EMP, Welcome to 1880

Homesteading & Country Living Forum

Help Support Homesteading & Country Living Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
Hi friends, The power went out this morning. I wondered Should I start the big generator. Should I start the small one? The small one is only for powering the heat tape. The big one will power the whole house but in an emergency I would use it only for the water pump. Wood stove heating and cooking. Oh also 1 foot of snow fell. Probably what caused the outage. No problem. But I am so spoiled that I am going to buy a battery powered DVD player. Spoil me, but it may very helpful to entertain the grandchildren in a real emergency. Why is that important?
 
For a fareday cage to function it must be strapped to a earth ground. If you study anything about grounding it is best done with a copper strap then braid then wire. What you are conserned with is low path impedance. The electronics inside the cage must be wrapped in ESDS bags and best to wrap in alumnium foil too. The faying surface of the ESDS bags or alumnium foil should be in contact with the shinny surface of the fareday cage. This is what was told to me by the Phd at Los Alamos lab and he wrote the book on grounding and bonding requirements for satellite systems. Sorry, I can't talk about what I did at the lab.
 
I dont know if my solar system, generators or vehicles will work after an EMP or a CME. Either way we'll be fine, as well as most rural people will. We may have to cook on the wood stove, which we already do sometimes, or cook outside, which we do during nice weather.
I have more faith in the creativity and resourcefulness and toughness of the American people, than some on this site do.
However, many in the city's, ghettos, and public housing projects will sit on their azz waiting for the government to help. When nobody comes, after about 2 hours, they'll start burning and looting. These people won't last long. And good riddance to this trash too.
Virtually everyone around were I live are "preppers". Although they wouldn't know it. Its just in the nature of their lifestyle; ranchers, farmers, loggers, hunters, trappers etc. I belive that many people, at least in ruaral areas, will band together and help each other out when needed.
 
AD I remember an old friend once telling me that to find out " How to Do Sommat, Make Sommat, Fix Sommat, Repair Sommat or Build Sommat, then take a look at how the pioneers and countryfolk in the American Mid West did it from 1880 to 1950" He wasnt wrong.
 
For a fareday cage to function it must be strapped to a earth ground. If you study anything about grounding it is best done with a copper strap then braid then wire. What you are conserned with is low path impedance. The electronics inside the cage must be wrapped in ESDS bags and best to wrap in alumnium foil too. The faying surface of the ESDS bags or alumnium foil should be in contact with the shinny surface of the fareday cage. This is what was told to me by the Phd at Los Alamos lab and he wrote the book on grounding and bonding requirements for satellite systems. Sorry, I can't talk about what I did at the lab.

Isn't it just amazing how high quality the people and information are here? I had planned to ground everything at the electrical ground for the house. A contractor I had once went on an on how well he did grounds. Even the satellite internet guy re-worked the original installation saying it was not grounded properly. Tesla and people supporting his ideas always say radio reception will improve with a good ground.
 
A civil war without the use of any size tonnage tactical nuclear weapons on our own soil is the only event I can see surviving long term, with meaning and purpose.
No surviving an EMP attack; No surviving a nuclear strike- whether it be a regional schism (nuclear winter) or a global attack.
Since the time of Starfish Prime, the US knew the power of EMP, yet here we sit, DAILY with a brittle electrical grid. Yet the technology exists to harden it.
The same for "The Day After" that debuted in November of 1983, I knew as an 8 year old that if this DID EVER happen, there would be no point in attempting to survive. I read pretty much all I can on EMP's and NBC's. It would be the end of society. Forever.
I am new to the site. I am a RN, and was a Hospital Corpsman who served with the Marines, then went on to the Army Guard as a Medic for a Military Police Company. I'd like to believe that survival is possible, but without living on a LARGE compound with persons of like minds-who all have very their own unique subsets of skills.
Anyone have similar/opposite view points they would like to share?

Thank you
 
A civil war without the use of any size tonnage tactical nuclear weapons on our own soil is the only event I can see surviving long term, with meaning and purpose.
No surviving an EMP attack; No surviving a nuclear strike- whether it be a regional schism (nuclear winter) or a global attack.
Since the time of Starfish Prime, the US knew the power of EMP, yet here we sit, DAILY with a brittle electrical grid. Yet the technology exists to harden it.
The same for "The Day After" that debuted in November of 1983, I knew as an 8 year old that if this DID EVER happen, there would be no point in attempting to survive. I read pretty much all I can on EMP's and NBC's. It would be the end of society. Forever.
I am new to the site. I am a RN, and was a Hospital Corpsman who served with the Marines, then went on to the Army Guard as a Medic for a Military Police Company. I'd like to believe that survival is possible, but without living on a LARGE compound with persons of like minds-who all have very their own unique subsets of skills.
Anyone have similar/opposite view points they would like to share?

