An electromagnetic pulse (commonly abbreviated EMP) just hit the USA

[R8ers]

This is fantasy, I am not a prepper or a doomsday thinker.
An electromagnetic pulse (commonly abbreviated EMP) just hit the USA.
After a few days
Money is worthless
Grocery Stores are empty and Looted
Electricity , Cell Phones and Water is off
Rioting in the streets.




What is your next move?... Be descriptive.

[Gonzo]

In that book, (One Second After) they were able to utilize older vehicles that were carbureted. I wonder how accurate that is...
I know that some things on e vehicle would likely malfunction with a huge powe surge...
Power windows, gauges, etc.
If the EMP were a level "E1" I'd think that even older ignition systems would fry.


Here's a little tidbit my dad told me about that happened in the 80's (he was a VIP in the USAF)...

They captured and reverse-engineered a soviet jet and they were astonished to find out that the son bitch had no modern electronics whatsoever. The damn thing still ran on glass tubes and transistors. It took them a while to figure out why, I guess. Those crafty commies.

I soviet Russia, plane flies you!

[mikeyis4dcats.]

Originally Posted by Gonzo

In that book, (One Second After) they were able to utilize older vehicles that were carbureted. I wonder how accurate that is...
I know that some things on e vehicle would likely malfunction with a huge powe surge...
Power windows, gauges, etc.
If the EMP were a level "E1" I'd think that even older ignition systems would fry.


Here's a little tidbit my dad told me about that happened in the 80's (he was a VIP in the USAF)...

They captured and reverse-engineered a soviet jet and they were astonished to find out that the son bitch had no modern electronics whatsoever. The damn thing still ran on glass tubes and transistors. It took them a while to figure out why, I guess. Those crafty commies.

I soviet Russia, plane flies you!

soviet aircraft have always been engineered that way because of maintenance constraints and skills. they also engineer them so they will run on jet fuel or kerosene, that way they have options for remote locations or when J8 supplies are exhausted. The fact of the matter is that the soviets and other eastern bloc countries may have thousands of aircraft in the inventory, but at any given time only a few hundred are operational because of the lack of parts, poor maintenance, and the like.

[rockymtnchief]

Originally Posted by R8ers

This does give a significant advantage...

In your scenario, I'm not worried.

If you'd asked what we'd do if the Yellowstone Coldara blew, I'd tell you that I'll have the distinction of being disintigrated 7 seconds before Bwana.

[redhed]

Just how much "shielding" would it take to stop a large EMP? Should it be metal, or would concrete work? Do submerged electronics survive?

To the googlecave!!

[ThaVirus]

Its a good thing we have the Raider fan here to educate us on what EMP stands for

[R8ers]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

Its a good thing we have the Raider fan here to educate us on what EMP stands for

Wikipedia educated you Son, I just copy and pasted it.

[R8ers]

Originally Posted by rockymtnchief

In your scenario, I'm not worried.

If you'd asked what we'd do if the Yellowstone Coldara blew, I'd tell you that I'll have the distinction of being disintigrated 7 seconds before Bwana.

I would say an ATV would be a very important piece of equipment if you could make it run after the EMP

[ThaVirus]

I've heard you can line the interior of your electronic devices with aluminum foil to protect against EMPs. Not sure if that's true..

To your scenario, I'd be ****ed. I feel most people would be OK for the first few weeks but shit would get crazy once food got scarce. I live in a large metro area so I'd have to get out immediately, but seeing as how I don't have any family in the countryside I'd have to try to bunker down in the woods. I have no survival abilities as far as I'm aware so I'd die probably a few months in..

[Fish]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I've heard you can line the interior of your electronic devices with aluminum foil to protect against EMPs. Not sure if that's true..

To your scenario, I'd be ****ed. I feel most people would be OK for the first few weeks but shit would get crazy once food got scarce. I live in a large metro area so I'd have to get out immediately, but seeing as how I don't have any family in the countryside I'd have to try to bunker down in the woods. I have no survival abilities as far as I'm aware so I'd die probably a few months in..

That would certainly help, despite being a good way to burn your house down.. It's much more effective to wrap the outside of the device instead. The problem is that EMPs are very very unpredictable, and it's really hard to say what would happen in any given situation. If you wrapped a device in foil, but didn't actually ground it correctly, it could instead act as an antenna and attract the electromagnetic wave.

