Steganography: More than Meets the Eye

Written by

The digital spaces that society has become virtually dependent upon over the last 10 to 15 years are increasingly becoming nonpermissive. Big Tech censorship, intelligence organizations, and law-enforcement agencies continue to push against the First Amendment rights of Americans in ways that were previously only encountered by those living in overtly authoritarian regimes such as Iran, China, or Russia. While covert communications are often depicted as suspicious in film and politics, Steganography is a method to keep private communications secret in the digital age. 

It’s not surprising then, that many people have been turning to secure communications (COMSEC) tools such as Signal or Keybase, both of which provide end-to-end encryption. COMSEC is essential, protecting the contents of your communications, whether you’re chatting with family members on Signal or accessing your online banking via HTTPS. Sometimes, COMSEC isn’t enough to protect your privacy or security, however.

Glossary 

COMSEC: Communications Security

COVCOM: Covert Communications

Cover File: An image or video containing a hidden file within it

Message File: The secret message we want to hide

OPSEC: Operational Security

Dead Drop: A physical or digital location where files or items can be left by one party and retrieved by another without the two directly interacting. See Issue 37 for examples of physical dead drops.

Tradecraft: The application of tools, tactics, and procedures by intelligence or cybersecurity professionals

The Problems with Cryptography

When operating in a nonpermissive space, traditional cryptographic systems like PGP or modern systems like Signal provide two key disadvantages:

1. They do nothing to hide the fact that a communication has taken place.

2. The cryptography itself provides non-repudiation of the message by mathematically tying it to the owner of a signer’s private key.

Taken together, this means an adversary with means will know who is talking to whom and, should the keys be recovered or the messages decrypted via cryptanalysis, you won’t be able to make the case that you weren’t the one doing the communicating.

stock image steganography

Introducing Covert Communications

Intelligence officers and their agents have had this problem for centuries, and so over that period of time many methods to hide the fact that a communication even took place. Rather than COMSEC, these techniques make up COVCOM, or Covert Communications. In the analog world, COVCOM techniques have included disappearing ink and microdots. In the digital world, one of the more common techniques is steganography.

Digital steganography is the process of encrypting a file and then embedding it into another in order to hide its existence. Typically, the encapsulate is an image or video file, as data can be encoded into pixels without affecting the appearance of the image to the human eye.

Getting Started with Steganography

There are many free software options for steganography, with options available for all major operating systems. One very popular option is called OpenStego. Written in Java, it can run on Windows, Mac, Linux, or any other OS with support for Java. This makes it an excellent choice for adoption by a MAG or other group.

OpenStego can be downloaded from https://www.openstego.com and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) can be downloaded from https://www.java.com, if necessary.

Once you’ve got Java and have downloaded the OpenStego zip file, unzip it and look for the appropriate starter. On Windows, you’ll want the “openstego.bat” file:

Running the .bat file should start the application:

steganography openstego

We see here that we need four things:

  • Message file is the secret text or other file that we’re trying to hide.
  • Cover file is the file we want to embed our message into, and what the world will see.
  • Output Stego File is the name of the file that we want to create, which will be the combination of our message and the cover file.
  • Encryption algorithm selection and password. This is something that’ll have to be known to all the intended recipients of the file and is used to protect the contents of the message even if its existence becomes known to an adversary.

Walking Through an Example

Let’s say that Big Tech has shut down a group used to organize an event or group of people, but the group still wants to organize. We may have an invitation such as this:

steganography openstego text

(This, of course, being a verse from the Irish rebel song “Rising of the Moon.”) We would save this file and then find some image file to hide it in. After running the program, we’d have two images. Side by side, they’d be indistinguishable:

steganography openstego two images

We would then post this image someplace:

steganography openstego doggo message

Later, another group member comes by, sees the message, and downloads the image:

steganography openstego doggo message

Using OpenStego, the member inputs the shared secret password and is able to recover the message:

steganography openstego

Notes on Tradecraft

Tradecraft is sum of the tools, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by intelligence or cybersecurity professionals. Adoption and proper application of these TTPs is key to successfully operating in the increasingly nonpermissive digital space and to making use of steganography worth it.

First, the dead drop isn’t really dead. (See sidebar for a definition and refer to Issue 37 for a detailed look at real-world dead drop applications.) Websites like 4chan or 7chan, for instance, allow anonymous users to post image files, making excellent digital dead drops. The reasonably high volume of traffic, coupled with the anonymous nature of these sites, help to confuse any links between visitors. Keep in mind, however, that some of these sites have controversial profiles that may make them targets of surveillance. Throwaway profiles and free image hosting sites like Imgur.com are also good options.

cat in bed steganography cryptology

Above: Steganography can be applied to any photo, but it’s often advantageous to use commonly shared memes or generic images that can be hidden in plain sight. Be sure the cover file you use fits the theme of the site you post it on.

Secondly, the digital-analog of a surveillance detection run would be leveraging Tor or a VPN before accessing any site that’ll be used as a digital dead drop. For a further layer of operational security (OPSEC), consider doing so away from your home or place of work.

Thirdly, when choosing cover files, you want to find files that are big enough that when your message is embedded, the overall size of the output file won’t be cause for obvious note. Additionally, choose cover files that are a good fit for the site you plan to dead drop them on. Common memes are always a good bet, but “adult” images on image sharing boards dedicated to the topic can be a fit, depending on your comfort level and risk profile.

Fourthly, remember to sanitize your clear text data when not using it. On Linux systems, for instance, you can securely delete files with the shred command (available as gshred on Macs). Windows systems will require a third-party software program to accomplish this. If you’re using a “live” operating system image like Tails when conducting the work, then all information is ephemeral anyway.

Last, but not least, keep in mind that there are some concerns related to the fact that everyone has to be aware of the same shared secret for this scheme to work. Failure to consider OPSEC when distributing the key to your group may provide an opportunity for a well-positioned and resourced adversary to gain information about the structure of the group. This infiltration could completely undermine your ability to set up covert communications channels. Choosing long pass phrases that are easy to remember but hard to guess will also decrease the likelihood of you or one of your peers needing to write it down, and the likelihood of an adversary being able to guess it.

steganography embarrassed woman Above: Hiding a message inside a raunchy “adult” photo may cause casual onlookers to click away in disgust, or deter them from visiting the type of sites that host that content in the first place.

Conclusion

The movement toward private and secure communications that began with Edward Snowden’s revelations of illegal domestic spying by U.S. intelligence has picked up steam since the general chaos that was 2020. While secure communications should be a cornerstone of everyone’s communications plan, the increasingly nonpermissive environment created by Big Tech and government censorship means that covert communications will become ever more important. Thanks to a proliferation of free software tools, anyone with common sense and a little basic tradecraft can integrate COVCOM into a well-rounded digital communications plan, whether for their family, their emergency preparedness group, or even just for fun. 

[Illustration by Cassandra Dale.]

More on Digital Security

The Tactical and Survival Application of Body Armor

Written by

On its face, the concept of body armor seems rather self-explanatory: better to have it and not need it, than the opposite. Having said that, body armor is a specific tool designed for a specific purpose and, more importantly, a certain environment. Let’s take a look at the concept of Body Armor in the 21st century, and hone in on various uses and applications, as well as relevancy against the current threats an prepared citizen might face. 

Modern Body Armor Theory

When we think of modern body armor, two things typically come to mind: the plate carriers worn by those in the military and the vests worn by police officers, political officials, and VIPs in both film and the real world. Although most people consciously recognize the difference between the real world and the virtual, it cannot be over-emphasized the importance of drawing a hard line between how body armor is represented in video games and movies, and the very real, very dangerous world. Both are bound to various constraints, but it would be catastrophic to confuse in-game statistics with NIJ level ratings of body armor.

Modern Body armor was created as a reaction to the dominant violent threats of the day: bullets and blades. The colloquial difference between hard and soft body armor is often simplified down to the ability of plates to stop rifle rounds which typically move at such velocity to pass straight through flexible kevlar vests. However, in the decades since these types of equipment arrived in military and law enforcement hands, two dynamics have changed: firearms and munition types, and a rise in civilian ownership of both guns and body armor.

S&S Plateframe - Redux full

Above: The S&S Precision PlateFrame Redux reprents a high end minimalist plate carrier

Foundational to the use of body armor is understanding how bullets, blades, and blunt force objects interact with the human body. It is said “the body is made up of timers and switches,” where if one organ is destroyed the person dies immediately, but if another is lost, there could still be seconds, minutes, hours, or days before death occurs. Losing blood or preventing oxygen from reaching the brain acts as a timer, but the severing of the nervous system can work as a switch. The lethality of a knife or gunshot wound is determined by the amount of time it takes to make the victim functionally unresponsive, and this guides the application of body armor.

hoplite plate carrier esapi

When it comes to bodily organs, one could say that the intestines are almost as vital as the heart and lungs, especially in regard to day-to-day living. Digestion, Respiration, and the Circulatory system all work together, but the sudden disabling of each system impacts the body at different rates. Which is why properly worn body armor covers the heart and lungs, as well as some of the spine. The purpose of Body Armor is to increase the likelihood that an injured person will live long enough to reach a hospital in the event they suffer wounds typical to modern combat. Plate carriers and soft armor protect the organs that, if harmed, would result in death before surgical-level medical care could take place.

Takeaways:

  • Body Armor is for a world with Hospitals.
  • Properly-fit, and properly-worn Body Armor protects the heart and lungs: the most vital organs in the short term.

Modern Body Armor Dynamics

Beyond theory, modern body armor introduces unique dynamics into any survival scenario: logistically, physically, and socially. Each of these dynamics applies to both a group and to an individual, sometimes differently.

