Odds ‘n Sods:

InyoKern flagged this piece about Mexico from The Oil Drum. InyoKern’s notes: “The graphs in the comments section are nails in the coffin, too. Have a look and read the comments. Its rather nauseating because its [coming] so soon. We thought we’d have a year or two before things got weird there, yet conditions for collapse in Mexico are getting pre-emptive. “

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Charles G. sent us this: Manhattan [New York City] parking spot going for $225,000. Charles comments: “Note the 3rd to last paragraph: ‘Some people are buying parking spots even if they don’t own cars, but instead buy the spaces as investments, renting them out to cover their costs.’ I remember Robin Williams once saying that “A cocaine habit is God’s way of telling you that you have too much money.” What should we make of this, I wonder? We have the most distorted economy in recorded human history, don’t we?”

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Some stark ranching economics: Central Utah cattlemen worry about how to feed livestock now that fire has ravaged the range

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I note that spot silver has bounced back above $13 per ounce, just as I predicted. I hope that some of you are buying on the dips, as I’ve suggested . Those of you that bought silver when I pointed out that it was a bargain when it touched $4.25 per ounce have made a pile of money. Even those of you that bought silver when I mentioned silver was $7, $8, and $9 per ounce have made handsome profits. But here is a news flash for you. We are still witnessing the opening phase of a bull market that will propel silver past $50 per ounce. Now that silver is $13 per ounce, don’t feel that you’ve “missed the boat.” Just buy on the next dip, and stay for the long haul. Someday, you’ll be glad that you did.

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“We are steadily asked about the age at which to teach young people to shoot. The answer to this obviously depends upon the particular individual; not only his physical maturity but his desire. Apart from these considerations, however, I think it important to understand that it is the duty of the father to teach the son to shoot. Before the young man leaves home, there are certain things he should know and certain skills he should acquire, apart from any state-sponsored activity. Certainly the youngster should be taught to swim, strongly and safely, at distance. And young people of either sex should be taught to drive a motor vehicle, and if at all possible, how to fly a light airplane. I believe a youngster should be taught the rudiments of hand-to-hand combat, unarmed, together with basic survival skills. The list is long, but it is a parent’s duty to make sure that the child does not go forth into the world helpless in the face of its perils. Shooting, of course, is our business, and shooting should not be left up to the state. – The Late Col. Jeff Cooper

Two Letters Re: Advice on a Budget Rifle Battery for Retreat Security

Jim,
I agree with you but I’d like to mention a few rifles. 1st one is the stevens 200,essentially it’s a savage with the accutrigger as seen on the new savages. they are running locally around $250. Also why not scope an Ishapore arsenal Enfield, that 12rd mag would be nice in my mind and being an enfield is going to be pretty fast to fire. lastly what about the
the the mosin snipers going for $350? while not a .308, the 7.62x54mm will get the job done and the ammo is cheap enough that a couple thousand rounds could be put away and funds are better a .308 could be acquired.
The other thing about the Mosin is, as you know, is that pre-1899 examples can still be found, making it that much more of a good idea. Signed, – Dan

 

James,
Concerning MWR’s question about rifles I agree 100% on getting all SKS rifles first as opposed to some lever guns. But one Rifle to also look at as a mark between the SKS and an M1A or an FAL is the Saiga 308. It is based on the AK-47 action and carries with it the rock solid reliability and function. They retail price is around $399 (YMMV), But the only negative aspect is their magazine capacity: The tock factory magazine is 8 rounds and they are a composite plastic, which makes them weak. There is a company out there that has been developing a 20 round magazine for this rifle but they are still under development and not sure when they will be available. Second, hey are also composite plastic so they will be weak and prone to break. Third they are really expensive, suggested retail is $47 each.
Since I saw one first hand and was quite impressed with the fit and function of the rifle and after firing it I found that even though it was an AK design it was shooting a 1 to 1.5 MOA group. So I bought one and I have tinkered and found a way to modify a standard [HK] G3 steel magazine to work flawlessly in these rifles. They hold 17 rds and I have fired close to 1500 rds through them without a failure. If anyone would be interested I would be more then happy to explain the magazine modification process or if you don’t have access to a welder and a well-tooled garage I can make them for $20 each. Just an option for someone to have an 308battle rifle at a relative bargain price. – Brian in Wyoming

