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Earbud Hacks And Their Many Uses

Ken — Sat, 13 May 2017 13:07:38 +0000

I had some spare time the other day and happened to see a pair of earbuds in the trash. My mind said “resource” so I picked it up to examine it for potential uses outside of it’s intended purpose.

Did you know that ear phones can be used as a microphone in a pinch? It can be plugged into the microphone socket of your computer or similar device for this purpose. The earbuds have a stereo jack so only plug it in half-way (one click) for it to record successfully, then hold the earbuds together to use as a regular microphone.

Many people don’t realize that there is a magnet inside of each earbud. If you drop a ferrimagnetic item in a crevice, down a drain, or similar hard-to-reach area you can remove the ear-side cover of the earbuds and expose the magnet within. You can pull back the plastic housing to allow full contact of the magnet’s surface and lower it down to retrieve what has been dropped. The magnets can be quite strong as illustrated in the photo where it actually held up a combination lock! For tiny crevices you can straighten out a paper clip and attach the earbud magnet to one end while using the other end to pick up the item. The magnetism is transferred throughout the length of the paper clip.

The magnet can also be used to magnetize a needle or paper clip by stroking the length of it in one direction several times. The item magnetized can then be used as a compass needle when floated on water or suspended in air by a thread.

Of course an obvious use of earbuds would be that of cordage. The uses of cordage are almost countless so you’re only limited by it’s strength and length. Some earbud cords use twin wire without an outer sheath so it can be pulled apart lengthwise to double it’s length for use. I often use my earbuds to compare the width/length of different items by placing the jack at one edge of an item then stretching it out to the opposite edge and pinching the cord as a marker then holding it next to the item or space for comparison

Earbuds can be purchased “on the cheap” at a thrift store so they would be affordable to acquire for testing any of these examples to build your experience base for future needs and emergencies.

Three Constellations You Should Know

Ken — Sat, 01 Dec 2012 12:43:09 +0000

Being able to determine direction can be critical to finding your way out of a “lost” scenario. The lights of the night can be helpful in your orientation by finding the North Star (or Polaris). As I reside in the Northern Hemisphere, I have come to rely on three constellations to aid me in finding Polaris, they are: the Big Dipper (Ursa Major); Cassiopeia; and Orion. There are certain stars within each constellation that “point” to Polaris.

The Big Dipper and Little Dipper are both shaped like ladles or dipping spoons and are large and small respectively. The Small Dipper (Ursa Minor) actually contains Polaris at the tail of it’s handle, but that constellation is quite dim and in some circumstances is barely visible. The Big Dipper however is brighter and much easier to locate visually. The outer two stars in the “cup” portion of the Big Dipper point upward to Polaris.

When viewing Cassiopeia as the letter “W”, I align an imaginary line from the first star on the left and the fourth star towards the right. Then from the fourth star I imagine a 90 degree line pointing straight upward that reaches Polaris.

When viewing the square outline of Orion, I visually connect the lower two stars to the upper right star. This imaginary triangle points upward to Polaris but you may find that you have to bend backwards a bit to make the connection.

During this late time of year these constellations are positioned for easy viewing overhead. Because of the Earth’s rotation the constellations may be rising or falling from East to West, and because of the Earth’s revolution, they may be high or low on the latitude of the Earth’s axis. Cooler weather often makes clearer skies at night so it is an excellent time to step outdoors and familiarize yourself with these constellations and how they relate to the North Star.

“Thumbdial” – Finding Direction In The Fog

Ken — Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:00:35 +0000

Without a compass or GPS, how do you determine direction in the fog when you cannot see the sun or landmarks? We know that the sun rises in the East and sets in the West, and if we know the approximate time of day we can tell basic direction. We know that at Noon the sun is due South so mid-morning the sun is South East and in the mid-afternoon the sun is South West. The trick is locating the sun to gain our bearing.

The “thumbdial” method is reminiscent of the “sundial” but works in reverse. A sundial when correctly oriented can determine the time of day. A thumbdial, when you know the time of day tells you the direction of the sun, thus providing orientation. The secret of the thumbdial is that it reveals the sun’s location by revealing it’s shadow.

Begin by standing in an open area and placing the tip of a knife blade on top of your thumbnail and rotate it slowly, watching for a slight shadow to be revealed on the matte textured surface. The location of the sun of course is on the opposite side of the knife blade from the shadow. The wide and narrow silhouette of the blade helps to accent this. The sun’s brightness is defused in fog but still maintains a brighter presence which is revealed by the very slight shadow.

The shadow that you see may be slight, but that does not diminish it’s importance in determining what could be the critical revelation of direction.

Lip Balm Versatility

Ken — Sat, 16 Jun 2012 22:33:34 +0000

While I was growing up, “Chapstick (brand name)” was the only game in town, but now there is a flood of lip balm brands on the market that come in a wide variety of fragrances, tastes and compositions. The primary use of a lip balm is as a moisturizer. We think initially of our lips but some folks use it in other places that are exposed to the elements. Applying it to your cheeks can prevent wind burn. Many lip balms now include SPF protection from the sun.