Thank you
sounds like you have given up already, strange.
"no point in attempting to survive", really?
the end of society does not necessarily mean the end of all human life, far from it.
living with others in a large compound might not even be possible, not for some time and not straight away.
 
Last edited:
sounds like you have given up already, strange.
"no point in attempting to survive", really?
Eeeeehhhhh....... ok, ok- I'm not quite ready to give up the ship just yet.
Part of the reason why I came to this site was to find a person or persons who are like minded in my area and see what our realistic options would be. Unlike you Sir, I live in a populous city- one that has grown in crime and not industry over the years. 50-60 years ago it was a primary target for it's steel production, but today, I do not know where we would rank. Then Wright-Pat is about 2.5 hours south either with or without nukes aboard, according to the government, so that's a few megatons. And add in any nuclear plants, military/academic reactors, medical treatment sites....

FEMA believes that low KT weapons may be used by foreign or domestic terrorists' within the decade. What if these devices have cobalt jackets?
I guess I've seen "Threads", too many times. What can we do if there is a all out exchange? Even Maine will get hit d/t the VLF transmitter. Where is safe?

Just for arguments sake- if China were to use an EMP on the United States, and then let the our numbers dwindle to 1/10th to that they are now (1,2,3 years for mass die off ...) Could you not see them invading America and taking it over for their own?

I will stay alive as long as possible to treat and comfort the men and women who choose to fight for my freedom, and pass along the skills I can to others who wish to learn.
 
no one is going to survive in a big city no matter what their skills, its too tempting a target for an enemy to ignore. cities will be places for the dead and the dying post attack.
I lived in a city for 40 years but I got out when I could and never went back.
by the way I dont live in the US so my replies may be different.
 
Ah, I thought you were

A. a night owl
B. lived in Alaska or Hawaii
C. or overseas

I have thought of relocating to Australia or New Zealand. Anyone else here do much research on the subject?
 
Ah, I thought you were

A. a night owl
B. lived in Alaska or Hawaii
C. or overseas

I have thought of relocating to Australia or New Zealand. Anyone else here do much research on the subject?
C. what you would call overseas.
not a night owl, I'm an Early Bird.
I live on an island but not Hawaii.
 
Last edited:
Interesting, We live in a ghost town in New Mexico. Not a bad deal to get through COVID. Socorro county has less than 3 people per square mile. If the electrical grid goes down, I figure there will be a 10% survival rate in 3 years. A direct EMP event will take us back to 1880. Every semiconductor device and all the electrical transformers and switching systems would be destroyed. Most people can't comprehend the damage that would result. I have talked to PHD and electrical engineers about this. This past storm that hit Texas was an eye-opener. If the power goes out, I can still maintain our house for a week. With an EMP we are back to living around the campfire and riding horses.
 
A civil war without the use of any size tonnage tactical nuclear weapons on our own soil is the only event I can see surviving long term, with meaning and purpose.
No surviving an EMP attack; No surviving a nuclear strike- whether it be a regional schism (nuclear winter) or a global attack.
Since the time of Starfish Prime, the US knew the power of EMP, yet here we sit, DAILY with a brittle electrical grid. Yet the technology exists to harden it.
The same for "The Day After" that debuted in November of 1983, I knew as an 8 year old that if this DID EVER happen, there would be no point in attempting to survive. I read pretty much all I can on EMP's and NBC's. It would be the end of society. Forever.
I am new to the site. I am a RN, and was a Hospital Corpsman who served with the Marines, then went on to the Army Guard as a Medic for a Military Police Company. I'd like to believe that survival is possible, but without living on a LARGE compound with persons of like minds-who all have very their own unique subsets of skills.
Anyone have similar/opposite view points they would like to share?

Thank you

I think it is possible to survive an EMP.
Just you % chances increase with having various skill sets and a group of like minded people whom have skill sets that you may lack.
It is a question of getting through that initial "bottleneck" of survival. Depending on which report you read/believe it is estimated some 80-90% (and yes, I have read of even higher numbers) of the population will die off in the first year. Take the arctic blast that hit Texas a few weeks ago. Now make that nation wide, for a year.
I have read about a government response with the assistance of the military, and they can (believe) to have the grid restored to a limited degree in a year. I think that is a bit optimistic. I think they would try, but I also think society would tear itself apart within the first month.
While your area is not ideal, rural area to the south is not that far. (Note: Born and raised in Mansfield, dropped out of Kent State, worked a summer at Cedar Point)
 
do you really think people are going to sit in the dark for a year whilst the govt(which may or may not survive- believe it or not they are all mortal too!) sorts out the power grid ?, not on your life, it will be mayhem in a week and total anarchy within 2.
without electric nothing will move, no trucks delivering food, no heat, no light, no cooking, no fuel, no traffic lights, no elevators, no mobile phones can be recharged-even if they still work, no internet-so the people cant google what to do.
 
