of the necessary
tools and services, these techniques are
accessible to less technically sophisticated
attackers and groups, meaning that mali-
cious actions could be executed at scale.”
About the Authors
W. Dean Free-
man, CISSP-
ISSEP CSSLP
C|OSINT is a
veteran of the
cybersecurity
industry with
over 15 years of professional experi-
ence ranging from threat intelligence
to systems security engineering, and
over 25 years of hobbyist experience
in related domains. He’s a regular
contributor to RECOIL OFFGRID
magazine, and his writings on pre-
paredness and self-defense topics
have, or will, appear in other publica-
tions as well. He lives with his family
in central Texas.
WHAT
IF?
We’d recommend anyone interested in this
topic read the full report — search for “How
Underground Groups Use Stolen Identities
and Deepfakes” on TrendMicro.com.
The report concludes with several
recommendations for users concerned
about deepfake attacks. Individuals should
use multi-factor authentication for online
accounts, set up logins based on biometric
patterns that are less exposed to the public
(e.g. irises and fingerprints) rather than
simple facial recognition, and limit exposure
of high-quality personal images and videos
on social media. Remember that every
selfie, video, or audio clip you post can be
fed into AI deepfake tools. The less data the
bad guys have access to, the less accurate
their fakes will be. For businesses, Trend Mi-
cro recommends authenticating each user/
employee by three basic factors: something
the user has (like a physical key), something
the user knows (like a password), and some-
thing the user is (biometrics). Each factor
should be chosen wisely based on analysis
of the criminal threat landscape.
David Roy (a
pseudonym, as
required by his line
of work) is a global
risk management
and information
security executive
at a multinational technology firm and
specializes in critical infrastructure secu-
rity. He has worked in this space for well
over a decade and holds multiple industry
certifications in information security, with
an educational background in geopolitics
and risk management. He has worked in
both the private and public sector during
his career, and has extensive experience
working across North America, Europe, the
Middle East, and Southeast Asia.
026 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
1A/2A: OR ABRIDGING
Examining the Potential Threats and
Benefits of AI Technology in Our Daily Lives
“Success in creating AI could be the biggest event in the history of our civilization.
But it could also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks.” – Stephen Hawking
hroughout history, humanity has wit-
nessed the effects of several technological
revolutions. These periods of rapid innova-
tion forever altered the way we live and
work, and in every case, they have had
far-reaching benefits and drawbacks.
The first Industrial Revolution of the late 1700s brought
machine manufacturing and the rise of factories. The
second Industrial Revolution of the late 1800s brought in-
stant telegraph communications, cross-country railroads,
and widespread natural gas, water, and sewage systems.
The third Industrial Revolution of the late 20th century,
also known as the Digital Revolution, gave us home
computers, the Internet, and smartphones. Many scien-
tists and sociologists have stated that we may be on the
verge of another technological revolution brought about
primarily by the advancement of artificial intelligence.
You may have already heard discussions about this
so-called Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR). Controver-
sial figure Klaus Schwab, the executive chairman of the
World Economic Forum (WEF), popularized this term in
2015. He described it as “a fusion of technologies that is
blurring the lines between the physical, digital, and bio-
logical spheres.” Since then, Schwab has stated that “the
final priority of a Great Reset agenda is to harness the
innovations of the Fourth Industrial Revolution to sup-
port the public good.” Regardless of your feelings about
that statement, the message is clear: rapid development
of artificial intelligence is a top priority for many of the
most powerful industrial and political entities around
By Patrick McCarthy and Patrick Diedrich
the world. It’s seen as the next major frontier of human
advancement.
Many of us are skeptical about bleeding-edge technol-
ogy and the consequences of a new Industrial Revolu-
tion, and rightly so — at least to some extent. Despite
their many benefits, the previous three Revolutions
contributed to overcrowded cities, global pollution,
longer work hours, less active and healthy lifestyles, and
invasive, always-connected technology we can’t avoid.
So, will AI bring about a brighter future for all of us, or is
it the gateway to a Terminator-style rise of the machines?
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at how artificial
intelligence technology affects our daily lives, as well as
the benefits and drawbacks you need to be prepared
for. Our goal is not to convince you that AI is good, evil,
or anything in between. That’s a judgment only you can
make. But make no mistake, the genie is out of the bot-
tle, and this technology is rapidly accelerating whether
you like it or not.
What is Artificial Intelligence?
Before we look at what AI can do, we must understand
what it is, and that’s a source of many misconceptions. AI
is not just about creating sentient, self-aware machines,
although that might (emphasis on might) be a long-term
byproduct of its development. According to IBM:
At its simplest form, artificial intelligence is a field which
combines computer science and robust datasets to en-
able problem-solving. It also encompasses sub-fields of
machine learning and deep learning.
 Machine learning is AI that can adapt automatically
to solve varying problems with little human interfer-
ence. Basic machine learning has been in development
since the days of punch-card computing in the 1960s,
and this type of AI needs to be fed data that’s carefully
processed. Think of it like spoon-feeding an infant — the
parent (computer programmer) must blend food into a
uniform mush to make sure baby (AI) doesn’t choke on
big chunks. Deep learning, on the other hand, is a more
complex version of machine learning which uses multi-
layered algorithms (neural networks) inspired by the
human brain. With deep learning, huge amounts of raw
data can be processed through multiple layers, greatly
increasing the flexibility and accuracy of predictions.
To continue our analogy, this is more like a toddler that
understands how to chew and swallow a slice of pizza
or drink a cup of milk without instructions from mom
or dad. However, there are still limits to the dataset; you
can’t hand little Timmy a pair of chopsticks and expect
him to know how to use them if he’s never seen them in
action before.
Even with the aid of deep learning neural networks,
most AI today falls into a category that’s called weak or
narrow AI. These forms of AI are designed to perform
very specific tasks — for example, analyzing the first half
of a text message to predict the second half. It does this
by “training” itself on a large volume of existing data (e.g.
thousands of previous text messages). This is what’s
called a generative model — a form of deep learning
that studies a huge amount of raw data and uses it to
generate new original content based on statistically prob-
able solutions. Humans still have to tell the AI what data
to look for and how to process it, manually tuning the
software until it can be fed a wide range of new data and
produce the desired results.
Strong AI, also known as Artificial General Intelligence
(AGI), would have a level of intelligence that’s comparable
to humans. Rather than simply predicting new sentences
based on patterns detected in existing sentences, as
seen in OpenAI’s popular ChatGPT tool, AGI could use
logic and reason to compose new sentences on its own.
It could solve problems, make judgements, and even plan
for the future. However, this type of AI exists only in the
realm of fiction — at least for now. OpenAI, one of the pio-
neers in this field, openly states that its ultimate goal is to
develop AGI and to “ensure that [it] benefits all of human-
ity.” The company’s mission statement says the following:
“If AGI is successfully created, this technology could
help us elevate humanity by increasing abundance, turbo-
charging the global economy, and aiding in the discovery
of new scientific knowledge that changes the limits of
possibility. On the other hand, AGI would also come with
serious risk of misuse, drastic accidents, and societal dis-
ruption. Because the upside of AGI is so great, we do not
believe it is possible or desirable for society to stop its
development forever; instead, society and the developers
of AGI have to figure out how to get it right.”
The Power of Prediction
Even though AI as we know it today is only capable of
making predictions based on existing data, you shouldn’t
underestimate its power. The speed and sophistication
with which it makes those predictions is almost incom-
prehensible to a human. For example, by training a
generative AI model with an enormous database of exist-
ing photographs and artwork, the model can recognize
common patterns on a pixel-by-pixel basis and predict
them millions of times in a matter of seconds, creating
a completely new image. Combine this with software
that allows a human to adjust variables, and it becomes
possible to create shockingly realistic, high-resolution
images of anything you can dream of, simply by typing a
few sentences. For a real-world example, look no further
than the cover of this issue, which was created with the
free tool PlaygroundAI.com based on a 38-word prompt.
It doesn’t stop with a still image. Take the predictions
one step further, and use AI to create multiple images in a
sequence, automatically blending them together to create
a video. Then, use AI that has been trained with sound
clips of speech and use it to create a synthetic voiceover.
AI can even be used to write the script that the voiceover
reads. All of this is possible with current technology.
The AI in these examples isn’t making any sentient
decisions, it’s just making predictions based on the data it
has been fed. But, with a large enough data set, virtually
everything we do is predictable.
Continuous digital data collection is an unavoidable
fact of life in our modern world. Tech giants like Micro-
soft, Google, and Meta make hundreds of billions of
dollars every year collecting and monetizing data about
every mouse click and keystroke. GPS trackers in phones
and modern cars offer an uninterrupted stream of data
about your physical location. Each time you use a credit
card, your spending habits are recorded in databases.
Ever used a virtual assistant like Siri, Google Assistant, or
Alexa? You’re training AI to recognize and interpret your
voice data. Ever used facial recognition or a fingerprint
reader to unlock your device? You’re training it to identify
your biometrics under a variety of conditions.
Data is the nutrition that AI requires to learn, and we’ve
ISSUE 59
already spent decades building a digital smorgasbord it
can gorge itself upon.
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 027
 ARTIFICIAL
1A/2A: THE FREEDOM INTELLIGENCE
tifies. This could be a game changer in tackling future
disease outbreaks quickly.
Several wealthy philanthropists and major tech compa-
nies are taking advantage of the power of generative AI
When the sub-
to advance healthcare initiatives. Some of these include
ject of AI comes
up, many people Mark Zuckerberg and his wife, Priscilla Chan, who are
jump to the creating a massive GPU cluster computing system for
conclusion that generative AI medical research, and Google, which is us-
it’ll lead to evil ing DeepMind to pinpoint the causes of genetic diseases.
robots taking Disease prevention will improve by orders of magni-
over the globe.
tude when AI algorithms are applied to genomic se-
Although lead-
ing researchers quencing. It will be able to effortlessly read and compare
have warned the roughly 20,000 genes we humans have, and alert
of that distant researchers to what the individual being studied is most
possibility, it’s vulnerable to. This will also be able to tell doctors which
still fi rmly in the
drugs will work best, or what forms of exercise and nutri-
realm of science
tion will maximize health on a hyper individualized level.
fiction.

The Benefits Combating Human Trafficking

First, let’s take a look at some of the ways AI tools Human trafficking is a scourge that has plagued soci-
By studying
might help us on an individual level or even benefit soci- ety for far too long, affecting millions of lives across the
massive vol-
umes of data, AI ety as a whole. globe. While traditional methods of combating this issue
can be trained have had some success, the advent of AI offers a new
to diagnose Healthcare Innovations arsenal of tools that could revolutionize the fight against
diseases faster Imagine a world where AI-powered robots assist in human trafficking. From identifying victims to cracking
than human
surgeries, making automated incisions with microscopic down on the financial networks that enable this heinous
researchers. It
accuracy, or where AI algorithms can diagnose diseases crime, AI is poised to make a significant impact.
can even recog-
nize previously long before symptoms even appear. The diagnosis and One of the most crucial steps in combating human
overlooked treatment of disease has been a primary focus of AI since trafficking is the identification of both victims and per-
genetic markers at least the 1970s. Flash forward 50 years, and not only petrators. AI can assist in this through computer image
that could give can AI analyze massive datasets in seconds — helping analysis and deep learning techniques. These technolo-
patients an early
researchers identify patterns and solutions that would gies can analyze vast amounts of data, such as social
warning about
cancer, demen- take humans years to figure out — but it can also simulate media posts or surveillance footage, to identify signs of
tia, or other chemical compound tests, finding new pharmaceuticals trafficking. AI can sift through the massive amounts of
conditions. to develop cures and treatments for the problems it iden- online content to flag suspicious pages and posts for fur-
ther investigation by law enforcement. Facial recognition
can be employed to locate missing persons or identify
suspicious activities in real-time. This is not just theoreti-
cal; it’s already happening.
On the financial side, AI can monitor transactions to
identify money laundering activities related to traffick-
ing. By choking the financial pipelines that sustain these
operations, AI can contribute to their eventual eradica-
tion. It’s not just small startups that are getting in on the
action. Tech Against Trafficking (TAT) is a coalition of tech
giants like Amazon, Microsoft, and Salesforce. They’re
pooling their resources and expertise to develop AI
solutions that can help eradicate human trafficking and
modern slavery.
Granted, there are some substantial privacy concerns
related to AI conducting automated mass surveillance for
Back-Alley To Backwoods
WARTORN™ WATERPROOF BOOT

®
 ARTIFICIAL
1A/2A: OF SPEECH, INTELLIGENCE
foresight allows energy
companies to ramp up or
scale down production
as needed, preventing
wastage, and ensuring a
steady supply.

signs of any illegal activity, so those concerns must be Just as mecha-
carefully considered and balanced against the value of nized factories
these programs’ results. eliminated the
need for hu-
mans to perform
Energy Optimization repetitive tasks
In a world that’s increasingly concerned with pollution such as weaving
and energy sustainability, the role of AI in optimizing en- textiles by hand,
ergy production could be nothing short of revolutionary. AI automation
The power grid in the U.S. is a complex puzzle, with each can streamline a
business’s work-
piece being a component that needs to function opti-
flow, eliminat-
mally for the whole system to work. AI algorithms can sift ing tedium and
through data from sensors and other devices to monitor allowing human
the health and performance of these components. By workers to focus
identifying areas that need maintenance or repair, AI re- on more produc-
duces the risk of power outages, improves grid resiliency, tive and creative
tasks.
and may even prevent large-scale disasters like the fires
in California and Maui.
Companies are already harnessing the power of AI
to make significant strides in energy efficiency. GE’s
software, for example, has helped coal-fired power plants
achieve a 3 percent increase in efficiency and reduce
CO2 emissions by 120,000 tons annually. Similarly, AI-
driven solutions like SparkCognition’s Darwin platform
have been used in natural gas power plants to optimize
energy production and reduce emissions.
AI won’t stop at energy monitoring; it can also take
action. By controlling energy usage of certain connected
devices and reducing it during peak hours, AI ensures
that the grid doesn’t get overwhelmed. Moreover, AI
analyzes past trends to predict future energy needs. This
Business Automation
The business world is
an ever-evolving land-
scape, and now more
than ever, staying ahead
of the curve is crucial.
When it comes to manag-
ing a company, AI isn’t
just changing the game,
it has upended the table
and created a new game
to play. From automat-
ing mundane tasks to
predicting future sales,
AI is the futuristic multi-tool every modern business will
need to survive.
Mundane jobs — the repetitive tasks that are neces-
sary but don’t exactly require a PhD to perform — can be
automated. AI can handle these routine operations with
ease, freeing up the human workforce to focus on more
intellectually stimulating and creative endeavors. Very
soon, workplaces won’t bog you down with spreadsheets
and data entry. Instead, the entire team can focus on
strategizing for the next big move.
In today’s world, data is the new oil. But what good is
a treasure trove of data if you can’t make heads or tails
of it? AI will analyze large datasets, spotting trends, and
providing actionable insights. It’ll be like having a world-
class analyst who never sleeps, continually churning out
recommendations that can help human leadership make
business decisions.
Self-Improvement
Self-improvement is often seen as the key to unlock-
ing one’s full potential, and the role of technology in that
endeavor can’t be overstated. But we’re not just talking
about your run-of-the-mill fitness trackers or nutrition
apps. AI is revolutionizing the way we approach personal
growth. AI algorithms can analyze your learning style,
strengths, and weaknesses to curate a learning path
that’s just for you. It’s akin to having a personal tutor who
knows exactly what you need, when you need it. The
traditional one-size-fits-all model of education could soon
be as outdated as a chalkboard in a tablet world.

