[amsat-bb] Re: Safekeep Sat Radios

[Edward Cole]

Put all those old FT-101E's to bed!
If there is a limited nuclear EMP then probably gov't is 
non-functional like Katrina!
All out Nuclear exchange...pray there is anyone left to talk to.

At 07:17 AM 12/14/2007, Bruce Bostwick wrote:
>As I understand it, any equipment you want to survive an EMP had
>better be inside a Faraday cage that's actually a solid electrically
>conducting case with no gaps.  The ideal would be a packing crate
>sheathed in copper and soldered shut, not sure if you'd have to go all
>the way to that extreme or if a tight fitting copper lid would be OK
>(I'm sure there's been military research done on exactly how tight the
>seal would need to be).  I'm pretty sure that lead-acid wet plate
>batteries would survive an EMP OK, most of what seems to get fried in
>EMP events is wire coils and semiconductor junctions due to the
>enormous induced voltages (a good sized spool of wire in the crate
>wouldn't be a bad idea, spooled up wire exposed to an EMP tends to
>fuse into a solid block of copper if I remember corrrectly).
>
>I'd say enough space to house a more or less universal Extra-class
>coverage HF radio, a versatile and low loss antenna tuner that can
>load up whatever you can scrounge (probably a random wire or dipole),
>and a good sized spool of suitable antenna wire if you can fit it in
>there, and count on leaving this setup packed away ready for use at
>all times (i.e. treat it as "emergency use only" and don't be tempted
>to dig it out and put it in the shack except for periodic
>functionality tests).  Probably better to use a less feature-rich but
>more rugged radio that will get you on the air with just the basics,
>to reduce the temptation.  :)
>
>I wouldn't count on there being too many people out there to talk to
>after an EMP event, though, and I'd expect there to be really tight
>restrictions on who was and was not allowed to transmit even on ham
>frequencies for some time afterward.  So having a working transceiver
>may be of very limited use unless you're on record as belonging to a
>local ARES chapter and are handling disaster relief traffic ..
>
>On Dec 14, 2007, at 1:11 AM, sco at sco-inc.com wrote:
>
> > Has anyone thought about the idea/need/way to safeguard a few ham
> > radio sets in an area in case of EMP? A nuclear device set off above
> > ground will wipe out all modern electronics (ham sat radios) within a
> > large distance from the epicenter. Even if the radios are outside the
> > blast and radiation areas they would be useless because of the EMP
> > (electro magnetic pulse). I would think that HS might be willing to
> > fund a way to create some safe rooms to store some ham gear around
> > the country. Perhaps even a large "safe box"? Ham satellite gear
> > should be in this category.
> >
> > Les W4SCO
>
>HAH, YES. HE ACTUALLY SAYS IN HIS LETTER, "I BET YOU DON'T EXIST 'COS
>EVERYONE KNOWS ITS YORE PARENTS." OH YES, said Death, with what almost
>sounded like sarcasm, I'M SURE HIS PARENTS ARE JUST IMPATIENT TO BANG
>THEIR ELBOWS IN TWELVE FEET OF NARROW UNSWEPT CHIMNEY, I DON'T THINK.
>
>(: HAPPY HOGSWATCH :)
>
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73,
Ed - KL7UW
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