Search Results for: emp

Three Letters Re: Real World EMP Effects on Motor Vehicle

…and trucks to EMP makes sense. However, most EMP measurements I’m familiar with, particularly after a nuclear detonation, occur in the hundreds of thousands, not just tens of thousands of volts. I think we still need to actively prepare for an EMP event. Besides, the way I store my unused electronics (in Mylar bags, placed in ammo cans, connected to earth ground) and electronic motorcycle components also helps to protects them from fire, flood, etc. While an EMP event would be classified as “seldom” in a risk assessment matrix, its severity would be off the scale, to the point where those of us with anything electronic, and working, would be perceived as gods. Cheers, – J.E. Dear James, I’m responding to Michael Z. Williamson’s letter “Real World EMP Effects on Motor Vehicles” regarding the likely outcome for our transportation system after an EMP event. Based solely on the simulations he…


Four Letters Re: A Prepper’s Guide to EMP

Jim: That was a very good article by Chris C. to get people up to speed on EMP threats and mitigation, there is one very simple thing to add that was shared with me by a former military contractor who was involved in EMP work.   While it’s possible to protect equipment in place with shielding, grounding and specialized electronic components, the most economical solution is to store spares.  This has the advantage of protecting (remember, “two is one”) with backups from ANY type of equipment failure, EMP or otherwise.  This method uses readily obtainable and very economical materials.  There’s really no excuse not to do this, as you’ll be protected against a number of different possible problems. Go through your your gear and determine what you need for spares.  Many, many things now have microelectronics inside.  Low startup power water pumps, tankless hot water heaters, refrigerators, LED light bulbs…


What Can We Expect and Do Now To Prevent a Nuclear Power Plant Meltdown in an EMP Scenario, by B.Z.

I was prompted to write in response to the reader who commented on the recent article entitled “Six Common Misconceptions About EMP”, by G.P., which was published in December 2014. The reader asked specifically: “Can we expect the 100+ nuclear power plants in the country to have meltdowns when the grid can no longer supply the power these plants need? In particular, what about the spent fuel pools?” Let me first say that I personally have met the author of this article, and I can attest that he is one of the foremost experts on EMP in the world. My own expertise comes from over 30 years in the commercial nuclear power industry, and it is with this background that I am responding to the reader’s comments regarding his question on the impact of EMP on nuclear power plants. I wrote about the effects of EMP on nuclear power plants…


Getting Home In The Event Of An EMP- Part 2, by B.M.

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…to return to your family safely. See Also: Getting Home In The Event Of An EMP– Part 1, by B.M. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest This has been part two of a two part entry for Round 76 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The nearly $11,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from Veteran owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course (a $1,095 value), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three day onPoint courses normally cost $795, DRD Tactical is providing a 5.56 NATO QD Billet upper. These have hammer forged, chrome-lined barrels and a…


The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods:

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…reset in case there are more. These could easily be added to your existing on grid power to give you at least some protection, they cost less that $200 from what I recall. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkeFYuHxJoU That’s a video showing the unit being tested, enough for an EMP? Not sure but way way better than nothing. Seawind Re: EMP, To often articles on emp create the impression that a emp attackt is some kind of special attack, below the level of a Nuclear attack. An EMP attack is a Nuclear attack on America with all the consequences that come with it. If you prep for Nuclear war you will be covered. If you prep for an emp attack as an isolated occurrence IMHO you will come up short. Deplorable Silver Stacker I’m waiting to see how long until my Local Church breaks away from the new BSA and starts their own church-wide…