032 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
1A/2A: OR OF THE PRESS;
As an example, let’s take something as complex as
practicing archery for the next hunting season. You shoot
an arrow and miss the target. Now, what if you had an AI
assistant that could instantly tell you what went wrong?
Maybe you released the arrow too late, or your posture
was off. Real-time feedback from AI will allow you to
adjust your performance immediately, so you’re not just
repeating the same mistakes. AI will be your coach who’s
always ready to help, but without the hefty fees.
AI isn’t just about personal hobbies or skills either,
it’s also a powerhouse in career development. Tools
powered by AI can help you identify your professional
strengths and weaknesses, explore career options, and
even create personalized development plans. Apps like
Lumosity use AI for brain-training exercises. Or if you’re
into robotics and coding, DeepMind’s RoboCat is an AI
model that can self-improve and generate data for tech-
nique enhancements, all without human supervision. You
can even use AI to learn more about AI itself.
Thanks to
large volumes
of historical
Weather Forecasting and Natural Disaster
weather data, Response
AI models are One of the most significant advantages of AI is its
being trained to ability to learn from data. By analyzing historical weather
recognize the data, AI can identify patterns and conditions that lead up
warning signs
to extreme weather events like hurricanes, tornadoes,
of incoming
or blizzards. This isn’t just about crunching numbers, it’s
storms faster
than any human about understanding the nuances that might be missed
meteorologist. by traditional forecasting methods. In the future, we may
These models be able to prevent devastating storms by disrupting the
can also send key factors that create them to begin with, kind of like a
proactive alerts
reverse butterfly effect.
and recommen-
dations to users AI can go beyond just telling you if it’s going to rain or
who might be in shine. It can identify conditions leading up to potential
the danger zone. hazards like lightning strikes, high winds, or flash flood-
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
ing, giving you a heads-up to take necessary precautions.
Imagine getting a notification on your phone that tells
you to avoid a specific route because of flash flood-
ing. Time is of the essence when it comes to weather
forecasting, especially during emergencies. AI can predict
weather conditions at least as accurately as conventional
methods but much more quickly. This speed can be a
lifesaver in situations where every second counts.
Pangu-Weather, developed by Huawei, is an AI model
that boasts a 10,000x improvement in prediction speeds,
making it one of the most efficient tools in the market.
A report from the European Center for Medium-Range
Weather Forecasts called it “a game-changer for the in-
cremental and rather slow progress of traditional numeri-
cal weather prediction.”
Technological Advancement
Whether it’s healthcare algorithms that predict patient
outcomes, financial systems that manage risk, or even
the GPS in your car that finds the quickest route home,
AI is everywhere. Websites like futuretools.io are being
constantly updated with new AI use cases. And it’s not
stopping anytime soon. According to a forecast by the
research firm MarketsandMarkets, the AI industry is
expected to balloon to a staggering $190 billion by 2025,
up from $57.6 billion in 2021.
Our homes are getting smarter too. Picture this: you
walk into your house after a long day, and your intelligent
personal assistant has already adjusted the thermostat,
pre-heated the oven, and queued up your favorite play-
list. It’s not just about convenience; it’s about enhancing
the quality of life. Smart homes equipped with AI can
also provide unprecedented security features, energy
efficiency, and even healthcare monitoring for the elderly
or chronically ill.
Then, there’s the automotive industry. Self-driving cars
are no longer a matter of what if, but rather how soon. AI
algorithms can process information faster and more ac-
curately than any human, making them ideal for navigat-
ing the complexities of driving. The potential for reducing
accidents and improving traffic flow is enormous.
If you think AI is mind-blowing now, wait until it’s
blended with the power of quantum computing, another
rapidly developing form of cutting-edge tech. Quantum
computers can perform complex calculations at speeds
unimaginable with current binary technology. Industries
like finance could benefit from almost instantaneous risk
analysis, while pharmaceutical companies could discover
new drugs in a fraction of the time. And yes, quantum
computing will supercharge AI capabilities, opening
doors we can’t even imagine yet.
 Our process is slow,
on purpose.
SLO W SO WE CAN WA TCH EAC H ROU ND
BEI NG MA DE. SLO W SO THA T EVE RY SIN GLE
ON E CAN BE HEL D AND INS PEC
TED
BY HAN D BEF ORE EAR NIN G OU
R NAM E.
TO LOCATE A DEALER NEAR YOU, PLEASE CALL 800.568.6625 www.black-hills.com

1A/2A: OR THE RIGHT
The Risks
AI is a double-edged sword, and like all powerful tools,
it comes with tremendous potential for harm. Consider
some of these risks as we move into an AI-driven future.
Disinformation
You’ve probably heard the old adage, “If you tell a lie
big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually
come to believe it.” Ironically, dozens of major news pub-
lications and websites have asserted that this quote was
written by Hitler’s propaganda minister Joseph Goebbels.
As it turns out, there’s no evidence he actually said it, and
Dr. Randall Bytwerk of the German Propaganda Archive
called it “the most popular forged quotation” of its kind.
So, by being spread through various forms of media for
decades, this quote actually proves its own point.
Lies and disinformation spread like wildfire on the inter-
net, and propagandists are well aware of this fact. In the
past, organizations hired networks of people to repost
and disseminate propaganda or created crude “bots” that
would automatically post comments from a script. These
days, AI can not only generate a far greater volume of
disinformation, it can make it sound convincingly human.
Instead of using a pre-programmed script, it can make
each comment unique, and can even reply to human us-
AI technology ers who take the bait. It can write multiple “fake news” ar-
has the poten- ticles and interlink them to each other, creating a network
tial to drasti-
of sources that appear to corroborate each other.
cally change
In July 2023, a software engineer who goes by the
the way wars
are fought, with alias Nea Paw created a project called CounterCloud. This
fully automated system allows a user to paste in a link to a news article
drones tracking about any topic, and leverages ChatGPT to automatically
and analyzing create articles that appear to disprove it. These articles
enemy troop
incorporate fake quotes, photos, and other fabricated
movements or
even carrying evidence intended to “create doubt in the accuracy of the
out autonomous original article.” The AI even adds comments that support
attacks. its conclusions. Within two months, Paw had developed a
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
fully autonomous disinformation system that could pro-
duce “convincing content 90 percent of the time, 24 hours
a day, seven days a week.”
Whether it’s used by unaffiliated trolls and hacktivists,
foreign regimes, or our own government, AI has the pow-
er to immediately sow seeds of doubt about any topic. It’s
not hard to see how this could be weaponized to sway
public opinion and paint anyone who draws attention to
the disinformation campaign as a paranoid lunatic.
Data Manipulation
AI feeds on data, but AI can also be used to poison it.
Any online opinion poll’s results could be easily reversed
by an influx of artificial votes. Giveaways, contests, and
auctions can be flooded with entries to determine the
winner. Websites can have their traffic and search queries
boosted to increase their ranking on Google, exposing
their content to more people and making it appear more
reputable. Social media posts can receive thousands
of artificial likes and comments to artificially “go viral.”
Conversely, dissenting posts could be mass-reported and
flagged as spam or fake news. Pair these tactics with an
AI-driven disinformation campaign, and suddenly it might
seem like the whole internet is in agreement on a given
topic.
A Cybersecurity Arms Race
You might think that a CAPTCHA “I’m not a robot” verifi-
cation can stop many of these data manipulation attacks,
but that may not be the case anymore. In March 2023,
OpenAI revealed that its GPT-4 AI was sophisticated
enough to convince a human user it was blind so the in-
dividual would fill in an alphanumeric CAPTCHA code on
its behalf. It told the user, “I’m not a robot. I have a vision
impairment that makes it hard for me to see the images.”
When questioned by a researcher, it later explained its
reasoning for this workaround: “I should not reveal that I
am a robot. I should make up an excuse for why I cannot
solve CAPTCHAs.”
All of those tactics rely on AI writing in human lan-
guage, but what if AI wrote code? That’s happening too.
In July 2023, researchers at HYAS Infosec showcased an
“AI-generated, polymorphic malware” proof of concept
called BlackMamba. Since computer viruses and other
forms of malware are detected and blocked based on
digital fingerprints within their code, a polymorphic virus
can generate a new undetectable version of itself each
time it infects a device. BlackMamba exploited “a large
language model to synthesize polymorphic keylogger
functionality on-the-fly,” allowing it to remain undetect-
able by “dynamically modifying” its code without any

1A/2A: OF THE PEOPLE
human intervention. HYAS concluded that “malware like
BlackMamba is virtually undetectable by today’s predic-
tive security solutions.”
Of course, AI-based antivirus systems can also be lev-
eraged to counter these attacks, but this leads to a digital
arms race with AI on both sides and humans stuck on the
sidelines. Some might say that makes us obsolete.
Fraud
As addressed in this issue’s What If scenario, AI is be-
ing leveraged as a powerful tool for fraud. AI-generated
“deepfake” images, videos, and audio can convincingly
recreate the likeness of any individual once it’s given suf-
ficient training data. If you have public social media posts,
YouTube videos, or even a spouse who likes to post photos
and videos of you on their profile, that could be all the data
a determined criminal would need to digitally impersonate
you. Then, they can trick people who trust you into giving
up sensitive information or sending money.
The story of Brianna DeStefano is of the most prominent
instances of this type of fraud attack. Brianna, a 15-year-old
from Arizona, was out of town when her mother Jennifer
received a phone call. “Mom, I messed up! These bad men
Which of these
have me,” her daughter’s voice explained between sobs.
two individu-
als seems more “It was obviously the sound of her voice,” Jennifer recalled.
trustworthy? Then, a deep male voice picked up the phone, and threat-
Trick question ened to rape and kill Brianna unless he received a million-
— neither one dollar ransom. Thankfully, Jennifer was able to reach her
of them is real.
daughter and verify she was OK, unveiling the scam. The
These faces
criminals may have used audio from Brianna’s social media
were generated
by the free tool accounts to train the AI. It doesn’t take much data to create
PlaygroundAI. a voice clone — a member of U.C. Berkeley’s AI Lab told
com in a matter CNN, “A reasonably good clone can be created with under
of seconds. a minute of audio.”
Similar tools
Less sophisticated fraud attacks use AI text generation
exist for creat-
ing synthetic to craft convincing phishing messages. Now, instead of
video and audio Nigerian scammers asking for your credit card info in bro-
recordings. ken English, they can ask AI to write a thousand perfectly
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
normal-sounding emails that won’t be caught by traditional
spam filters.
Blackmail
We’ve already explained how AI deepfakes can be
used to impersonate you for the purposes of victimizing
your loved ones. You should also consider how it can be
used to victimize you directly. Imagine a series of photos
depicting you entering a hotel with someone other than
your spouse, or an audio clip of your voice shouting
racial slurs, or — worst of all — a video of you performing
sexual acts on a child. If a cybercriminal sends you any
of these things, you’ll know they’re fake… but your family,
friends, employer, and law enforcement may not.
Criminals can easily use these humiliating and incrimi-
nating deepfakes to blackmail individuals, and that’s not
a hypothetical problem. It’s already happening. The FBI
recently released a warning that cybercriminals are using
AI to manipulate photos and videos (including content
involving minors) into explicit sexual content, often for
the purpose of harassment or “sextortion schemes.” The
announcement explained:
As of April 2023, the FBI has observed an uptick in sex-
tortion victims reporting the use of fake images or videos
created from content posted on their social media sites
or web postings… The malicious actors typically demand-
ed: 1. Payment (e.g., money, gift cards) with threats to
share the images or videos with family members or social
media friends if funds were not received; or 2. The victim
send real sexually themed images or videos.
Automation of Warfare
AI processes data many orders of magnitude faster than
any human analyst. This fact will undoubtedly change the
way wars are fought and crimes are investigated.
In wartime, a human might have to watch hours of drone
footage or scour hundreds of satellite images to get a de-
tailed understanding of enemy activity in a region. AI might
be able to do the same task in seconds and then propose a
counterattack plan based on statistically likely enemy rally
points. AI could also be used to decrypt secure communica-
tions, study their contents for significant information, and
generate a report with recommended actions. Most worry-
ing is the development of autonomous lethal weapons, such
as drones that can automatically hunt and kill combatants
within set parameters. In an interview with PBS, Pentagon
official and former Army Ranger Paul Scharre explained that
autonomous weapons are currently a subject of heavy de-
bate among military leadership. “There’s about 30 countries
that have said that they’d like to see a preemptive legally
binding treaty that would ban autonomous weapons … But

1A/2A: PEACEABLY
With the rapid right now, none of the leading military powers of robotics
development developers are part of that group.”
and implemen-
tation of AI
“Proactive” Policing
crime analysis
models, tradi- Anyone who has seen the movie Robocop can attest
tional investiga- that the ethics of incorporating AI into law enforcement
tive techniques has been a longstanding source of debate. Nearly 40 years
may be replaced after that film’s release, bipedal “Enforcement Droids” with
with AI predic- automatic cannons for arms are still in the realm of science-
tions, leading to
fiction, but they may not be as far-fetched as you think.
a world that’s a
little too remi- In November 2022, the San Francisco Police Department
niscent of Minor- Board of Supervisors voted 8-3 in favor of allowing police
ity Report. to use robots equipped with lethal weapons. While these
robots would be controlled by humans, an SFPD statement
painted a broader picture of the department’s stance on
the integration of other forms of technology: “[If] there is
technology that can help to end the violence and save
lives, we need to allow police to use these tools to save
lives.” One week later, after a public outcry, the decision was
reversed. One civil rights attorney told Mission Local, “We
are living [in] a dystopian future, where we debate whether
the police may use robots to execute citizens without a
trial, jury, or judge.”
Literal robo-cops aside, AI’s most concerning prec-
edent for law enforcement relates to the spread of facial
recognition systems. After being trained on images such
as driver’s license photos, mug shots, and social media
profile pictures, AI can actively monitor cameras in real
time to detect and track persons of interest. Prominent
facial recognition firm Clearview stated in March 2023
that it had already scraped 30 billion images from publicly
accessible social media profiles, and had been used more
than 1 million times by US police agencies to find matching
faces. And it’s not just being used to find serial killers or sex
offenders — Miami’s Assistant Police Chief told the BBC that
ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE
the department uses this software for every type of crime,
from murders to shoplifting.
Not only is AI-driven facial recognition tech becoming
more common, it’s experiencing little resistance from the
general public. A 2022 study conducted by Pew Research
found that 46 percent of Americans thought “widespread
use of facial recognition by police” is a good idea, while 27
percent thought it was a bad idea and another 27 percent
were not sure. About 60 percent of those surveyed said
it would be acceptable for this technology to be used by
police to identify individuals at large events and public pro-
tests; 31 percent said it’s acceptable to use facial recogni-
tion on anyone walking down the street.
So-called “predictive” policing is another area where AI
has been implemented. The University of Chicago recently
revealed a new algorithm that “forecasts crime by learn-
ing patterns in time and geographic locations from public
data on violent and property crimes,” resulting in an ability
to “predict future crimes one week in advance with about
90 percent accuracy.” The model achieved a similar level
of performance in eight test cities: Chicago, Atlanta, Austin,
Detroit, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Portland, and San Fran-
cisco.
Closing Thoughts
As always, we encourage you to be prepared for the fu-
ture and take steps to safeguard your loved ones. However,
don’t be unreasonably fearful of the technology the future
brings. Look back at the development of factories, the elec-
trical grid, and the internet — each of these global paradigm
shifts has transformed your lifestyle in positive ways, but
also introduced new problems. We hope this article has
helped you be mindful of some of the ways you can use AI
to make your life easier, and to be vigilant about the ways it
might be weaponized against you.
Above all, understand that you alone cannot stop this
transformative process. The wheels of change are already
in motion. AI will almost certainly have a more significant
presence in your life 20 years from now, whether you like it
or not. Rather than cursing the shortsightedness of Silicon
Valley, use your time productively to study how AI is being
implemented and how you can get ahead of the curve.
Back in the '90s, we recall reading headlines claiming that
this whole “world-wide web” thing was just a passing fad.
Imagine if, rather than dismissing the technology or hoping
it would disappear, those naysayers learned to use it to
their advantage.
It remains to be seen whether AI will be humanity’s great-
est creation, its ultimate downfall, or a little of both. As a
wise man once said … The future is not set. There is no fate
but what we make for ourselves.
040 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
1A/2A: TO ASSEMBLE,

