EMP......???? Wanted first hand knowledge....?

[Rick]

Hopeak - It can take any of them down. Think of solar flares (EMP) as lightening. You can have all the arresters online you want and it doesn't necessarily mean you can prevent damage caused by it. Electric utility transmission, radio and television transmission and telephone are all at risk. I probably left something out.

Here is a description of what you could see between now and 2012.

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HT...interview/897/

[DOGMAN]

Fear change from technology?????? Never!!!!

The common modern definition of a Luddite is someone who oppesses technological advances, The "unabomber" is a classic example. Technically, I should have said..."NeoLuddites Unite" Because the Luddites were originally an English group of textile workers- led by Ned Ludd. In the 1800's they'd destroy machinery that was changing their way of life, and phasing them out of jobs.

So, what I meant was "Wilderness Survivalist, lets get together and start talking about staying alive in wild places- so I can join in the conversation"

[Sourdough]

Hopeak - It can take any of them down. Think of solar flares (EMP) as lightening. You can have all the arresters online you want and it doesn't necessarily mean you can prevent damage caused by it. Electric utility transmission, radio and television transmission and telephone are all at risk. I probably left something out.

Here is a description of what you could see between now and 2012.

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HT...interview/897/

Wow Thanks, Rick: that was interesting, I like stuff that happened, as apposed to theory.

[crashdive123]

So, what I meant was "Wilderness Survivalist, lets get together and start talking about staying alive in wild places- so I can join in the conversation"

You just did.

[Sourdough]

Here you go.....

[A190]

Is it real, yes
Has it ever been used as a weapon of war.....no.
how long has this threat existed, since the 70's
I remember the discussion then during the red scare time period. Heck I een bought a second electronic module for my jeep truck. Still have the module, wish I still had the jeep................sigh...................

Everything I read about the device (its an nuclear bomb) set off at high altitude , in theory is supposed to stop all elelctronics................In practice who knows........

Remember Y2K a big nothing..............Theory and practice are to different things..........

[Madrox]

We did some minor testing of the effect of emp on electric equipment back in highschool. To make this short if you want anything protected it has to be in a lead container or a large amount of concrete or earth. I'd think it would really depend on some more data points like proximity to the center of the emp "explosion" or various other things like what was in between it and the device as well as the thickness of the container. Most of the upper end gun safes would possibly protect items I'd think. But I'm no expert.

I have a spare laptop that I got not too long ago loaded up with some good survival things (recipes, maps, etc) and its stored in a lined gun safe. I'd give it a decent chance of surviving a emp event.

As for data recovery etc that's been mentioned if I took a hammer or torch to a hdd platter and someone could recover data from it I'd be very very very shocked. I usually use killdisk and overwrite the drive to the max times (takes a long time) and if I dont have a use for the drive anymore I put it under a very large magnet for a few days and rotate it every few hours.

If the govt can recover data from a drive thats been sitting under a magnet... that scares me.

[rockymtnchief]

Keep in mind that if you have an underground bunker made of concrete (or any other material) and have commercial power or phone lines coming in, EMP can still ruin your equipment.

[Madrox]

Agreed rocky. The equipment I have stored (laptop mainly) for just such a possible occurrence is not only unplugged but has the main and cmos battery removed. Not sure if emp could cause these to overload so i took the precaution anyhow. I am looking for a small solar setup that will charge the battery if need be as well as a makeshift setup to use other batteries to power it. I also have a car battery to 110 converter, which has come in handy over the years for various other uses.

[trax]

So, I'm having a little difficulty keeping up here. The sun's going to explode and then my cell phone won't work? OK, seems fair, the only technology I'm really concerned about protecting is Dad's still.

[Madrox]

If the sun doesn't explode then a comet could cause it and if that doesn't happen then a nuke could but there is always the chance of random hit by space radiation which could fry a whole continent or the planet itself.

Or nothing will happen and your cell phone and still will be fine

[trax]

It's the still I need reassuring about.

[crashdive123]

The still will be fine.