Your microwave is essentially a reverse faraday cage. So in a pinch, throw your shit in the microwave, and wrap the microwave in foil for good measure.

There's lots of materials that serve the same purpose.

http://www.lessemf.com/fabric.html

[rockymtnchief]

Originally Posted by R8ers

I would say an ATV would be a very important piece of equipment if you could make it run after the EMP

I have an older ATV that's carbed instead of EFI. Its only 2-wheel drive so I don't know if its worth packing. If the Polaris still ran it would definitely get loaded.

[Fish]

I knew I had a reason to keep all these.....

[El Jefe]

I would be screwed. I live in a good area, but it is highly highly populated, and about 1 mile or so from my house there is section 8 housing. If this type of situation happened the street would be loaded with these morons stealing and looting whatever they could. I would give my wife the shotgun and I would take my handguns. Come to think of it, I currently only have 100 rounds or so total for my handguns, and maybe 30 shells for my shotgun. I never replenished my stock after a crazy 4th of July.

If I got out to my parents farm I would be fine. I would grab both go bags, my dogs, weapons and make for the woods. I would have at least a 2 day hike to my parents. Chances of me making it would be slim (far too populated area).

If I got out to my parents place I would be set. Neighbors are my really good friends, they have a home arsenal that would make most gun collectors ashamed. I have access at my parents to horses, chickens, pigs, cows and some other odds and ends. They also have a small natural spring and creek running through their property. "If" I made it there, we would be fine.

I am not a prepper, but self-sufficient/survialist is one of my hobbies. Once we buy our farm in the next year, I will be closer to living off the grid (somewhat). Once we have our place if the SHTF I will be fine. I do however need to buy more dry goods and a few more guns and a lot more ammo. If vehicles are rendered useless my horse is very capable, and I am an excellent rider.

[Steron]

This thread made me go buy more ammo for my rifle today. Another 880 rounds. Money I really didn't have. Thanks! lol

[El Jefe]

Originally Posted by Steron

This thread made me go buy more ammo for my rifle today. Another 880 rounds. Money I really didn't have. Thanks! lol

Here is my thinking on the prepping thing. A lot of people talk about preppers like they are loons and they spends thousands of dollars on this crap they will never use. I look at it this way, if something did happen, wouldn't you be glad you spent that money? I would rather have the stuff and not have to use it than not have the stuff and direly need it. I have said before, I am not a prepper by any means, but I do a lot of things preppers do. I mainly do it for when the power goes out. We have had 3 times in the last 2 years that our power has been out for almost two weeks (twice in the winter). None of those times did I have to go outside of my house for anything.

Personally, I love farming and gardening, I love raising livestock, prepping plays into my desire to be self sufficient. I want to be as non-reliant on external factors (economy, government, etc etc) as I can be. I can grow my own food and raise my own animals, I like relying on myself. If the S really did HTF, then I want to be fully capable of protecting what is mine.

[notorious]

Originally Posted by El Jefe

Here is my thinking on the prepping thing. A lot of people talk about preppers like they are loons and they spends thousands of dollars on this crap they will never use. I look at it this way, if something did happen, wouldn't you be glad you spent that money? I would rather have the stuff and not have to use it than not have the stuff and direly need it. I have said before, I am not a prepper by any means, but I do a lot of things preppers do. I mainly do it for when the power goes out. We have had 3 times in the last 2 years that our power has been out for almost two weeks (twice in the winter). None of those times did I have to go outside of my house for anything.

Personally, I love farming and gardening, I love raising livestock, prepping plays into my desire to be self sufficient. I want to be as non-reliant on external factors (economy, government, etc etc) as I can be. I can grow my own food and raise my own animals, I like relying on myself. If the S really did HTF, then I want to be fully capable of protecting what is mine.

Bullets and rifles will NEVER lose their value. They are worth it.


We started prepping about 4 years ago by buying a bulk of canned foods and other food that lasts a long time. We cycle the food out and buy new just like any other family would, but our stock is built up to large quanities.

Nothing has gone past date, but we have piece of mind.