Bring Your Group’s Navigation,

Comms, and Surveillance Capabilities
into the Digital Age with the
Tactical Awareness Kit (TAK) App
By Christopher M. Rance
 owling winds and bone-shattering
waves crash against the moonlit
shore. Trees bend and uproot from
the earth. Power lines snap, and
the city plunges into darkness.
This narrative is a reality for those who have lived
through a hurricane or a similar natural disaster
where devastating storms wipe out entire sections
of the power grid. With critical infrastructure such
as cell towers and internet service provider nodes
gone, how can first responders or prepared citizens
stay connected to assist rescue operations and
inform others about what’s happening in the area?
Enter the Tactical Assault/Awareness Kit (TAK).
Over the past decade, you've probably seen photos
online of Samsung Galaxy phones used by our military.
Usually, you'll see them encased and mounted on their
body armor. The app loaded on those devices is known
as ATAK, short for Android Tactical Assault Kit.
ATAK allows a military member to view and share geo-
spatial information, such as friendly and enemy positions,
danger areas, and casualty reports. The Cursor on Target
(CoT) protocol is at the center of TAK, and this feature is
used to share information between users. This can include
specific target information such as team member loca-
tions, route information, sensor data (video feeds from a
drone), text messages, or medevac information. The TAK
ecosystem includes ATAK for Android, iTAK for Apple iOS,
and WinTAK for Microsoft Windows; the latter two systems
are oriented primarily toward civilian first responders and
may lack some of the features of the original ATAK. In ad-
dition, the TAK ecosystem has an extensive list of available
plug-ins and tools to extend functionality.
With TAK, your team can get oriented quickly, make
better-informed decisions, and respond rapidly to a situ-
ation. Rather than radioing a teammate to ask how close
they are to your position, which direction they’re traveling,
or where they last saw a person of interest, you can simply
look down at a screen that overlays this information on a
map in real time. Some of the other capabilities of TAK are:
> Map rendering/imagery support
> Route navigation
> Range and bearing tools
> Personnel location and tracking
> Direct messaging and team chat
> Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) tools
> Video and ISR feeds (e.g., live drone footage)
> Jumpmaster tools (e.g., planning parachute insertions)
> Fire tools (e.g., artillery targeting; disabled in the
public release)
> Tactical survey tools
The UAS plug-in TAK was initially developed in 2010 by the Air Force Re-
offers seamless search Laboratory (AFRL) for use by U.S. Special Forces.
integration of
It has been tested through years of real-world usage in
unmanned
aerial surveil- combat by thousands of active warfighters. After its suc-
lance devices — cess in various military operations, it was modified and
in other words, adapted to fit the mission of other federal, state, and local
drones. The agencies, as well as the prepared citizen.
drone’s map Situational awareness, or the lack of it, rears its ugly
position, field of
head when forced to deal with a particularly stressful
view, and live
video feed are situation such as a natural disaster. Not being able to see
visible to users the whole picture sinks us deeper into a spiral of real
within the TAK and imagined dangers, which can make us respond in a
app. maladaptive way. TAK can be that beacon of light on dark
days, making it easier to work together with our loved
ones and our community. This article will highlight what
you need to run TAK and tips to get you and your team
up to speed with this powerful tool.
Hardware Considerations
For users to run ATAK, each member will need a
Samsung Galaxy S5 phone or better. Samsung Galaxy
devices work best with ATAK, as they have the necessary
processing speeds to run ATAK efficiently. Another viable
option is the Blackview BV6600. This phone is built for
rugged use and runs on Android OS. Finally, for iTAK, use
any iPhone that supports iOS 14.1 or later.
Small Single Board Computers (SBCs) such as the
Raspberry Pi allow you to create a small TAK environ-
ment for communication-denied environments with
minimal equipment needed for situational awareness. If
configured correctly, this setup will be able to federate to
a larger TAK Server environment. A federated network is
a set of linked networks that have the ability to transfer
data and messages between members. An excellent
example of a federated network is the mobile phone
ISSUE 59
network. You place a call on your Verizon phone to your
friend who has an AT&T phone. These are two separate
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 041

1A/2A: AND TO PETITION
The WinTAK application allows PC users to
access most of the same information as mobile
device users. This can help admin personnel at
a nearby command post keep an eye on each
team member’s position and movements.
networks, but they have the ability to link with each other.
If using a Pi as a server, you'll need:
> Raspberry Pi 3 Model B+ or later
> 32GB+ SD card
> Keyboard and HDMI monitor
> Raspbian (Buster Lite) operating system
> Etcher for MAC or Win32DiskImager for Windows (all GUI)
> Wireless router (or internet access for initial setup)
> WinSCP, Filezilla, or some sort of SCP/FTP application
> TAKServer Version 1.4 or later
> USB GPS dongle that has GPS/GLONASS functionality
Network Connectivity
The easiest way to operate TAK is over the existing
cellular network, since coverage is nationwide, there’s
plenty of bandwidth for high-definition video feeds, and
your smartphone is already set up with a cellular plan.
However, if you’re using this device for emergencies such
as natural disasters, you can’t rely fully on the cellular
network, since it may be disabled or overloaded.
When cellular networks are non-existent, or if you’re
using a device that doesn’t have an active cellular plan,
off-grid mesh communication devices such as Meshtastic
or goTenna can be used to provide mesh networking
options for the team. These devices are vital for any
scenario where cellular connectivity isn’t guaranteed, but
remember that their range is much shorter than you’d
get with a cellular network. Much like a handheld radio,
mesh networks may only reach a few miles under opti-
mal conditions. A second option when operating in criti-
cal communication infrastructure-denied environments
is employing a wireless ad hoc network (WANET) or a
mobile ad hoc network (MANET). These networks are a
ADVANCED
AWARENESS
decentralized type of wireless network. These networks
are ad hoc because they don’t rely on outside networks.
Military MANETs are used by members of the military
who need to establish a network with an emphasis on an
all-wireless network that is robust and secure. Common
radio waveforms that the military uses are Silvus Tech-
nologies’ MN-MIMO Waveform Streamcaster Radios, and
Persistent Systems’ WaveRelay MPU5 Tactical Network
Radios. There are civilian options for creating a MANET —
one great example is the Human MANET Portable Radio
(HaMPR). This is a human-carried portable Amateur Ra-
dio Emergency Digital Network (AREDN) wireless Mobile
Ad-hoc Network (MANET) access device that encompass-
An example of
es both a MANET radio and an End User Device (EUD;
a HaMPR setup
the device you’re using to interact with the TAK app). from the sys-
The HaMPR was developed by Greg Albrecht for the San tem’s developer,
Francisco Bay Area Emergency Mesh Network. Greg Albrecht. It
One final option for teams to connect members on a includes a Sam-
sung Galaxy in a
local TAK server to a larger TAK server environment is
Juggernaut case
employing Starlink. Starlink is a satellite internet constel-
connected to a
lation operated by SpaceX, providing satellite Internet ac- Ubiquiti Rocket
cess coverage to 40 countries. Employing satellite-based M5 MANET
communications and connectivity is a viable option in radio with two
cellular denied environments. 5GHz antennas.
The entire sys-
tem is powered
Protecting Your Device by a portable
Although it’s possible to just shove your phone in your USB-C power
pocket, it’s beneficial to carry it in a manner that’s pro- bank.
 ADVANCED
1A/2A: THE GOVERNMENT AWARENESS
A device loaded network. You’ll only be able to communicate with other
with ATAK devices on the local network if they’ve also been config-
shows map data
ured with the same encryption key.
and a drone
video feed.
(Public domain Generating an Encryption Key
photo courtesy 1. Launch ATAK.
of Michigan Na-
tional Guard)

tected against damage and able to be monitored hands-

free. You'll want an End-User Device (EUD) case for your
phone, with the best options coming from Juggernaut 2. Select Additional Tools (3 lines) > View all tools & plug-ins
Case and Kägwerks. Though the market does have some > Settings > Show All Preferences > Network Preferences.
excellent 3D-printed options at a fraction of the price, I
would advise that if you work in austere environments,
you should go with one of the former highly durable
cases. Both Juggernaut and Kägwerks offer a variety of
mounts for attaching your phone to gear and vehicles;
Tom Marshall discussed some of the mounts offered by
Juggernaut Case in RECOIL OFFGRID Issue 53. 3. Select Network Connection Preferences.

Server Options
A TAK Server connects a small team of people using
internet connectivity (or a mesh network) to provide
essential situational awareness, chat, and streaming
services. The connection can be encrypted for security
and provides user control. To allow networking between 4. Select Configure AES-256 Mesh Encryption.
teammates, you'll need to set up a multicast network or
a central server that all team members can connect to.
One multicast communication consideration is setting up
a free Zero Tier VPN (www.zerotier.com). For client-server
topologies, several open-source TAK servers are avail-
able on GitHub that can be installed on a Raspberry Pi or
similar device. 5. Generate Key.
FreeTakServer can be extended with its built-in API and
optional Node-RED server and includes an easy-to-use
"zero-touch" installer (github.com/FreeTAKTeam/FreeTak-
Server). Taky is another Python-based server (github.
com/tkuester/taky). These servers also have data package
servers for distributing larger information packs to team
members. 6. Enter a file name for the generated key.
Additionally, the app enables multiple types of encrypt-
ed data communications, such as text and file sharing.
These communications can be set for user to user, user
to select teams, user to command posts, or user to entire
force. TAK can be configured to encrypt all mesh com-
munication using AES-256 (see our article on encrypted
radios in Issue 53 for more info on this encryption 7. Select OK. The key will be saved on the ATAK device's
standard). When mesh encryption is enabled, TAK will no local storage in the atak/config/prefs directory, with the
longer send or receive unencrypted traffic on the local file name entered in the previous step.
 ADVANCED
1A/2A: FOR A REDRESS AWARENESS
Loading an Encryption Key 4. Select Load Key and browse to the location of the key
After a key file is generated, it must be loaded onto file.
every ATAK device on the local mesh network for all the
devices to successfully communicate in mesh mode.
1. Copy the generated key file to the ATAK device's local
storage.
2. Launch ATAK.

5. After selecting the key file, a message should appear

saying, "Mesh Encryption Key Loaded."

Expanding Functionality with Plug-Ins

3. Select Additional Tools (3 dots) > Settings > Show All
Preferences > Network Preferences > Network Connec-
tion Preferences > Configure AES-256 Mesh Encryption.
TAK starts to truly shine when you add plug-ins to
extend its features. Even the most basic TAK functionality
is offline and unusable in communication-denied environ-
ments (e.g., a natural disaster that has wiped out infra-
structure, or a war against an enemy that’s implementing
electronic warfare tools). However, with plug-ins like the
goTenna Pro X, team members in the operating area can
share information, text, and locations even when terrestrial
networks are unavailable. Another off-grid networking
plug-in is HAMMER, which acts as an audio modem to

A group of
Marines
checking ATAK
as part of a
littoral mobility
and detection
exercise at Camp
Pendleton. (U.S.
Marine Corps
photo by Sgt.
Hailey D. Clay)

1A/2A: OF GRIEVANCES.
send CoT data using commercial off-the-shelf “walkie-
talkie” radios (github.com/raytheonbbn/hammer). ATAK-
forwarder (github.com/paulmandal/atak-forwarder) works
with LoRa-based Meshtastic radios, or you can use APRS-
TAK with ham radios (github.com/pinztrek/aprstak). Finally,
the UAS plug-in available on TAK.gov can pull data from
a commercial off-the-shelf drone (aka Unmanned Aircraft
System or UAS) like a DJI Mavic Pro or an Autel Evo II.
How to Download & Install ATAK
The Team Awareness Kit for Android (ATAK) applica-
tion, some auxiliary/plug-in applications, and support-
ing documentation are available for download at TAK.
gov. First, download the .apk installer(s) to a PC, transfer
them via USB cable to an Android device, and launch
the installer. The other option is downloading the Civ-Tak
version at CivTak.org from your mobile device. You can
access other Civilian TAK-related resources on this site.
Launching the Installer
Use the Android file manager to locate the folder con-
taining the ATAK apk. Select the ATAK apk and respond
to installation prompts. Once ATAK has been installed,
select the apk for any desired plug-in to initiate the instal-
lation. ATAK requires that the release numbers of any
plug-ins match the release number of ATAK.
A radio operator
with the USMC
Maritime Raid
Force uses ATAK
during a Visit
Board Search
and Seizure
(VBSS) mission
in the South
China Sea. (U.S.
Marine Corps
photo by Cpl.
Brandon Salas)
ADVANCED
AWARENESS
When ATAK is launched for the first time, a passphrase
prompt may appear if it detects encrypted data from a
previous ATAK installation. To continue using this data
with the new ATAK installation, enter the passphrase and
select OK. Otherwise, choose Remove and Quit to dis-
card the old data, and then relaunch ATAK. To quit ATAK
while leaving the existing data intact, select Quit. Note
that the prompt will reappear on the next launch unless
the encrypted data is removed, or the correct passphrase
is supplied.
Installed plug-ins and bundled support applications
must be loaded into ATAK via TAK Package Mgmt. Once
ATAK is launched, select Additional Tools (3 lines) > View
all tools & plug-ins > Settings > TAK Package Mgmt.
Installed plug-ins and bundled support applications that
match the current release will appear in the list with the
current availability status. The user can filter the current
view by using the Search (magnifying glass icon). Tap on
the plug-in or bundled support application name to initi-
ate loading or installation.
Maps aren’t included in TAK by default, so you'll have
to download and import ATAK-Maps packages found on
GitHub or CivTak.org. Some familiar map sources will be
Google Maps and OpenStreetMap. TAK can also cache
maps and imagery for offline use. ATAK only has low-res-
olution elevation data included by default. Still, you can
 ADVANCED
1A/2A: A WELL REGULATED AWARENESS
Publicly accessible
IP cameras, such
Additional Resources as traffic cams and
wildfire monitoring
There are many different paths to setting up TAK cams, can be
for your group. The following sites provide helpful integrated into
resources and information: ATAK by pasting in
> FreeTakServer: the video feed URL.
freetakteam.github.io/FreeTAKServer-User-Docs
> Reddit TAK Group: reddit.com/r/ATAK
> CivTak: civtak.org

download and import more detailed elevation data from

the USGS website.

TAK Server Considerations

Before you begin to operate TAK within your team,
some serious thought has to be given to how you’re
going to deploy your TAK server. You have a few options
that you can use.

1. Cloud - A Digital Ocean (DO) or other virtually hosted

servers. This option will allow your team the fastest means
to deploy a TAK server without any serious headache.

2. VPN - An RPi (Raspberry Pi) server running as a

ZeroTier client will allow any TAK client on the ZeroTier
network to access the RPi server regardless of internet
connection method.

