Survival and Emergency Preparedness

I am only going to address watches within a group situation . . . not the best one for combat . . . not the best one for putting on a dive helmet and descending 200 feet down in the ocean. If you truly think that you and your family and your group can by with a cell phone, skip reading this.

KISS principle explained. YOUR knowledge of how to operate a sophisticated watch is not transferable to a six year old, the guy next door by blood line or osmosis.

You will need to tell time. How long does it take to get from point a to point b? When does a person go on security or stand down? If you are trying to save batteries on communications gear, when do you periodically check in?

You have three options if you are trying to save money: wind up, automatic or quartz. Eventually, every choice will fail at some point. Quartz watches are cheaper than automatic and you don't have to remember to periodically windup a watch. The trouble spot is that the battery may last as short two years and maybe 5 years.

Recently, I watched a video on the cheap Japanese quartz watch that started the revolution Casio 92f. Costs under $20 including tax. YOU can change out a battery. I have only one. Why? Because I used to buy and repair used watches. My daily beater until yesterday was a used 30-35 year old used Wenger. The strap broke and it is being replaced.

For a number of years, I preferred Timex Ironman as cheap, water resistant. Have used ones. They cost about $25 and less than $40 new.

Question - Assume that you have a number of transceivers. Further assume that you have established a radio protocol to save batteries and it requires you to do periodic radio checks. How can you accomplish this without having a cheap watch with the transmission radio?

I give new watches as graduation gifts. Gave out three last year to relatives. I have three "gift watches" in inventory. If shtf before they are given out . . . they will be used.

If it's a true societal breakdown where lifespan of gear comes into play, a simple digital watch will probably last as long as any radio equipment. The power source is going to be the limiting factor of any electrical device so an Ironman and a Baofeng will both be pretty useless in a few years.

bd makes a good point considering how few people wear watches these days and rely on cell phones.

I've had a number of watches over the years including Ironmans and other digital watches (I have a drawer full of them) but the one I always come back to and my EDC is the one my wife gave me 30 or 40 years ago for an anniversary. It's a Pulsar solar, probably $75 back in the day.

While I've gone through half a dozen bands the watch itself being solar powered has never stopped ticking, never been serviced. I've worn it scuba diving. It is worn, battered and scratched but keeps good time. All the markings on the outer dial have long worn off. I've only had to reset it when the time changes in the spring and fall.



Apparently Seiko bought out Pulsar and they may or may not still make it or something similar.

My everyday watch is Casio Warrior. I wear it till the watch dies and then buy another one in that $40 range. They last so long that usually when I go to replace whatever watch I have been wearing, they are no longer made.

Ronin.45 is correct. I do have some older windup mechanical and at least one automatic watch. I haven't checked whether they will keep good time. Ok. That goes on my bucket list. When shtf, I will have someone test them against a quartz watch for a few days.

I need to go to confession. I broke two vows: 1. not buy another watch without getting rid of one; and 2. not work on watches any more.

Yesterday, I received a beautiful, non working Wenger Military quartz watch. Estate sale for $15 plus shipping. Guessing that it is at 30 years old. One minor scratch. Have two that are perfect that I worked on. The strap was an undamaged after market poor material. Probably sized for a woman with a small wrist. 50 meters rating . . . and I don't wear a watch in the shower or go skin diving, so that is good enough. By the time I get done, it will cost as much as a new Bertucci X3 with a rating of 50 meters. Just a weakness for a challenge.

Congrats!

bdcochran wrote: ↑Wed Jul 10, 2024 6:31 am I need to go to confession. I broke two vows: 1. not buy another watch without getting rid of one; and 2. not work on watches any more.

Yesterday, I received a beautiful, non working Wenger Military quartz watch. Estate sale for $15 plus shipping. Guessing that it is at 30 years old. One minor scratch. Have two that are perfect that I worked on. The strap was an undamaged after market poor material. Probably sized for a woman with a small wrist. 50 meters rating . . . and I don't wear a watch in the shower or go skin diving, so that is good enough. By the time I get done, it will cost as much as a new Bertucci X3 with a rating of 50 meters. Just a weakness for a challenge.

Sounds like a nice find.

I've worn an Apple watch since 2019 give or take. The basic reason is because it allows an EKG reading which is important for me.

I took off my watch 18 yrs ago.... don't wear one.
Tho I do have a small bunch of wind-ups.