Letter Re: Some Observations on Self-Sufficiency and Retreat Security

James,
I greatly appreciate SurvivalBlog and the solid, thoughtful info it contains, and have printed out numerous posts for future reference. It seems for many the ideal is having a bug-out location, so perhaps readers could glean some useful information from my experience owning and operating a fair-sized ranch, one of the goals of which is to be as independent as possible.
Specific observation on particular issues:
WATER
Top of the list, everything else is secondary. If you don’t have indoor water for cooking, bathing, toilets, etc., the quality of life quickly plummets. Try hauling all of the water you need from the creek for a few days and you’ll agree. Make a reliable water supply your top priority.
Absent a pure gravity-flow situation from a spring or lake, without outside electricity you can lift water with a wind-powered mill, solar pump, or conventional submersible pump powered by a generator. Because of our location in central Texas with abundant sunshine, we chose to employ solar-powered pumps. They cost about the same as a windmill but pump more water and are far more reliable. We currently have three solar pumps made by Grundfos, each powered by two 170 watt solar panels. Two of the pumps are in wells about 100′ deep, the other is in a spring-fed lake. These types of pumps have the huge advantage of using both 12 volt or 220 volt standard power, so they can be powered from the grid, by generator, from the solar panels, or even by jumper cables from a vehicle, which gives lots of options to keep the water flowing. You just have to be certain to unplug the solar panels from the system before using 220 volt power. The pumps supply 3,000 gallon storage tanks with float valves; when the tanks are full the float cuts off the flow of water and a pressure switch at the well turn off the pump when pressure reaches 60 lb. The storage tanks then supply water gravity flow to the house and orchard/garden. We also have 10,000 gallons of storage which catches water from the roof, and can be routed into the house by simply opening a valve.
No matter how carefully a plumbing project is planned and materials lists are drawn, such as adding more irrigation to the garden, for example, it is rare to complete work without another trip or three for additional materials. I would advise having plenty of spare fittings and pipe, as well as items like pressure switches, breakers, and on/off switches. It is also an obvious advantage to have a standard pipe size, say 1 inch, so spare parts are interchangeable.
Give a great deal of thought to your water system. Good planning at the start will allow different aspects to be tied together for redundancy, as well as prevent haphazard add-ons later, not to mention needless expense. Once the system is in place and operational, it is relatively maintenance-free, with only the rare switch failure or even rarer leak.
POWER/FUEL/OIL
For household use such as cook tops, ovens, hot water, and even lighting, propane is hard to beat. With a large tank (I recommend a minimum of a thousand gallons), the supply can be stretched to last for years. And propane has zero storage problems, being practically immortal.
Diesel and gas storage have been discussed at great length, so I won’t add to that here.
It’s hard to have too much two-cycle oil to mix with gas for chainsaws, as well as motor oil and filters (start saving used motor oil for chainsaw lube), hydraulic oil, grease, and differential lube. Also, we have more problems with tires (due to cactus and mesquite thorns, primarily) than any other mechanical problem, so gallon jugs of a tire sealer product and a reliable way to air up tires, even if only a hand pump, is essential.
