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kenk

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Everything posted by kenk

  1. Questions to those whose troop is camping backpacking style (not intending to hijack this thread): How do you handle dish/pot washing? Do you use three pots and use chlorine to sterilize? Do you sterilize with boiling water - as they do at Philmont?
  2. I wonder how many troops are providing lists of bearings & distances and have the Scouts just walk the course? The requirement calls for use of a map & compass. How does a map come in to play using a list of bearings & distances? If folks googled "orienteering" they'd find out that it is a popular sport that involves handing the participant a map on which a series of "control points" have been marked. The participant must find the control points IN ORDER (1, 2, 3, ...) using the map and a compass. Map reading skills tend to be more important than the use of the compass since
  3. It is a silly item on an annual medical form. Its better suited to a permission slip. Actually, it might be nice for a permission slip to allow the parent to specify who should NOT drive their children.
  4. I don't use flashlights anymore. My advice is to spend the money on a decent LED headlamp that will last many years. I prefer those that use the AAA batteries that mount inside the main head of the headlamp. Excellent models include Princeton Tech EOS (~$35) and Petzel Tikka XP ($55). My own preferece is the EOS. They pack small. The EOS has a perfect mix between flood and beam. You can hang them, hold them in your hand, and ... get this! ... if you put it on your head it automatically points in the direction you're looking. Cool technology, eh? Perfect for setting up tents or cookin
  5. I haven't posted in quite a while, but have some definite recommendations. I'm 52 and 6'5" tall. Tent camping has gone from something I loved to something I have to deal with the enjoy the day. My suggestion is to look at a simply designed 5-person or 6-person tent that has a 6' tall center. Though I have to lean my head a bit, it is very easy to stand to put on pants and get dressed. These are typically with a floor dimension something like a 8'x10' (5-person) or 10'x10' (6-person). The simplest design is one that has just two poles that from opposite corners and my preference is on
  6. The claw on a hammer works very well, and can be used for other stuff too.
  7. Skeptic, Clearly you are referring to my posts, and I'll take that as a personal attack on my own ability to interpret and act on advancement requirements and national policies. I've spent too many years devoting too much time to Scouts and Scouting - as Den Leader, Cubmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, and Advancement Coordinator - to put up with that kind of crap. I thought that this forum was a place to ask questions and discuss opinions. If those on this forum feel that my comments and questions are silly, immature, or an indication of some lack of ability to make a decision, then t
  8. "My policy is if the Scout has begun work on the next rank before 1/1/10 as determined by a signed off a dated requirement for that rank then he works under the old rules for that rank only. The new rules apply to the next rank. " Eagle732, That is the assumption I'm working under too. That is what I'm telling our troop we need to do.(This message has been edited by kenk)
  9. I agree that he should have a uniform for each troop. Might I suggest rigging up some kind of Velcro system for his troop numerals? - like they use in the Army. Why is he an active member of two troops?
  10. I also just sent this to the same council advancement person: there is also a debate about the new Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class Scoutmaster conference requirements that Scouts discuss four examples of how they lived up to the points of the Scout Law. Here are the requirements as written in the new Boy Scout Handbook: TF 13: "Discuss four specific examples of how you have lived the points of the Scout Law in your daily life." SC 11: "Discuss four specific examples (different from those used for Tenderfoot requirement 13) of how you lived the points of the Scout
  11. I just send this request for clarification from the national office to my council advancement person: While I'm sure you are aware that a series of changes in advancement requirements are effective as of January 1, 2010, you may or may not be aware that there is a fair amount of confusion and debate regarding how they are to be implemented. The details of the implementation are given on at the bottom of page 443 in the new Boy Scout Handbook: "The rank requirements in this book are official as of January 1, 2010." - simple enough "If a Scout has started work toward a rank b
  12. Is it comfortable for your son? If not, he won't wear it. The other thing to remember is that your son will grow all too quick in the next few years. Buy good gear, but watch the price. Compare the cost at local stores with prices for store-brand gear from sellers like Campmor, Cabelas, Lands End, ... (consider shipping costs too).