 Logistics: Whether as an individual or as a group, one must deal with how body armor is acquired, transported, and stored. Militaries may be able to source gear for a whole unit and are bound by internal standards for protection levels and storage requirements. But the individual must face the market without the resources of an agency or organization to do the research or purchasing for them. This means that they may not have the ability to purchase multiple levels or types of body armor from the beginning, and they must rely on external resources to inform their decision. The individual will also be solely responsible for care of the armor. For soft armor, improper long-term storage can create folds, ridges or pockets that create gaps between the outer carrier and the Kevlar layers inside. Likewise, hanging a vest for long period can cause the Kevlar panels to “sag” inside the vest itself, again creating coverage gaps. For plates, the primary concern is impact. Bumping, dropping or hitting hard plates can creates dents or micro-cracks that reduce the plate’s ability to fully stop incoming fire.

 Physical: Body armor, be it hard plates or soft armor, changes how a person moves and carries themselves. Beyond the weight alone, it can make riding in a vehicle difficult if not impossible, and the physical limitations of the wearer (such as those based on injuries, illnesses or physical fitness level) are only amplified under the increased burden. Without consistent practice, carrying the weight debilitates some on even an easy day, and quickly turns a bad situation worse. For those not able to perform in the gear, body armor quickly becomes a net negative.

Regardless if you are operating as an individual or as part of a group, deliberate training and practice with body armor is necessary. Regardless of how much training an individual completes in body armor, it will always impact their ability to cover terrain, with increasing effects over time.

body armor s&s precision plateframe Modular

Above: A fully loaded plate carrier will provide the best protection, but will almost certainly draw attention.

 Social: As much as we could wax poetic about the Second Amendment in principle, it simply is not common in most Western countries to see people walking around in body armor of any sort, with the closest exception being city police. In some social situations, gear of this sort is viewed as a symbol of authority and, in others, it stands out as a target. Whether out of suspicion or admiration, body armor is most often seen and treated as a sign of intent: one does not wear it simply for fashion, training classes and range days notwithstanding.

 Takeaways:

  • The acquisition, storage, and implementation of body armor requires proactive attention.
  • Unlike a jacket, it is equipment that requires familiarization and practice to wear properly.
  • Body Armor will draw attention, in useful or harmful ways depending on the circumstances.

 Modern Body Armor Situations

The phrase “mission dictates gear” works well in clearly defined military circumstances, such as night raids or long-distance reconnaissance movements, but when it comes to something as ambiguous as survival we are faced with a much more abstract problem. In order to properly apply body armor in a survival situation, we must define the mission.

For all application considerations, it will be assumed that the wearer is capable and practiced in wearing body armor.

 Group vs Individual

A lone individual will have to assess whether it is better for their situation to attempt to socially blend in if possible, or stand out due to the greater likelihood of receiving small arms fire. In the event that a gunfight is inevitable, opting for armor will increase their chances of survival, but such situations are extremely rare.

In most families, there is at least one person who cannot effectively wear body armor, be they children, the elderly, or those with physical conditions. This adds a dynamic unique to civilian survivors and magnifies the complications a sole individual would face, because the family may choose to acquire more gear and thus accrue more cost. For those who can wear body armor, not all will experience the same comfort and protection level based on body type and fitness level.

One step higher, at the level of a neighborhood, the greatest level of complication manifests across all dynamics. It is all but guaranteed that the diversity of skill and equipment across larger groups will vary so greatly and, depending on personalities, could produce internal strife. Most people in a neighborhood do not have their own body armor and, of those who do, even fewer are capable with it.

Effectively a collection of individuals and families who have, in all likelihood, not organized or trained with each other before an emergency scenario, it is unreasonable to assume common equipment and skill level. But if unified by community esirit de corps, or sheer self-preservation, the abilities of some can greatly benefit the whole. A community that coordinates an armed and armored security force will eventually be faced with how others react to the group’s appearance. Those leary of gangs, militias, or the actions of the State may view impromptu security with suspicion. For example, look at how the “guards” of Seattle’s CHAZ/CHOP were perceived by the surrounding neighborhoods, city officials, and the nation.

 Short Term versus Long Term

A situation will determine if, how, and which type of body armor should be used. A traditional divide between military or government activities, and those of individual citizens is shifting, if not dissolving in the 21st century. With situations such as the American riots of 2020, and the takeover of Kabul by the Taliban in 2021, survival in the short term can mean reaching a safe house, escaping a city, or protecting a neighborhood until relative peace returns. Even in these scenarios, the physical requirements of body armor demand them to be a proactive measure, not merely a reaction.

The distinction between short-term and long-term use of body armor is determined by the level of sustainment available. By consulting Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, we note that food, water, warmth, and rest are more important than the security that body armor brings in a long-term crisis. It is here that we begin to find a holistic application of such equipment. In regard to survival, a plate carrier is the means to live through a short-term crisis. But only if there is access to food and shelter will it have long-term viability at defending such resources.

The terms proactive and reactive, in regard to body armor, do not necessarily translate into offensive and defensive.

 Takeaways

  • Proactive vs. Reactive: It is absolutely vital to first consider the need, and acquire body armor to meet that goal, instead of first buying gear and later try to find a use for it.
  • The application differs for an individual, family, or community
  • Not everyone’s skill, comfort, and equipment levels will be equal in a group or family setting.
  • Body Armor is a tool in the short term

 Types Determined by Threat

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) categorizes different levels or standards of body armor according to what types of threats they can stop. A manufacturer may state that their armor meets or exceeds a specific level, but not all have been NIJ certified. The history behind these levels is best understood as being developed to address specific threats, most often directed towards different international conflicts. The development of technology and material has been gently guided by the needs of the NIJ, not necessarily private citizens, in order to produce the current categories.

armor express soft armor

Above: Soft armor is easier to wear underneath clothing, but provides less protection.

While the NIJ rating for bullet-stopping capabilities begins at IIA and currently goes as high as IV, each of the standards is specified by the type and velocity of the projectile. It can be safely generalized that, at the time of writing, soft armor stops most handgun rounds between 9mm and .44 magnum, so long as the armor achieves at least a Level IIA rating.

The two NIJ ratings for hard plates are:

-Level III which are rated to stop a 7.62 mm projectile traveling at 2780 ft/s ± 30 ft/s (non-armor-piercing .308)

-Level IV which are rated to stop .30 caliber at 2880 ft/s ± 30 ft/s  (military-grade armor-piercing projectiles in .30-06)

-Level III plates will stop standard 7.62x39mm AK rounds (except for the mild steel core variation) but will not stop M855 “green tip” 5.56mm rounds, which are prolific in the US. The matter is only further complicated by the great variety of projectile types and barrel lengths found in the United States. As a result, various manufacturers have begun making what is commonly referred to as “special threat plates,” or “Level III+” plates. These are boutique armor plates that fall short of Level IV, but typically cover the “light armor piercing” gray space where 5.56mm green tip and 7.62x39mm steel core live. It should be noted that Level III+ and Special Threat Rated are not an official NIJ ratings, and buyers should review manufacturers specs carefully. Don’t be afraid to ask a company about their testing/rating process. The good ones typically use an independent research laboratory to certify their plates against specific threats, whether or not they are within the specific NIJ rating system.

 Takeaways:

  • Body Armor is categorized into levels according to what NIJ standards they meet.
  • Read the fine print: some are NIJ certified, others use non-standard certification methods.
  • Soft Armor can stop pistol rounds, but Hard Armor is required to stop rifle rounds.

 Finally, Application

Theory, dynamics, and situational considerations come together to provide the framework for both if and how body armor would be implemented in known and suspected events.

Three recent examples provide the context for what such a survival situation might look like: the worldwide 2020 riots, the prolonged civil unrest in cities like Portland, and the violent upheaval of nation-states like Venezuela and, more recently, Afghanistan.

 Riot Season

From theory, we recognize that body armor belongs in a world with hospitals. During the Minneapolis riots of 2020, individual citizens volunteered to protect their communities from those who took advantage of the chaos and outrage. In some cases, this drew attention to their neighborhoods but, in the end, those who stood up for themselves were mostly left untouched. In the event that “things went wrong” the hospitals were still up and running, and capable of treating injuries from burns to gunshot wounds. As buildings burned, some chose to leave the city, opting to live with families until the unrest died down.

body armor ferro slickster worn

Above: The Ferro Concepts Slickster can quickly be scaled up and down to the needs of the moment. 

From street demonstrations to the rooftops of local businesses, AR-15’s, shotguns, and handguns became a normal sight in certain areas. Protestors could be seen wearing body armor and carrying AR-style firearms through downtown Minneapolis. In events like evacuations, personal armor went a long way to add security to an otherwise chaotic environment. In the short term, body armor was a means to an end.

body armor under all skill no luck flannel

Above: If trying to conceal a minimalist plate carrier under a full sized shirt, opt for something with a pattern. It will help disguise the body armor from unsuspecting eyes, but those who know what to look for will still be able to spot it. Shirt: Ntchwaidumela by All Skill No Luck.

In terms of body armor, both soft and hard options have something to offer. To this day, handguns are the most used firearm in violent crime, especially in deeply urban environments. Properly rated soft armor, being easier to conceal, and requiring less familiarization, could be one of the few examples where the phrase “better than nothing” is not the pitch of a snake oil salesman.

 Prolonged Unrest

But in some parts of the city and the country, the unrest became a prolonged reality with no clear end in sight. This is the ideal place for Body Armor to show its value, as the medical institutions continued to function, despite the unrest, treating all who entered their doors with medical attention. As factions continued to clash in the street, non-participants in the area were caught in the crossfire, often to tragic ends.

body armor ferro slickster worn under triple aught design ranger LT

Above: Even under a hoodie, the edges of a plate carrier will still stand out. 

It would be a stretch to argue that body armor should be worn daily to and from the grocery store. Rather, the ability for a family or individual to use it in the event a local street fight (or gunfight) takes place in their front yard or brings comfort in the day-to-day, as well. Prolonged unrest resides in the uncertainty between the likelihood of order restoring, and the possibility of violent revolution or societal breakdown. Many of the greatest dangers in these situations are psychological and mental, as those caught in the crossfire are faced with a hard decision: hold on to hope that the violence will end soon, or leave the area, possibly indefinitely.

Prolonged unrest is an ideal example of how body armor can benefit the private citizen, as these events are often defined by the crippling of police response and a considerable rise in local crime. Body armor can bring a sense of comfort, and a capability, albeit small, and improves one’s position whether they choose to remain in place or leave the area.