Dark Age 2.0: Melee Weapons – Part 4, by Dr. Joseph

…March 15, 2024, at https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2024/03/15/state-department-report-cals-for-government-agencies-to-mangage-… [42] https://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/03/110302-solar-flares-sun-storms-earth-danger-carrington-event-science/; https://www.businessinsider.com.au/massive-1859-solar-storm-telegraph-scientists-2016-9?r=US&IR=T. [43] A. T. Bradley, Disaster Preparedness for EMP Attacks and Solar Storms, (The Author, 2012), p. 17. [44] P. Riley, “On the Probability of Occurrence of Extreme Space Weather Events,” Space Weather, vol. 10, 2012; S02012; doi: 10.1029/2011SW00734. [45] T. Phillips, “Near Miss: The Solar Superstorm of July 2012,” NASA Science, July 23, 2014, https://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2014/23jul_superstorm. [46] J. R. Dunn, “Dodging the Apocalypse,” March 23, 2023, https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/20232/03/dodging_the_apocalypse.html; NASA, “A Powerful Solar Eruption on Far side of Sun Still Impacted Earth,” https://blogs.nasa.gov/sunspot/2023/03/14/a-powerful-solar-eruption-on-far-side-of-sun-still-impacted-earth… [47] Dunn, as above. [48] See: https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/congress-warned-north-korean-emp-attack-would-kill-90-of-all-americans: R. J. Woolsey, Heading Toward an EMP Catastrophe, Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee, Washington DC, July 22, 2015, https://www.fdd.org/analysis/2015/07/22/heading-toward-an-emp-catastrophe/, p. 4; P. Bedard, “New EMP Warning: US Will ‘Cease to Exist,’ 90 Percent of Population Will Die,” Washington Examiner, January 24, 2019, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/new-emp-warning-us-will-cease-to-exist-90-percent-of-population-will-die; T. Durden, “90 % of the Population will be Dead within…


Ten Non-Power Tools That Will Help Long-Term After An EMP, by Z.T.

p>An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) is a formidable weapon in the hands of a foe. After the blast of an EMP, you automatically enter a world without electricity for an indefinite period of time. With China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran currently working on EMP weapons, it’s a good idea to be prepared for life without electricity. Many other articles out there detail the basic survival supplies that you are going to need to live life “in the rough”, but very few of them tackle the subject from a long-term perspective. Should an EMP attack happen, what tools are you going to be left without? Your power tools most likely aren’t going to work, yet you’re still going to need tools to keep your home/camp/shelter in shape. What do you need? Read on for a list of 10 non-power tools that will help you to survive long-term after an EMP. Washboard…


Guest Article: EMP Myths and FAQs, by Joel Ho

…an EMP simulation laboratory, with automobile vintages ranging from 1986 through 2002. Automobiles of these vintages include extensive electronics and represent a significant fraction of automobiles on the road today. The testing was conducted by exposing running and non-running automobiles to sequentially increasing EMP field intensities. If anomalous response (either temporary or permanent) was observed, the testing of that particular automobile was stopped. If no anomalous response was observed, the testing was continued up to the field intensity limits of the simulation capability (approximately 50 kV/m). Automobiles were subjected to EMP environments under both engine turned off and engine turned on conditions. No effects were subsequently observed in those automobiles that were not turned on during EMP exposure. The most serious effect observed on running automobiles was that the motors in three cars stopped at field strengths of approximately 30 kV/m or above. In an actual EMP exposure, these vehicles…


Muddying The Waters on EMP–Jack Wheeler and the BLOS Imponderable

SurvivalBlog reader Joe. K. mentioned in a recent e-mail that one of my heroes, Dr. Jack Wheeler, posted a dismissive article about the EMP threat, back in June. (It was posted at Wheeler’s excellent “To The Point News” subscription website: http://www.tothepointnews.com/  )  Wheeler is a fascinating fellow. Back in the 1960s, he swam the Hellespont, climbed the Matterhorn, and went tiger hunting as a civilian in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. All of this before he was 25 years old. He also spent a lot of time living with head hunters in the Amazon jungle. But I digress…  Wheeler’s article, titled “The EMP Annoyance” soft-pedals the EMP threat. Although Wheeler is usually spot-on in his economic analyses, I think that he missed the mark in this case  His main premise is based on the fact that the Starfish Prime EMP high altitude hydrogen bomb test at Johnston Atoll in 1962…


Letter Re: Questions on Faraday Cages and Radiological Survey Meter EMP Resistance

…in the long run. A side benefit is that it will also provide spare/redundant electronics for other non-EMP disaster situations. Any corrections, differing opinions, or suggestions on large scale Faraday cage construction, folks? (I appreciate your counsel. 12,000 heads are better than one!) As for Civil Defense rate/survey meters: Any meters from the early 1960s (which is when most of them were made) will have have discrete transistor technology that should be immune to all but the most intense and localized EMP. (Read: If they were affected, then you’d be inside the blast radius and would probably killed instantly.) It is only later microcircuit (“chip”) technology that is vulnerable to EMP. In general, the smaller the gate size, the more vulnerable a microcircuit is to EMP. (Hence, the latest chips with sub-micron dimension gates are quite vulnerable.) In the event of EMP, you can kiss your Pentium chip PC goodbye….


