EMP weapons. The most likely SHTF scenario?

[HotGuns]

This thread has got me thinking, what would the effect of an EMP on a pacemaker or implanted defibulator be. After all we are not supposed to go through metal detectors due to the emissions and have to accept the TSA grope instead.

*poof*

Think about it. You arent even suppose to go near a microwave oven when wearing one..which is close to what an EMP is.

Our radio communications have really taken a hit this summer.The last two shifts I worked(last week) our radios were barely even usable. Not just mine, but all county units,state police, locals everyones, and they say that sun spot activity is the culprit.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[RKflorida]

The EMP from a high altitude nuke is nearly a given, not a possibility. At the correct altitude the ionosphere acts as a giant focusing "mirror" for the electro-magnetic energy. This turns the outward bound energy back to earth adding greatly to the power. The early government specs for protection from EMP was called "Tempest" and I have no idea if it is still in effect today. The Tempest specification machines were being sold to the general public if you had the $$$ to afford one.

A Faraday cage has to be made of conductive material (the more conductive the better) and grounded. In this case grounded should be treated like the grounding requirement for an aluminum screen cage over a pool. Rod driven into ground, etc. A screen enclosure over a pool has the requirements for a Faraday cage, but the conduction members are spaced too far apart.

Small missile (100 mile range), any ship or boat off the coast and poof! There goes the entire North East and Mid-Atlantic. Very, very serious threat.

On the Plus side, the tree huggers will rejoice.

[TN_Mike]

As I think about all of the places I could have moves last year, Memphis is a very scary place for this sort of event to happen. Even if you go up towards Brownsville which is a pretty rural area, there are a few prisons. Any CO's in here who know what happens to a prison with no power? I mean NO power as in generators too! Im curious.

I agree. Memphis can be scary even on a good day. But we don't live in Memphis. Same County, but miles from Memphis. And the small town we live in has a lot of good people in it and most are armed. And this, in a way has already been talked about by a lot of us including the Mayor and town council, in the form of what we would do in the even the big quake on the New Madrid fault ever hit.

I don't know if I think right after it happened, getting out of your car and starting the hike home with a rifle in your hands would really be smart. Think about it - everybody getting out of their cars, slowly starting to freak out, then here you come with a rifle strapped on. I would say you'd be drawing too much attention to yourself. I think I would just prefer my handgun. Sure I want a rifle for the long run, but maybe something still concealed for the first impact while out in public. Just my 0.02.

That said I have almost completed our BOB bag, put first aid kits and h2o in both vehicles. Prob should finish off with food and a few more supplies.

This is why I had the SU-16D in mind for this purpose. It folds in half, has a short barrel and can be fired from the folded configuration. Kel Tec CNC

This thread has got me thinking, what would the effect of an EMP on a pacemaker or implanted defibulator be. After all we are not supposed to go through metal detectors due to the emissions and have to accept the TSA grope instead.

It would be bad. Pace makers and implanted defibrillators are not going to survive this type of event.

On the Plus side, the tree huggers will rejoice.

Why would you blame GWB any more than Clinton or GHWB or the current failure in chief? No administration since Regan has done anything to harden Military electronics or done anything to counter any EMP threat.

[Doodle]

Guys being a former navy nuclear electronics tech and understanding some nuclear theory, naturally I am interested in the weapons side of the house. From what I've read if you're close enough to a nuclear blast to experience emp, you are literally going to be toast. Think about all the electronic gear that's been used to measure various blast parameters in close proximity to detonations. I think emp strikes ave been overly hyped by Hollywood. Magnetic lines of force dissipate rapidly over distance. Think about how close to high tension lines you have to be to experience any interference issues.

[pgrass101]

Doodle check out Operation K that the soviets did and Starfish Prime that we did back in the 60's

The Starfish Prime electromagnetic pulse also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres (898 mi) away from the detonation point, knocking out about 300 streetlights, setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link. The EMP damage to the microwave link shut down telephone calls from Kauai to the other Hawaiian islands.[5]

[oakchas]

Yep... it'll kill ya.... or not.... maybe your car.... or not.....

watch the vid:



But that's okay... better safe than sorry....

[Doodle]

Doodle check out Operation K that the soviets did and Starfish Prime that we did back in the 60's

The Starfish Prime electromagnetic pulse also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres (898 mi) away from the detonation point, knocking out about 300 streetlights, setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link. The EMP damage to the microwave link shut down telephone calls from Kauai to the other Hawaiian islands.[5]

well I could be wrong... I'll check it out once I'm in front of a computer.