Cooking oil, lamp oil, and light lubrication oil can be pressed from sunflowers, walnuts, pecans, flaxseed, peanuts, and many more. A simple hand-cranked press (www.piteba.com) looks to be adequate for household use, though I can give a further report once my sunflowers ripen next fall and I’ve given it a thorough test-drive. Olive oil can be used for the same purposes, though olives will only fruit in the far southern reaches of the US and the equipment to extract the oil is fairly expensive. Even so, we’ve planted a dozen olive trees and we’ll see how they do.
Solar power with an inverter is an option I’m exploring for running power tools and refrigeration, but as yet have no direct experience with it. But it seems a viable alternative, with limits.
GARDEN/ORCHARD
It takes a vast amount of experience and experimentation to reliably grow, process, store, and save the seeds from vegetables (Grandpappy’s thoughts on seed saving were excellent, BTW). If the extent of your preparations in this area is a supply of heirloom seeds and three books on gardening, I’ve got some bad news: you’re gonna starve. But don’t despair, a great deal can be learned on a small scale: grow just a couple of tomato, squash, beans, peas, etc., and keep experimenting and saving seeds until you find what works best in your location. Once you know how to grow particular vegetables, it’s relatively easy to ramp up the area to grow a significant food supply. But if starting from zero, it will take several years to become proficient.
Drip irrigation or soaker hoses are the way to go for most vegetables, at least in our locale, as they not only save water but reduce weed competition. Corn is the only plant I still put in rows and irrigate in the conventional way.
Our orchard is only now coming of age and starting to produce, as the trees are four years old. The forty fruit trees are also drip irrigated when necessary. One of the biggest problems related to fruit trees, aside from pests and diseases, is varmints; coons, possums, and ringtailed cats. Our solution when the fruit is ripening is leaving a dog in the fenced-in orchard at night.
We obtain more food from our 1.5 acre orchard and garden than we do from the rest of the ranch combined, and we only plant a small portion of it each year, so production could be greatly expanded in a pinch.
SECURITY
The whole key to security, in my view, lies in not being surprised. If the first inkling I have of trouble is when six vehicles with twenty-five armed men slide to a stop in my yard then I’m in exceptionally deep Schumer. So a layered approach, as James has outlined, makes excellent sense. Observation Posts (OPs) and MURS-type detection equipment [such as a Dakota Alert] are essential to having early warning to problems, and for most of us, if we’re alerted, we’ll be a very tough nut to crack.
A couple of good, well-trained dogs much more than pay their own way, acting as an alert and deterrent for intruders, as well as trailing game, barking at poisonous snakes, and, as mentioned earlier, keeping varmints out of the orchard and garden and away from the house. At the risk of blaspheming, if I had to pick only one rifle , it would be a .223. Now I’m well aware that a .308 has a lot more energy, range, and penetration, and I have several battle rifles in .308 that I love, but for one weapon to carry everywhere, every day, .223 is my choice.
First of all, I can’t begin to count the number of deer and large feral hogs I’ve killed with one shot from a .223, so I have plenty of confidence in the round. But from a more practical standpoint, I’ve been amazed when carefully reading history with the number of settlers killed by Comanche indians in the old days right in this area because they were caught unarmed. And I realized they were usually caught unarmed because it’s hard to weed the garden, cut wood, catch a cow, plow a field, wash clothes in the creek, butcher a hog, gather pecans, and a thousand other practical tasks when constantly toting a heavy rifle.
And the same may well hold true for us someday. A six and half pound .223 in AR platform or Mini-14 will be a lot more likely to be at hand when needed in the midst of constant work than a twelve pound H&K. Your mileage may vary, of course. – Bois d’Arc

