Outdoor Adventure USA

Happy holiday's to everyone and have a safe Christmas and happy new year
My Ideal's for christmas gift's

Camping gear.
new HF radio , Elecraft K3
Fly fishing gear, rod/ reel's
clothing for the outdoors, down jacket's and more light weight gear
Map's / GPS
Kitchen gear
fishing wader's
boat
Backpacking tent's
Stove
Lantern

Happy Holiday's
Don
W6KLE

To all,
I would like to offer my wish list and best wishes to all.
KK6DGL
Kevin

One great thing about outdoor hobbies, and amateur radio, is you always have something that you would like to add to your collection of equipment, whether it's a new product you've seen, or something that has been around for a while, and you finally realize how useful it would be to have for yourself.

Some of my suggestions for gifts that are always appreciated:

TRASHAROO (approx $45)
The TRASHAROO spare tire trash bag is made from denier nylon, with wide buckles. positive closing cover, and drain holes for spillage. It easily attaches to most external mounted spare tires and tailgates, and provides a secure place for trash or trail supplies without damaging your rig's interior.

TRAILHEAD TIRE DEFLATOR SET (approx $60)
TRAILHEAD Automatic Tire Deflators will automatically reduce the air pressure in a tire to a predetermined level and stop, preventing any further loss of air from the tire. This is very convenient, as you can just put them on and drive, and remove them on your next stop, saving time and backaches.

SCANGAUGE II (approx $150)
The ScanGauge II is an extremely compact automotive computer designed to read and display information about your vehicle in real time. Simply connect the ScanGauge II to your vehicle through it's OBDII port using the included cable, turn the ignition key and it automatically connects to your cars internal computer - it's that simple. It's an easy way to monitor many important vehicle systems, as well as watch your remaining fuel in realtime - a real plus when on the trail.

MAXTRAX RECOVERY RAMPS (approx $300)
MaxTrax are an Australian-made extract device. They are lightweight, extremely sturdy, easy to handle, and easy to use. The large cleats on MAXTRAX sink their teeth into the tire tread and the terrain under your 4WD vehicle to prevent it from slipping back into mud, snow, or sand and make vehicle recovery quick and easy.

GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA BACKROADS and 4WD TRAILS (approx $35)
You can never have too many trail books. There are many out there, and each has a unique assortment of off-road trails for different areas. One series of trail books that I like is Charles Wells' "Backroads and 4WD Trails". These books now use spiral bindings which make keeping it open to a specific page easy, color pic and markers, GPS coordinates, and ratings that are fairly recent - all of the trails in these guides are still open so far. Available for NV, AZ, and UT in addition to CA.

KK6CTT for an on-line check-in and a list of items for gifts.

1. Either one of these but I lean towards the Sawyer Mini Filter over the LifeStraw but both are great choices: http://prepforshtf.com/sawyer-mini-wate ... lifestraw/

2. The USGI 18" machete has been a longtime friend and is not just for out of doors trips. It makes a great around the house tool as well. There is a shorter version in 12" and although I have one, I find nothing wrong with the 18" for most of my needs. I would chose a machete over an axe in most cases but having the right tool for the job is always something to consider: http://ontarioknife.com/search/machete
3. Connectors, connectors, connectors. I like to be able to plug my handheld radios into big antennas and see what they are really capable of. Depending on which radio and configuration, I like a simple adapter (say SMA to SO-239) and in some cases I like to go the jumper cable route. Either way, I get a kick out of being able to go QRP with the toys once in awhile with a more efficient antenna. Same thing goes for battery eliminators and mini power supplies that help reduce the need for changing batteries constantly. Nothing like having a more efficient HT antenna and I have had good luck with the Diamond line but there are others that really do add to the mix.

4. I second the the Kenwood TH-D72a but I have also found the FT-1DR by Yaesu is really a nice rig with many of the same features as the TH-D72A while having the digital Fusion option, which I have not flexed yet. Even if Fusion does not take off, I like the features of both of these radios especially the APRS feature; a big selling point for both. Oh, one other positive note about the FT-1DR is the ruggedness and size. Not to say the Kenwood is not a serious contender but I would say the Yaesu solution edges out the Kenwood in size (smaller package) and hefty feel.

5. Our whole family enjoys using the USGI stainless steel canteen cups as well. Big enough to OD on an adult beverage/caffeine drink or simply used as a healthy serving container for stew or Ramen noodles cooked and ate right out of the cup. These are the ultimate in nesting and if you want to carry the cup and nest it in a canteen, the Nalgene BPA free canteens ("Oasis") are a good setup. http://store.nalgene.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=27 I will take it one final step further and add a heavy stainless cover for the canteen cup and that makes some heavy duty, long lasting kit. http://www.heavycoverinc.com/us-gi-mili ... oil-cover/ Putting it all together: http://www.realworldgear.net/canteen.html
6. For those of you who like the AR platform, keep one of these in your butt stock or pistol grip (boresnake): http://www.hoppes.com/boresnake In a pinch you can always use a knotted piece of 550 cord.

7. Stocking stuffers like 550 cord, Fox 40 whistle (loud) and a signal mirror with pouch are always nice to have items. Mora knives, for their utilitarian design and cost effectiveness...just can't be beat. http://www.moraofsweden.se/products/adventure (I prefer their stainless models because they are wash and wear oriented).