[oakchas]

On the other hand... One Second After is a very good read... and probably a more likely scenario for cooperative effort than Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse by James Wesley, Rawles and, I thoroughly enjoyed both books. Of course, If you want to know what it might be like if neither of those scenarios plays out for you, and you want a good picture of a PAW (Post Apocalyptic World) might look like, if you go it alone.... Read The Road by Cormac McCarthy

One point, well made (in about 1 line by the "hero") in One Second After, is the need for steam power....

[mlr1m]

Are you sure? An EMP would fry the computer in your vehicle and render it useless.
I only have about 12 miles to drive to work so even if I had to walk it could do it in about 3 hours.

This is the way I understand it too. In fact there are people who are trying to come up with good ways for police to use this technology to disable cars during a chase.
I believe that non computerized cars that use points and condensers are safe against such measures.

One thing I have wondered about is the electronic trigger functions that many control activist have been promoting on firearms. The ones where a firearms can only be fired by the actual owner. Would EMP disable these firearms?

Michael

[oakchas]

This is the way I understand it too. In fact there are people who are trying to come up with good ways for police to use this technology to disable cars during a chase.
I believe that non computerized cars that use points and condensers are safe against such measures.

One thing I have wondered about is the electronic trigger functions that many control activist have been promoting on firearms. The ones where a firearms can only be fired by the actual owner. Would EMP disable these firearms?

Michael

Most cars are safe against EMP... most cars are rolling "Faraday Cage." Now, if you have one of the new fangled cars that requires no key at all... just the fob that activates the doors, which has an RFID chip in it... that might not work...

As to the guns... if the "works" are in a metal gun... that portion might work... but the ring or device the owner wears, might not .... Some of those are simply magnets though, IIRC... and those would work...

[mlr1m]

Most cars are safe against EMP... most cars are rolling "Faraday Cage." Now, if you have one of the new fangled cars that requires no key at all... just the fob that activates the doors, which has an RFID chip in it... that might not work...

As to the guns... if the "works" are in a metal gun... that portion might work... but the ring or device the owner wears, might not .... Some of those are simply magnets though, IIRC... and those would work...

I have a flintlock and a mule. I should be safe.

Michael

[Doodle]

Doodle check out Operation K that the soviets did and Starfish Prime that we did back in the 60's

The Starfish Prime electromagnetic pulse also made those effects known to the public by causing electrical damage in Hawaii, about 1,445 kilometres (898 mi) away from the detonation point, knocking out about 300 streetlights, setting off numerous burglar alarms and damaging a telephone company microwave link. The EMP damage to the microwave link shut down telephone calls from Kauai to the other Hawaiian islands.[5]

OK I officially stand corrected. Interesting and scary. Both Pakistan and North Korea have nuclear weapons and Iran wants to join the club... Lends a bit of feasibility to this hypothetical.

[paaiyan]

This thread has got me thinking, what would the effect of an EMP on a pacemaker or implanted defibulator be. After all we are not supposed to go through metal detectors due to the emissions and have to accept the TSA grope instead.

Not good. An EMP would be the death of anyone on a pacemaker in its area of effect. The reason you have to stay away from microwaves and metal detectors is because the Em radiation and magnetic fields can induce a current in the circuitry of the device. And EMP would fry it, the two mentioned devices have the possibility of not frying, but just interfering with the pacemaker, possibly causing an arrhythmia.

[goldshellback]

EMP Pt 2 - YouTube

Lighting and electricty are one thing, the EMP is something else.......
It's a 7 min. video, but it discusses the possiability of an EMP event/attack.

[oakchas]

Not good. An EMP would be the death of anyone on a pacemaker in its area of effect. The reason you have to stay away from microwaves and metal detectors is because the Em radiation and magnetic fields can induce a current in the circuitry of the device. And EMP would fry it, the two mentioned devices have the possibility of not frying, but just interfering with the pacemaker, possibly causing an arrhythmia.

So, if you've got a pacemaker or a defib device... a tinfoil hat is not enough.... better get a tinfoil suit.

Yes this stuff could happen... likelihood? pretty low on a scale of 1-100 IMHO. But it could happen.... so could the midwest earthquake... So could AmeriƆʞa... but probably not.