 Brave New World

Since even the concept of a total-collapse scenario quickly devolves into near-infinite possibilities, it should never be the starting point at which one considers body armor. This means that one should not make decisions on if or what type of body armor they invest in with the apocalypse in mind. This protects against panic buying and facilitates a proactive, productive approach to self-defense and survival.

 In Conclusion

Body Armor is, first and foremost, a tool to be used to aid the accomplishment of certain objectives. The ambiguity of survival as an objective must be refined by the parameters of your individual situation: urban vs. rural, bug-in vs. bug-out, solo vs family-, or community-level planning, and so forth. Not all armor is created equal, and it is far from magic. Instead, body armor is best seen as a supporting option, not a solution in and of itself. That being the case, the support it brings extends beyond the physical, as it can add a small sense of security to an otherwise chaotic situation.

Plate Carriers Featured

S&S Precision PlateFrame-Redux
Colors: Black, Multicam, Tan, Toadvine
MSRP: $372
URL: sandsprecision.com

S&S Precision PlateFrame-Modular
Colors: Black, Multicam, Tan, Toadvine
MSRP (Base): $1,142 (as Bundle at time of writing with additional 3x AR-15 Mag shingle)
URL: sandsprecision.com

Ferro Concepts Slickster
Colors: Black, Coyote Brown, Ranger Green, Wolf Grey, Multicam, Multicam Black
MSRP: $16o
URL: www.ferroconcepts.com

MORE ON NIGHT VISION, TACTICAL GEAR, AND FIREARMS

Tactical Shorts Buyer’s Guide – Summer 2021

Written by

Those of us who carry concealed firearms often adhere to the “dress around the gun” philosophy. In other words, we wear clothing that makes it easy to conceal the firearm, rather than excessively tight, form-fitting apparel that might make the weapon more visible. However, it’s possible to take this concept too far — you’ll appear out-of-place wearing baggy jeans and an oversized sweatshirt in the middle of summer. For this reason, we’re taking a look at a few pairs of lightweight, durable tactical shorts that are designed for concealed carry, range trips, and everyday use during the warmer months.

Tactical Shorts Buyer’s Guide

So, what are tactical shorts, anyway? They might also be called range shorts or cargo shorts, although not all have traditional cargo pockets.

Whatever you call them, these shorts are designed with guns, range equipment, and every-day carry gear (i.e. knives, flashlights, medical kits) in mind. They’re lightweight enough to remain breathable after hours of strenuous activity in the sun, but also durable enough to hold up to hard use. They have an array of pockets for common items, and some may be tailored to rifle or pistol mags. Flexibility is also a priority, since the wearer may need to climb or crawl around obstacles while running drills.

I live in Arizona, and shooting during the summer months usually means dealing with triple-digit heat, even after sunset. It’s a top priority to find clothes that won’t slow me down or leave me dripping sweat after a few minutes outside. Much like insulating apparel in cold climates, breathable clothing in the desert is worth its weight in gold.

With this in mind, I picked up a few pairs of tactical shorts from companies that specialize in this market — 5.11 Tactical, Vertx, and Viktos. Read on for my thoughts on each.

5.11 Tactical Aramis 10-inch Shorts

Sizes: 28 to 44
Colors: Khaki (pictured), Black, Ranger Green, Battle Brown, Grey Blue
MSRP: $45
URL: 511Tactical.com

Notes:
The Aramis shorts are constructed from 98% cotton with the remainder being stretchy Elastane. These materials keep them light and breathable; however, cotton soaks up moisture like a sponge, so be aware of this if the forecast predicts any rainfall. Reinforced belt loops and a V-shaped lower-back webbing loop will keep your favorite gun belt where it belongs.

A total of seven pockets are integrated into the design, including two back yoke pockets at the four-o-clock and eight-o-clock positions. These are well-suited to AR mags, notepads, cell phones, and the like. A running gusset in the crotch improves flexibility and durability, and N6 knife reinforcements at the corners of the front pockets are designed to alleviate wear in these key areas.

I appreciate that these shorts are a little sleeker than most other 5.11 Tactical shorts. They omit side cargo pockets, zipper or flap closures, and other duty-oriented features, and the end result is a design that won’t turn any heads on or off the range.

Vertx Cutback 11-inch Shorts

Sizes: 30 to 44
Colors: Shock Cord (pictured), Exhaust
MSRP: $65
URL: Vertx.com

Notes:
Vertx calls this material VaporCore, and it’s a blend of 48% cotton, 25% 37.5 polyester, and 27% T400 polyester. The combination results in fabric that’s soft and light with excellent moisture-wicking capabilities. Plentiful double-stitched seams, bar tacks, and rivets ensure long-term durability.

These shorts feature eight pockets, including deep, mesh-lined front pockets that help considerably with airflow around the legs. Two back yoke pockets and one right thigh pocket offer storage for smartphones, rifle mags, and other large objects. There’s also a watch/coin pocket that contains a pass-through slit for a radio headset or earbuds.

I’ve always liked the way Vertx integrates helpful hidden features that the average wearer might never notice. For example, there are several two-inch-long mini stash pockets inside the fly and waistband; they’re the perfect size for folded emergency cash, hidden keys, or lockpicks. The front pockets contain anchor loops that can be used to retain the sheath of a concealed fixed-blade knife, or the holster of a pocket-sized handgun. Despite these features, the Cutback shorts are comfortable and look discreet enough for everyday wear.

Viktos Operatus 10-inch Shorts

Sizes: 28 to 44
Colors: Coyote (pictured), Nightfjall, Greyman Camo, Ranger Camo
MSRP: $50
URL: Viktos.com

Notes:
Viktos says the Operatus tactical shorts were “inspired by the Rhodesian bush wars’ combat shorts.” While I can see some resemblance in the cargo pocket design, I’m glad to see it paired with a more conservative 10-inch inseam — the 1970s cutoff design left little to the imagination. These shorts are made of a modern 88% polyester and 12% spandex blend that’s quick-drying and flexible.

Pocket configuration is unconventional, with two front pockets, two cargo pockets, a change pocket, a left front zippered EDC pocket, and a right rear pocket (probably not ideal if you’re a lefty). These are lined with mesh for drainage and breathability.

Another unconventional feature is the use of a metal G-hook instead of a button. However, the more we thought about this, the more it makes perfect sense. It’s strong, mimics the closure of many range belts, and lies flat against your abdomen (or IWB holster, if you’re a fan of appendix carry). Three closure loops are sewn in, so you can tighten the fit by moving the G-hook to different positions. With the asymmetric pockets and prominent Viktos lettering on the thigh, these are a little flashier than other shorts, but they’re very comfortable and functional on the range.

Closing Thoughts

This is only a small sample of the tactical shorts segment — there are plenty of other pairs to consider, even from the brands seen in this article. But these three styles are a great place to start, whether you need a pair that’s low-profile for every-day carry or a pair that you’ll only be wearing to the range on weekends. With a little forethought, it’s always possible to “dress around the gun” while remaining comfortable and relatively discreet.

Doxing: What If Your Privacy is Compromised Online?

Written by

George Orwell was right — invasion of our private lives is becoming a greater threat with each passing decade. Even if it’s not being used by Big Brother’s totalitarian regime, our sensitive information is increasingly accessible to unscrupulous corporations, cybercriminals, and anonymous strangers who know where to look. According to Wikipedia, “Doxing or doxxing is the act of publicly revealing previously private personal information about an individual or organization, usually through the Internet.” It’s an increasingly common act of intimidation and an exposure meant to enable complete strangers to actively engage in harming you.

In 2012, an interactive map was posted online showing the names and addresses of New York handgun permit holders in Westchester and Rockland counties. Was this freedom of the press or potentially endangering people? Whether those gun owners like it or not, their info is now exposed, even if the post is deleted. More recently, the web site for the California Department of Justice leaked personal information — including full names, home addresses, dates of birth, and whether the individual works in law enforcement — for thousands of the state’s gun owners. The President of the California Rifle and Pistol Association called this a “vindictive” act by “sore loser bureaucrats,” implying that it may have been a response to the recent Supreme Court ruling that forced the California DOJ to remove its “good cause” requirement for concealed carry permit applications.

The list of similar situations goes on. From the dentist who shot Cecil the Lion, the Ashley Madison data breach, or celebrities Tweeting out the home addresses of people they don’t like, one thing is for certain — the more information you have online, the greater the risk of it being used against you. If you were part of a group that’s becoming increasingly stigmatized — and you may already be without knowing it — how can you protect yourself from the prying eyes of the outrage culture zealots who mean to harm you?

The Doxing Scenario

Situation Type: You’re being doxed

Your Crew: You, your wife, and your children

Location: Your hometown

Season: Autumn

Weather: Normal

The Setup

Imagine you attended a city council meeting to express your concern about the side effects of a growing homeless population in your area. You plan to voice concern for your family’s safety after witnessing an increase in drug sales, sexual assaults, and public defecation. This meeting is packed with people on both sides of the issue. Some activists who attended this meeting did so in an effort to retaliate against residents who were speaking out against the homeless problem. While attending, they photographed attendees, got names and addresses off the sign-in list, and used public social media posts and press photos to identify the key participants in the meeting.

Also, an online petition appearing to solicit residents to push for legislation that imposes tougher penalties against homelessness had recently been started. By the time the petition had reached several thousand signatures, including your own, it was determined that everyone who’d signed up had been catfished. The fake petition was actually started by a self-proclaimed social justice blog that published all the names, addresses, phone numbers, and personal info for the world to see. The blogger didn’t openly condone violence, but encouraged his followers to go “have a conversation” with everyone on the list to teach them the error of their ways.

what if internet doxing cover

Illustrations by Joe Oesterle

The Complication

Now hostile notes are being left in your mailbox, harassing calls and texts from blocked numbers are coming in, and you genuinely fear that the reprisals will become physical. How can you protect yourself against open-source information collection, harden your digital footprint, and mitigate risk without abandoning technology altogether? We asked tactical trainer Katheryn Basso and financial industry expert Dennis Santiago to weigh in with their recommendations on how to stay safe when revenge-driven people are targeting you based on what they can find on the internet.