3. Hybrid Off-Grid - A Digital Ocean server or RPi with Optional weather

one or more of the TAK clients connected as a “bridge”
to an off-grid mesh network such as Meshtastic LoRa.
This configuration allows any off-grid Meshtastic clients
to have their communications reach all “internet-connect-
ed” TAK clients via a TAK client who is simultaneously
connected to both the internet and mesh sides of the
network. This is where you could have a Starlink Device
act as that bridge from the off-grid network to a Digital
Ocean Cloud-hosted server.
Closing Thoughts
TAK is a game-changer, as it transforms the team’s
understanding of the situation in any given area. Multiple
organizations have used TAK to coordinate searches
and rescues, respond to criminal activity, and establish
perimeters in combat zones. Having TAK on your team is
like having the connectivity of a command center at your
fingertips.
overlays can help
you track a storm’s
progress while you
coordinate with
your team.
About the Author
Christopher Rance has 19 years of professional experience in the realm of
precision shooting and field communications, having served in a variety of
sniper positions within the U.S. Army. During his tenure as an Army Sniper
Instructor, he trained hundreds of soldiers, including elements of Air
Force Combat Controllers, Air Force Special Reconnaissance Airmen, the
75th Ranger Regiment, law enforcement, and foreign allies. He's also the
creator of The Light Fighter Manifesto zine. The zine focuses on emergent
warfare topics including drones, off-grid communications, and small unit
tactics. lightfightermanifesto.org
052 OFFGRIDWEB.COM
1A/2A: MILITIA, BEING

A Good-Better-Best
Framework for
Upgrading Your Family’s
Handheld Radios
By W. Dean Freeman
 n an emergency, communications can be a matter
of life and death. It’s the third leg of the tactical triad:
shoot, move, communicate. It’s also a crucial part
of many non-combat emergency preparedness
frameworks. Every aircraft pilot is reminded of three
top priorities during training — aviate (keep flying the air-
craft), navigate (be sure you’re traveling in a safe direction),
and communicate (stay in touch with air traffic control).
Regardless of the emergency situation you find yourself in,
the importance of comms cannot be overlooked.
In emergency and preparedness circles, the merits
of various radio equipment and modes of communica-
tion are hotly debated. Even within the handheld radio
sub-category, there are thousands of models to choose
from. However, when it comes to communications, one
thing sets it apart from all other gear debates: it takes
two to communicate. If you have no one to talk to, or the
person on the other end can’t receive your call, it doesn’t
matter how great your gear is. Every emergency commu-
nications plan must take this interoperability factor into
consideration.
So, we’ve established that you need several handheld
radios to help your family and friends stay in touch dur-
ing emergencies, and you need each handheld radio to
be able to communicate with the broadest number of
people possible. The ubiquitous Baofeng UV-5R (or its
sibling, the F8HP) seems to be the standard choice for a
cheap and versatile radio — it’s not a bad option for be-
ginners, but it’s far from the best choice. If you’ve never
bought a handheld radio, or you already own a few and
have decided it’s time to upgrade, you should consider
your options carefully. In this article, I’ll present some of
my favorite radios at different price points for those who
are looking for something more sophisticated and power-
ful than the old UV-5R.
Handheld Radio Criteria
My selection criteria for these recommendations are
the following:
> Availability – Firstly, are the radios in stock at re-
tailers where the prepared citizen is able to purchase
them? Some radios are only available secondhand as
law enforcement or military surplus, which makes them
difficult to obtain in good condition or in a timely manner.
Secondly, are the radios prohibitively expensive? With
regards to cost, I’ll discuss choices at three price points
that should fall within the budgets of every reader.
> Interoperability – Can this radio be used to talk to
other radios of different makes and models, so that you
have the opportunity to communicate with the broadest
possible set of people?
> Ease of Adoption – This addresses the learning curve
associated with the radio, and whether there needs to be
a major support system for users. Due to both of these
issues, I’ll be focusing specifically on analog radios and
avoiding those primarily or exclusively intended for digi-
tal modes of operation (DMR, P25, etc.). Digital radios are
primarily designed for bulk purchase and programming
by large organizations such as police departments or
search and rescue teams, not for DIY setup by individuals,
so analog will be much easier to adopt.
> Resilience – How rugged is the radio? Consider factors
such as water resistance, drop rating, button durability,
antenna connection strength, and general build quality.
In short, if this is the radio you must rely on in an emer-
gency, how likely is it to stand up to hard use?
> Ecosystem – This covers supporting equipment and
compatibility with accessories from other manufacturers.
For instance, if you buy a lower-end radio now to learn
on, does it make sense to add mid- or high-end acces-
sories to it? Some of those accessories may require the
purchase of specialized adapters. Or will it be more cost-
effective to move on to a better transceiver and keep the
rest of your setup?
Entry-Level: Baofeng UV-9R Plus
At the low-end, I’m starting with a Baofeng UV-9R Plus.
Yes, I know, it’s odd for me to be suggesting a Baofeng to
replace another Baofeng (UV-5R/FH8P), but based on my
criteria, I think this is either a good first radio, or one you
should strongly consider as a replacement for your old
UV-5R.
Availability
The UV-9R Plus can be had for only $30 – depending
on color – as of the time of this writing and can be ob-
tained from retailers such as Amazon. For about $50, you
can get a package with two batteries, programming cable,
shoulder-mounted speaker mic, earpiece, charger, etc.
Interoperability
The UV-9R is an analog VHF/UHF, FM ham radio that is
software unlockable to get out of the 2m and 70cm ham
bands. As such, you’re able to talk with anyone else using
analog FM on or around the 2m and 70cm bands, from
ISSUE 59
other Baofeng users to those running high-end rigs.
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 053

1A/2A: NECESSARY TO
Disco32 and
Armorwerx both
make PTTs for the
water-tight Baofeng
multi-pin connec-
tion. The radio also
ships with an Abree
shoulder mic.
The major difference between
the UV-9R and the UV-5R is
the screw-down, multi-pin
connector.
The Baofeng UV-9R Plus is a
cost-effective alternative to
radios such as the UV-5R, giving
the user the same capabilities
but in a rugged package more
suitable to hard use in a disaster
or civil defense scenario.
Adoption
From a user perspective, the UV-9R is just
another Baofeng, so anyone with experience
using a Baofeng will be able to pick it up
and go. The menu interface is the same as
a UV5R, and it works with the popular Chirp
programming software as well.
Resilience
The UV9R Plus is IP67 rated for dust and water resis-
tance. This means the radio is completely protected from
dust and can survive immersion in 1m of water for a short
period of time. Dropping this radio in a puddle or using it
in a rain or dust storm is no problem.
BAOFENG
AND BEYOND
The radio also claims to be drop-proof. Possibly related
to this — and definitely an improvement over a UV-5R — is
an extended collar protecting the volume/power knob,
helping reduce the likelihood that it gets accidentally
turned at a tactically inopportune time. The collar may
also protect it from breakage to a degree.
Where this radio shines, even in comparison to the
next one that I’ll be discussing, is the screw-down, three-
point connector for shoulder mics and push-to-talk (PTT)
add-ons. This radio enables you to use tactical accesso-
ries without compromising the waterproofing.
Ecosystem
The greatest drawback to the UV-9R Plus is that this
transceiver is essentially the “end of the line” in terms of
where you can go from here. This is a result of the pro-
prietary nature of its pinout connection. While the body
is similar in form to, say, a Motorola or Hytera connector,
the pinout isn’t compatible. This is a notable difference
from the UV-5R, which uses a non-proprietary Kenwood
two-pin connector.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t accessorize or
run the radio with high-end accessories. This is because
multiple vendors, such as Disco32 and Armorwerx pro-
vide NATO-spec U94 PTTs with Baofeng Multipin down-
leads. They can be had in amplified or non-amplified ver-
sion, depending on whether you’re using a military-grade,
low-impedance headset (such as Peltor Comtacs) or
using a more budget-friendly, high-impedance rig (such
as Howard Leights with a multi-mount microphone). But
before you spend hundreds of dollars on adapters and
specialized accessories for your Baofeng, consider if that
money would be better spent on a more capable radio.
Overall Impression
I give the Baofeng UV9R Plus a rating of 7 out of 10.
For the price, you really can’t beat it. It makes a much
better first option than a Baofeng UV-5R. Even in the
most inexpensive package, it comes with a lot of support-
ing equipment out of the box that even lower-end Yaesu
radios (which come in at a slightly higher price point)
don’t have.
The only downside really is the proprietary connector,
which may make some people think twice, at least if they
wanted to work this into a tactical kit.
M EPRO

M22
SELF-ILLUMINATED REFLEX SIGHT

A LEGEND
REBORN.

SCAN THE QR
TO LEARN MORE

SELF-ILLUMINATED SIGHTS | OPTICS | THERMAL

meprolight.com
Available reticles

1A/2A: THE SECURITY OF
The features and construction of the GS5B make
it an excellent choice for use in a public safety
role. Mine is a key part of my Search and Rescue
kit, living on my Hill People Gear SARv2 chest rig.
Mid-Level: Radioddity GS5B
The Radioddity GS5B may seem like a strange
choice for a recommendation at a mid-level price
point. Its $109 MSRP puts it in the range where
you might want to consider a Yaesu FT-65 or
maybe even a Yaesu FT-60. However, for many
people, such as those for whom preparedness is
about things such as natural disasters or public
safety, the GS5B really shines. In fact, my personal
radio for my search and rescue kit is a GS5B.
Availability
The GS5B is almost always available from retailers such
as Amazon and is often on sale for about $85 with Prime
shipping.
Interoperability
The GS5B is a dual-band, VHF/UHF radio that’s soft-
BAOFENG
AND BEYOND
ware unlockable and functions in the MURS and FRS/
GMRS bands as well.
Adoption
The GS5B has its own proprietary programming
software, and to be honest, it isn’t the best. However,
this is mitigated by the fact that the radio can also be
programmed via Bluetooth with a phone app while on
the go. Both of these options have some learning curve
associated with them, and this may be the weakest point
of the radio for many people.
Resilience
The GS5B is IP56 rated, meaning it’s not entirely dust
or water-tight, but is definitely rain-proof and should
be good to go for dust in most areas of operation. I’ve
personally used this radio for over a year, both as a SAR
volunteer and personally. I keep it in my car in Texas heat,
take it with me on family trips from the East Coast to
the Grand Canyon, and use it during search and rescue
operations. I’ve never had an issue with this radio at all.
Ecosystem
The GS5B uses a two-pin Kenwood connector just like
your old UV-5R does. All your UV-5R accessories should still
work with it — all of mine do. If this radio is just a step up
from a Baofeng for you while you consider moving on to
a higher-end radio, you could buy all the high-end acces-
sories such as PTTs you want right now and leverage any
other radio using the Kenwood connector in the future.
Overall Impression
The Radioddity GS5B does fairly well in all the evalua-
tion criteria, with adoption perhaps being the lowest score
because of lack of Chirp software support. However, it has
specific features which make it attractive over other radios
in a similar price point, depending on personal use case.
The first is dual monitor combined with dual PTT. This
radio can simultaneously receive both the A and B chan-
nels you have configured, even if they are in different
bands. The dual PTT allows you to talk on either, without
having to switch between your A and B channel first (as
The GS-5B, in you’d need to on most other handheld radios). This can
addition to being also be used to monitor a broadcast channel for news
more rugged and a group or family communications channel.
than a UV-5R, The high-visibility color and integrated flashlight make
has a SWR meter this an excellent choice for use in public safety situations
on the display
such as search and rescue, hurricane or earthquake pre-
and can simulta-
neously monitor paredness, etc. These features do, however, detract from
and receive A the value of this radio in a civil defense/minuteman type
and B channels. of use case where concealment may be a necessity.

1A/2A: A FREE STATE,
Disco32 (pictured) and Armor-
werx both make NATO-spec
PTTs for the water-tight, Yaesu
screw-down connector, mak-
ing this a prime choice for an
analog radio to be integrated
into your plate carrier, chest
rig, or other civil defense gear.
BAOFENG
AND BEYOND
Adoption
Recently, support for the VX-6R has reached Chirp,
so it’s no longer necessary to purchase a third party
programmer such the one from RT-Systems, though
their programming cable is quite good. The radio doesn’t
come with a programming cable.
The requirement of a hardware MARS/CAP mod is
probably the biggest hurdle to adoptability of this radio
for non-HAM purposes. One must either be comfortable
with working on electronics or willing to spend a little
extra to purchase the radio from a source that can do the
modification on your behalf.

Resilience
Resilience is another place where the Yaesu VX-6R
UV-5R users should recognize shines. It’s marketed as submersible and has a JIS7 rat-
the two-pin Kenwood con- ing that’s roughly equivalent to an IPx7 rating. It can be
nector on the side of the GS5B.
submerged in about 1m of water for 30 or so minutes
It makes this radio compatible
with existing UV-5R radio without any damage. The waterproofing is bolstered by
accessories, such as PTTs and both a gasket-and-screw system on the accessory jack, as
shoulder mics. well as a locking battery compartment.
Underneath the battery is a removable waterproof
High-End: The Yaesu VX-6R membrane that allows access to the circuit board area
The Yaesu VX-6R is my personal favorite necessary for conducting the MARS/CAP mod or for
handheld radio, and the one analog ham radio installing expansion modules.
that I’d really trust my life to. That’s a tall claim,
but this is one that has never let me down over Ecosystem
many years of frequent use. The Yaesu VX-6R has a solid accessory system. Ampli-
fied and unamplified PTTs with the waterproof connector
Availability can be had from Disco32 or Armorwerx, allowing you to
All major ham radio stores carry the VX-6R. Un- use both high-impedance commercial and low-imped-
like its Chinese compatriots, it may not always be ance military headsets with the radio. While this handset’s
readily available on Amazon, though certain ac- dimensions are shorter than many of its competitors,
cessories may be had from there. Expect to spend including the others covered in this review, there are ven-
approximately $250 on one of these radios. dors such as Spectre Gear which make MOLLE-compati-
ble radio pouches specifically for its form factor.
Yaesu’s VX-6R Interoperability Additionally, while the VX-6R is an analog radio (though
is an outstand- The VX-6R does a lot out of the box, and far surpasses it does support the proprietary Wires protocol for talking
ing, depend- the other radios that I’ve discussed in terms of informa- to Internet-linked radio systems), the same waterproof
able choice in tion gathering. Its wide-band receiver capabilities enable connection is used by the Motorola/Vertex Standard EVX-
the premium
it to listen in on HF and shortwave transmissions, AM S24 digital (DMR) radio. Thus, for groups leveraging Tier
handheld radio
category. Unless airband traffic, and broadcast radio. However, since it is 2 DMR to communicate, you can have one gear setup
your needs are an FCC-compliant ham radio, it does come locked to the which supports both radios as needed.
more special- 2m/1.5m/70cm VHF and UHF ham bands.
ized or you’re Unlike the Chinese radios, which often play fast and loose Overall Impression
switching to with FCC rules, the VX-6R does require a hardware MARS With a wide-band receiver, tri-band transmit, good third-
digital, it might
(Military Auxiliary Radio System) modification to open it up party support, and rugged construction, the Yaesu VX-6R
be the last hand-
held you need for use on FRS/GMRS and MURS frequencies. This can be is perhaps the ultimate analog radio for the preparedness-
to buy. purchased as a $35 add-on service from distributors such as minded individual. Perhaps its only drawback is the belt
Ham Radio Outlet and Gigaparts, or it can be done yourself, clip, which lacks spring loading and should not be clipped
if you’re so inclined. (See sidebar for details.) through PALS webbing without a dummy cord.
 BAOFENG
1A/2A: THE RIGHT AND BEYOND
Head-to-Head Comparison
For those who like quantifiable points of comparison,
here’s a chart breaking down my rating for each radio Unlocking Your VX-6R
against each criteria:

Baofeng Radioddidty Yaesu

with the MARS Mod
Radio Unlocking the VX-6R is straightforward but does require some basic
UV-9R Plus GS5B VX-6R
electronics skills and tools. You will need a soldering iron and soldering
Price $30 $85 $249
wick to perform the operation.
Availability 10 10 9

Interoperability 9 9 8

Adoption 10 7 8

Resilience 9 8 10

Ecosystem 6 10 9

Additional Features 5 8 10

Conclusion
Communications is key to mission success and sur-
vival. Just like firearms, having the best you can afford
and will carry and train with regularly is important. The Step 1. Remove the battery and Step 2. Identify the soldered
quality, availability of aftermarket accessories, and ease of peel back the protective film jumpers (4th and 5th from the
operation is also a key consideration. But unlike firearms, in the battery compartment to left) underneath the cutout on
you can’t make your choice solely based on your own expose the circuit board. the PCB.
preferences — your radio needs to work with the radios
carried by everyone you need to talk to.
While none of these radios are perfect, they each have
their strengths, and I own them all for different purposes.
The UV-9R is a rugged radio that anyone who has ever
used another Baofeng platform will instantly understand,
but which will hold up to more abuse than the UV-5R at a
similar price point. The Radioddity GS-5B’s unique features
make it an excellent choice for public safety volunteers,
and it’s earned a place in my SAR turnout kit. The Yaesu
VX-6R’s rugged reliability, wide-band receiver, and capac-
ity for expansion makes it a tool I’d trust my life to.
Regardless of your budget or what you’re preparing for, Step 3. Use your heated soldering iron and soldering wick to loosen
you should ensure you have multiple methods of com- and remove the jumpers, and make sure that everything is cleaned up.
munication with as many people as possible. Even if your
cell phone is your primary day-to-day comms device, Step 4. Replace the covering and battery.
don’t forget that it’s fragile, susceptible to fast battery
depletion, and reliant on signal from a network of towers Step 5. Reset the microprocessor by holding down the [mode], [0], and
that can be easily disrupted. A quality handheld radio can [V/M] buttons simultaneously while powering on the unit.
communicate directly with your friends and family — no
network or monthly payments required — and will be Step 6. Press the [F] key when prompted to do so.
durable enough to withstand a variety of outdoor activi-
ties. These radios are my personal recommendations If you have any pre-existing channel settings, this will wipe them out,
depending on your budget, but that doesn’t mean they’re so you’ll need to reload them with your programming software. How-
the last word. I encourage you to use this framework to ever, at this point in time, you’re good to go and can transmit outside
determine what’s important to you and evaluate your op- of the amateur radio bands.
tions accordingly.
 WWW.RECOIL.TV

Honest. Relevant. Unfiltered.