Odds ‘n Sods:

Reader “Hawaiian K.” mentioned this article on a sub-prime mortgage woes in Britain. K’s comment: “We have a tendency to think of the sub-prime meltdown as being an American phenomenon when it’s happening in Great Britain too.”

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It’s not even vaguely related to survival or preparedness, but I found this news story weird, wacky, and wonderful: Oregon man takes lawn chair up to 13,000 feet, travels 193 miles

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Sounds like something out of one of those survivalist novels: Desperate times in Zimbabwe – A country at the end of its tether. You will note that I’ve been highlighting Zimbabwe ever since the first month that SurvivalBlog was launched. (Mostly links to Cathy Buckle’s free newsletter. Her July, 2007 newsletter was particularly powerful.) I’ve done so because that once prosperous nation typifies of what can happen in a “slow slide” collapse. We can learn from their sad experience.

Note from JWR:

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Letter Re: Advice for Preparedness Newbie

Hey Guys.
I came upon your site, and all I really had to say, was “Wow”.
I suppose I’m not the best candidate to be a survivalist. I’m 21, I rent my apartment, have a mountain of student loans, and work as a waitress. My friends are mostly of the classic female-materialistic variety, and have no immediate concerns beyond a swimsuit sale at PacSun.
Anyway, I’m an avid reader. I began to develop an interest in the term “Peak Oil”. I read several articles, and conducted a few small studies of my own. The fact that many of the articles said that we’d begin to see problems (power outages, ridiculous gas prices) in 2008 due to having past peak oil. Well, it got me worried.

From there, I began to notice other things. My grocery bill went up
significantly, and I realized I’d have to budget my grocery money to foods that were cheaper and had a longer shelf life. I did some research, and found the statistics that proved that I wasn’t simply over-shopping. I haven’t had a raise in over a year, but I’m spending on average about $20 per-month more, on my basic grocery list. Needless to say, this really disturbed me.

From there, I began an extensive research of web articles, publications,
editorials, and came upon several survivalist sites and resources. It drove me to the realization that our society is, indeed, on the verge of collapse. With the gross incompetence of our current government, the threat of an event of WMD in the US, Avian Flu, Peak Oil, Global Conditions… well, I’d have to say, to use the term: It won’t be long before TSHTF.
Needless to say, my friends think I’ve gone nuts.
I can veritably assure myself, however, that this isn’t just in my imagination. I consider myself a smart person – I was going for my medical degree at JHU/UNH, before a series of mishaps bumped me from that path, and I ended up being a waitress.
Anyway, I started a bit of basic preparation. With every grocery trip, I picked up a few items to add to my “stash” of canned food, medical supplies, and basic utility items. I’ve been doing this for about six months, and I was pretty proud of my efforts, given that I’m operating on a very limited budget. Then, I came upon your site, and realized that I was still incredibly unprepared.
I’ve got to say, reading through all of your articles and resources, I was completely overwhelmed. Even with my efforts, I haven’t even scratched the surface of what I’d need to do to be even basically prepared, for, well, anything.
Given my financial situation, I don’t know if I can make even a basic preparation effort in the next year or so. I’ve been attempting to save up to purchase a small firearm, to give myself the assurance of some sort of protection.
Anyway, I guess I’m simply writing to you to see if you can offer me any advice. I suppose I’m experiencing the classic level of fear, right now, that accompanies someone who has just realized that they are incredibly unprepared, should TSHTF. The “Rawles Gets You Ready” preparedness course seems to be an incredibly valuable resource for someone in my situation, yet I don’t think I can afford it at this time.
As you guys seem to really, really know your stuff, I was just wondering if you can offer me any advice or guidance. I suppose I just need to reach the level of assurance to know, that no matter what happens, my family and I will be alright (and what I need to do to reach that level). Thank you so much. Sincerely, – Carolyn G.

JWR Replies: Many thanks for your e-mail. I get similar ones every week. Do not feel overwhelmed. Just work at preparedness systematically, and gradually. Even with modest preparations you are already miles ahead of your head-in-the-sand friends and neighbors.

In your circumstances, the best thing that you can do is team up with like-minded people in your area. The Survivalist Group Matching Page (courtesy of the fine folks at SurvivalistBooks.com) reportedly works well. But of course use caution, just like you would with any other on-line person-to-person matching service. Proceed with prayer. Have some lengthy phone conversations long before you ever reveal your address or decide meet face to face. Avoid both the lunatics and the Tommy Tactical wanna-bes.

I assume by your reference to UNH that you live in (or near) New Hampshire. If so, you are fortunate to live in one of the most conservative states in the northeast. It is also home to one of the two Libertarian Free States Projects. (The other one is in Wyoming.). Many of the “Free Staters” are also strongly preparedness-minded. You might find some contacts in your area through their organization.

