quote:

Originally posted by 2PAK:
I replaced the electronic lock on my gun safe with an S&G combination lock.

I had a locksmith friend do the same with one of my safes. It has a 1 number combo...

quote:

Originally posted by gw3971:
For my gun safe I replaced the lock with this.

http://www.securitybase.com/se...proof-safe-lock.html

it has a regular electronic lock and can be used as a dial lock as an option just in case.
I have had it for a year or two and seems to work well.

I must say, I'm interested in that.

Did you have a locksmith do the install?

while most tactical nukes aren't designed specifically for an EMP - their main focus is something else, there are a series of nuke devices that have been specially designed for the sole purpose of creating an EMP to do the maximum amount of damage. As a side note I recall reading an article where even lightning can create a small but localized EMP.

But its not the detonation that created the EMP pulse directly. The detonation created a huge amount of energy, anywhere between 0.1% and 0.5% of the energy released is liberated as gamma rays - a very energetic particle. It is the rapid proliferation of gamma rays that strip electrons from molecules in the air and its this rapid event that is the EMP.

I'm not sure about electronics being immune because of the small geometries in modern day semiconductor devices - its been almost 20 years since I worked for TI in a wafer fab, but I wouldn't bet the farm on the pulse overloading the capacitors and not creating a problem

Remember the Gene Hackman movie about the CIA and surveillance (Enemy of the State) - the equipment he had inside the nice screened room was supposed to be a Faraday Cage. Probably not the best representation but not too bad either

I think the idea of shielding devices in multiple layers with a dielectric between the layers is a great idea for small objects such as radios, and burying them is a great idea as well - just remember to remove the batteries from them before you wrap them up.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:

quote:

Originally posted by gw3971:
For my gun safe I replaced the lock with this.

http://www.securitybase.com/se...proof-safe-lock.html

it has a regular electronic lock and can be used as a dial lock as an option just in case.
I have had it for a year or two and seems to work well.

I must say, I'm interested in that.

Did you have a locksmith do the install?

No. Watched a youtube video on how to do the install.

https://youtu.be/qYRMLjRF9AI

nhtagmember:

Question: do electronic devices that are not energized affected by an EMP pulse?

I ask because in many military vehicles (like the Abrams) all of the core LRU's (electronic boxes) have a NED circuit. A "nuclear event detector" device. From what I have understood it works off of the gamma pulse; when it senses one it powers down the box within miliseconds, waits a few miliseconds, then powers it back up. Thus neutralizing the effect of the EMP.

So if an electronic device is not powered on will it be affected by an EMP?

offhand I don't know the answer to that, but I can ask someone that I think would know the answer and I'll post his response

my first thought is that if its energized, then its more susceptible but that may not be the determining factor

Energized or de-energized won't make a difference, the length of the conductor will build up the same electrical surge.

If you really want a Faraday cage, it needs to be grounded. Airplanes don't get damaged (for the most part) from lightning strikes because the current flows over the plane and then continues down to the ground.

If your ground is subjected to a surge like a lightning strike, the charge can be transmitted to the Faraday cage.

Electrical grids may be better off than most think because they are designed to carry a lot of current, and trip offline if too much current or voltage is detected on them. Now they will function as giant capacitors, storing energy until it is drained off of them, like by shorting them to ground.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
The wife will not allow me to store items in the microwave.

And the question is, will a Faraday Cage even work to protect devices from EMP?

An expertly grounded copper faraday cage will absolutely work. A microwave would only be a faraday cage for the wavelength that the microwave produces (2.4GHz I believe). Solid copper would be my choice. Other metals may work I suppose. The grounding would be key IMO. In fact, as I think about it. Simple burial of some spare gear would probably work wonderfully.

Dr Peter Pry is the expert on EMP and is on the Congressional EMP Commission. He was on Lou Dobbs recently and discussed the North Korea satellite that is thought to contain a HEMP.

