Prepping Academy

Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, Patrick with Grid Down Comms Up lists some of  his favorite prepper Christmas gifts. If you are looking for a present for your significant other, children, mag group member, or anyone else on your gift list, there is something here for you! We focus on practical gifts that have real value, whether the grid is up or the world has come crashing down.  From b...

Send us Fan Mail This special “Spy Christmas” episode is your complete holiday guide to the best privacy, security, and spy-themed gear of the year. Forrest breaks down over 30 hand-picked tools and gadgets for anyone who loves preparedness, digital security, or covert everyday carry. Whether you’re protecting your home, securing your digital life, or shopping for the privacy-minded person in your...

Send us Fan Mail Having the Privacy Mindset In this episode of The Privacy & Freedom Podcast , Forrest Garvin dives into the foundation of digital privacy — the mindset . Before you install a VPN, delete social accounts, or buy a Faraday bag, you must first understand how to think privately in a world built to watch you. Forrest explains why true privacy starts with awareness, discipline, and...

Send us Fan Mail Podcast Summary – Prepping Academy Podcast: “VPNs Explained – The First Line of Defense for Online Privacy” In this powerful episode of The Prepping Academy Podcast , host Forrest Garvin exposes the truth about VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) — what they really do, how they work, and which ones you can actually trust. As online tracking, censorship, and surveillance continue to ri...

Send us Fan Mail Podcast Summary – Prepping Academy Podcast: “The Truth About Internet Browsers – Which Ones Keep You Safe?” In this episode of The Prepping Academy Podcast , host Forrest Garvin breaks down one of the most overlooked areas of online privacy — your internet browser . Every click, search, and website visit leaves a digital trail, and your browser is often the biggest source of data...

Send us Fan Mail Podcast Summary – Prepping Academy Podcast: “Data Breaches & Hacks Update – Protecting Your Digital Life” In this week’s episode of The Prepping Academy Podcast , we dive deep into the world of data breaches, cyberattacks, and online privacy — and what you can do right now to protect yourself. From the latest major corporate hacks to the quiet data leaks that expose your perso...

Send us Fan Mail Today, Grid Down Comms Up takes the microphone again for another great episode of the Prepping Academy. We do a short after-action report on the Eastern Tennessee Homestead Alliance festival, revisit a few items as we approach the one-year anniversary of the historic disaster caused by Hurricane Helene, and talk about radio and communications interference. We look at the common ty...

Send us Fan Mail Prepping Academy Podcast: PrepperNet Leaders Needed, PrepperFinds. Com Launch, Preparedness Month, Hurricane Readiness, and Building a Nonprofit for Disaster Relief   Support PrepperNet’s mission to become a nonprofit by sending your donation via PayPal to info@preppernet.com . You may also contact us by email, and we will provide you with a Stripe invoice for your convenience.  ...

Send us Fan Mail The Prepping Academy welcomes Forrest Garvin, founder of PrepperNet, Garvin Academy, and other entrepreneurial ventures that are countable. In today's episode, Forrest updates us on what he has been up to over the last year.  We also discuss the current happenings in  PrepperNet, where PrepperNet is heading in the future, and a general update on the status of Prepping 2025. ...

Send us Fan Mail Grid Down Comms Up dives into the top ten prepping items for a natural disaster. According to NOAA, there were twenty-seven major natural disasters last year. They did 182 billion dollars in damage and caused 568 deaths. Of all the emergencies we prepare for, we are most likely to be caught up in a large-scale natural disaster. Will you be ready if one strikes your area? In today&...

Send us Fan Mail Grid Down Comms Up dives into the top ten prepping items for a natural disaster. According to NOAA, there were twenty-seven major natural disasters last year. They did 182 billion dollars in damage and caused 568 deaths. Of all the emergencies we prepare for, we are most likely to be caught up in a large-scale natural disaster. Will you be ready if one strikes your area? In today&...

Send us Fan Mail On this week's episode of The Prepping Academy, we welcome a special guest, John Jacob Schmidt, founder of AmRRON, for a discussion on the history of AmRRON and what the future holds. We also discuss his new project, AmRRON Reloaded, and efforts to grow the ranks of individuals capable of effectively communicating in any emergency situation. Remember, the annual AmRRON nation...