You also mentioned that originally had an interest in attending medical school. That may or may not still be a realistic option for you. But you could at least get involved with your local EMT organization, part-time. That will provide you with some free or very low cost paramedic training that will be invaluable in the event of TEOTWAWKI. In preparedness circles, honest-to-goodness skills are more highly valued than money. There are lots idiots out there that have money. Their wads of cash don’t automatically make them useful or even trustworthy to be in retreat groups. I’d much rather be associated with plain folks that know how to fell a tree, pull a calf, rebuild an engine, raise a garden, or set up a perimeter of security. Gather and hone some valuable skills and you will make yourself indispensable to any retreat group.

Letter Re: Dick Proenneke–A Modern Day Pioneer in Alaska’s Bush Country

Mr Rawles,
I saw the link to the anchorage daily news about alaska and I thought that you or your readers might be interested in a man named Dick Proenneke who basically left his life behind in the {Lower 48] states and lived alone in the Alaskan bush for about 30 years. Yes, he did have some outside support, and a few visitors a year but the man was amazingly resourceful. There is a documentary he filmed himself that actually shows how he made his own cabin by hand with no power tools, he makes not only the table and the chairs but also the bowls and spoons used for cooking and eating. You may be able to get a hold of one of the movies through your local library or you can order from the link below. Watching the guy build the cabin is practically a step by step how to guide that would likely be worth the price of the movie alone. Thanks for the blog. – “Sno” from Alaska

Odds ‘n Sods:

More than 50,000 turkeys on a farm west of Mount Jackson, Virginia tested positive for Avian Flu antibodies. It is a less virulent strain than H5N1, but still cause for concern.

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By way of SHTF Daily: US mortgage problem fears spark sell-off. Mark my words: A credit collapse could trigger a major recession or perhaps a depression. This is your last chance to sell off any rental or “spec” properties. Get out now, before it is too late. Ditto for stocks. The chain reaction has most likely begun. The real estate collapse is the precursor of a general credit collapse. As the credit market implodes, it will bring down banks, hedge funds, and pension funds. Starved for credit, corporations will start lay-offs. A contraction in consumer credit will trigger a recession. Imported cars will pile up on the docksides. Tax revenues will contract as well, so state governments will have trouble balancing their budgets. Things could get very nasty. Be ready to hunker down, folks!

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From TimesOnline (by way of SHTF Daily): S&P fears credit crunch as mortgage crisis hits house prices

Jim’s Quote of the Day:

“We might think of dollars as being ‘certificates of performance.’ The better I serve my fellow man, and the higher the value he places on that service, the more certificates of performance he gives me. The more certificates I earn, the greater my claim on the goods my fellow man produces. That’s the morality of the market. In order for one to have a claim on what his fellow man produces, he must first serve him.” – Dr. Walter E. Williams

Notes from JWR:

In my post last night about the upcoming US Federal restrictions on iodine products, I neglected to mention that in addition to Polar Pure and KI, Ready Made Resources also stocks Betadine and other Povidone polymer products. These aren’t listed in their web page catalog, but are available if you place a phone order. (In the US and Canada call: 1(800) 627-3809.)

The high bid is now at $250 in the SurvivalBlog benefit auction for a batch of 10 brand new original Imperial Defence SA-80 (AR-15) steel 30 round rifle magazines. The auction ends on Sunday, July 15th.

Letter Re: Advice on a Budget Rifle Battery for Retreat Security

Jim,
I’ve corresponded a couple times before with you on this subject, but basically I’m strapped for funds in our [group’s] “arms” area. My current idea is to have a couple of .30-30s, then four or so SKSes to hand out to others who might join us, and lastly, if possible, get one or two M1As or FALs.