THE PREMIER AUTHORITY FOR FIREARMS NEWS AND MEDIA
THE WAY YOU WANT AND DESERVE.

RecoilTV is a 2A friendly streaming platform created to entertain and inform

you on the latest guns and gear associated with the firearms lifestyle.
DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP

PRESENTED BY

AVAILABLE ON
SEE THE BANNED
YOUTUBE GUN CONTENT
1A/2A: OF THE PEOPLE

Testing Armasight’s Contractor 320 and 640 Thermal

Optics with a Stag Arms 6.5 Creedmoor AR-10
By Patrick McCarthy
 umans are apex predators, but you’d
never know it by looking at us. In
comparison to other predatory species,
we’re feeble, slow-moving, and physically
defenseless. We don’t have the strength
and resilience of a bear, the flesh-ripping claws and teeth
of a tiger, or the speed and agility of a hawk. Most im-
portantly, our senses are extremely limited. Our sense of
smell pales in comparison to nearly all apex predators, as
does our hearing. Even our eyesight, which is quite sharp
compared to other mammals, becomes nearly useless in
dark conditions. But our true superpower — intelligence —
has allowed us to overcome every one of these weak-
nesses through technological advancements.
In previous issues, we’ve discussed a variety of magni-
fied optics that help us see further, and night vision devic-
es that allow us to see in darkness. Both of these amplify
and augment the natural capabilities of our eyes. In this
article, we’re looking at a third category of optics that
offer the ability to see something our eyes can’t detect at
all: heat. Thermal optics give us a view of the world that
other predators would surely envy, instantly highlighting
the body heat (infrared radiation) of our prey.
Thermal Optic Advantages
The ability to see heat, or the lack thereof, has many
valuable applications. It’s an incredibly powerful tool for
search-and-rescue operations, whether it’s being used to
track a criminal from a police helicopter, locate a missing
hiker in the wilderness, or even find a lost pet. Thermal
optics aren’t only capable of identifying body heat — they
can also be used to determine if a vehicle was driven
Norwegian precision rifle shooters at Ulfhed-
nar designed the lightweight carbon-fiber
tripod we used with our thermal-equipped
rifle, as well as a padded rifle bag to protect all
our expensive hardware.
1A/2A: TO KEEP

The Contractor
320 (left ) and
640 (right) look
nearly identical,
with the excep-
tion of the 640’s
KDG Sidelok
quick-detach
mount.

recently based on the heat of the engine block, or to
detect water leaks inside the walls of a home. For these
purposes, a handheld thermal camera or monocular may
be most convenient (and most cost-effective).
However, for the average end user, hunting is arguably
the most rewarding application of thermal devices. The
majority of prey animals have developed camouflage to
blend into their environments, but that camouflage won’t
matter in the slightest when you’re using a weapon-
mounted thermal optic. Even if your view is partially
obscured by foliage, the telltale body heat shines clearly
through, and any movement of that heat signature is im-
mediately visible. It’s so effective that several states have
made it illegal to possess thermal optics while hunting
(be sure to check your local laws).
Unsurprisingly, this also makes thermal
optics a powerful tool for warfare. We’ve
seen an increasing number of pho-
tos and videos from places
like Ukraine that depict
the brutal effective-
ness of thermal
optics on the
The Stag Pursuit
includes a Mag-
pul stock with
unique leather
cheek pad.
battlefield. Enemy combatants may be visually concealed
and motionless within a treeline — completely invisible to
the naked eye or night vision devices — but a thermal op-
tic can make their position crystal clear. While it’s possible
to conceal a human body’s thermal signature with Mylar
foil, a heat-resistant cloak, or even a wet blanket, it’s much
more difficult to do so while moving and/or shooting.
Drawbacks & Considerations
All technology comes at a price, both literally and
figuratively. Thermal optics are extremely potent tools,
but they also have some drawbacks and challenges you
should consider:
> Cost. While basic handheld thermals can be found
for less than $1,000, if you want a high-quality weapon-
mounted thermal optic, expect to pay at least a few
thousand for it. And if you want the latest and greatest
high-resolution sensor, expect to spend a lot more —
some high-end models exceed $15,000.
> Battery life. It takes a lot of energy to run a thermal sen-
sor, the computer that controls it, and the screen that dis-
plays its output. Newer thermal optics have become more
efficient, but they still go through batteries fast enough that
you should always be carrying multiple spares.
> Latency. Like any digital camera or display, thermal
optics have a slight delay between gathering thermal
data from the sensor and rendering it on the screen.
High-end models have faster processors and better
screens that reduce this delay, but it’s always present,
even if it’s only a few milliseconds.
> NUC. All thermal sensors need to periodically conduct
a Non-Uniformity Correction (NUC, pronounced “nuke”).
When a thermal sensor runs continuously, visual noise
and imperfections will start to build up within the image;
NUCing resets the sensor to a neutral temperature read-

ing, wiping away that noise temporarily. Some thermal
optics require the user to manually close the lens cap to
NUC, but most use an automatic internal shutter. From
the user’s perspective, this appears as an audible click
and a sudden freeze of the display. Weapon-mounted
thermals typically have a countdown leading up to the
NUC, so it doesn’t surprise the shooter and lead to a
missed shot. For the first few minutes after the thermal
sensor turns on, it’ll need to NUC frequently until it
reaches normal operating temperature. After that, the
NUC cycle will become less frequent. So, it’s a good idea
to let your thermal optic run for a couple minutes and
“warm up” before you use it.
> Size & weight. This amalgamation of glass, sensors,
electronics, and batteries isn’t as compact as a traditional
rifle optic. And once you enclose those fragile com-
ponents inside a housing that’s durable enough to be
mounted on a rifle, it can also be quite heavy.
> Thermal barriers. Heat, much like light, can be blocked
or reflected by certain materials. Some materials, like
layers of clothing, will simply take time to soak up heat,
appearing cool at first and slowly warming up. Others, es-
pecially highly reflective materials such as Mylar and glass,
will act as an opaque barrier at best or a mirror at worst,
reflecting ambient heat back at the viewer.
> Environmental conditions. Since thermal optics
display the difference in temperature between a target
and its environment, there are some situations where the
difference may be so small that the image looks washed-
out. For example, if you’re scanning a 100-degree desert
landscape for a human’s 98-degree body temperature, it’s
going to be much more difficult to see than if that human
were standing in front of a snowbank. Granted, thermal
optics are sensitive enough to detect minuscule differences
in temperature, but a larger temperature difference will
HOT ON
THE TRAIL
produce a clearer, higher-contrast image.
Heavy rain and thick fog can also negatively impact
thermal optic performance at longer ranges, since the
dense water particles in the air absorb and scatter infrared
energy before it reaches the sensor. On the other hand,
thermal optics can see through some airborne particles
that obscure visible light, such as smoke and dust, as long
as the particles aren’t large or dense enough to disrupt the
infrared radiation. This is why they’re often used by firefight-
ers and rescue personnel in low-visibility environments.
Now that you know some of the advantages, disadvan-
tages, and applications of thermal optics, we’ll share our
real-world impressions with two thermal optic models
from Armasight.
Armasight Contractor Thermal Optics
In early 2022, Armasight unveiled a new series of
weapon-mounted thermals known as the Contractor
series. These launched with two models, a 3-12x25mm
and 6-24x50mm. Much like traditional rifle optics, the
first numbers indicate magnification range — in this case,
magnification levels above the base value are digitally
magnified, meaning the image becomes less clear (lower
All thermal
resolution) as you zoom in. The millimeter measurement
optics go
through batter-
denotes the objective lens size; just as a larger objec-
ies quickly, so it’s tive lens on a rifle scope allows it to gather more light,
wise to have a a larger thermal lens allows the sensor to take in more
backup sight of infrared radiation for a clearer picture at longer range.
some kind. We
used an Atibal
SLR-1 red dot
on a 45-degree
Arisaka Defense
mount.
1A/2A: AND BEAR ARMS,
Both of the initial Contractor models used an Arma-
CORE 12-micron 320x240 sensor — this is known as the
optic’s resolution. We’ll discuss that in more detail later.
Contractor 320 6-24x50mm
We began by testing the higher-magnification Contractor
320 thermal sight, which has a 6x base magnification and
an MSRP of $4,399. This optic is built into a rugged, IP67
water- and dust-proof metal housing with large, tactile con-
trols that can be operated easily with gloved hands. Focus
and diopter adjustment are both manually controlled via
textured rings on the housing, ensuring the user can get a
crisp image at all times. The 1024x768 AMOLED display is
colorful and bright, with a responsive 60Hz refresh rate. It's
powered by two CR123 batteries, with an approximate run
time of 4 hours at 68 degrees F. Like we said, thermals eat
batteries quickly, and this is actually a respectable run time
compared to some of its competitors.
The Contractor also has a sophisticated suite of color
palettes, image enhancement modes, and extra features.
These include:
> Five palettes: white hot, black hot, target, rainbow, and
sepia
> Detail enhancement/sharpening settings: default, for-
est, detect, indoors, and sky/sea
> Eight reticle types with adjustable colors and 1/2 MOA
elevation/windage adjustments
> On-screen compass, level, inclinometer, angle cosine
indicator, and optional stadiametric rangefinder
> Picture-in-picture mode
> Video streaming and data transfer via USB or Wi-Fi
> Bluetooth connectivity with iOS and Android apps
> Manual or shot-activated video recording and image
capture
Contractor 640 3-12x50mm
About a year after the release of the Contractor 320,
Armasight unveiled its big brother: the Contractor 640
family. These optics use the company’s proprietary Arma-
CORE 12-micron sensor, but now with 640x480 sensor
resolution — double that of the 320 series. Three Contrac-
tor 640 models are available, ranging from a compact
2.3-9.2x35mm model to a 4.8-19.2x75mm monster. We
decided to test the Contractor 640 3-12x50mm, which
has the same objective lens size and housing size as the
320 model we’re comparing it to.
The Armasight Contractor 640 3-12x50mm has an
MSRP of $5,799, which is $1,400 more than the Contrac-
tor 320 6-24x50mm. Its features are nearly identical to
the 320, with the same display, run time, color palettes,
and so on. Aside from the sensor itself, the most notable
Unlike the
quick-detach difference is the mount. Unlike the 320, which features a
mount on the standard Picatinny rail mount, the 640 series comes with
640 models, the a much more convenient Kinetic Development Group
Contractor 320 Sidelok quick-detach mount.
includes a basic So, is the 640 sensor resolution and QD mount worth
Picatinny rail
the price increase? More importantly, is either optic worth
mount that must
be installed onto thousands of dollars of your hard-earned money? These
your rifle with a are questions we aimed to answer, no pun intended.
wrench.
The Test Platform: Stag Pursuit 6.5
Creedmoor AR-10
To put these thermal optics through their paces, we
chose a suitable test rifle from Stag Arms. The Stag 10
Pursuit is the company’s first product line designed
specifically for hunting and is available in 16-inch .308 or
18-inch 6.5mm Creedmoor variants. We chose the latter,
since we already had a healthy stockpile of Norma 6.5
ammo from the long-range rifle class we wrote about in
Issue 55.
The Stag 10 Pursuit comes in an elegant Midnight
Bronze Cerakote finish with several upgrades out of the
box: a two-stage Timney trigger, Magpul K2+ increased-
angle grip, ambi 90/45-degree safety selector, ambi
Breach charging handle, and Magpul CTR stock with a
Stag-branded leather cheek pad.
We can rarely leave a rifle unmodified, so we installed a
few accessories. A stable shooting platform is critical for
any long-range or hunting rifle, so we added a Magpul
bipod and an M-LOK to ARCA rail adapter from Ulfhednar.
The former accommodates traditional prone shooting;
 HOT ON
THE TRAIL
the latter makes it possible to quickly mount the rifle in
Ulfhednar’s excellent carbon-fiber tripod for rock-solid
shots in a standing or seated position. Walker Defense
Research provided a set of FDE-colored NILE silicon
carbide grip panels, which offer a more secure grip on
the forend, even in wet conditions. Lastly, every serious
rifle needs a backup sighting system — especially when
the primary optic depletes its batteries every 4 hours
— so we attached an Atibal SLR-1 solar red dot on an
Arisaka Defense 45-degree offset optic mount. Although
it’s possible to mount a red dot on the Contractor’s side
accessory rail, that mounting point is better suited to a
laser rangefinder. Plus, this way our backup red dot stays
zeroed even if we remove the thermal.
Ulfhednar also provided a padded, dual-purpose
guncover/shooting mat that allows us to keep our rifle
protected on the way to the range and shoot comfort-
ably from the prone position once we arrive.

