EMP

[Chris]

Sorry if this is a repeat thread.

Found this while trolling the internet

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=615732

Anyone read this thread? How valid are the points?

Chris

[raketenjagdpanzer]

Originally Posted by Chris

Sorry if this is a repeat thread.

Found this while trolling the internet

http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/...d.php?t=615732

Anyone read this thread? How valid are the points?

Chris

In essence they're all valid points. No, you can't protect something just by unplugging it or turning it off. If you have a big metal box (like, say, a Dutch cookie tin) and put a wooden block in it, then put a laptop, radio, etc. on the block and can close the lid without the device you're trying to protect touching the sides, you've created a Faraday cage that's basically EMP-proof. Likewise if you built yourself an all-metal shed with no large openings, or openings that could be closed with metal shutters, and put items inside that were, like the cookie tin, equally kept off the metal surfaces inside and you make sure to run a grounding cable off to a metal stake in the ground, presto, you've got an EMP-resistant storage unit. It's going to help some but it's not going to be perfect.

Remember, though, to heighten the disaster aspect the T2k designers indicated that "EMP was far worse than anyone expected" (a throwaway line I ignore, but that's just my campaign).

[Legbreaker]

To my understanding, the people appear to be quite knowledgeable on the subject.
Many people try to call a car body a default faraday cage, but without grounding it's going to do jack. Also to my understanding, faraday cages are generally "tuned" to the frequency range most likely to be expected - if the gaps between the metal of the cage are too great, it's not going to do much good.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

Also to my understanding, faraday cages are generally "tuned" to the frequency range most likely to be expected - if the gaps between the metal of the cage are too great, it's not going to do much good.

Correct. It's literally a case of any openings being smaller than the physical length of any wavelengths involved. EM radiation to most people (myself included) seems like an almost magical process, so it seems strange that something as simple as what I've described above is how it works. But to my understanding, that's the case.

[DocSavage45B10]

The finer the mesh the better, down to metal boxes, like say tanks. Another thing to remember is that EMP damage is probabilistic in nature, ie a roll of the dice.

[bobcat]

the ISO container bunkers being sold by several vedors currently will work.(or just about anything underground in my area) also will provide limited protection against EMP but again the best thing to do is shut down you devces unplug any wires connected to them put them in a faraday cage and pray for the best. i know a guy who's real paranoid and has his entire hunting cabin lined with steel plate thats grounded with steel mesh in the doors and windows connected to the plate, so on. granted with the localised EMI in this area that is a smart thing to do to protect ones electronics.

[pmulcahy11b]

I will not go into any potentially-classified information, but even in the Cold War, most military vehicles, aircraft, and electronics are much more hardened to EMP than most people think. However, while it might protect the components of the vehicle or its electronics, that doesn't mean the crew will have the same level of protection. (The radio's working, but no one's answering...the lights are on, but no one's home...)