Last edited:
do you really think people are going to sit in the dark for a year whilst the govt(which may or may not survive- believe it or not they are all mortal too!) sorts out the power grid ?, not on your life, it will be mayhem in a week and total anarchy within 2.
without electric nothing will move, no trucks delivering food, no heat, no light, no cooking, no fuel, no traffic lights, no elevators, no mobile phones can be recharged-even if they still work, no internet-so the people cant google what to do.

Did you read the part where I said,
"I think that is a bit optimistic. I think they would try, but I also think society would tear itself apart within the first month."??
 
I dont think you know what to believe, all your posts seem to be about what other people will do, not what you will do.
survival is about what each of us will do for ourselves, there is only one person that can help you survive and that is you yourself.
 
I dont think you know what to believe, all your posts seem to be about what other people will do, not what you will do.
survival is about what each of us will do for ourselves, there is only one person that can help you survive and that is you yourself.

What are you even talking about?
The young lady ask a question, wanted different POVs.
I offered my insight as I am familiar with the area.
This is the Doomsday Prepper Forum. Not the MOS0231 forum. It is not all about me. What does what I will/would do have anything to do with her situation? Mine is completely different from hers.
 
I was confused, your post and another sounded like the same person, I thought it was someone else.
 
I am a RN, and was a Hospital Corpsman who served with the Marines, then went on to the Army Guard as a Medic for a Military Police Company. I'd like to believe that survival is possible, but without living on a LARGE compound with persons of like minds-who all have very their own unique subsets of skills.

My respect, you have done a good training and you have the tools to survive some. You can and will survive an EMP even if it's not a great thing. However, if you live in a big city, many things will be difficult, especially if it escalates on the street or if there are any nuclear bunkers near you in case of an attack.
If you are not in the city and have equipment that doesn't work with electricity you will have a very big chance to survive such an EMP, how long depends on the situation and your skills, I think with your skills as Hospital Corpsman you will be worth your weight in gold for many groups in a crisis.
 
Aren't any of you constantly astonished at the collective ignorance of your fellow Americans on this very subject? It's not simple fodder I bring up at the Christmas party with the spouses, But I will on occasion bring it up when the matter of lets say -National Defense- is up. All I get back from these college educated persons- whom I know have have a range of science courses in college, stare back never hearing of such a thing!!!

Any similar stories you good folks would like to humor me with?
Many thanks
 
I'm not sure about any stories....but I did know a few friends that knew we lived like "the old ways" have a come to God moment when the pandemic hit. I warned two families that I knew at the end of February to get a truck load of food. They took me seriously, and then mid March the food scarcity and lines started. I felt bad that they looked like they were shell shocked. One family that I've known for years, asked me what food storage should look like, and since we were moving out of state to our farm in the summer, I took him on a tour. He was speechless. They loaded up their truck three times at the store. We also brought things by to our elderly neighbor who is a widow. Fresh eggs, salad greens, milk. Didn't talk about prepping, but I had been in her house and she had a good pantry. Friends that would usually buy eggs from us would come by, I would leave how many dozens they would want on the front porch bench and give them away. Many of them were not "essential" workers and were out of work. Would give away about five dozen a day. Encouraged one to start a garden, and she started seeds indoors in little pots (her first time) and would leave some on my bench with a smiley face note. So I'm hoping that those caught in need in March and April have continued to stock up, and a few have. But most, I doubt it.
 
Interesting, We live in a ghost town in New Mexico. Not a bad deal to get through COVID. Socorro county has less than 3 people per square mile. If the electrical grid goes down, I figure there will be a 10% survival rate in 3 years. A direct EMP event will take us back to 1880. Every semiconductor device and all the electrical transformers and switching systems would be destroyed. Most people can't comprehend the damage that would result. I have talked to PHD and electrical engineers about this. This past storm that hit Texas was an eye-opener. If the power goes out, I can still maintain our house for a week. With an EMP we are back to living around the campfire and riding horses.

You live amongst some very interesting real estate. The stars must put on a show for you some nights.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top