Here are links to some of his articles:

http://www.emptaskforcenhs.com/

https://www.ecoshock.org/2017/...nstant-blackout.html

Dr. Pry is also on the Mackenzie Institute:

https://mackenzieinstitute.com/author/peterpry/



I think the only survivors would be the people that live off the grid in remote areas. We are lucky to have President Trump in office since the other party would do nothing to counter our opponents.

I have a 50 gallon metal drum with a metal top that seals it air tight. I wonder if that would work? If a problem became apparent, I could put a fair amount of electronic items in it including my 2 generators.

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
I have a 50 gallon metal drum with a metal top that seals it air tight. I wonder if that would work? If a problem became apparent, I could put a fair amount of electronic items in it including my 2 generators.

I've also wondered if an Airstream trailer would work too? Any thoughts on an aluminum trailer?

As said then vacuum seal the item. This will compress the conductive material to ensure a good seal all around.

I’m a little late to the show, but in Seattle, there was more than one business I visited that had pretty crazy security to protect their trade secrets. One of those was that the windows were glazed with a fine mesh brass screen. This was in the walls as well. Phones and other devices were not allowed, but even if you managed to get one in, you would never transmit a signal outside the building.

So I would think that using a brass screen, maybe even two layers of screen, lining a briefcase or hard sided suitcase, would probably fit your needs. Should be rather easy to accomplish with some silicone and screen, especially on the suitcase.

You could also test it out by trying to call a phone placed inside the suitcase.

I am not an expert on EMP, but I do have a few observations regarding posts made up to this point.

As a few people have mentioned, a microwave "cage" is only designed to block those specific microwaves from leaving the oven. It is not designed to block out all RF or EMPs.

Using your phone is not a sufficient method of testing your "cage", as just because cellular RF are blocked does not mean that EMPs will be blocked.

I prefer mechanical locks on safes regardless. One person mentioned that you could break into your safe if your lock failed. While possibly true (depending on your safe), you would then be left without a working safe. I submit that you might want the ability to lock things up in the event you needed to leave home temporarily for any reason.

I am curious about the desire for a working watch. I know timekeeping can be useful for accurate navigation, but I would not have thought about a working watch as a priority in an emergency. There are still available mechanical watches that do not have internal batteries; either self-winding or manual winding. Might be a good solution.

Don’t want to make your own?

Crossbreed sells an EMP resistant bag.

https://www.crossbreedholsters...rk-resister-bag.html

quote:

Originally posted by gibby29:
Crossbreed sells an EMP resistant bag.

I see that it will protect my magazines and ammunition from EMP as well.

As previously mentioned, microwave ovens are excellent faraday cages. Go to thrift stores and secure them cheaply, or, collect ones that no longer work (usually the magnetron has failed).
To enhance the effectiveness of the oven, cut the power cord right at the point it enters the case. If this is not done, the cord will possibly serve as a conduit.

Ammo cans, or any other metal container, (with the corresponding sensitive items wrapped in foil or static discharge bags) are also an expedient means of EMP shielding.

The easiest way to test a container for EMP shielding is to place your cell phone in the container (prepped for storage) and try to call it. If it rings, back to the drawing board. If it goes immediately to voice mail, looks like you are a winner.

Ammo cans, ammo cans inside a metal garbage can, are just a few ways where you may already have everything that you need.

I keep all of our batteries in faraday bags inside cloth type bags. Hope it works

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:

quote:

Originally posted by BB61:
I have a 50 gallon metal drum with a metal top that seals it air tight. I wonder if that would work? If a problem became apparent, I could put a fair amount of electronic items in it including my 2 generators.

I've also wondered if an Airstream trailer would work too? Any thoughts on an aluminum trailer?

Too many windows and vents. Not to mention the big hole in the roof for the A/C unit.

Some ham radio guys talk about stashing spare radios, antennas, and parts inside a small plastic trash can with a lid and placed inside a Stella trash can with a lid. I couldn’t testify as to effectiveness but sounds legit and better than nothing for sure.