EMP

[2682nscovell]

I was wondering if some folks would expand on the topic of preparing for EMP style strikes.

Are there electrical products specifically for EMP. Like flash lights, radios and so on.

[Benn Gleck]

I don't know of any products specifically made for EMP.

Most people plan on sheilding electronic equipment with a makeshift faraday cage. Basically a metal box too keep your EMP sensitive equipment in.

I have one of my friends saying he was using popcorn tins to keep his radios in. I decided to try a little experiment, I put my cell phone in a tin and called it with my home phone. It rang. I don't know if that's a valid way of checking for EMP security but if it lets RF in I think it would allow an EMP pulse. I told my wife about my experiment and later her and my daughter wrapped a cell phone in foil and THEN put it in the tin and it worked.... there was no ringie dingie. So maybe muliple layers will work.

[hagbard]

The foil works well to keep the govt from reading my thoughts...just kidding.

But seriously. Hows protecting a cell phone going to help? Aren't the towers and the providers equipment also going to blow out?

[2682nscovell]

Yeah, I made a small faraway box out of a canister. It's wrapped in about 5 layers of tin foil and it's tin to begin with so I would imagine it would work. Plus after that I went out and got some foil tape and wrapped the thing in that. A part of me wants to bury it in the ground outside my house. I think letting it sit free standing won't help. I wonder if it was in water; would it help it? Maybe sand would do the trick. I did hear that your faraway needs to be grounded. You have to make sure there are no gaps for the pulse to get through as well. Maybe I will make a test for it today and post it as a youtube video for this thread. From what I heard the best faraway box would be a microwave. Maybe I will test that as well for a video.

[arcangel911]

It depends on the thickness of the metal shielding, grounding, strength of pulse and also, if you items are connecting to the metal. But above all, the "circuit" must be connected and sealed, if one area is open or not "closed enough" then the cage doesn't work so well.

hagbard- try you tube, there are some great videos on do-it-yourself Faraday cages. Also, you can use a galvanized trash can with a lid. You are correct about cell phones, satalites and the towers.

My personally, my Faraday cage will contain a my laptops, some foldable solar stuff and chargers, portable radios and a few other items I feel that should not go the way of the dodo with a EMP.

My cell phone which I hardly ever carry around, I will leave out of the cage.

[2682nscovell]

Good point, my box only contains some wind up flashlights, radio and taser. I am at work to make a bigger one for a solar battery charger.

[Benn Gleck]

The foil works well to keep the govt from reading my thoughts...just kidding.

But seriously. Hows protecting a cell phone going to help? Aren't the towers and the providers equipment also going to blow out?

LOL I'm not interested in protecting my cell phone from EMP, I was trying to see if the tin would keep out RF energy.

[Benn Gleck]

It depends on the thickness of the metal shielding, grounding, strength of pulse and also, if you items are connecting to the metal. But above all, the "circuit" must be connected and sealed, if one area is open or not "closed enough" then the cage doesn't work so well.

hagbard- try you tube, there are some great videos on do-it-yourself Faraday cages. Also, you can use a galvanized trash can with a lid. You are correct about cell phones, satalites and the towers.

My personally, my Faraday cage will contain a my laptops, some foldable solar stuff and chargers, portable radios and a few other items I feel that should not go the way of the dodo with a EMP.

My cell phone which I hardly ever carry around, I will leave out of the cage.

I'm going to try the cell phone in an ammo box. It's considerably thicker but the rubber gasket might let in energy.