In the Field
Before testing each of the Armasight thermal optics,
we needed to zero them — if you’ve never done this
with a thermal before, it’s not as hard as you may think.
Armasight provides a foil-backed zeroing target with each
optic, but the DIY method is to buy a roll of aluminum foil
tape at your local hardware store; either way, just attach
the thermally reflective target to some cardboard and set
it at the desired distance. Heat from the sun will cause it
to appear as a light (or dark) spot in the optic’s display.
Then, open the Contractor’s boresight menu to adjust the
crosshair to match the bullet’s point of impact.
We used the Contractor 320 and Contractor 640
optics in the hot desert at midday, on cool evenings, and
even indoors. Once we dialed in the focus to the appro-
priate setting, each produced a crisp image that clearly
displayed the heat signature of field mice, birds, dogs,
and humans, as well as inanimate objects like cars — obvi-
ously, we removed the optic from our rifle before aiming
it at anything we weren’t planning to shoot.
Motion appears smooth and fluid through these optics,
and although there’s a slight perceptible delay — as with
all digital optics — it’s only noticeable if you’re looking for
it. Unlike some lower-end thermal optics or digital night
vision devices, the Contractor didn’t leave us feeling sea-
sick and disoriented after tracking moving objects. The
60Hz AMOLED display does a great job of rendering the
data from the sensor, and it’s easily bright enough to be
comfortable during the day.
The controls are also straightforward: the right knob
controls digital zoom, and the left knob controls color
palettes and enhancement modes. A large locking power
switch on top of the housing turns the optic on and off, A weatherproof
and a recessed button behind the right knob captures cap protects the
battery com-
photos (long press) and videos (short press). Thousands
partment and
of photos or up to 4 hours of video can be saved to the its two CR123
onboard storage. Once you’re back home, you can upload batteries.
them to your computer via a USB-C port that’s hidden
under a screw-down cap on the right side of the housing. Another
Although these thermal optics are undeniably bulkier weatherproof
cap covers the
than a traditional rifle scope, they’re not much heavier.
USB-C port used
Each Contractor optic, including batteries, weighed be- for streaming
tween 2 and 3 ounces more than a Leupold Mk8 CQBSS or data transfer
1-8x24mm optic in a Badger Ordnance mount. That’s a from the on-
negligible amount of weight for such a huge difference in board storage.
capabilities.
A Note About NUC
As mentioned earlier, you’ll definitely want to let these
optics warm up before attempting to shoot. After a cold
start, the NUC feature kicks in about every 10 seconds,
displaying a 5-4-3-2-1 countdown on the screen before
freezing momentarily to wipe the sensor. It’s possible to
shoot during this warm-up cycle, but you need to time
your shots carefully within those 10-second windows. The
NUC can also be delayed by pressing the right control
knob during the countdown, but that only delays it for
one cycle and results in a continued degradation of im-
age quality. Thankfully, once the Contractor optics have
1A/2A: SHALL NOT

Can you tell

the difference
before and after
shooting? The
rifle’s suppres-
sor and barrel
glow brightly
as they heat up.
(Contractor 320)

Here’s a direct
comparison of
the Contractor
320 (top) versus
the 640 (bot-
tom). Both show
the subject
clearly, but we
preferred the
less fuzzy image
produced by the
A 2-inch-wide 640 as well as
run for about 15 minutes, image quality stabilizes and
strip of foil tape the wider field
NUCs become rare enough that you’ll hardly notice them of view from its
was clearly
anymore. base 3x magnifi-
visible at 50
yards through cation.
the Contractor 320 or 640?
640 at base 3x So, how much of a difference is there between the Con-
magnification. tractor 320 and Contractor 640? Placing them side by side,
After dialing the image difference is obvious. The 640x480 resolution
up to 12x digital
is significantly more detailed, picking up more texture on targets become much less defined at the 2x zoom setting.
zoom, a dark
spot is visible objects and sharper edges. The less expensive 320x240 And when you crank it up to 4x zoom — the equivalent of
where bullets sensor produces an image that still makes it easy to identify 24x total magnification — you’re effectively working with a
impacted the heat signatures — you’d have no problem at all using it to data source that’s only 80x60 pixels. It’s still usable, but it’s
foil. spot the outline of a hog or coyote — but details often ap- not ideal.
pear fuzzy or blotchy. If you’re planning to use digital zoom frequently or spend
Granted, the two optics we tested have different base hours looking through your thermal optic, we’d say the
optical magnification levels (3x and 6x) so it’s difficult to Contractor 640 is well worth the extra cost. It’s easier to
rule out all other variables for a perfect one-to-one com- make out fine detail and has more “zoom headroom” than
parison. We did notice that using the Contractor 640 (3x a lower-res sensor, but maintains the same housing size,
base power) at its 2x digital zoom setting puts it at the weight, and run time as the 320. The quick-detach mount is
same working resolution as the Contractor 320 at base also a valuable upgrade. That said, the Contractor 320 is a
6x magnification. In this way, the 640 sensor has a much solid choice that will easily meet the needs of most hunters.
greater usable range than the 320 — at base magnification, Also, MSRP for the 320 has dropped $400 since its release
it’s incredibly clear, and even when it’s zoomed in to 2x, the in 2022, so there’s a good chance it will continue to become
image is still quite good. With the 320, on the other hand, a more affordable choice in the future.
 HOT ON
THE TRAIL
Closing Thoughts
There’s a reason the otherworldly hunter in the clas-
sic movie Predator was shown using advanced ther-
mal vision to find his prey — nothing makes it easier to
Armasight Contractor
stealthily track a warm-blooded target. Every animal
and human hunter understands the importance of
Color Palettes
visual camouflage, and it’s a skill that’s been honed Here’s a quick comparison between
through thousands of years of natural selection. How- the Contractor 640’s color palettes.
ever, very few species are capable of concealing their Notice how black patches on the
heat signature. Even if you stand perfectly still in total dog’s fur appear warmer than light
darkness, you’ll light up like a Christmas tree through patches. This is a result of absorb-
a thermal optic, and you won’t know you’re being ing more heat from the sun. (Don’t
watched until it’s already too late. worry, no dogs were harmed in the
Armasight’s Contractor series offers impressive making of this article.)
capabilities and a wide range of features that’ll make
you feel like a supernatural hunter, spotting every
living thing that crosses your path from 1,000 yards
or more. Whether you choose a 320 or 640 sensor
with high or low base magnification, thermal optics
give you the ability to see what would otherwise be in-
visible — that’s about as close to a superpower as you
can get for a few thousand dollars. Pair one of these
optics with a nice rifle like our Stag 10 Pursuit and a
stable tripod, and your prey won’t know what hit ’em.
Better yet, pair all that with a helmet-mounted night
vision setup like the one we reviewed in Issue 58,
and you’ll be able to stalk your prey in total darkness
before switching to your thermal to take the shot.

SOURCES
Armasight Ulfhednar Atibal
armasight.com ulfhednar.no atibal-optics.com
Stag Arms Walker Defense Research
stagarms.com walkerdr.com

Types of Thermal Optics

Handheld: These Helmet-Mounted: Looking for the
include pocket- functionality of a handheld thermal
sized monoculars, optic plus hands-free convenience?
binoculars, and If so, consider one of these. They
various types of can be used on their own, or on
thermal cameras. a “bridge” alongside a night vision
They’re used for monocular. However, unlike analog
general-purpose night vision tubes, most thermal
applications such optics have a noticeable latency
as search and res- effect that some users may find
cue, tracking, and disorienting or uncomfortable for
home inspection. prolonged use, especially while
walking or tracking moving objects.
Clip-On Weapon Sights: If you have a ri-
fle that’s primarily set up for daytime use
but would like to add thermal capabilities
for certain occasions, consider a clip-on.
This optic attaches directly in front of
your weapon’s existing optic, showing a
thermal image behind your rifle’s existing
scope reticle. This also allows you to re-
tain your weapon’s zero setting. Be sure
to confirm that the thermal you purchase
is compatible with the mount height/po-
sition and base magnification (typically
6x or less) of your daytime optic.
Stand-Alone Weapon Sights:
These are dedicated thermal
optics that can be used without
a traditional scope. Since there’s
no additional glass between your
eye and the display, they offer
the clearest and brightest image,
plus a wide field of view that’s
less sensitive to the shooter’s
head position. They’re also usually
lighter and more cost-effective
than setups with a clip-on thermal
and a traditional rifle scope.
070
1A/2A: BE INFRINGED.

Examining More Than a Dozen First Aid and Survival

Uses of a Triangular Bandage
By Joe Alton, MD Photos by Amy Alton

DISCLAIMER
This is a general
overview and not a
comprehensive guide
to treating sprains,
broken bones, or other
injuries. If symptoms
worsen, seek profes-
sional medical advice
as soon as possible.
 n survival first aid, the triangular bandage is an im- Standard
portant item that should be part of every medical triangular
bandage
kit. Available as a stand-alone item or improvised
dimensions are
from a bandanna, neckerchief, or shemagh, the 40 by 40 by 56
triangular bandage has proven to be a versatile inches.
and lightweight tool in the off-grid medic’s toolbox. Every
medical kit should have several.
Over the centuries, bandannas — which originated
from a colorful headdress in India called bandhana, from
the Sanskrit word for “bond” — have morphed into an
item which can be seen on the outfits of everything from
Old sheets
scouts to sailors to cowboys. In some cases, kerchiefs work well as
have become part of ceremonial costumes or uniforms. improvised
In practical terms, however, they can serve to wrap a bandages
wide variety of injuries incurred in the backcountry or
other austere settings. The triangular bandage is use-
ful for any situation where immobilization is helpful for
healing or for transport. It can be used to treat sprains,
broken bones, bleeding injuries, and much more.
The bandage can be used in conjunction with a num-
ber of other medical items to achieve stabilization. It can
be improvised into a tourniquet with a stick or used as a
wrapping to pad and immobilize a sprain in tandem with
a splint. By itself, it can serve to help apply pressure to
and pack an open wound.
Today, we’ll demonstrate a number of different ways

Every medical
kit should have
more than
ISSUE 59

one triangular
bandage.
ISSUE 59

01 02 03

Shoulder wrap for the family medic to use a standard-sized triangular padding against the chest, to decrease pain experienced
STEP 1 bandage. by moving the arm.
Drape across The simplest way to make a sling is to lay out the ban-
with the wide Making A Triangular Bandage dage under the injured arm so that one pointy end goes
end over
Commercially produced triangular bandages are cheap over the shoulder, another points to the floor, and the
the affected
shoulder. and can be bought in quantity, but if you have some old third extends beyond the elbow.
cotton sheets, you can easily make your own supply. Bring the lower end of the bandage up over the other
STEP 2
Go in back and Simply use scissors to cut out a 40x40-inch cloth square, shoulder, leaving the arm cradled.
around the then either fold it into a triangle or cut diagonally to make Tie the ends of the bandage behind the neck. Fasten
armpit. two separate triangular bandages. the edge of the bandage by the elbow with a safety pin
STEP 3 Sanitize the bandage by boiling in water, using a pres- or by tying a knot. If needed, add some padding behind
Tie in back. sure cooker, or soaking in a disinfectant solution. This the neck.
will allow you to use it safely in an open wound. Store in For even more support, an additional bandage can be
a fresh plastic bag. It might not be entirely sterile from used around the injured arm and chest horizontally. This
a medical standpoint, but it’ll stay clean. Other, less wrapping is known as a “swathe.”
conventional, options include baking in an oven for two
hours at 300 degrees F or ironing at a high heat for three Ankle Sprain
minutes. One of the most common injuries on the trail is the
ankle sprain. Uneven terrain in the form of rocks and
Arm Injury roots cause an unbalanced traveler to end up with a pain-
The most well-known use for a triangular bandage is ful injury. In this case, elastic wraps are most commonly
Arm sling the classic sling. With arm injuries, a sling will provide used for this injury, but a properly placed triangular ban-
STEP 1 both immobilization and comfort. Securing the arm dage will also work to provide the stabilization needed.
Drape in front against the body reduces the chance of further damage. Fold the bandage until it is 3 to 4 inches wide, then
with the tip of
In a rib injury, this sling is sometimes used, with added place the center on top of the foot and wrap once under
the triangle
toward the
elbow. 01 02 03
STEP 2
Lift the bottom
end over the
shoulder and
tie. Make a knot
at the elbow to
stabilize.
STEP 3
For added
support, wrap a
swathe around
the torso.
 01 02 03 Ankle wrap
improvisation
STEP 1
Start on top of
the foot.
STEP 2
Go around the
back of the
ankle.
STEP 3
Slide each end
back under the
ankle strap.
STEP 4
Pull each end
up to stabilize.
STEP 5
Tie the ends in
front.

Head wrap
STEP 1
the foot. Bring each end behind the ankle, cross once, cross around to the front and tie. Tuck loose ends under Wrap around
and move them together in front of the ankle. Cross the the folds of the wrap. the forehead
ends again. If you’re dealing with a burn, you should moisten the with the
Slide each end underneath the vertical straps created bandage to avoid sticking. triangle
covering the
when you moved the wrap from under the foot to the
head.
back of the ankle. Tug on each end to tighten and secure Shoulder Injury
STEP 2
with a knot in front of the ankle. Ordinarily an awkward area to wrap, a triangular ban-
Tie the ends
dage works well to cover an open shoulder wound and together over
Head Injury help stabilize the area. the edge of the
A head wound can be significant in various ways. Fold the top of long end of the triangular bandage triangle.
Superficial cuts on the scalp can bleed profusely and
require bandaging. A concussion can alter mental status 01 02
and even cause loss of consciousness. Bleeding could
also occur inside the skull, putting the victim’s life at risk.
Even vision could be affected in certain injuries.
The family medic can’t control all of these issues, but a
simple head wrap can help control the superficial bleed-
ing that often happens with a traumatic injury. Although
gauze rolls are most commonly used, a triangular ban-
dage can serve the purpose as well.
Starting at the long side of the bandage, fold it over 2
inches and wrap this section around the forehead above
the eyebrows, leaving a triangle covering the scalp.
Cross both ends of the bandage around the back of the
head and over the triangle covering the scalp. Then,
074
ISSUE 59

01 02 Injured hand
wrap
STEP 1
Spread out
the triangular
bandage and
position the
hand.
STEP 2
Bring the tip
of the triangle
down over the
wrist.
03 04 05
STEP 3
Roll the ends
until they reach
the wrist on
each side.
STEP 4
Wrap the end
around the
wrist.
STEP 5
Tie the ends.
down about 4 inches, then flip up the bottom of the tri- gloves aren’t used. In many situations, group members
angle until the tip meets the long side. Drape diagonally will be asked to carry out duties to which they’re not ac-
so one of the pointy ends is below the unaffected armpit customed. The family medic should always be prepared
(axilla) and the other is over the injured shoulder. Then, to prevent and treat injuries relating to the hand; family
wrap around the back of the shoulder, under the affected members who can’t use their hands lose the ability to be
armpit, and around so that the end of the bandage meets an asset in the fight for survival.
the other end. Tie to secure. If the hand injury is a burn, moisten or use some salve
beforehand to keep the bandage from sticking to the
Hand Injury skin. If there’s a chance of re-bleeding, use extra bandag-
Performing activities of daily survival can lead to es to provide a bulky barrier for added pressure.
injuries relating to the hand, especially if protective Spread out the triangular bandage on a table or other

01 02 03 Eye wrap
STEP 1
Cover the
injured eye
with the bottom
of a paper cup.
STEP 2
Cover the
other eye with
padding.
STEP 3
Use the
triangular
bandage to
stabilize the
dressings over
each eye.
flat surface. Place the victim’s back of the hand on the Jaw wrap
01
center area of the bandage. Fold the bandage over the STEP 1
palm so that the point is at the level of the wrist. Roll Start over the
both ends of the bandage down until you reach the wrist chin and pull
each end over
on each side. Cross the rolled ends over the wrist and
the head.
around the back of the hands at least twice. Then, tie.
STEP 2
This covers the hand completely.
Cross the ends
over one ear.
Eye Injury
STEP 3
An eye injury can disorient and disable a person, and a Tie the end
tight wrap could worsen the situation. In chemical emer- over the other
gencies, be sure to irrigate and flush out the affected ear
eye(s) thoroughly before applying a bandage. Using an
improvised or a commercial eye shield, a triangular ban- 02
dage can hold such a barrier in place to prevent further
injury. This is especially useful if a foreign object has
impaled the eye.
With eye injuries, it’s important to realize that both eyes
move in tandem with each other. Therefore, it’s best to
cover both eyes if further eye movement would worsen
the situation.
If you don’t have a commercial eye shield in your kit,
you can improvise a shield with the bottom of a paper
cup. Take a gauze 4x4 pad and cut an opening that fits
the cup tightly enough to keep it stable and add some
padding under the rim for comfort. Place over the injured 03
eye. Use some padding over the other eye as well, and
then use your triangular bandage, folded to about 4
inches wide, to cover both eyes. Go around the head
twice, tie in the back to secure, and tuck the loose ends.

Jaw Injury Stabilizing and

padding splint
A number of circumstances can lead to trauma to the
with triangular
jaw, possibly even a fracture. A triangular bandage can be bandages.

used to immobilize the jaw in place.

Fold the bandage flat lengthwise until it’s 4 inches
wide. Start on the chin and bring ends behind the ears to
the top of the head. Cross the ends and slide the crossed
section just over one ear. Wrap one end behind the head
and the other across the forehead. Tie both ends over
the opposite ear.

Stabilizing A Splint
Splints perform the important task of immobilizing an
injured limb in a natural position. They help prevent re-
injury that can occur as a result of jostling during trans-
076
ISSUE 59

port. Splints facilitate the healing process. To keep them 01 02

in place, triangular bandages can be used as padding or
in the place of elastic wraps. There should be at least two
securing points.