My question is, should I get the 30-30s and SKS rifles first (6 guns), and later the M1A /FAL when funds permit, or should I get one M1A or FAL first, and then add the others when funds permit? I would appreciate your insight on this. I guess an additional question is if you think SKS’s are worth it. They sure are cheap, and the ammo is too. Another aspect is should I just get 2 M1As, or get 6 to 10 of something cheap for more rifles on duty? Thanks, – MWR, near Seattle

JWR Replies: In your circumstance, I would just standardize with all SKS rifles, for your first six rifles. Skip the .30-30s altogether, since the SKS cartridge (7.62 x39mm) is ballistically nearly identical to .30-30.(It has similar bullet weight, velocity, and trajectory. ) An SKS is about as accurate as a Model 1894 Winchester, much less expensive, very reliable, and semi-auto. Your next purchase should then be a scoped bolt action .308 Winchester as your dedicated “reach out and touch someone” rifle. For this, the Savage 110 series bolt action is quite accurate and relative bargain (versus a comparable Winchester, Remington, or Ruger). Then start saving and get yourself a couple of FALs, as your budget permits. Presently, M1As are just too expensive compared to FAL clones. Ditto for M1A magazines and spare parts. Spare USGI M14 magazines are $23+ each, but FAL magazines are just $5 to $7 each. Currently USGI M14 barrels are pushing $375 each, and trigger groups are around $225. A full set of spare USGI parts (minus a receiver) is now an $800+ proposition! (That same amount of money would buy you nearly three FAL parts sets.)

Four Letters Re: EMP Preparedness and Countermeasures

Dear Mr Rawles:
I have been enjoying your SurvivalBlog very much. I am new to these kind of web sites but have been of a preparedness/survivalist mindset all my life. I served in the US Navy for seven years as an Avionics Technician on both fixed wing (FA-18 Hornets) and rotor wing aircraft. Part of my training encompassed electromagnetic pulse (EMP) and its effects on aircraft and how to properly maintain and repair them so as to not compromise their ability to withstand EMP should it occur. Now that I have been out of the military for some time I have been researching [through] the Internet to find practical examples of how to harden modern microchip-laden automobiles so they might withstand an EMP attack. There is very little info out there from a practical hands on approach but I have come up with a workable method to harden most vehicles fairly economically. One of my biggest questions is, might there be a market out there? Would people care to prepare their cars and trucks in this manner? The government has been largely silent about EMP and its danger to the civilian sector and terribly unprepared in the DOD arena as well, from what I gather. I’m thinking that only a few of the survivalist folks might be interested in having their trucks/cars prepared against EMP and the rest of the population will scoff or gamble it will turn out okay. I also read that the EMP threat is not diminishing since the fall of the USSR but if anything it is getting greater with the possibility of smaller more efficient bombs designed specifically to radiate EMP that terrorists will surely not ignore. Any input or ideas out there would be appreciated. thank you. Keep up the great work. – Ross W

JWR Replies: Yes, there would definitely be a market, since you would be filling a need that heretofore no company has supplied for the civilian world. If your EMP protection solution is not too expensive, you are sure to find hundreds of customers. I wish you well with this venture. It sounds like a winner. (Talk about pent-up market demand!) Once you are ready to put your product(s) on the market, let me know and I will do my best to help you get the word out there to folks that will have both the interest and the means to make a purchase.

Mr. Rawles,
I’ve been reading SurvivalBlog for awhile and have read much on protecting equipment from EMP. I’m confused as to what would constitute as sufficient protection. The blog has articles on the effects of EMP, but I couldn’t find any how-to subjects. I’ve read anything from wrapping car computers in tin foil to thicknesses of conductive metal that is grounded. Is there a set of guidelines or can you or the readership comment on this? (That is, how to properly configure an ammo can for EMP protection for radios/electronics, modifications to make for your gun safe, et cetera.) Thanks, – Paul