  13. Thanks OS! I just found this site: http://www.e-scoutcraft.com/activities/philmont_way.pdf It answered many of my questions too. Ken
  14. Last night I was looking at Troop 679's photos of a their 2008 Philmont trek. http://www.overthehills.com/Travel/Philmont-Scout-Ranch-Cimarron (I'm not associated with that troop, nor do I know them) First, though I'm an avid photographer, I am sooo impressed by Bruce's (one of the adult leaders) ongoing attention to take enough photos to tell the story of their trip and for adding caption to every pic. I felt like I was there. When I'm out with the troop (ASM) I often find I get caught up in the moment and forget to take pictures, but wish I had taken them. Second, while
  15. Last September my wonderful son and his best friend had their ECOHs. We asked them what THEY wanted to do. They weren't sure since they too were the first Eagles in their young troop (started in '03), so the Scoutmaster - who is an Eagle - briefed them on what he'd seen and heard about. They decided that they wanted their ECOHs together. They also decided they wanted them tacked on to the regular COH - their choice. We did the regular COH first, had dinner, and then did the ECOHs. The troop is small, so we didn't have much money to spend. We held it in the church gym, the troop
  16. If you're using an MSR Whisperlite consider carrying one of the wire mesh heat spreaders that are used to protect glassware in labs: http://www.sciencelab.com/page/S/PVAR/20932/10-4000 The 4" version with the ceramic center works great. I store it in a quart freezer Ziploc bag inside a fry pan - to protect the ceramic and the fry pan surface. I've used it to successfully simmer spaghetti sauce with NO burning!! Amazing. Unfortunately the shipping will cost more than the item ... so you can buy a few for your friends. Ken
  17. A related article from a 2000 Scouter: http://www.scoutingmagazine.org/issues/0009/d-wwas.html One thing it points out is that back then they didn't have cars to help go camping ... they hiked where ever they went.
  18. The recent Scouter magazine has a nice history of Scouting. I enjoyed it. That prompted me to look for an on-line copy of the first handbook - "Handbook for Boys". If you go to http://books.google.com and search using "Handbook for Boys" you'll find a scanned copy. A very interesting read. The suggested gear - beyond clothing - included a hand axe, drinking cup (collapsing brass cup), folding knife (amazingly similar to the Camillus knife I had in the 1970s), mess kit (looked like Spam cans), poncho, telegraph instrument, and whistle. For cooking they only describe a grid
  19. Rather than hijack the troop gear thread I figured I'd start a new thread discussing ideas for lightweight patrol gear. To start, I'm wondering what the lightweight patrol would need/use for: Group water container - the collapsible containers seem to spring leaks way too fast, but the rigid blue ones are way too big - even the 2.5 gallon ones. Stove - Would you avoid Coleman fuel stoves? Are there tough and low cost options? Would you give each patrol two backpacking stoves? Cook Kit - What is low cost, reasonably light, and packs small, though big enough to feed 6-8 boys?
  20. Huh, in the last few years our troop went from a mishmash of gear to a classic heavy patrol box, suitcase stove, 20# propane tanks, and a giant trailer mode. I suspect if you asked the boys how they like it they'd say that they LOVE having dedicated gear for their patrols, BUT they HATE those incredibly heavy awkward patrol boxes. I'm starting to think that the Beav has the right idea. I'm going to start a new thread to discuss a few details of lightweight patrol gear. Ken K.
  21. This requirement has caused some discussion in my troop as to exactly how Scouts should be expected to complete this. The requirement says: "Identify or show evidence of at least ten kinds of wild animals (birds, mammals, reptiles, fish, mollusks) found in your community." How does your troop expect Scouts to complete this requirement? In my son's troop there is an expectation that the Scout will point out the animals or evidence while an adult leader is present. I've been wondering if secondary evidence would be sufficient - pictures taken (not clipped out of a magazine o
  22. I'd like your input regarding the First Class requirement 2: "Using a compass, complete an orienteering course that covers at least one mile and requires measuring the height and/or width of designated items (tree, tower, canyon, ditch, etc.)" I'm mostly asking about the first part - the orienteering course. In my son's troop they usually setup a compass course in which the Scout is handed a list of compass bearings and distances, and their task is to complete the course by following each bearing in the order given. When I read the new Boy Scout Handbook it describes an oriente
  23. For teaching a high quality serrated plastic knife works quite well because it won't give bad cuts and if the blade slips the user gets feedback from the serrations. As to what knife a Scout should purchase, I too prefer a locking blade. It should be inexpensive enough to be lost without too much grief, since it will most likely be lost, but it should be decent enough quality not to break, to sharpen reasonably well, and to make sure the lock mechanism won't fail. For my own kids I purchased KaBar Dozier folding knives. They are very nice quality, but only cost about $20 plus shippin
  24. Unfortunately some of my son's troop's Scouts trying to do Eagle projects have learned that towns & cities tend to view the glass as something so fragile that young boys can't be entrusted with them - better to hire professionals who are ensured for damage/liabilities. Luckily, our local forest preserves, schools, and churches have much more open minds, and very much appreciate the help of young men to bring the glass from its current condition to the desired condition in a well-planned and well-implemented fashion.
  25. As the Advancement Coordinator for my son's troop my only concern with the new requirements is how we'll track exactly which Scout Laws are "used" when completing the Tenderfoot through First Class Scout Spirit requirements. Almost certainly I'll ask the SM to write the Laws used into the handbook (wish they'd have given dedicated spaces for it) in the sign-off boxes (there's a fair amount of room there). BUT, I wonder if there will be an expectation that I capture those in our TroopMaster database - just in case a Scout looses his Handbook. Ken K.
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