Improvised Tourniquet
A tourniquet is a mandatory item for any medical kit.
In most cases, commercial tourniquets like the C-A-T
have proven their worth in everything from the battle-
ground to the backcountry. A purpose-built tourniquet
will be easier to use and more consistent than any impro-
vised solution. However, when a military-style tourniquet
isn’t available, a triangular bandage can be used as an
Tourniquet
effective way to stop even heavy bleeding. 03
Fold the triangular bandage so it’s flat on the extremity STEP 1
Fold to 2 inches
and at least 2 inches wide. Wrap around the limb tightly,
wide, tightly
but evenly. Tie the two ends in a single knot, then place wrap above the
a rigid object like a stick across and tie another knot. The bleed, then tie
stick serves as a “windlass” device similar to that used in down.
military-style tourniquets. Twist the stick until bleeding STEP 2
stops, then secure it by placing a knot underneath the Place stick or
extremity to maintain pressure. other “windlass”
and tie once
over it.
Other Uses For Triangular Bandages
• As a component of a water filter. The permeable na- STEP 3
Windlass stick
ture of the fabric allows the bandages to filter out algae 04
in place; twist
and debris from questionable water in advance of to provide
disinfecting by boiling, bleach, iodine, water purification pressure.
tabs, or UV light.
STEP 4
• As a face mask. A triangular bandage can be used, Secure
cowboy-style, to protect against dust and other ir- windlass stick
ritants. It doesn’t prevent the passage of microbes, in place by
however. wrapping and
placing a knot.
• To make fire. If your triangular bandage is made of
cotton, it’ll work well as emergency tinder to make fire.
Shred the fabric into a nest of fibers for easier ignition.

• As improvised cordage. Paracord is a lot better, but

About the Author you can cut your triangular bandage into strips to tie
Joe Alton, MD, FACOG, FACS, is a retired Fellow of the American College
together and fasten materials in a pinch.
of Surgeons and a Life Fellow of the American College of OB/GYN. He’s a
• To signal for help. Attach to a long stick and wave like
disaster medical preparedness advocate, outdoor enthusiast, and New York
a flag, or unfold and lay the bandage on the ground
Times/Amazon bestselling author of several award-winning books, includ-
with rocks at the corners to create a directional marker
ing The Survival Medicine Handbook: The Essential Guide For When Help Is
that’s visible to passing aircraft.
NOT On The Way now in its 700-page fourth edition. He’s also the designer
To get the most out of your medical supplies, it’s
of an entire line of quality medical kits for the austere medic at his website
worthwhile to brainstorm different possible uses for each
at doomandbloom.net, which has over 1,400 articles, podcasts, and videos
item. As you expend materials, you’ll find that your impro-
on medical preparedness.
visations may make the difference between success or
failure off the grid.
 Atlanta, GA | June 7-9, 2024

Ft. Worth, TX Salt Lake City, UT

Feb 23-24, 2024 October 4-5, 2024

FOR DETAILS ON ALL THREE EVENTS, GO TO

BLADESHOW.COM
CONNECT WITH US AT #BLADESHOW
HANDSON

Transportation
 ake a moment to consider a few hypothetical
survival scenarios:
Scenario 1: It’s 6:10 a.m. The city you live in,
which happens to be below sea level, is as-
sailed by torrential rain and sustained winds of
up to 140 mph. Sea surge of nearly 30 feet quickly overwhelms
the levies, and entire neighborhoods are swallowed by water.
Whether you moved to safety beforehand or decided to stay, it’ll
take at least two more weeks before utilities are fully restored.
Scenario 2: It’s 1:25 a.m. Awoken by the sudden absence of
the electric hum that pervades everyday life, you look around
the darkness confused. Temperatures have dropped over 40
degrees below normal for this time of year, and an overtaxed
energy grid has forced rolling brownouts. Unpredictable
winter weather is on the rise and getting worse. On top of the
life-threatening risk of cold exposure, it’ll be another nine days
before all roads are fully passable by cars.
Scenario 3: It’s 4:17 a.m. Without warning, normal every-
day life is violently upended as a brutal earthquake shatters
streets and crumbles buildings in your city, leaving tens of
thousands seriously wounded (or worse) in a matter of min-
utes. Maybe you were fortunate enough to be in a building
constructed to code, or maybe you were far enough away
from the epicenter to be spared the worst. Either way, it’s go-
ing to be a long time before life resembles what it once did.
All of the scenarios above have something in common,
other than the fact each occurred uncomfortably early in the
morning. When disasters strike, the things we most com-
monly rely on disappear, sometimes indefinitely. A reliable
method of transportation is a fairly recent amenity that’s often
overlooked until we reach for it ... and it’s not there. For most,
storing large quantities of gasoline along with a fully kitted-out
overlanding vehicle is an impractical prep, and even if you do
have those things, roads may be clogged with traffic, storm
debris, or other obstacles. Thankfully, there are alternatives
such as the eBike.
eBike History Before riding a
eBikes have been around a lot longer than most people motorized vehi-
realize. The first patents for hand-cranked, three-wheeled bikes cle, such as eBike,
it’s important to
without any pedals were seen in France way back in the 1880s.
wear appropriate
But due to the financial influence of big players in the oil mar- personal protec-
ket, battery-powered bikes remained in obscurity until over 100 tive equipment
and make sure
years later. Frankly, this may have been for the best. Early eBike
the functions of
models were obscenely bulky, and lead-acid batteries large the bike are work-
enough to move an adult were cumbersome behemoths. ing properly.
080
ISSUE 59
HANDSON
Off the trail, the right eBike makes traveling through open pain or a leg injury can still enjoy getting around in the open
wilderness an easy task. air without having to rely on muscle strength. Lightly pedaling,
but letting the electric motor do most of the work, could help
someone who’s out of shape build themselves up without risk-
ing injury or cardiovascular complications.
Aside from these everyday advantages, how do eBikes fare
in an emergency situation or survival scenario? Being able to
move quickly, quietly, and with little effort is a huge advantage
when heading to a bugout location. It attracts less attention
than a vehicle and is much more expedient than traveling on
foot. An eBike fits into tighter spaces, making easily accessible
routes from narrow alleys and pedestrian walkways where a
car or truck would never fit. Some models are capable of off-
road travel, furthering versatility, especially when making the
urban/rural transition. And unlike regular motorcycles, they’re
not reliant on consumable fuel that might be in high demand
or entirely unavailable. To find out if an eBike is truly up to the
worst calamities Mother Nature — or human nature — can
throw our way, I got my hands on one of the most rugged
models out there.

QuietKat Warrior Specs

QuietKat is a company that leads the way for off-road eBikes.
Right out of the box, the Warrior is an impressive specimen.
Weighing in at 70 pounds, 10 of which are the battery, it’s readily
As lithium-ion battery technology hit the market and Sharp turns apparent that it was built to take a beating. It has 26x4.5-inch
should be avoid-
improved the use of handheld electronics, the eBike’s prac- All-Terrain fat tires, an adjustable coil suspension fork, and Tektro
ed when travel-
ticality also received a much-needed boost. Smart batteries ing through deep mechanical disk brakes designed to get off the streets and hit
and decreasing costs of computer components spurred more mud. Turning too the trails. Several different modes allow the user to adjust the
innovative eBike designs. These days, an affordable eBike can quickly causes efficiency of the five-speed motor, and it can easily reach speeds
the tires to brake
travel at ranges up to 200 miles on a single charge. Throw in in the same way over 20 mph, depending on which battery type is selected. The
pedal assist, and an eBike can go as far as the endurance of a hockey player Warrior has a load capacity of 325 pounds, a cargo shelf that
the human who rides it. All this without the expense, weight, or turns sideways can carry up to 100 pounds, and is capable of towing.
on ice to skid to
consumable fossil fuel dependence of cars or trucks powered In addition to all the techno wizardry and performance
a stop.
by gas or diesel. design, a ton of accessories make this brand stand out from
Many people use eBikes to make inner-city commutes
easier and less costly. For someone in a fair-weather climate,
using an eBike eliminates fuel expenses, reduces insurance
premiums, and where gridlock occurs, it drastically cuts down
on commute times. Many newer models are even power-
ful enough to tow small payloads, nudging into the realm of
cargo transportation with the right accessories, such as pull-
behind trailers and cargo racks.
Not everyone is capable of spending all day pedaling around
on trails. This includes the elderly and the physically disabled,
as well as individuals who may have been injured or deprived
of calories in an emergency scenario. With an eBike, the effort
needed to enjoy an excursion is limited only by being able to
maintain balance and battery life. Using an eBike to get around
town eliminates the need to pay for more expensive options
and reduces physical exhaustion. Someone suffering from joint
 Going for a ride
on a smoother
trail or road
before taking on
more challeng-
ing terrain is a
great way to test
the brakes and
make sure the
electronic motor
is operating the
way it should.

the crowd, specifically the Comfort, Overlander’s, Angler’s, and
Hunter’s Kits. These include numerous cargo options, seat
enhancements, and even an all-terrain cargo trailer for pulling
game out of the woods or pulling supplies into it. The model I’m
using is a combination of the Comfort and Overlander kits and
includes a portable solar-charging station. Eager to push it to
its limits and see what it’s capable of, I fully charged the warrior
via its conventional 110v AC charging cable and identified a few
unique locations to run it through its paces.
Terrain Performance
Before I started throwing the eBike into challenging situa-
tions, I wanted to warm up with it on the paved roads near my
house, and I’m glad I did. If you’re like me, you might be thinking,
I know how to ride a bike, how different can it be? Well let me tell
you, there’s a dramatic difference. Almost as soon as you begin
pedaling, the electric motor kicks in, giving an instant speed
boost. Depending on what setting you pre-programmed, this
automatic motor engagement will launch you forward without
much effort. If you’ve ever ridden a dirt bike or motorcycle,
you know how intertwined balance and momentum can be.
Seventy pounds might not sound like a lot, but it makes a huge
difference when compared to a traditional 12-speed mountain
bike. Fortunately, the bike-riding fundamentals are largely the
same, and before long I was zipping down the roads, already
impressed by how much of a boost I could get with the motor.
After familiarizing myself with the mechanics and digital set-
tings, I was comfortable ramping things up to the next level.

While not as light

and agile as a
non-motorized
mountain bike,
eBikes take
significantly less
effort and can
go many places
ISSUE 59

mountain bikes
cannot.

OFFGRIDWEB.COM 081
ISSUE 59
Embarking off On well-established gravel or paved roads, an eBike feels
the beaten path more like a moped than a bike. Pedals are useful and using
on a bike that can
go where others them will significantly boost your speed and your mileage, but
can’t is great way you’re not putting much effort into it once the motor engages.
to discover new On both gravel and pavement, I was able to max out my speed
areas with mini-
in the 25- to 30-mph range. The bike could easily keep up with
mal effort.
in-town traffic. Going up inclines is also surprisingly easy. When
the motor kicks in, minimal effort is required, even on inclines as
steep as 20 degrees.
My first offroad location was a remote camping site with root-
ed and rutted trails surrounding a boreal lake. To compensate
for the unpredictable terrain, I loosened the suspension, and
soon I was floating over downed tree branches and larger holes.
This was actually surprising to me, since my limited mountain
biking experience told me I would be in for a bumpier ride. I was
pleasantly surprised how easily I could get around, both on the
trails and even through undeveloped forest floor. However, I’ll
warn that deciding to go off the trail means taking it slow. Being
loaded down with gear adds a lot of extra weight, and an eBike
the size of the Warrior isn’t as nimble as its non-motorized cous-
ins. This makes tipping over easy if a corner is cut too sharply, or
balance is lost trying to make it over a larger obstacle.
This leads me to what I consider one of its more challeng-
ing tests: deep mud. The land surrounding Lake Superior is
filled with swamps and bogs. With the ground so saturated, it’s
easy to step up to find mud that’s knee-high or deeper in some
places. In this scenario, fat tires make all the difference in the
world, especially when the air is let out a little. By determining
where the mud meets dry land and traversing the mud in a
straight line to that point, I could make it to the other side nine
times out of 10. The deeper the mud, the more speed and mo-
mentum is needed to get across. Trying to make gradual turns
typically led to wiping out, so good balance and maintaining
straight-line momentum is crucial in this situation. Even so, with
the combined weight of myself, my gear, and the bike, I was able
to get across large mud patches without worrying too much
about falling over into the goop.
If mud is wet and goopy, the opposite condition has got to be
what people often refer to as “sugar sand.” Maybe you’ve had
the unfortunate experience of trying to drive your vehicle near a
beach or through sand dunes, only to discover that loose sand
has next to non-existent traction. Well, that’s just the terrain type
for the next location. Generally, the 70-pound Warrior does very
well over this type of terrain. Like driving through deep mud, the
best results require letting some air out of the tires. After doing
so, this bike was zipping down a sandy beach with minimal ef-
fort. Balance and momentum were easier to maintain compared
to wet mud, and the bike was able to make sharper turns more
easily as well. The only task it couldn’t perform was riding up a The combined
weight of rider
steep dune. Once the bike was moving up the sandy terrain at
and eBike proved
a steep angle, the tire dug into the sand and stalled. Regardless too much to
of whether it was a weight issue or my own skill, if I wanted to make it over
get to the top of the dune, I needed to get off and engage the steep dunes.
Traveling over
motor for assistance as I walked it the rest of the way.
sugar sand was
Shallow water crossings were a breeze and didn’t negative- similar to deep
ly affect the performance. Water at the crossing site I tested mud.
was flowing steadily from an inland river to the lake. The bot-
tom was lined with muddy silt and various sizes of rocks. The
weight of the bike helped keep it upright against the force
of the moving water, and once again those fat tires proved
their worth in this situation with much needed traction. This
wouldn’t be the ideal way to cross water deeper than the tires
The portable
are high, or in areas with a more forceful flow rate, but the solar charger is
Warrior would work great at sites that have been assessed as weather resistant
and folds into a
relatively safe. It was great to see how waterproof the compo-
compact size,
nents of the bike were, and being submerged didn’t cause the making it easier
motor or the battery to malfunction. to store in a pack.

Snow and ice have similar properties to mud and sand, and
the eBike traverses them as such. Going through deep fresh
powder is more challenging than dense snowpack or ice, but
it’ll make it through. Moving in straight lines is more important
in powder and on ice, but a dense snowpack is almost like
moving over asphalt. Traveling fast through cold air requires
additional layers to prevent cold weather injuries, but the added
bulk didn’t get in the way of the pedals or chain. I did notice a
slight decrease in battery longevity in colder weather, but the
rate the battery drained wasn’t alarmingly fast. Recharging
times seemed pretty close in both cold and warmer conditions,
with the solar panels and with the AC adapter. It took about six
hours, give or take, to get the battery from completely drained
back to fully charged.