JWR Replies: Unfortunately, I can’t issue any blanket guidelines that will protect any piece of electronics that is kept plugged-in to a grid power outlet. Radios receive some protection from zener diodes attached to external antenna cables, but that isn’t a panacea. Vehicular electronics are safer than power grid-connected electronics, but still at risk. If left unplugged and disconnected from external antennas, most radios will be fine, except for close proximity nuclear detonations. In a perfect world, everyone would have three to five redundant radios, with just left one plugged in, and all of the spares stored in practical Faraday Cage type enclosures, such as steel ammo cans or a steel gun vault. But for most of us that are on a realistic middle class budget, the best that we can hope for is one spare of each radio. At least keep that one spare in an ammo can! To make an ammo can into a more efficient Faraday cage, its original rubber gasket should be replaced with braided wire, as explained in a September, 2006 SurvivalBlog letter. OBTW, I also recently posted details on how to EMP-protect a gun vault that has an electronic (key pad entry) lock mechanism.
.

Sir,
Do you have any theory about a high altitude EMP in the northern most part of the US? Would it affect Anchorage, Alaska? Would mountains and the curve of the Earth block it? I don’t think we are on the “grid”, shared electric power with the Yukon Territory but there may be a old telephone line still plugged in to the South 48, does that count for a EMP? Although, Alaska’s Air Force bases would be important military targets for a threat from a Pacific nation if times get tough.- Edventures (in Alaska)

JWR Replies: First, let me reiterate that in most terrorist nuke scenarios, EMP will be quite localized. Even if terrorists were to set off a nuke in an airplane at high altitude (highly unlikely, since their main goal is to see news footage of blast damage and panic on the ground), the EMP effect would be limited to the line of sight (LOS) from the detonation. (As explained in one of my SurvivalBlog posts in October 2005, and reiterated in April, 2007.) And even a very high altitude burst would be limited to about 280 mile line of sight. However, keep in mind that EMP can also be carried beyond line of sight (BLOS), via coupling through any linear metallic objects that can act as an antenna. These include phone lines, power lines, and even railroad tracks. The coupled EMP could conceivably travel many hundreds of miles. The bottom line: In Alaska you should be safe from the EMP generated by most anticipated terrorist use of nukes, but in the event that nation states start tossing around nukes, all bets are off.

James:

Why isn’t there an EMP category on your site? A while back, I inquired about back-up computer modules for vehicles and other means of protecting vehicle electronics, but you didn’t post it.. – Stephen F.

JWR Replies: Sorry about the delay, but I was saving up a few letters regarding EMP to answer all at once.

I have been filing most of the EMP letters and articles under the “NBC” category. I suppose that I should indeed create a more precise EMP category. To find most of the archived EMP articles and letters, just do keyword searches on the words “Faraday” and “Coupling” in the “Search Posts on SurvivalBlog:” window in SurvivalBlog’s right hand window.

It is prudent to store spare microprocessors for each of your vehicles, especially if you live within 100 miles of any anticipated nuclear target. The spares should be stored in steel ammo cans, which make a decent Faraday Cage–effectively protecting their contents from most conceivable EMP events.

Since spare motor vehicle microprocessors are fairly expensive to buy brand new, you might consider finding used ones and auto wrecking yards. The most important spare microprocessor (or microprocessor box) to acquire is a Electronic Control Module (ECM), which control the ignition system. (Note that the terminology for this module will vary, depending on the vehicle’s maker.) Some cars and trucks also have a Powertrain Control Module (PCM) and other s even have discrete microprocessors associated with the fuel system. Without all of these intact, your vehicle might not run. In essence, the newer the vehicle, the greater its vulnerability to EMP. Not only is he sheer number of chips needed to run a car increasing, but the gate sizes of those chips is simultaneously getting smaller. (Now “sub-micron” size gates are commonplace!) Both of these factors add to EMP vulnerability with each new model year rolling out of Detroit, Stuttgart, Seoul, and Tokyo. Consult your local dealership mechanic for details on the microprocessors needed for each make and model of vehicle. Your mechanic can also let you know if it is feasible to retrofit your vehicle with a traditional (rotor and condenser) ignition system.