Tactical Trainer Katheryn Basso’s Approach

I used to take a lackadaisical approach to my internet and phone habits. I kept my location services on 24/7, connected Google to everything, and handed out my personal data and contact information to any account that needed it. After all, I had nothing to hide. In fact, I figured if something were to happen to me, maybe it would help the police locate me. Unfortunately, in today’s divisive climate where your beliefs, hobbies, or actions may offend the wrong person, limiting your internet footprint is vital to privacy and safety. In today’s environment, Internet Doxing can quickly lead to real-world dangers. 

As memberships and access to even the most mundane interests become digital, the threat of your information falling into the wrong hands increases. Your hacker could be a 13-year-old boy just testing his latest Kali Linux skills, a highly sophisticated cybercriminal who makes a living off blackmail and extortion, or a violent person looking to harm you. This anonymity makes it difficult to identify and prosecute the perpetrator — you may never know who is committing a crime against you, or why they’re doing it. 

You may be surprised how much of your information is already available to the public, just waiting to be used against you in some hateful campaign. However, it’s not too late. With some dedicated work, you can increase your privacy and lessen doxing damage before it occurs. 

Preparation

Let’s first call out the biggest issue: I gave my true name and real address to an unverified online petition. Let’s say I wasn’t thinking straight and slipped up. That’s fair; it happens. In this particular situation, I assumed the petition going around was for government purposes: gather enough signatures of actual residents to push for legislation change. Most of these online petitions require personal information (full name and address) they ensure will remain “safe” within their site. In order to properly arm myself from doxing, I need to change my thinking. I need to assume a data breach will occur at some point with every online site. 

I’m sure you think that’s extreme, but I was in the military during the Office of Personnel Management breach. If 4.2-
million current, former, and prospective federal employees’ background information can be stolen, how secure do you think your information is at the local coffee shop? Is that free coffee for joining their mailing list really worth it? 

One free and easy way to see if your email address and/or phone number were part of a breach is to check them at HaveIBeenPwned.com.

Unfortunately, in today’s age of connectedness, digital marketing, and data analytics, most businesses and sites require a name, email address, and/or phone number to access member-only benefits. So, how can I live in today’s age of loyalty points, travel rewards, and grocery shopping discounts while also remaining as safe and secure as possible? I should assume I’ll be exposed, then take a few general security steps to mitigate the breach. 

1. Remove my information from data aggregates: Third-party data mining companies have been collecting my publicly accessible information since I got my driver’s license. This includes addresses, phone numbers, email addresses, known associates, etc. The good news is I can request they remove my personal data from these sites. This is a long and tedious task, but I know it’s worth it to gain control over my security. Check out Michael Bazzell’s IntelTechniques.com for a helpful list of data-removal options. 

2. Opt for a credit freeze: Putting a freeze on your credit prevents identity thieves from attempting to open new accounts (i.e. credit cards and loans) in your name. A credit freeze doesn’t prevent you from using your current accounts. You can unfreeze your credit at any time, and it’s absolutely free. Freeze your credit at each of the three main credit bureaus.

3. Use various junk email addresses: I use multiple email addresses for my junk email — those accounts that require an email address for access. I rarely check these accounts since I know they’ll be sold to third-party companies for marketing. Since these accounts are usually part of breaches and aren’t tied to important accounts, any follow-on phishing attempts are easily spotted. 

4. Create strong passwords: Most of these breaches include email and passwords. I use a secure password manager that creates strong passwords for my accounts. If you asked me what my password was for any given account, I wouldn’t be able to tell you without going into my password manager. I highly recommend you use unique passwords for each account and update them every 60 to 90 days. 

5. Use a VPN: A Virtual Private Network secures your connection by creating an encrypted tunnel between your device and the website you’re visiting. This not only prevents hackers from intercepting your data, but it also masks your Internet Protocol (IP) address so your activities cannot be traced back to you. Compare VPNs before you purchase; they are not all created equal.

6. Use VOIP phone numbers: My phone is constantly talking to cellular base stations that could be used to triangulate my location. While these services are restricted to authorized personnel — like law enforcement and bounty hunters — they aren’t 100-percent safe from the human factor (disgruntled employees, assistants wanting to make extra cash, or hackers). Google numbers or paid Voice-Over-Internet-Protocol numbers provide an extra layer of security between yourself and nefarious individuals. I hand out a VOIP number when required to provide full contact information. And if one of these numbers gets compromised, I can easily switch VOIP numbers without the hassle of changing my true number. 

7. Encourage security habits with family and friends: Those closest to you tend to be your weakest link when it comes to securing your privacy. Again, most people don’t think about their own physical security when they’re safely behind their phone or computer screens. While social media has provided us a way to connect, it’s also a treasure trove of open-source information that can lead people to your location. How much you restrict on social media is a personal choice — I know many people who refuse to have accounts. However, you can’t always control your friends and family. I tend to have a 24- to 72-hour rule with social media; I upload pictures one to three days after an event. My friends or family, however, may upload a picture of us immediately. There’s not much you can do except avoid pictures or ask them politely to wait or remove the image. Encouraging your friends and family to follow your privacy habits may not always be easy, but it’s worth the conversation. 

8. Encourage security habits with your neighbors: While the same privacy-minded habits can and should be pushed with neighbors, physical security habits are just as important. After a few scary incidents here, an active neighborhood watch, security cameras and trail cams have proliferated through the community. Deterrence is important to maintain physical security, especially if one of our addresses is posted online for nefarious purposes. 

Crisis

Now that I’ve taken certain privacy precautions, let’s return to the scenario. My name and address have been released online. All that work was easily compromised by one single mistake, yet my preparation has prevented a bigger disaster. Yes, they know my address, but my emails, accounts, credit, and passwords should still be safe. So, what are the next steps?

internet doxing text message rage

1) Get the police involved. Take a screenshot and report this to the police. Most states have some form of anti-harassment/anti-stalking laws that cover doxing situations. Do note, even if they’re able to take the site down, it doesn’t prevent the wrong people from obtaining my contact information. It’s out there now; it can be continually republished as long as there’s still a will to create harm. Thus, I’d request extra police presence; ask them to drive by my house as part of their rounds. Again, deterrence is important. Due to limited staffing, this may or may not be possible, but I can ask. Since I have security cameras, any physical trespassing will be caught on tape. I can provide this to the police as well to assist in their investigation. 

2) Change my number. Luckily, I provided a VOIP number that can easily be changed. If, for some reason, my real number was leaked, I’d cancel that plan, get another phone, and start using a different VOIP number. Get clean first. 

3) Become physically secure. Depending on the level of threats, I’d have to decide whether to stay at my residence, leave my house temporarily, or permanently move. This is a huge decision based solely on the danger and my willingness to accept risk. Often with these doxing situations, threats subside once the perpetrators move on to their next cause. 

I, like most people, have Googled myself. Now that I’m writing in true name and taking part in interviews, I am becoming more exposed in the public sphere. I’ve chosen a level of security that fits my goals and lifestyle: I want to exist, but not necessarily be found. The steps outlined above are a few basic privacy measures that’ll assist you in living safer in a digital age; they are by no means all encompassing, nor will they set you up for extreme privacy.

Financial Industry Expert Dennis Santiago’s Approach

You wake up to a nightmare. Out of the blue your privacy has been stripped away. It’s all because you said something, wrote something, or participated in an action that you believed was moral and ethical. You expressed your opinion like a free person in America has the right to do, but an organization of strangers didn’t like it.

And now you’re asking yourself three questions: What could I have done to avoid this? How do I make this end? What needs to change so it doesn’t happen to others? We’ll break that down, but first a little insight to let you know what you’re up against. This is vile, asymmetric warfare.

For instance, you’re probably aware of the term “Facebook jail,” a sort of purgatory for your residual self-image in the matrix of the internet. Anything you say on social media can result in anonymous complaints being filed against you. Your accounts become increasingly restricted, if not hacked and vandalized. You don’t wind up there by accident. Somewhere out there, strangers are accusing you of being a witch, turning in complaints, and asking the algorithms, moderators, and reviewers of the web to burn you at the proverbial stake.

That harassment also follows you to your workplace. The barrage of phone calls and emails affects you there too. Like the complainants on social media, this army of strangers are demanding you be fired. The company you work for goes into a panic because they’re in the headlines for all the wrong reasons. In some cases, your career may tumble out of control or come to an end.

Politically outspoken people who exercise their 1st Amendment right to free speech are particular targets of this sort of harassment. Doxing doesn’t care who it hurts. It can be for any cause. In this age of the tiniest thing triggering nuclear retaliation, you could’ve said you didn’t like wearing a mask. On the internet, someone will be angry enough to take offense; and where there’s one, there’ll be many more. And some of them will be vicious. 

What could I have done to avoid this?

The first thing to realize is that doxing is a very personal version of psychological warfare. It’s very much an antisocial and cowardly act by one human against another. If it’s done to you, the people engaging in it are actual enemies. They’re seeking to exploit your vulnerabilities to intimidate you. They’re out to silence you by whatever means they can. What you need to do is minimize your target profile.

The second thing to realize is that there’s no such thing as anonymity on the internet. Many people use pseudonyms. Such a practice almost always eventually gets you into trouble. It’s fun to come up with a catchy name for yourself and immerse into a role-playing persona with the anonymity of a pen name. You express thoughts standing on a soapbox from inside what feels like a cocoon of anonymity. This makes people brave, sometimes enough to take extreme edges of the argument. This is all but guaranteed to raise the ire of those who hold opposite views.

Before the internet, it was difficult for these opposing parties to find each other in the real world. Conflicts were avoided simply because the pairs of volatile personalities would never meet in real life.

