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Extra Kit on BMQ ? Cameras, Cell Phones, Laptops..

  • Thread starter Thread starter stacy mogan
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When I was at bmq, people had cell phones there.  You can use them after hours, but just don't have them with you during the training day.
 
you only really need what is on the list, don't take more then one pair of civilian clothes other then the ones you wear down their, also a good pair of running shoes, because the one the issue you are the worst shoes in the world. other then that maybe brings a book to read in off time, but pack as light as you can because their is barley enough room in the civilian closest to fit all the bags.
 
I heard that a laptop and a printer would be good for works to do for the class.

Also, a sleeping bag and a therma-rest because you don't want to sleep in your bed.

Is it true? Where would I put these?
 
LaRo said:
I heard that a laptop and a printer would be good for works to do for the class.

Also, a sleeping bag and a therma-rest because you don't want to sleep in your bed.

Is it true? Where would I put these?

The point is not to sleep IN your bed, but ON your bed ;) You have two fire blankets. One gets tucked in over top of your white sheets, and the other is either folded neatly (and exactly) at the foot of your bed or over your pillow. Use the fire blanket that's been folded up as your cover and try to get an extra sheet somewhere so that the grimey wool doesn't touch your skin. Other than that, make sure you take all those little hairs that you shed at night off your pillow and tighten up your bed before inspection and you should do fine.
If you're really strapped for ideas or are desperately cold at night, take out your issued sleeping bag and use that. No need to bring that much extra space-wasting stuff.

You can bring your laptop if you want... I don't see why you would need it while on basic. I think it would be more of a hassle than anything else, and where would you put it?? There isn't that much space given to you so you might have to lock it up. It's up to you though.

Sundborg said:
When I was at bmq, people had cell phones there. You can use them after hours, but just don't have them with you during the training day.
I agree.
 
  I'm just wondering if during basic there will be any access to computers for personal use. I pay all my bills online and I'm wondering if it'll be possible to do this in Borden. If not I'll have to make other arrangements. Any insight will be very helpful.  :salute:

:cdn:
 
See comments on internet access during Basic Training at this thread:

http://forums.army.ca/forums/threads/13704.0.html

Found searching on word group: "internet basic training"

Search page - http://forums.army.ca/forums/index.php?action=search;advanced
 
They still have dial-up? I thought only us primitive folk out here had dial-up... and a buck per 15 minutes! That's expensive. Hope they got highspeed for free this fall.
 
If you pay bills thru computer for the next several weeks during BMQ you may need to have a back up plan ie; someone else take care of your bills, on the phone banking etc.  Your not going to get the freedom to just wander off and pay bills whenever you want especially for the first few weeks anyway, your schedule will be jam packed.  Keep in mind you are going to be force fed so much new info, and have a lot of stuff to keep you occupied in the evening, the course staff is kept to a tight schedule and any deviation from it is difficult.
 
I was told that the ratio is about 30 computers for approximately 2000 recruits, so I think phone banking is going to be the best option.
 
well there are 2 options.

1) wait till you get leave...which hopefully you will get on your fourth weekend
2) second your Platoon Commander will come in one day and ask if anyone needs to use the computer(for important stuff, such as  university registration and such) the commander will ask you to choose a day and time, and they will try as best as they can to get you computer access at that time. Keep in mind this was during my BMQ so things may change
 
  Aight thats cool. I can wait at most a month to pay my bills. So hopefully we will have access to computers after the fourth weekend. Thanks guys for posting this info for me. I appreciate it alot. Cheers.  :salute:

:cdn:
 
The bank I deal with allows me to schedule payments up to a year in the future.  If your bills are relatively fixed, schedule monthly payments prior to departing and Bob's your Uncle.  Not only will your bills be paid on time, you don't even have to think about it for the duration of your course.
 
*scratching head*......not sure what "Bob's your uncle" part means????  As for the prescheduled payments, that sounds like a great idea. Thanks.  :salute:

:cdn:
 
Does anyone know if your allowed to bring a Camera to BMQ? i haven't seen anything that says your not and if so do you have access to a computer if you bring a digital to download the pictures?
 
You can bring it. Most of the people on my bmq have those disposable ones and leave the expensive ones either with staff or locked up in civvie until the weekend. You can't pack it around all day long or anything, but you can use it on the weekends and evenings and we are allowed to bring them to the field. It depends on your instructors as to when you can take pictures.
 
Wouldn't reccommend any sort of digital camera (Though plenty of people would, then again, I bought a very nice tiny digital camera with a huge memory stick and have yet to bring it with me any place out of paranoia), problems with either damage or theft. Disposable cameras are ideal (Once you're done with them, if you're not going to have time to get to a developer, which you probably won't during basic make sure the film is wound completely, crack the camera open, pull out the film roll, and toss the camera).

Worst case scenario, you break your dispoable, and you're out the $4 you paid for it plus a few pictures that were on it (Some may be salvageable). Break your digital, you're out a few hundred, though your pictures will usually survive.
 
Hi,

I've been scheduled to go for my IAP/BOTP at St. Jean for April 10th and I'm trying to get everything together that I need to take.  The joining instructions say that it's OK to bring a laptop (as long as it's not out during training hours), but the MCC at my CFRC said that it might be safer to not bring it, for theft reasons. 

I was wondering what the Internet situation is at St. Jean.  I know from searching that there's a terminal you can plunk loonies into and use for a few minutes, but I can't find any information on if there are any other ways of getting on the Internet - wireless access would be perfect, but outlets I could plug into would be good too.  Can anyone who's been to St. Jean recently let me know if there are other ways of getting on the Internet? (I'm expecting to hear an "of course there's no Internet... it's Basic," but I hope against hope...) I know I won't be able to use it much, but I'd like to stay in touch through email as much as I can while I'm away.  I've heard that a laptop can be useful for doing your work there too, but if there's no way I can get on the Internet with it, I'll probably listen to the MCC and not bring one along.

Thanks,
Matt

(Hopefully I don't get one of those "Welcome to Army.ca, meet the search function" mod replies... I really DID search! =) )
 
Not useful for IAP... maybe BOTP if you want to type a memo or watch a movie at night (movie at night a no-no during IAP).

As for Internet, once you are on 2nd Lang Trg (SLT) you can set it up among your 'podmates' (roomates) but it is through Bell and then your own wireless router. There is no wireless or hard links during IAP/BOTP unless you go to a hotspot in Montreal on a week end (something you won't have until the 4th or 5th week end of IAP).

As for theft, you can never be too safe during IAP/BOTP. There is no where to hide it during inspections (believe me, all you can get away with hiding a package of pledge wipes), so you'd have to keep it in the luggage room (where theft is always possible, but more likely damage from people moving around bags).

Speaking from personal experience, I kept it in my bag in the luggage room during inspection days and then my room during non-inspection days/week ends. Watched a few movies on it, did up a presentation or 2 and had a lot of reference material I had downloaded off the DIN before my transfer to the Reg F and used it in Montreal when I could hook it into the internet. Worked out for me, you just have to keep all that other stuff in mind.

Definitely you'll want it for SLT... there aren't many people here now without a computer/high speed internet... IAP/BOTP, the ball is in your court.
 
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