Send us Fan Mail previews Podcast Summary: Prepper Camp 2025 Preview with James Walton & Forrest Garvin In this energetic episode of ⁠ The Prepper Broadcasting Network ⁠ , host ⁠ James Walton ⁠ sits down with preparedness leader Forrest Garvin to deliver an insider’s look at Prepper Camp 2025, happening September 26–28, 2025, in Saluda, North Carolina . Over roughly thirty minutes, the convers...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Grid Down Comms Up on the Prepping Academy, Patrick looks at tactical and team communications and strategic communications in a disaster. Team communications are a simple concept, but become surprisingly complex when users enter the equation. Frequency coordination and interference are a reality of a large-scale disaster scene. We discuss how that impacts operat...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Grid Down Comms Up on the Prepping Academy, Patrick looks at some of the technical communications failures during the hurricane, from radio programming disasters, broken equipment, and poor engineering practice. We look at them all. If you want to be the person who learns from others' mistakes, get out a pen and paper to take notes now, so you don't me...

Send us Fan Mail Patrick takes the Prepping Academy helm once again with a new episode of Grid Down Comms Up. In breaking world news massive power outages in in Spain impact communications infrastructure sending some residents looking for portable radios to receive information. This episode looks at commercially available information sources that have been hardened by FEMA to survive disasters, EM...

Send us Fan Mail On this episode of The Prepping Academy, Patrick picks up with a Grid Down Comms Up episode. We begin with a look at the battle rhythm in the first seventy-two hours of the disaster and what that looked like for the people on the outside, who were providing communications support and processing information for those with limited access to reliable information. Next, we look at the...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s episode, Patrick discusses how communications systems failed during Hurricane Helene and why the communications situation in western North Carolina and the surrounding mountains deteriorated so quickly compared to a typical hurricane.  We also discuss how amateur and other radio services supported logistics and recovery in the aftermath of the incident. We look at some...

Send us Fan Mail This week on the Prepping Academy Podcast , Patrick Adams takes the reins to bring a holiday-themed episode packed with practical, thoughtful, and must-have items for the preparedness-minded. As a leading voice in both AmRRON and PrepperNet, Patrick combines his expertise in survival communications and prepping to share his Top 10 Christmas Gifts for preppers in 2024. Patrick begi...

Send us Fan Mail Hurricane Helene's impact and lessons learned. Part III In this insightful episode of PrepperNet’s podcast, Patrick steps in as the guest host for Forrest Garvin, bringing a fresh perspective and leading an in-depth discussion on surviving the intense Hurricane Helene while at Prepper Camp in the mountainous region of Saluda, North Carolina. Patrick is joined by three remarka...

Send us Fan Mail Hurricane Helene's impact and lessons learned. Part II In this insightful episode of PrepperNet’s podcast, Patrick steps in as the guest host for Forrest Garvin, bringing a fresh perspective and leading an in-depth discussion on surviving the intense Hurricane Helene while at Prepper Camp in the mountainous region of Saluda, North Carolina. Patrick is joined by three remarkab...

Send us Fan Mail In this insightful episode of PrepperNet’s podcast, Patrick steps in as the guest host for Forrest Garvin, bringing a fresh perspective and leading an in-depth discussion on surviving the intense Hurricane Helene while at Prepper Camp in the mountainous region of Saluda, North Carolina. Patrick is joined by three remarkable guests: Beth G., Pistol Pete, and Forrest Garvin himself,...

Send us Fan Mail The Most Awesome Privacy and Security Webinar EVER!!!  Disappear ON the Internet! Yes, I said it! This is Forrest Garvin, and I believe that 100%. I have been studying Online Privacy and Security for over seven years—not the corporate stuff. The stuff that will help people like you and me disappear ON the internet. Anyone can disappear off the internet.  This webinar is designed t...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we dive into the aftermath of the T-REX readiness exercise, reflecting on the challenges, successes, and key takeaways from this intense three-day grid-down simulation. Join me, along with Patrick, the National Communications Coordinator for PrepperNet, as we analyze how the event unfolded from July 19th to 21st and the invaluable lessons we learned along the way....

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the grid goes down? Can you stay connected and manage in a world without power? Join me, Patrick, the National Communications Coordinator for PrepperNet, as we navigate the critical T-REX readiness exercise, a three-day grid-down communications event organized by AmRRON from July 19th to 21st. This episode offers you the chance to explore different ways to partic...