With the internet, that barrier to interaction is gone. Billions of people can have access to every musing you express on the medium. And if they don’t like you, they’ll take note of you, not because of who you are, but because of the ideas you represent. Ideas they hate. When doxing perpetrators attack, they’re hoping the revelation of secret identity will be enough to silence the target. Avoiding an attack in the first place requires you manage your vulnerability.

First, consider not being anonymous in the first place. Being yourself in the universe of debate means there’s nothing hidden to expose. It’s taking the high ground with your opinions. Revealing who you are when you open your mouth forces you to heighten your awareness of the consequences of what you say. They can’t expose what’s already in the open.

Second, curate who you interact with. Engaging in politics with strangers is a dangerous thing we humans do to each other. Online, remember to trust no one. Do your homework and check out every person who tries to come into your orbit.

Did that person actually say they believe that anyone who’s hesitant to be vaccinated should be “compelled” to do so or be banned from participating in any social activity? Did you see that person comment to someone else that they actively report persons they don’t agree with politically to the social media platform’s anonymous complaint utility?

Situational awareness is something most people interested in their survival and happiness should practice. Detecting persons with dangerous antisocial traits who act on those impulses is one of those recognize-from-afar things. It’s OK to mute friends who’ve become hyperactivated by spending time in too many echo chambers. I now do that at the onset of political election cycles. It’s better for preserving friendships based on enjoying what’s common and tolerating what isn’t.

When I detect people who are truly dangerous, I just block them. I use the harshest protective tool available on the platform, and make sure I can’t see them and they can’t see me. The technical term for that in electronic warfare is “interrupting the firing solution sequence.” It’s really hard to click on the report-this-post option on a social media platform if that person can’t see the post in the first place. 

I’m not saying entirely avoid people who have colorful personalities, or those who have differences of opinion. That’s silly. Our ability to live within a culture of independent citizens depends on our ability to tolerate each other. You’re just trying to winnow the psychos, which is a prudent thing to do as far as I’m concerned.

Third, take the time to realize that every action you take is self-revealing, like a walk through a minefield. It’s important to know who’s real, who’s a fake personality, and what’s an artificial intelligence robot (those can now emulate humans very well indeed). They’re out there on the internet. You’ll run into them if you actively discuss current events and politics. They aren’t there to discuss things. They’re there to trigger to you discuss things and demonstrate subject matter affinity that they can sell as marketing data to other companies on the internet. 

It also could be as simple as ad revenue being the motivator — every digital news bureau and all their clickbait-packaged stories are all about making that top-line fraction of a penny each time they get someone like you to look. On the internet, the money has always been about the commercials, the ads that get served along with the stories. If you choose to involve yourself publicly in these issues, it’s important to stay aware of this. When you post or repost a story, meme, or article, you’re revealing a piece of research information about yourself. Hundreds of algorithms go to work on that information a microsecond after you click “send.”

Fourth, curate yourself responsibly. There’s a concept of how you comport yourself in public and in private that’s important to manage when interacting with the world on subjects that can trigger other people to take offense. My advice here is that what you say in public should always be measured. How you ponder the extreme ends of the spectrum of possibilities should always be private. What position you finally come up with should be a balance between emotion and reason. It’s good to take the time to research your opinion to see where it falls in the spectrum of society. Too many people think the privacy of what they type into a keyboard while alone late at night is profound, and then the sun rises in the East. Don’t be that guy.

Fifth, don’t fall into the trap of trying to be the most popular person in the room. There’s a macabre thrill that comes along with seeing what you’ve said explode virally into thousands, or even millions, of likes. It can be addicting to chase popularity. The internet beguiles with tales of riches for people who have turned the corner curating themselves into a money-making operation. But for a person selling nothing but their opinions, it tends to be a chase that ends in anguish. Eventually you’ll fly too close to the sun and your wings will melt. The most important people in a room have an aura that’s easy to spot. They’re just quietly there. They aren’t the ones jumping up and down yelling, “Look at me!” You don’t have to be one of them either.

How do I make this end?

In this case, whether you did or did not abide by the vulnerability management things listed above, you got doxed anyway. Now what? You’re in crisis mode. First, start limiting the damage. Change all your passwords and screen names. Review all your contacts and cull anyone overtly hostile. You just hit a moment on the internet where it’s better to have a few trusted friends than thousands of acquaintances. In the worst case, suspend your accounts, if there’s an option to do so.

Second, if the harassment becomes physical, don’t ignore it. Put up “no trespassing” signs at your property boundary. If it’s bad enough, change your phone number. Get a new email address. Put up multiple high-definition cameras and record everyone that comes to your doorstep. If you can, add additional cameras that record the license plates of cars coming and going. Do this until the hoopla passes. Then, you can consider going back to normality.

Third, deal with the consequence effects of being doxed. If you were using a pseudonym to hide your identity to participate while throwing flaming bombs yourself, you may now have a price to pay in the real world for having done so. That’s a risk you took. That’s a price you must be prepared to pay. I haven’t found anyone who’s done this and never had to face the day it blows up in their face. Karma. It’s real. Back to my advice, “Don’t be that guy.” But if it did happen, I have another piece of advice that’s seen me through many trying times, “Sometimes the only way to win is to lose gracefully.” That may be what you need to do. For your family’s sake, do what you need to do.

internet doxing

What needs to change so it doesn’t happen to others?

The thing about doxing is that your attackers are also ones hiding in the shadows of anonymity. I believe that’s the beginning from where society needs to mount a counterattack. Current laws and abuse reporting policies tend to protect the anonymity of whistle blowers. The problem is that these protections apply even when the whistle blowers are actually malicious witch hunters.

It’s not like the social media companies don’t have records of who made the complaints against you. Users’ emails and IP addresses are retained, and the presumed anonymity of the accusers can be pierced if malice is revealed. Artificial intelligence algorithms to test for maliciousness and abusive reports can be designed. Tech companies can scrub the internet to halt a viral contagion from propagating, or to manage a political war, as we saw in 2020. The problem is that none of these systems are being used to protect the maliciously accused from frivolous attack, particularly when it comes to real-time solutions that follow the principle of innocent until proven guilty. In corporate America, risk management is designed around the exact opposite principle — the accused is in the wrong until cleared. The technologists and the legal departments that advise them should probably be pushed to get those principles into a better balance.

It’s not that these detectors are hard to make either. Patterns of abuse tracking are certainly part of determining whether to put a user into virtual “jail.” Why not use patterns of abuse analysis to detect serial abusers of other people’s right to have an opinion? It’s similar to the process of hunting pedophiles online. It’s time to stop enabling abuses by the witch hunters.

To be sure, such an abuse-catching system would find bad behavior across the entire spectrum of opinion in America. The internet’s technology and legal framework design enables the problem. But is it so bad that everyone will have to learn to behave and be more civil while exercising the 1st Amendment?

Conclusion

Anyone can be doxed. Even if you avoid social media, use a VPN, two-factor authentication, firewall, and password manager to hold each unique password for each unique secure email account from a non-attributable computer or phone, you can’t control the human factor. This isn’t just a cyber issue — it’s a life issue. And if you plan on getting involved in your community, your children’s school fundraiser, or your work’s outreach program, there’s a chance your information, such as a picture of your face and contact information, could be released to the public. That’s a part of the world we now live in.

However, taking precautionary steps to limit exposure could prevent an event like this from becoming a nightmare. Security isn’t always convenient; it’s not always easy. But considering the alternative, it’s worth it. You choose — the life of an antisocial mountain hermit or existing in the real world with certain inconvenient steps to ensure privacy. 

About the Authors

katherine basso

Katheryn Basso

Katheryn Basso is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran trained in identifying sources of instability in foreign countries. Proficient at navigating the complex civil-military terrain of foreign policy, she has advised and advocated for military and civilian leaders from multiple partner nations. She’s currently the co-owner of TEAM TORN, a tactical training company based in Nevada that instructs U.S. military, government, and civilian personnel. She specializes in firearms instruction, conflict avoidance, and personal security strategies. www.teamtorn.com

dennis santiago

Dennis Santiago

Dennis Santiago is a global risk and financial analyst. His national policy expertise includes strategic warfare, asymmetric warfare, and global stability. He’s a financial industry subject matter expert on systemic risks to the U.S. economy and the safety and soundness testing of U.S. banking institutions. www.dennissantiago.com

More Scenarios to Consider

Invisible Preparedness: A Letter from the Editor

Written by

Preparedness has traditionally been a physical endeavor, highly focused on concrete tangibles: food, water, ammunition, medical supplies, and so on. But the information age is here to stay, and we feel there still exists a large dead space in current discussions about preparedness, and media representation of it.

Communications security, known in military parlance as COMSEC, is a critical part of your individual, family, or organizational preparedness infrastructure. It’s a nebulous concept that can encompass a wide array of different skillsets and best practices — most of which go well beyond the technological savvy of the average person. So, we felt it was important to dedicate some serious effort to the topic and try to help you add some electronic tools to your preparedness tool belt. 

As part of that effort, we’re happy to bring some new contributors into the fold who possess “a particular set of skills” in this arena. Dean Freeman penned two articles for us — one on Software Defined Radio, which allows you to turn a computer or tablet into a radio receiver/transmitter, and another on steganography, a method of embedding text messages in digital images for discreet communications. Our cover model is an electrical contractor and Instagram content creator who goes by the handle @socal_offgrid; he outlined his tech-oriented EDC in our Bag Drop column for this issue. RECOIL OFFGRID veterans Katheryn Basso and Dennis Santiago return for this issue’s What If… about doxing, a social-media-era phenomenon defined as “searching for and publishing private or identifying information about a particular individual on the internet, typically with malicious intent.” We’ve seen self-proclaimed activists from all angles of the sociopolitical spectrum use this tactic to devastating effect. Occasionally, it nets a positive result for the greater good, but it has also destroyed lives, careers, and reputations on account of a benign misquote or case of mistaken identity. Patrick McCarthy gives us a thorough review of the little black disc known as an NFC tag, an easily concealable data storage device that relies on near field communications, which he explains in lay terms. 