8. Another overlooked knife in the "this is a true tool" realm is the Anza brand knives made from files. Charlie Davis has made a niche in the knife world since he left Buck Knives and has been a real pleasure to work with over the years. He put together a knife for me while I was deployed that eventually carried the name "Ranger." After two deployments I gave the knife to a life long buddy who now enjoys it but not to worry, I went to the Anza shop and bought another made to specs here in El Cajon. http://anzaknives.biz/store/index.php?m ... er&x=0&y=0
9. Nite Ize makes some other nice stocking stuffers and I put their their mini s-biner on most of the tools I want to have "dummy corded" to something https://www.niteize.com/product/S-Biner-MicroLock.asp. I have also used their biner light for night walks with my dog and their "figure 9" for putting up our laundry line quickly https://www.niteize.com/product/Figure-9-Large.asp.

10. My favorite Goal Zero products are the Torch 250 and the Nomad 20. The Torch 250 is a self contained spot, flood and red light source. It has its own solar panel that will keep the system topped off if you don't use it heavily http://www.goalzero.com/torch250/index. ... aQodRpQASA. They are coming out with a Nomad 100 which will be a beast in this line of solar powered adventure gear. A lot pricey but it is a good solution if you do not want to put together your own solar powered kit http://www.goalzero.com/p/337/nomad-100 ... el#reviews.
Have a great Holiday Season and great prospects for the coming New Year! See ya out on the trail.

Here are some suggestions for possible Christmas gifts.



You never can have too many flash lights. Mag-lite Solitaire LED flashlights are about $6.00. Add a lithium AA battery and they make a great emergency flash light to stash in your glove box or tool kit.



Something no self respecting fully equipped overlander can be without is the Snow Peak Titanium Spork. Weighs 15 grams and is available in a variety of colors. $10 from many sources on the Internet.



Another handy item is an every day carry (EDC) lighter. These tiny lighters can be found on the Internet for around $25.00.



If you like freshly ground gourmet coffee while camping a small hand crank coffee grinder is great to have. Taking the effort to hand grind your coffee each morning makes it taste that much better. About $26.00



Taking the EDC lighter concept a step further, you can add a variety of EDC tools on a small key ring. This set comes from Kauffman Mercantile for $59.



If you're tired of plain coffee in the morning or your significant other misses that Starbucks Latte here is the Bialetti Mukka Express stove top latte maker. It makes espresso and steams the milk at the same time. It's about $90 from a variety of sources on the Internet.

Here are a few more suggestions for stocking stuffers and if you're lucky enough to know someone in the 1% or want to treat yourself to something unique for off road travel. (I can't miss a chance to make a plug for weird European military vehicles )



How about a Puch G Wagon? It's a less expensive alternative to the gussied up Mercedes G wagon. This is how the Mercedes G wagon started. They trickle into the U.S. in small numbers. Generally they are equipped with Mercedes 4 cylinder diesel engines and manual transmissions. $12,900 from Swiss Army Vehicles.



How about a smaller, older version of a Pinzgauer, the Steyr Puch Haflinger. Haflingers were commonly used by the Swiss army and the Pinzgauer was a development to make a larger replacement for the Haflinger. Haflinger Pathfinders were a model that was sold commercially in North America. Annoyingly to modern side by side owners, Haflingers are street legal in California due to the fact that they were street legal when originally sold here. $15,800 from Swiss Army Vehicles.



Ex German military Unimog U1300s are coming into the U.S. in a steady stream. $20,000 from Expedition Imports.



The Austrian army is selling off their fleet of Pinzgauers. Early Austrian Pinzgauers imported into the U.S. were generally rust buckets but the latest ones were factory reconditioned between 2000 and 2001 by the Austrian army at great expense. The Austrians used more rare and desirable 712K hard sided 6x6 models so these can now be found again at least until the supply dries up. $31,000 from Expedition Imports.

http://www.elecraft.com/KX3/kx3.htm The Elecraft KX3 Portable HF radio with option for 2 meter operation a great portable radio

http://micro-node.com/nano-m1.html If you have a portable internet device hot spot The nano=node from Micro-node.com is a great way to stay connected to your regular net operations. Using the IRLP system has never been easier.

http://www.buddipole.com/4sa1bapa.html Lightweight batteries are perfect for portable operations stringent charging requirements are the only drawback.

http://www.westmountainradio.com/produc ... de=/QST315 A super easy way to control a screwdriver antenna on your mobile HF setup.

http://j3.rf-explorer.com/ A portable spectrum analyser makes it easy to find out what is going on in the rf spectrum around you, verify your radio is operating properly, find a wi-fi signal. Very affordable.

http://www.powerprobe.com/webstore/inde ... duct_id=52 Diagnose why your electrical device is not working. This is not your fathers test light. It can even supply voltage to your circuit under test.

Dave and Tom,
I will be unable to participate on the net tonight.
Please give me a courtesy check in.
Thanks

KK6DGL
Kevin

Got you checked in Kevin

Just came across this stocking stuffer:

http://www.magellangps.com/Store/eXplor ... 4-Vehicles