I dont know, maybe this belongs in the prep forum, but here goes.

In regards to EMP from nukes, Ive heard two theories: one states that if there are EMP producing detonations in near space, that everything electronic on the ground will be burnt toast. Theory two states that the only items that are at true risk are things attached directly or indirectly to the grid, or have some sort of attached energy collector, such as a long wire antenna.

OK, so which is it? Or is it somewhere in between? Or maybe no one really knows? Any experts out there?

As a default position, if I cant find out fer sher, Ill wrap everything in saran wrap then aluminum foil and attach to a serious ground rod, just in case.

Well Grounded Kook

-- Y2Kook (Y2Kook@usa.net), December 13, 1999

Answers

Ya, What about trace inverters and solar panels?

-- Gambler (scotanna@arosnet.com), December 13, 1999.

Current can be produced by moving a wire through a magnetic field (generator) or moving a magnetic field past a wire (EMP). Any length of wire, even the 0.00001mm length of wire between two posts on a microchip will generate a current if a magnetic field passes through it. Electronics are very succeptible to EMP because they operate at 5v. Any respectable EMP will produce spikes many times greater than that.

To protect your electronics, you need a metallic mesh around it that is grounded to carry the generated current away from the elctronics. The electronics, naturally, will have to be isolated from the metallic mesh (PYREX or similar non-conductive material works best). Copper would work best for the metallic mesh, and it is important that there are no gaps in the mesh to let stray EMP through.

-- just wondering (what.it.is@about.com), December 13, 1999.

I was in Aviation Electronics in the Navy, I know a little about EMP. EMP can affect anything with an antenna (of any length), or an electrical power cord, speaker wire, cordless phone, phone cord, you name it. Military sheilding consisted of very secure grounding, and encasing in what's called a Faraday Cage. The Faraday Cage Effect means that the electric charge on a conductor sits on the outer surface of it. Therefore, no electrostatic field is present within the conductor, or inside the cage. It's basically a metal box that encloses and is very securely grounded, preferably at more than one point.

Check out the following link: http://www.hollandshielding.com/products/faraday.htm

-- Powder (Powder@keg.com), December 13, 1999.

Theory one is right, theory two is merely toastier. Powder and Just wondering are both correct, as well.

Check here for an old thread on EMP.

BB's link to EMP is also very useful.

And if you like wading, click here for the "Threat Posed By Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) To U.S. Military Systems and Civil Infrastructure."

-- harl (harlanquin@aol.hell), December 13, 1999.

If my car uses an ol' fashioned rotary distributer and a carb, will EMP kill it?

-- Little Pig (littlepig@brickhouse.com), December 13, 1999.

Modern cars and trucks with multiple chips controlling ignition systems are at risk for EMP. Earlier models (pre-1975, more or less) that have the old style ignition and fuel systems (distributor cap, carburetors, etc) are much less likely to suffer EMP effects. Anything running on or with computer chips is extremely vulnerable. When the U.S. air force got hold of a late model Soviet jet fighter back in the early 80s, the initial analysts made a big deal of the fact that many of the electronic systems in the jet still used vacuum tubes, proof of the ancient technology the Soviets were using. Then someone pointed out that vacuum-tube technology is much less susceptible to EMP -- that's why the sovs still used it. Their fighters could still operate in a nuclear war environment -- ours in use at the time were toast. That's also the reason early nuclear tests didn't have a lot of EMP effect on civilian systems -- they were sturdy enough to withstand the pulse, altho there is one case on record of a nuke test in the Pacific blacking out half of Honolulu.

-- Cash (cash@andcarry.com), December 13, 1999.