As I said earlier, digital security is only one facet of survival in the modern world. So, we brought back combatives expert Chad McBroom to review his process for making a functional knife from scratch using items you can source from the local junkyard and techniques you can perform in your garage. We also sent Steven Kuo on a weeklong training excursion designed by former CIA
officer and Shark Tank competitor Jason Hanson.

Changing your passwords and maxing out your privacy settings isn’t enough to keep your personal information safe anymore. As always, we hope to educate and inform you on not just what threats are out there, but what you can do about it. 

offgrid issue 45 cover

 

Judgement Day: Guardian Training and Consulting

Written by

Knowing how to shoot has obvious value. If your fundamentals are solid, you’ll be able to quickly and reliably put rounds where they need to go. But that’s only one piece of the puzzle — it’s also critical to know when to shoot. Missing a shot might have serious consequences, but shooting someone without adequate justification (or hesitating to shoot when you need to) is guaranteed to be a life-altering event. In order to hone my judgment, I connected with Josh and Karen Logan, the owners of Guardian Training and Consulting.

At the time I connected with Guardian, the company was sometimes hosting classes at the Scottsdale, Arizona, headquarters of Haley Strategic. While Haley’s courses are tailored to experienced shooters, Guardian offers a varied and affordable curriculum to a broader audience, and provides an abundance of one-on-one feedback.

I began by attending Guardian’s half-day Arizona CCW class — I already have a permit, so this served as a refresher on state laws regarding use of deadly force. Logan and his instructors did a good job explaining the legalese and its practical implications. I’d recommend everyone take similar classes periodically, since knowledge of the law will provide a foundation for your decisions in any self-defense situation.

Next, I attended another half-day Guardian class called Pistol Fundamentals and Judgmental Use of Force. This class covered both the how and the when mentioned above. It began with a segment on the nuts and bolts of shooting a handgun — stance, grip, sight picture, and trigger press. The students, several of whom were new gun owners, practiced these principles in front of Haley’s VirTra 100 simulator screen. The CO2-powered, laser-equipped VirTra pistols showed any flaws in our technique, and Guardian instructors provided feedback based on our shot groups.

guardian training and consulting

The other half of this class focused on combining these fundamentals with good judgment. We stepped into the wraparound VirTra 300 simulator and prepared to do some on-the-fly problem-solving. Instructors reminded us that, just like real life, not every scenario would require us to discharge a weapon.

The first scenario I faced involved the theft of an ATV from a barn on my property. As I approached to investigate, the culprits were revealed to be two young teenagers. One hesitantly brandished a knife but dropped it and retreated when I drew my gun. The second teen drew a gun of his own, so I fired three rounds, ending the threat. I was able to justify my actions when Guardian instructors asked probing questions, much like investigators and lawyers would in the aftermath of a real shooting.

Our second scenario took place in a crowded movie theater. As we waited for the previews, I noticed the emergency exit door was cracked. This seemed unusual, but I knew something was wrong when a man stepped through wearing a gas mask and tactical vest. I couldn’t see a weapon at first, so I waited to draw until I could clearly make out a shotgun in his hands. I drew and fired five rounds; he staggered but returned fire, so I kept shooting until he fell. This reinforced the fact that judgment isn’t only necessary before the first shot — it’s a continuous process of assessment. 

These courses from Guardian Training and Consulting helped me develop more confidence in my ability to react to an unfolding situation, and reinforced the tremendous importance of judgment in any use-of-force scenario. For more information on future classes, go to gtctrain.org or follow @gtctrain on Instagram.

MORE FROM OFFGRID ON TRAINING AND PREPAREDNESS

SB Tactical SB22 as a Survival 10/22 Chassis: Backpack Game Changer

Written by

The Ruger 10/22 is a decades-old, highly proven design that belongs in the safe of every red-blooded American. The 22LR cartridge has been used to take a wide variety of game and provides a reliable, lightweight, sometimes inexpensive plinking round that can be carried by the hundreds. The 10/22 is supported by an immense amount of aftermarket part manufacturers, and we were lucky enough to get our hands on SB Tactical’s new SB22 fixed 10/22 chassis for review. 

SB Tactical SB22 10-22 Chassis

Why Rimfire?

First, let’s beat the dead horse of how great the 22LR is as a survivalist cartridge. Carrying a brick of 22LR takes up little space and provides the shooter with several hundred rounds of ammunition for squirrels and such. We can all agree, however, that 22LR wouldn’t be our first, or even fifth, choice for a defensive cartridge. But for small and possibly even medium game, it’s a decent choice. In the not-so-distant past, when ammo flowed freely, the venerable rimfire cartridge was plentiful and the shooter had plenty of options to tailor the equipment to the mission. The shooter could carry a mixed bag of hollow points, heavy subsonics, shotshells, and even match ammo that’d give them different capabilities when it came to hunting and, in a pinch, defense. The 10/22 design is generally very reliable in feeding and functioning with these different loads, so in the lucky instance you come across a less-common load, you can feel confident it’ll run in your gun. 

SB Tactical SB22 10-22 Chassis

Outlining all the needs for a rimfire build would make for a long list, so we looked at what we’d want if we were carrying a 22 rifle or pistol as more of a secondary role — not as a primary defensive gun, but to supplement the primary for hunting. Ideally, this would be kept in a go-bag or a vehicle where it takes up little room but doesn’t scrimp on features or capability. 

The 10/22 Chassis

Enter the SB Tactical SB22 kit. This company’s offerings have become an industry-standard in braces for a wide variety of firearms over the past few years. The SB22 kit builds on their product portfolio, representing one of their first ventures into a brace-type product for non-pistols. The kit comes in two varieties, the fixed for your standard 10/22 or 10/22 charger and the SB22 Takedown for takedown 10/22s and Chargers. The 10/22 chassis was developed in collaboration with Unity Tactical, another awesome outfit bringing unique and needed items to market. 

SB Tactical SB22 10-22 Chassis

Above: The contents of the SB22 Chassis kit. The two top covers are a nice touch. 

The SB22 fixed kit is lightweight at 16.4 ounces with the Picatinny top cover. Two top covers are included, one with a Picatinny rail and one smooth, giving the user some mounting choices. The included grip is the Reptilia CQG Grip, which in our opinion is a nice touch over the Mil-spec AR-15 grip we all have a drawer full of. Besides including a great grip, SB Tactical incorporated an ambidextrous QD socket for your sling. This is part of the aluminum insert that also houses the grip mount and the increasingly common 1913 Picatinny rear mount for your choice of brace or stock. The vertical 1913 Picatinny piece allows the user to install a variety of braces and stocks, most of which fold. The handguard portion of the 10/22 chassis has M-LOK slots on both sides and the bottom for more attachments. 

SB Tactical SB22 10-22 Chassis

Above: What could’ve been a weak link is strengthened by an aluminum insert.

The Setup

We began setting up this little guy with a Brownells BRN-22R receiver. This had the added bonus of a Picatinny rail machined into the receiver for solid optics mounting. The bolt is a factory Ruger part, as well as the internals and charging handle. The trigger is Ruger’s BX-Trigger, which offers a 2.5- to 3-pound pull over the factory 5.5-pound. Fitting the receiver to the 10/22 chassis took a little more effort than other stocks. Full disclosure: We used copious amounts of elbow grease and a mallet to get it to fit. It eventually did, and the upside is that there’s now zero movement within the receiver. 

SB Tactical SB22 10-22 Chassis

We opted to keep this receiver as a pistol for maximum compactness, although a registered SBR would be equally awesome. The SB Tactical FS1913 brace was an easy choice because of its simplicity and the built-in folding mechanism. Affixed to the brace is an ITS Tactical Mini Nylon Zip Bag. Inside is one 10-round Ruger magazine (loaded), 40 rounds of 22LR ammunition, and an extra optic battery. There’s a little room left for other small items, limited only by one’s imagination. 

SB Tactical SB22 10-22 Chassis

Above: The Picatinny top mount fits flush and is topped with the Streamlight TLR RM 2 for 1,000 lumens.

The barrel was a small hurdle in this build. As of this writing, the firearms industry is in an unprecedented time of demand, so sourcing some parts proves more difficult than others. In this case, finding a 10/22 barrel shorter than 16 inches was difficult. We were fortunate to find a new old stock 9.75-inch Primary Weapon Systems tension barrel at a local shop. This barrel is a bit heavier and longer than we would’ve liked, but it came threaded and should prove to be plenty accurate for its short stature. Ideally, a 6-inch barrel would’ve been used to keep overall length to a minimum, but in this market we won’t complain. Adorning the barrel is a registered JK Armament MST 155R kit in Flat Dark Earth, set up in a short configuration. With subsonic ammunition, it doesn’t take much to tame the report of the rimfire, and this will certainly do it.

SB Tactical SB22 10-22 Chassis

Above: The folding brace makes for a great backpack gun. A shorter barrel would’ve made this even better.

The Picatinny top cover aligns perfectly with the receiver and is home to a Streamlight TLR-RM2 Laser. This is a light/laser combo that features 1,000 lumens on high and a 640nm red laser — plenty of oomph for seeing critters in low light. It can be used ambidextrously at the 12 o’clock position, and your hand can control the settings with a simple thumb push. Lastly, for accuracy, a Primary Arms red dot is mounted. The optic sits just high enough for the top-mounted flashlight to not be a hindrance to its field of view.  

The Verdict

The SB Tactical SB22 Fixed 10/22 Chassis kit is a great place to start a build or retrofit an existing firearm. It’s well built, plenty strong, and has included features that are very desirable for a rimfire. The build we put together will act as a game-getting gun and a fun plinker. The 10/22 is a proven package and very reliable as a survival rifle. With a shorter barrel and the folding mechanism, this serves as a great backpack or under-the-seat gun. 

