EDC compass

[Mortblanc]

(7 December 2017, 01:11)Pete Grey Wrote: Very interesting point of view MB, the thing is we don’t know if when or how a EMP or CME event might occur, so is it better to try and protect equipment or just not bother, we are preppers after all. We must all make up our minds as we assess the risks to our own location, the UK and the US are very different, if nothing else a faraday cage made for example from a metal ammo box will keep things together in one place.

There seems to be a preception that things are much different in the UK and the US and I do not understand this attitude. Physics operates the same world wide and the things we need to survive are basically the same world wide. Only the mental outlook differs and the geography to some degree. What we would do before and during the event would be the same, it is what would happen after the event that differs.

What would cause an "event" in either place is the same.

That is really not a big mystery Pete. EMP is most likely to be the result of a Nuke detonation. CME is most likely to be the result of a CME!

CME would probably affect half the earth surface, depending on which half was exposed to the direct onslaught of solar flare. That can be predicted and you would have some time, at least a day, to prepare.

EMP from Nuke explosions would be slightly different in the UK and US. Here in the states we would have bombardment around major cities and military bases so our EMP blackouts would be a polka-dot pattern with areas unaffected between those spots. In the UK the bombardment would be major cities and a series of bombs along the west coast to dump fallout over the entire island. You would be saturated and the entire island probably blacked out.

The real question is what are the chances of each occurring and what extremes do we go to in protecting from them.

Logically, there is little we can do to protect everything we use from pulses. And there are some things that would be a waste to protect if no one else is protecting on the other end. Ham radios are one example. Put them in a box and seal them up and take up space in the Faraday cage only to find that there is no one else on planet earth that did the same. Sticking cell phones in the box when the towers they depend on are not protected. Those things would be a waste.

I also have a concern with those that recommend placing a torch inside the Faraday cage. WHY? Logic is not being used here. The torch would just take up space if it is empty and one should not store a device with the battery installed. It is a metal tube with a bulb and switch, put it in the kitchen drawer or tool bin. These types of recommendations promote me being suspect of other advice on EMP given by such people. Do they really know what they are talking about?

Saving a laptop w/thumb drives of information, probably not so much a waste. The rotovator/motorbike/chain saws/generators, all of which have chips or programming in their running gear, would be worth the expense of a metal floor and metal storage shed, or even the big size metal dust bin with top.

I can also see having walkie/talkies in there for close comms, or even a CB, as well as a small solar pannel and a lawn tractor/motorcycle battery (I am not taking up space with a big battery) and dc/ac inverter to power chargers. Hopefully the information I have is correct and if these items are not running when the EMP or CME pulse hits they will still operate without special treatment even if they are not in a Faraday cage. Close comms will be appreciated during any emergency event for keeping contact between house and field workers, patrols, lookouts and those guarding livestock, anything we use a cell phone for today close around the house.

Knowing which neighbors have equipment stored in these metal storage building is also good knowledge, and not difficult to obtain when most folks leave the doors of these units open during use. One of my neighbors has a huge steel building filled with farm equipment, another has half dozen ATV 4 wheelers in his. One neighbor has an excavation company and heavy earth moving equipment. I have mentioned that I live in a close rural community before. We know each other and know our skill-sets. We also have a good deal of disaster experience due to the normal extremes in weather we endure.

The other direction from trying to protect everything is trying to think of what would save your life that might fit into a metal ammo box. I really can not see my electronic life fitting into a metal ammo box. I believe I agree with SS and the metal dust bin is about as small as I could go in prepping for EMP/CME.

My first and foremost suggestion for what to put in a metal ammo box is AMMO! Ammo and firearms are not subject to either EMP or CME extremes. I can get about 100/ 12 gauge shells in the average metal ammo can and would really feel much better opening that box to find my ammo than to recover my extra smart phone and find no one on the other end. Dialing 999 is not gong to help you much about then.