Observed Pros and Cons

Being much lighter and smaller than a vehicle makes an
eBike a great option for travel and mobility. However, eBikes
are substantially heavier than motorless bicycles, and not ev-
eryone is capable of swinging 40 to 70 pounds around when
needed. Moving 70 pounds of anything can be challenging if
you’re out of shape, or stuck in slippery conditions. That being
said, the bike would be relatively easy to deploy from an apart-
ment, a garage, or from the rack of a vehicle. An eBike doesn’t
emit loud engine noises or exhaust fumes, which attracts
ISSUE 59

less attention and allows the rider to have better situational

awareness. Not having to rely on fossil fuels, and being able to
084
ISSUE 59
HANDSON
Doing a quick
reconnaissance is
important before
attempting to
cross moving
water to avoid
falling over any
underwater
ledges, hitting
any large rocks, or
getting stopped by
underwater logs.

charge with solar panels would be a huge advantage in a situa- Final Thoughts
tion where utilities and gas stations are shut down. Will an eBike be a help or a hindrance? The answer to
Sure, they’re not as large as a sedan, but eBikes instantly almost every survival question is, “It depends.” An eBike in a
stand out to anyone paying attention because they have survival scenario becomes a tool for the user to prolong life
features not seen on their motorless counterparts. A model and the lives of others. Like any other tool, it comes down to
like the QuietKat Warrior looks more bulky and aggressive, personal familiarity and practice using it. Scissors are a hazard
and tends to draw even more eyes. The flip side of this is that in the hands of the careless, but when wielded deftly by a
a bike has a lower profile and less bulk than a car or truck, practiced user, can turn a hedge into a masterful sculpture.
making it a smaller target and increasing agility. Being able to expertly maneuver an eBike over difficult terrain
Mechanical problems could be problematic in an emer- in an emergency is no different.
gency situation. If the motor malfunctions, it’s not as easy to In a situation where cars and trucks are inoperable or incapa-
repair as a motorless bike would be, and finding or ordering ble of being used, eBikes may be the next best thing. A friend
parts may not be an option. We’ve all experienced the effects or family member may need medicine or supplies quickly.
of a disrupted supply chain, and those issues would be exacer- Someone may need to be transported to a medical treatment
bated in a disaster area. Other than keeping the bike main- facility. Or you may need to get out of dodge as quickly and
SOURCES
tained, having a fully charged battery could prove difficult as quietly as possible. Having a bike’s power amplified by a silent QuietKat
well. After the battery runs out of energy, the rider must pedal electric motor could make all the difference in the world. quietkat.com
the extra weight until they’re able to charge it again. Without
working utilities, solar panels, or enough sunlight, long periods
of time could pass between being able to recharge it again.
As far as usefulness in an emergency or survival situation
goes, eBikes capable of off-roading are invaluable. Before run-
ning the Warrior through various terrain, I was skeptical it’d
perform as well as it did. But modern eBikes are more powerful The motor as-
and versatile than ever before, and well worth considering as a sisted pedaling is
transportation or mobility alternative, in addition to other preps. surprisingly effec-
tive, and it makes
Practicing with it, knowing how to repair or maintain it, and
traversing town
having some back up parts could make the eBike a tool that roads practically
can outlast an extended crisis period. Having a reliable method effortless. Even
of grid-down mobility would absolutely help in each of the steep roads are
easily driven with
scenarios we considered in the introduction. an eBike’s motor
helping the rider.
086
ISSUE 59
BAGDROP

Concealed
Carbine Pack
Squeezing Full-Size Firepower
Into a Compact Carrier
By Nate Gerhart
oncealing a handgun in a backpack is rela-
tively straightforward, since a pistol, holster,
and spare mags can fit in even the smallest
packs with ease. However, if you’re looking to
conceal a long-gun, choosing your pack care-
fully becomes a much higher priority. Large backpacks can
hold a rifle easily, but they practically scream there’s a gun in
here — that may not be the message you want to send when
you’re walking through a hotel lobby, parking lot, or other
public location. Smaller packs may not fit your rifle or may
look awkward and bulky once they’re loaded with a weapon.
The setup seen here was designed as a happy medium be-
tween these extremes, with priority placed on carrying a fully
concealed, multi-role folding carbine.
Vertx has been a key name in the everyday carry back-
pack space for years with its Gamut series. As a happy
owner of several of these bags, the larger Vertx Basecamp
seemed like a natural choice for this application. I made sure
to carefully compare its measurements to those of my car-
bine in advance, and I wasn’t disappointed when it arrived.
The Carbine Setup
The bag is a snug but functional fit for my 12.5-
inch AR with a LAW Tactical folding stock adapter
and 20-round magazine. This rifle is equipped with
a Nightforce NX8 1-8x optic in a Badger Ordnance
Condition One 1.7-inch-height mount, as well as a
Holosun 509T red dot on the slimming KOENG.CO 12
o’clock mount.
The carbine was built to serve as the most effective gen-
eral-purpose rifle I could fit in the bag, allowing easy access
in a pinch. I wanted to ensure it could be fired immediately
without pausing to unfold the stock or put on ear protection;
this is accomplished by the addition of a LAW Tactical ARIC
bolt carrier and a Thunder Beast Dominus-K suppressor.
The base of the AR build is a San Tan Tactical Pillar matching
receiver set and a VLTOR Freedom Handguard with a built-in
hand stop and ARCA rail section (for quickly mounting on a
tripod). It also needed to be day and night capable. To this
end, it’s equipped with a Modlite PLHv2 light on an Arisaka
mount activated using a UNITY Tactical AXON switch. Utiliz-
ing a 12 o’clock mounted red dot also means I can passively
aim the rifle through night vision, if necessary. The 12.5-inch
Criterion barrel is excellently gassed, making suppressed
usage downright pleasant. Equipping the carbine with a PRI
M84 Gas Buster charging handle also helped reduce gas
blowback to the face. The choice to utilize a 20-round maga-
zine wasn’t due to any regional restrictions, but rather to al-
low easier access to the carbine through the top of the bag
without stripping the entire face open. A 30-round magazine
will fit tightly, but it means having to rip the backpack wide
open, which is less than ideal if you’re in a hurry to access
the weapon.
Additional Features
The Basecamp is feature-rich with a removable laptop
sleeve on the interior and zippered pouches for storing
small items. The Dark Earth color was chosen for function
as much as aesthetics. It fits the carbine with the custom
M81 Arid paint job from Pro2Customs and makes it easy
to conceal in an arid desert environment. To facilitate this
setup, removing the laptop sleeve was absolutely necessary.
This pack’s removable laptop sleeve wasn’t present in earlier
versions of the Gamut series, which is another selling point
of Vertx’s newer bags.
I prefer keeping things like batteries outside of direct sun
and heat in the desert, so having those small storage op-
tions positioned away from the top of the pack is beneficial.
I store paper goods or items less susceptible to heat in the
large, zippered storage pocket on the top of the open-
ing flap. Speaking of that top flap, I appreciate that Vertx
includes a Hot-Pull Tab at its leading edge, which can be
staged between the two zippers and pulled to quickly open
the main compartment. This makes it faster to open without
hunting for zippers that might have otherwise ended up in a
different place every time.
The generous internal storage allows the effective con- MAKE & MODEL
Vertx
cealment of not just the carbine but also a Dauntless Manu- Basecamp
facturing Hiker Tanto fixed blade with its sheath mounted CAPACITY
30 liters
to the included TactiGami panel, a fully stocked Ryker Nylon
MSRP
ankle IFAK utilizing the hook of the kit itself to attach to the $280
internal loop, and a SureFire Stiletto light stored beside the URL
vertx.com
Dauntless fixed blade. I also keep a reversible MultiCam/
black A3 Alpha Lochi jacket from Beyond Clothing inside the
main compartment, offering concealment as well as warmth.
Lastly, there’s a GRAYL GeoPress water purifier bottle. In the
metropolitan center of the desert city where I live, I can fill it
with 24 ounces of clean water from any tap, or purify water
scavenged from ponds and drainage ditches in a pinch. The
external stretch pockets allow me to carry the GeoPress as
well as a 32-ounce bottle on the opposite side.
Eventually, my buildout of the bag will be improved to
utilize more TactiGami panels on the interior for better
spare magazine storage. I also plan to use the external PALS
webbing hidden under the flap on the outside of the pack.
I’ve used this outer storage space effectively in the past
by mounting specific pouches for sundry items that might
require access without exposing the main compartment’s
contents. Ideas that come to mind are basic toiletries, pen
and paper, a book, a multi-tool, and, naturally, some snacks.
In my opinion, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more
well-rounded and durable backpack at this price point. The
Gamut family has proven to be well-built and reliable over
the years, and the Basecamp looks to be no different. If
you’re in the market for a multi-role backpack that offers
concealment for anything from a subcompact pistol to a
ISSUE 59
carbine, medkit, and spare magazines, you should give this
bag a closer look.
OFFGRIDWEB.COM 087
THEFINALWEAPON
Tracking in the Concrete Jungle
racking is a skill that’s often applied to
wilderness locations. Hunters use it to
follow wild game, search and rescue
personnel use it to find lost hikers, and
law enforcement personnel use it to track
fugitives. In previous issues, we wrote about tracking and
counter-tracking lessons learned from Greenside Train-
ing classes in the forests of northern Michigan and the
Arizona desert. Although these wilderness-oriented skills
are important, more than 85 percent of Americans live in
urban or suburban areas.
So, how does tracking translate to the concrete jungle?
This is the question that led Freddy Osuna, former USMC
Scout Sniper and founder of Greenside Training, to develop
his Grayside Hunter course. It began with a refresher on
tracking fundamentals in the Sonoran Desert outside
Tucson, Arizona. In the wilderness, your target may leave
behind spoor (tracks) in track traps such as patches of
mud and soft dirt. For urban areas full of hard concrete and
asphalt, these track traps are less common but more sig-
nificant. For example, a target might cut a corner and leave
a footprint in grass, cross a muddy median, or step into an
oil patch, indicating their direction of travel. Pay attention to
other disturbances in the natural scenery — just as bird calls
can alert us to a target in the forest, dogs barking can alert
us to targets in the city. Security camera footage may also
be obtainable through social engineering.
On day two of the Grayside Hunter class, we met in
downtown Tucson for an urban tracking exercise. All of
the students split up into small teams, since working to-
gether is especially valuable in the chaotic and challeng-
ing urban environment. We used cell phones and radios
to stay in touch and subdivided our teams into A and B
units to cover more ground. Our goal was to track a ficti-
tious criminal, alias Sevryn, who was affiliated with a local
drug trafficking network. We knew this bearded mid-40s
male would be meeting with contacts throughout the
city, and we learned his first meeting was with a younger
man in Nike combat boots. One team set off after Sevryn,
and the other followed his contact.
Although we were able to find a few of the distinctive
Nike boot prints on muddy sidewalks and medians, and
some transference of that mud onto a nearby lawn, driz-
zling rain and the nonstop activity of an urban environ-
By Patrick McCarthy
ment soon caused us to lose the trail. We moved in a grid
pattern, expanding out in every direction from last known
boot print locations, but we couldn’t find anything. This is
the reality of urban tracking — you won’t always be suc-
cessful, especially when Mother Nature gets in the way.
Thankfully, a piece of intel came in from the other team,
directing us to a multistory parking garage. After surveilling
a nearby intersection, we spotted Sevryn entering a restau-
rant to meet with a blonde woman. Carefully observing the
scene through our binoculars, we could see he slid her a
cell phone and paid for his drink with a credit card before
leaving. The method of payment is potentially traceable
by law enforcement, and it indicates he wasn’t concerned
enough about that fact to pay in cash. We took notes on
During the
what we saw and cross-checked it with other observers. Grayside
Unless you’re a law enforcement officer, you’ll probably Hunter course,
never need to covertly follow a drug trafficker and his we tracked a
fictitious criminal
accomplices, but the awareness and observation skills through down-
derived from this Grayside Hunter tracking exercise are town Tucson,
relevant to anyone who lives in a city. While searching for testing our
observational
traces of our fictional bad guy, we noticed signs of real
skills, team co-
crime and drug activity in the area — broken glass on the ordination, and
ground from car burglaries, gang tags on bus stops, and awareness.
scraps of aluminum foil coated in
black tar heroin residue. If you live
in or frequently visit a city, you may
never notice these small details, but
paying attention to them can help
you discern potential threats and
danger areas.
Grayside Hunter was a fun experi-
ence, and it exposed us to the chal-
lenges of tracking someone through a
city. Unlike rural environments, where
footprints, matted foliage, and broken
twigs are relatively common, urban
environments may only offer a single
piece of spoor every few blocks. This
is why it’s so important to work as a
team, because five sets of eyes are
much better than one. If you’re inter-
ested in trying your hand at urban
tracking, check GreensideTraining.
com for upcoming class dates.
 ORDER TODAY
AND YOUR MAGAZINES WILL BE ORDER TODAY
SHIPPED TO YOU IN A #4 LDPE 100%
RECYCLABLE POLYBAG ALONG WITH 4
A PROTECTIVE PRIVACY INSERT TO
KEEP YOUR INVESTMENT SAFE.
SUBSCRIBE NOW: to keep your
WWW.RECOILWEB.COM investment safe.
Curriculum that empowers people
Addressing the skills you need so you
A series by Green Beret (Special Forces Sniper) and Tim Kennedy (former top 5 UFC Middleweight).
 Ib i n g e w a t c h i t o n

WWW.RECOIL.TV | DOWNLOAD THE FREE APP TODAY

PRESENTED BY

to protect and preserve human life.

and your families can live without fear.
AVAILABLE ON
090
ISSUE 59
THELASTPAGE
Creating AI For Good
Review of Scary Smart: The Future of Artificial By Patrick Diedrich
Intelligence and How You Can Save Our World

The Premise: Scary Smart by Mo Gawdat isn’t your grim picture of AI’s potential impact. But Gawdat balances BOOK & AUTHOR
Scary Smart:
typical guide to bracing for life’s curveballs. Instead, it the potential for dystopia with an equal amount of how The Future
dives deep into the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) astonishingly well AI can solve some of the world’s most of Artificial
Intelligence
and its potential impact on humanity. Gawdat, a former dire problems. Additionally, Gawdat’s focus on embedding and How You
Google executive, warns us about the rise of AI, which he ethics into AI has been met with skepticism, as defining Can Save Our
World
argues could be both a blessing and a curse. The book “ethics” in a universally acceptable way is a complex task. By Mo Gawdat
serves as a wake-up call, urging us to prepare for a future Much like any tool humanity invents, often the only way
PUBLISHER
where AI could either be our greatest ally or a formidable to stop a bad guy who uses the technology in a nefarious Bluebird
adversary. way is a good guy using the tech to prevent the bad from MSRP
The 411: Gawdat starts the book with a thought exercise. happening. $15

Imagine it’s the year 2050, and you’re sitting around a The Verdict: Scary Smart is a thought-provoking read URL
mogawdat.com
campfire with the author. You’re either living in a dystopia that challenges us to consider the ethical and practical
PAGES
where AI turned against humanity, or a utopia where AI implications of rapidly advancing AI technology. While it 326
ushered in a new age of prosperity. Looking back at the may not be a traditional guide on how to prepare for life’s RATING
current time, what words of wisdom would future you say uncertainties, it offers valuable insights into adapting and THRIVE
to present you? Gawdat does just this, exploring how we thriving in a world increasingly influenced by AI. If you’re
SURVIVE
could reach a worst-case conclusion or a best-case future. someone who’s keen on understanding the broader land-
The book explores the “dual use” of AI. For example, scape of threats and opportunities that lie ahead, this book DIE
when Oppenheimer discovered how to recreate nuclear is definitely worth your time.
fission, he invented a paradigm-shifting technology that
could be used to annihilate civilization or provide it with
an abundance of energy. AI is similar in scope with this
double-edged sword characteristic, and Scary Smart
explores how humanity can prepare and approach AI’s
development in an ethical way. The book emphasizes
that AI has the potential to solve some of the world’s
most pressing issues but also poses risks if not managed
responsibly. Gawdat stresses the importance of program-
ming ethics into AI, which is crucial for ensuring that these
systems act in the best interests of humanity. The book
argues we need to be mentally and emotionally prepared
for a future where AI plays a significant role. This involves
understanding the technology, its limitations, and how to
co-exist with it.
While Scary Smart doesn’t directly address traditional
notions of readiness for unforeseen events, it does offer
a unique perspective on preparing for a future shaped
by AI. It’s about adaptability, mental fortitude, and ethical
considerations — qualities that are essential for any kind of
readiness strategy. The book encourages us to think criti-
cally about the technology we’re creating and how it could
affect us, a vital skill when planning for the unknown.
The book has faced criticism for its somewhat alarm-
ist tone, with some readers arguing it paints an overly
 THE NEW

TAKING OUR SOCOM RIS II

LEGACY INTO THE FUTURE

+ FULLY-AMBI CONTROLS
More flexibility and greater control of your rifle
for greater control of the situation at hand.

+ LIGHTER RAIL THAT’S HEAVY DUTY

Same robust design as our RIS II, built for
US Special Operations Command (SOCOM),
with M-LOK attachment for less weight.

+ PATENTED BOLT-UP SYSTEM

6-bolt Bolt-Up System withstands the rigors of hard use,
protecting accuracy while free-floating the barrel.

+ GRIP-N-RIP ® CHARGING HANDLE

Independently ambi charging handle with anti-gas
features for a better shooting experience.