SB Tactical SB22 Fixed Kit

MSRP: $125 (chassis only)
URL: www.sb-tactical.com

Parts and Accessories Featured

Brownells BRN-22R receiver: www.brownells.com
JK Armament MST 155R Kit: www.jkarmament.com
Streamlight TLR-RM 2: www.streamlight.com

THE SURVIVAL GUNS OF OFFGRID: READ MORE

Intro to SDR: Software Defined Radio

Written by

Whether you’re on-grid or off, information is king. The data traveling around us via radio and microwaves can provide a wealth of intelligence about what’s going on, be it in our neighborhood or around the world, for anyone who can tap into it and make use of it. Thanks to advances in Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers, anyone with a couple hundred dollars and some modest skills can turn their computer or tablet into a signals intelligence platform that was once the exclusive, multimillion-dollar domain of governments.

In this series, we’ll discuss the basics of SDR, from selecting the right receiver and antennas, to basic setup for gathering both communications intelligence (COMINT; listening to audio transmissions) and signals intelligence (SIGINT; receiving other types of signals such as tracking aircraft or getting weather satellite images).

The Setup: What is SDR?

While traditional radio receivers are hard-wired to handle only specific bands and modes, software defined radios (SDR) leverage computer processors and software to perform most of the demodulation. This allows a small package of radio frequency (RF) sensing hardware to support a wide range of frequencies and the ability to listen into all modes of transmission.

The receiver itself still has some limitations in terms of the range of frequencies it can support, the receiver bandwidth, and so on. However, compared to traditional radio receivers that may support a handful of modes and bands, the limits seem to fade away.

The flexibility comes at the price of the tyranny of choice, however. You need to not only choose the right piece of hardware for your purposes, but also learn to leverage various software packages to take full advantage of the capabilities.

Choosing the Right SDR

Perhaps the most popular SDR devices on the market today are those that rely on the RTL2832 chipset, commonly referred to as the “rtl-sdr.” These come in a number of flavors, such as the NooElec NESDR. Other popular SDR receivers include the SDRPlay, AirSpy series, and the HackRF. Some, such as The Great Scott Gadgets HackRF, can transmit as well, albeit at extremely low levels of RF output.

SDR Software Defined Radio setup

Above: SDR equipment and antennas can pack small. Often, the largest piece of equipment is going to be the laptop. You may consider an Android tablet or phone as well.

Each of these devices have their own pros and cons. Personally, I have both a NooElec NESDR Smart rtl-sdr as well as a HackRF. For those just getting started, I recommend the NooElec. A great starter bundle can be had on Amazon for $99, which includes the NESDR Smart, the NooElec Ham It Up upconverter, some antennas, and adapters.

The bundle allows the reception of signals down to 300Hz and up to 1.7GHz, giving a receive range of all high-frequency communications, including shortwave radio stations, and up into some of the microwave bands used by aircraft and satellites. 

Choosing the Right Antenna

There’s nothing magic about SDRs, so all the usual considerations regarding antennas apply if you want high performance. The better your antenna placement, and the more resonant it is on the bands that you want to receive, the better.

sdr radio antenna

Above: The SuperAntenna MP1C is a portable antenna system utilizing a loaded coil system for tuning the antenna. This same antenna can be used with a standard transcienver such as the popular Yaesu FT-891.

For most applications, low-gain whip antennas will be fine. However, for receiving highly polarized, highly directional microwave data from satellites, directional antennas (those that focus the transmission or reception) need to be used.

If you already have an established antenna deployment, you can share the antenna with both your traditional radio transceiver and the SDR using a device such as the MFJ-1708SDR. This gives you the added benefit of a wide-bandwidth panadapter display for your radio, if it doesn’t have one of its own.

For COMINT collection, any wire antenna or vertical whip which is resonant on high frequency (HF), very high frequency (VHF), or ultra-high frequency (UHF) bands that you have interest in is all you need.

Choosing the Right Software

The software that you use for your SDR will come down to a few criteria:

• The mission at hand

• What’s available for your chosen platform (both the operating system on your computer as well as what supports your chosen SDR receiver)

• Cost

Free and open-source (FOSS) platforms such as Linux have a plethora of choices available when it comes to SDR software, and they’re generally free. The GNU Radio project provides tools and libraries, which others have built upon to provide easy-to-use frontends for various purposes. On Linux, my favorite choice is Gqrx, which is easily installed through the package manager in any user-friendly Linux distribution such as Ubuntu. Windows users will find SDR# is a popular choice.

For mobile operations where weight is a consideration, bringing a full laptop may not be the best option. If you choose to use an Android phone or tablet, you’ll find programs such as RF Analyzer available in the Google Play store. This allows you to use an RTL-SDR for much the same purpose in a smaller package.

Many people in the amateur radio community use small computers such as the Raspberry Pi, running Linux, for both SDR purposes as well as running digital modes attached to their HF transceiver. Personally, I run Linux on my main laptop as well, but with a little research you’ll find something that suits you on whatever platform you choose.

Getting Started: The Install

Getting set up to listen to analog transmissions on VHF and UHF bands is incredibly easy. The demonstration is based on Gqrx, but the setup will be similar regardless of platform.

Installing the application and its supporting libraries is an easy point-and-click operation in modern Linux distributions. Search for “Gqrx” in the software store application on Ubuntu or Fedora Linux and click install. Once it’s installed, it’ll be ready to launch.

SDR software defined radio

Before launching the software, connect the antenna to the SMA connector on the RTL dongle and then plug the USB into your computer.

When you launch Gqrx for the first time, you’ll be asked to do some initial configuration. At this time, all you need to do is fill in the device string to read rtl=0 and then hit OK.

When the main window comes up, hit the Play button and you should begin receiving radio signals. There are a lot of controls and options, but you only need a few to get started.

The main window looks like this:

SDR software defined radioAbove: Gqrx provides a waterfall display to show signal intensity (X-axis) over time (Y-axis), with color indicating signal strength. Here, we see the waterfall display for some broadcast FM stations in the Austin, Texas, area. Note that the mode is set to Wide FM.

In the main pane, you see it’s split into two. From left to right, you see a spectrum analyzer which shows relative amplitudes in different frequencies within the receive bandwidth. Below that, you see a waterfall display showing the historical record of what was received on any given frequency and is read vertically.

To the right, we see that by default the Receiver Options are selected. The main control here you need to be aware of is the “Mode” selection. Different types of communications require a different demodulation mode. In general, just be aware of the following:

• Use WFM for commercial FM stations

• Use AM for air and marine band VHF/UHF, shortwave broadcasts, and commercial AM radio

• Use NFM for 2-way analog VHF/UHF in amateur or public safety bands

• For HF amateur radio transmissions, follow convention (USB in 20m and LSB in 40m, for example)

Knowing Where to Listen: VHF and UHF

You’ll likely know your favorite commercial FM stations in your area off-hand. If you’re a licensed ham radio operator with at least a tech class license (refer to our article “Can Anyone Hear Me?” in Issue 38 for more details on ham radio capabilities and licensing), you probably know the output frequencies of repeaters in your area that you can hit.

If you don’t already have that information, there are two great sources. First, to find repeaters in your area of operations (AO), The Repeater Book (www.repeaterbook.com) is where you want to look. To find air, public safety, and commercial frequencies in your AO, check out www.radioreference.com.

For instance, to find out what frequencies and modes are in use at my nearest airport, Austin-Bergstrom, all I need to do is look it up:

SDR software defined radio

Of course, you can always just tune around. One of the major advantages of an SDR versus running the scanning feature on a handheld radio is that you can see the spectrum activity across the entire receive bandwidth, giving you a quick visual indicator of activity that you might want to investigate and listen in on.

Shortwave and HF Listening

In a truly grid-down situation where the radio is your only tool to find out what’s going on in the world, the ability to listen to shortwave radio broadcasts and 2-way HF communication from hams or other radio operators could be a lifesaver, making an SDR receiver a prime source of intelligence. Just make sure you have a reliable emergency power source for all your electronic equipment, such as a solar backup system or a generator.

nooelec.com ham it up sdr software defined radioAbove: The Nooelec RTL-SDR bundle is a common, inexpensive way to get into SDR, including the ability to access HF bands with the Ham It Up up-converter. Depending on the antenna you want to use, you may need different cables.

Unfortunately, we can’t use the RTL-SDR by itself to receive most shortwave or other HF frequencies, such as those used by amateur radio operators, militaries, and the like. This is where the NooElec Ham It Up TXCO Up Converter comes in. This device is put in-line between the antenna and the SDR dongle, and shifts the RF signal into a frequency that’s within the receive range of the RTL-SDR.

nooelec.com ham it up sdr software defined radio

Above: If you want to utilize HF bands, the upconverter must be in line between the SDR and the antenna, with the antenna connected to “RF IN.”

nooelec.com ham it up sdr software defined radio

Above: The RTL-SDR must then be connected via USB to the laptop. If you want to operate only within the range of the RTL-SDR, you can leave the upconverter out of the circuit entirely, leave it unpowered (not connect its own USB power cable to the laptop, as pictured), or use the “Passthrough” switch. The Ham It Up fails open, so it can work unpowered.

Once the box is placed in-line with the “RF IN” connected to the antenna and the “RF OUT” connected to the RTL-SDR, power it on and make sure that the switch is set to “UPCONVERT”.

sdr radio antenna

Above: Here, the MP1C is set up on a standard, low-profile tripod with a flexible whip on top. The system is modular and can be configured in other ways depending on conditions.

The upconverter has a 125Mhz offset, so in order to make use of it, there are two options. The first is to add 125Mhz to every frequency that you want to listen to, but that’s tedious and prone to mistakes. The second option is to configure your SDR software to calculate the offset and allow you to directly input the frequency that you want to listen to. Option two is far better, and is accomplished by adjusting the setting LNB LO (Low Noise Blank Local Oscillator) setting in the Input Settings:

SDR software defined radio

Since we’re using an upconverter, we give a negative offset, so the field should read -125Mhz. Then here, coupled with a Super Antenna MP1C vertical whip antenna slide tuned to 20m, we can see we’re able to receive a shortwave radio station from Latin America on 13.818Mhz.

With the I/Q recorder, we can record the broadcast to replay at a later date, transcribe, or translate.