Letter Re: Question on LEDs and EMP

Hi Jim: Your blog is the best I’ve come across on the Internet. Very useful information. Regarding the subject of [Electromagnetic Pulse] EMP, are the new Light Emitting Diode (LED) flashlights more, or less immune to EMP than those using conventional incandescent bulbs? Modern solid-state circuitry is in grave danger of terminal damage in the event of an EMP occurrence. LEDs are composed of a semiconductor junction, similar to transistors and integrated circuits. Do modern LED flashlights have enough of the right characteristics to pick up sufficient EMP burst energy and become permanently useless? Your comments please, and thank you. – Clark F. in Canada JWR Replies: LEDs are not absolutely impervious to nuclear weapons effects, but their design makes them fairly robust. Most of the publicized vulnerability of microcircuits to EMP pertains to Metal Oxide Semiconductor (MOS) devices, which are indeed quite sensitive to fast rise-time high voltage spikes….


Two Letters Re: Protection from EMP Effects for Photovoltaic Panels and Communication Gear

Jim, I’m not very certain Solar Panels or photovoltaic (PV) Modules if you prefer) are up to surviving electromagnetic pulse (EMP). Solar Panel manufacture is akin to basically creating large scale photosensitive semiconductors and few manufacturers will quote even static electricity resistance, much less EMP resistance. Additionally, most PV modules have bypass diodes to protect cells. Some designs put these diodes in the junction boxes, while others incorporate them more integrally in the PV assembly. Obviously the controllers are at great risk, but the modules themselves are not free from risk. About the only references to PV and EMP you can find are discussions concerning space deployed PV Modules being at risk to solar flares, which have many characteristics of an EMP event. I just made some queries with contacts at University of Manchester and Michigan Tech. They told me that there that almost no EMP test results have been…


Community Crisis Planning for Societal Collapse, by J.I.R.

…sale? What about a rancher with 100 head of cattle? You really have to be careful where you draw the line between private ownership and “retail goods”, but draw it you must. Your new government is going to need a lot of capital to survive the tribulations coming. 3. Transportation and fuel Your police and city vehicles may not work after an EMP event. In my opinion, the testing of EMP effects on vehicles outlined in the congressional EMP report “2008 Critical National Infrastructures Report” was flawed. Their simulator was only capable of generating 50kv EMP and only generated a E1 event, not the (perhaps) more damaging E3 wave. The cars were tested only until they exhibited a fault of some kind and then the testing was halted. Many of the vehicles showed some kind of failure or “faults” at lower voltages, but were never subjected to high voltage EMP,…


Letter: The Lack of Police and Fire Training or Preparation For the Aftermath of An EMP

I have been visiting west coast fire departments and law enforcement agencies, and none of them, including LAPD, LA Sheriffs, Seattle PD , Oakland PD, or Portland PD, have or plan on scheduling any EMP training drills, and they are not even thinking about how their police or fire agency is going to deal with the aftermath of an EMP. Everyone talks about how devastating an EMP could be and how the aftermath will affect everyone, but no one from Police and Fire is talking about what and how are they going to react to a catastrophic EMP event. Has there been any articles on your blog as to whether or not there are any plans from the first responders on just how are they going to deal with an EMP. – D.P. HJL Responds: While there are many articles on SurvivalBlog about the specifics of EMP, the damage it…


Letter Re: Potential Range of Nuclear Weapon EMP?

…miles BLOS is not yet known. I believe that if it were not for the advent of the Partial Test Ban Treaty in 1963 (which banned atmospheric and space nuclear weapons tests), the DOD and AEC would have had the opportunity to conduct far more extensive tests to further characterize the panoply of potential EMP effects. But those test bans have kept us in the dark. In the absence of practical data, there is a lot guesswork, even among “applied physics” expert nuclear weapons physicists. We may not know the full extent of the EMP risk until after we see that bright flash on the horizon. For planning purposes, you can probably safely assume that if you are living more than 280 miles from a major city, then your vehicle electronics will be safe from a terrorist  nuke’s EMP. (Since you will be BLOS to the EMP footprint of a nuke…