Lip balm can also be used as a lubricant. It can be applied on areas of your body that are prone to chaffing to reduce friction. It can also be used on mechanical items like hinges or threads to facilitate fastening nuts onto bolts. It can also be used as a moisture barrier to prevent corrosion. Because of it’s oily/waxy nature it can be used to control water flow whether near your eyebrows to control sweat, under the lip of a pitcher to control drips, or on a tent line during a rain. It can be used as a sealer around seams or small orifices.

In a camping scenario it can be used to enhance tinder performance for starting fires. You can cut a thin pad of balm and press a magnetized needle through it enabling it to float on water for an emergency compass or you can tie the whole container onto a fishing line to use as a float. In a domestic scenario it can be used to write a message on a mirror, a pane of glass or a windshield. A friend told me that he uses it on the face of his gold clubs for better ball control.

I carry a medicated lip balm that contains clove. It helps to heal the cracks on my finger tips in Winter time. It helps to stop bleeding of small cuts and soothes abrasions. Because of it’s fragrance I’ve also used it as a deodorant in short term situations.

Whatever circumstances that you find yourself in, whether in emergency or for convenience, lip balm will most likely find a place for good use.

How To Make A Needle Compass

Ken — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 23:03:54 +0000

You have probably seen a needle compass made in science class or in a movie, but I thought it would be good to review the basics and offer perhaps some variations to this phenomenon. It starts with a small piece of metal that contains iron, which can be magnetized. Some items might be needles, pins, paperclips, razor blades, etc.. They can be magnetized by repeatedly dragging them across a magnet, or by repeatedly stroking them across fabric or hair thereby collecting a static charge. The magnetized/charged piece of metal must then be suspended so that it can freely re-orient in a polar direction. Presumably this is a daytime activity, so you can have an indication of south based on sun travel. I have stropped a double edged razor blade on the hair of my arm and the end that I held between my fingers pointed North. You can cut out the bottom of a styrofoam cup or thin plastic cup (as contained in my DIY Mini Survival Kit) to float on water. You can also use a leaf for this purpose as well. An alternative way to suspend a needle is by folding a small piece of paper lengthwise, insert the needle into the paper like a stitch on the side, then tie a loop at the end of some thread and use it as a yoke lenghthwise to suspend it. I find that suspending it by a 3-4 foot length works best. Keep clear of any metal objects or structures as they may skew the magnetic field, and stay clear of windy areas. As usual, I advise everyone to develop their skills and try new methods now, before it is needed in an emergency. Proper tools are always best to use, but it’s good to know alternatives in an emergency situation.

Survival – There’s an App for that!

Ken — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 16:09:36 +0000

About 2 weeks ago I wrote a blog (Technomania… has it gone too far? – 14 June 2009) that questioned technology and it’s reliability for survival. However, technology CAN be a tremendous asset… I just like to know how to survive without it. But let it be known that I DO carry a lighter… why not use the easiest method when it’s available.
Recently I had access to an iPod Touch and was delighted to discover some of the apps available for survival scenarios. Some apps are super simple, and some are very sophisticated. The following list is just a sampling of what’s available. You can use your favorite search engine to find these and many more online.

SOS Light – is a FREE tiny application that uses iPhone/iPod Touch as a SOS light. It allows you to blink SOS morse code light, alpine distress help, and alpine distress reply light while choosing different colors of light – white, red, green, blue, cyan, pink, and yellow.
Morse Code – Translates text into morse code and sends the message with a blinking iPhone. You can use the characters A..Z, numbers 0..9 and the special chars .,:;?
Celestial Compass v. 2.0 – Turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a compass with the aid of the Sun, Moon, or Big Dipper.
LocationGPS v. 1.0 – Is a compass utility that calculates your bearing based on GPS coordinates.
Compass Flashlight v. 1.1 – Is a GPS compass AND a flashlight! It shows the major cardinal directions without the need for internet or cell reception when you are outdoors.

If you have used any of these apps or different ones, please share your comments.

Consider thinking “South” for direction

Ken — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:12:47 +0000

I was having coffee outside on a deck today and decided that I wanted to know what direction I was facing. I looked at my wrist watch to notice the time relative to Noon and it gave me a ballpark bearing on South, because the sun is always due South at Noon (actually, Noon – “Standard Time”). You can use a wristwatch in another way by pointing the hour hand at the sun, then determine the mid-point between the hour hand and 12, and THAT is South. It works whether AM or PM during daylight hours. My thoughts in the past have always been oriented to North, as maps are indexed that way, however, thinking “South” allows me to keep the sun in sight during daylight hours, and allows me to determine direction faster. So, consider thinking “South” next time you’re on an outing and the sun is shining.