Emergency and Tactical Uses of SDR

  • Monitoring emergency communications
  • Listening to radio news and NOAA weather broadcasts
  • Pulling down weather satellite images
  • Tracking aircraft

Step-by-Step SDR Setup

1. Have your SDR gear ready (computer, SDR device, up/down converters, antenna, cables)

2. Install the software of your choice (Gqrx, SDR#, etc.) on the computer

3. If necessary, connect the up/down converter to the SDR

4. Connect the antenna to either the SDR or the up/down converter

5. Connect the SDR system via USB to the computer

6. Start the application

7. Choose your device

8. Start listening

Conclusion

With a few dollars spent, you now can listen in on analog communications, whether they’re around the world or in your neighborhood, helping to turn the RF spectrum into a source of information to give you the edge when it comes to situational awareness. This just scratches the surface of what SDRs can help you do when it comes to preparedness and intelligence gathering. In a future article, we’ll discuss using SDRs to intercept digital transmissions, such as satellite phone transmissions, aircraft transponders, and weather satellite imagery. 

Find Out More about nooelec.com

More on Radios and Comms

Organizing your EDC with Garage Built Gear

Written by

When it comes to survival gear, much like military equipment, utility is just as much a feature as an aesthetic. This fusion of both form and function manifests in EDC equipment, as well as gear built for expeditions, adventures, and travel. In our digital age, the fusion between a classic adventurer’s notebook and the tablet come together in organizing pouches that very often become essential gear. Much like a medic’s bag, it’s not only what you carry, but how. Garage Built Gear combines survival elements into their organization gear. At the core, each piece of kit is designed, first and foremost, to survive. Rugged materials combined with reinforced construction produce organizers, wallets, and more to keep everything where it needs to be: where you can find it.

While vital to a Bug Out Bag, compartmentalizing your survival gear need not be restricted to emergency situations. Rather, keeping something as simple as pens and paper and technology-supporting batteries, memory cards, micro thumb drives organized as a daily effort alongside emergency medical gear goes a long way for on the day when one doesn’t have time to waste finding it. In the same way, as ounces become lbs, so combined minutes spent looking for stuff compound over months and years.

Garage Built Gear tech

Above: The Tech Pouch Doubles as suppressor storage, could easy carry a moderate field maintenance kit, or keep daily tools in order. 

Garage Built Gear offers a series of pouches that thread the line between military-inspired gear and technological utility.

The Tech Organizer keeps cables in place with elastic molle-like stitching on one interior panel, and a zippered mesh pocket on the other. Able to hold batteries, cables, small EDC flashlights, and more, the width the pouch will fit pens, as well, keeping a small SSE (Sensitive Site Exploitation) kit contained and marked with a velcro section on the exterior.

The larger Ultimate EDC Organizer is for more regular use. with an expanded interior to include 3 zippered-off mesh sections, and a two-layer elastic section capable of holding tourniquets, spare pistol mags, larger flashlights, and multitools. Perfect for those who carry a camera for a living the upper pouch will hold memory cards and a card reader, while the larger option contains a charger and spare battery.

As a travel support, it quickly serves as a one-pouch-fits-most for specialty goods and can be labeled with a patch on the exterior.

Both the Tech Organizer and the Ultimate EDC Organizer are constructed out of 1000 and 500 denier Cordura, with YKK zippers on all enclosures, and come in patterns such as Multicam, Kryptec, and solid colors. Special runs in limited release patterns drop for those whose timing is met with the fortune to acquire a matching set.

Garage Built Gear Ultimate EDC organizer

As an option for the Tech pouch, and a constant on the EDC Organizer, a blaze orange interior stands out, harkening to Medical Pouches, for keeping account of what’s inside.

Garage Built Gear also makes range bags and other storage solutions for something as personal as a hygiene kit, to something as utilitarian as padded and partitioned camera bags.

Sewn together in Tennessee, Garage Built Gear solves storage problems with American made solutions. Indicated by their name, each piece is stitched together in a Garage in small batches.

Garage Built Gear

Tech Organizer
Material: 1000D Cordura, 500D Cordura, or Waxed Canvas
Dimensions: 9.5 by 7.5 inches
Colors: Black, OD Green, Multicam, and Variants.
MSRP: $39

Ultimate EDC Organizer
Material: 1000D Cordura, 500D Cordura, or Waxed Canvas
Dimensions: 12.5 by 7 inches
Colors: Black, OD Green, Multicam, and Variants.
MSRP: $59

URL: garagebuiltgear.com

More on EDC and Gear

Unobtainium Gear Active Night Vision Recording System: Taping What You See

Written by

The cost of entry for becoming night vision capable isn’t nearly as high as it used to be. Only a few years ago one would not be faulted for believing that the required equipment: Night Vision Goggles, and a functional IR laser and illuminator, were arbitrarily out of reach of non Military or Law-Enforcement persons. The first drastic change came about when commercial ventures began selling night vision gear directly to “civilians,” and since then the availability continues to grow. With that, come the accessories, social media videos, and content, because how can you go do “goon shit” without recording it for an audience? The Unobtainium Gear Active Night Vision Recording System, or ANVRS solves this problem, and with a little ingenuity and experimentation, introduces the opportunity to own the night via an indie-esque film as well.

Unobtainium Gear ANVRS DTNVG L3 White Phosphor Unobtainium Gear has appeared on OFFGRID before, when we covered their Dank Robber Chest Rig. As the name suggests, they’re on point with where so many are going: into the darkness, lightweight, low drag, and for fun and function as well. Beyond soft goods like carrier placards, chest rigs, and magazine pouches, they venture into unknown territory with a camera that attaches to NVGs, allowing the wearer to record what they see, while they see it. It’s like a Dash Cam for your NODs, except way cooler, especially when driving.

Unobtainium gear ANVRS

The Unobtainium Gear Active Night Vision Recording System remains beautiful in it’s simplicity: a ring attaches a small camera to the viewing end one’s choice of night vision, and takes a micro SD card, with a simple on-off switch. A small light flashes to notify the wearer that it has turned on or off, and that’s it.

Unobtainium gear ANVRS

The Camera, Ring, Ribbon Cable, and Housing all weigh next to nothing, and can easily be taped, or better, rubber-banded to the user’s choice tube. The wearer will have to figure out how to check the light when turning it off, such as mounting the box on the bottom so they can check for a light by tipping their head up and looking for a reflection off their hand. The correct location for the camera is at the bottom of the tube, when worn, but we’re still in the frontier of filmography here, so those with post-production pixie dust can do their magic if they so choose. The PVS-14 model has a small fastener to tighten the ring, but if lost, a rubber band will do the trick.

What you see is what you get when looking through night vision, and what you see is very close to what the ANVRS picks up. It’s not exactly plug-and-play, as the user should take some time before going out on their adventure to familiarize themselves with the optimal distance to set the camera from the NVG lens in order to get the best picture. If attached at an angle, it will be distorted by any ambient light and can quickly ruin a good shot. Too close and you get a wonky picture, too far, and you’re risking getting poked in the eye if you trip.

Unobtainium gear ANVRS

These are small hurdles to overcome, however, compared to the glory of adventure and exploration. From recording an otherwise invisible star-shower, to playing operator in your backyard, to pushing the envelope of documented experiences, the utility of the Unobtainium Gear ANVRS is only restricted to the mind of the one who has it.

Unobtainium gear ANVRS in tube

Above: A screenshot of the Milky Way through DTNVG NODs with L3 WP Tubes, assembled by 

With model-specific mounts, the Unobtainium Gear Active Night Vision Recording System fits most NVG models common to the American Market, from PVS-14 monoculars, to DTNVGs, to PVS-31’s for those who get issued the cool stuff.

A Teaching Moment

Those with years of night vision experience, especially in a military environment, have heard the phrase “keep your head on a swivel” so many times, that it undoubtedly becomes lost in the sauce of pithy statement ooze. This charge to keep alert, and to remain vigilant when scanning your sector, or observing your environment is only further emphasized when one’s field of view is limited to the 40 degrees of a set of night vision goggles.

The effect of this can be quickly observed when reviewing footage taken on the Unobtainium Gear Active Night Vision Recording System, as the wearer constantly moves his or her head back and forth, “scanning” their environment. With a limited field of view, those using night vision are habitually memorizing their environment, as they scan across rubble, refuse, woodland pitfalls, and so forth. When it comes to filming, however, this constant movement can cause motion sickness for the uninitiated.

Unobtainium Gear ANVRS DTNVG

The ANVRS serves as a teaching moment, on the one hand, for film, and the other, for those using Night Vision in a professional environment. Replaying footage taken on an ANVRS can quickly identify moments of tunnel vision as well as where and when the wearer identified a threat in training, or if they properly cleared their corner in room-clearing practice.

Going Deep

While various attempts have been made to record what one sees through Night Vision Goggles, few are as straightforward as the ANVRS, and fewer still as low profile when worn.

Unobtainium gear ANVRS

Like Night Vision itself, the Unobtainium Gear ANVRS opens up a field of potential that must be explored to be experienced. A positive take on Nietzsche’s warning about staring into darkness, once a camera is obtained, no one but the owner can be blamed if they never go out and use it. From a creative outlet, to a tool of instruction, to recording what one sees for evidence, there’s a long way to go before the opportunities this NVG camera presents are exhausted.

Unobtainium gear ANVRS

The Unobtainium Gear Active Night Vision Recording System remains simple, which translates into simple to use, and consistent in performance. On the frontier of civilian night vision experiences, and showing merit as a tool for both teaching and entertainment, this piece of equipment requires the owner to do the heavy creative lifting, and stay out the way when in use.

Unobtainium Gear Active Night Vision Recording System

Models For: PVS-14, PVS-15, PVS-31, PVS-7B/D
Video Recording Specs: 1080p, 30fps
Audio: Built in microphone
Data Storage: Micro SD card compatible up to 32GB
Battery Life: 6 Hours (extendable with optional additional battery pack)
Weight: 32 grams (1.13oz)
MSRP: $104 (starting at)
URL: unobtainiumgear.com

[Editor’s Note: Cover Photography by Samantha Lauraina.]

More on Night Vision