Protecting HAM Radio from EMP Attack - 6 Steps
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 вер 2024
- In this video, I discuss six steps to protecting your HAM radio system from an EMP attack. Links to protective components are provided. To get the EMP Antenna surge arrestor, go to disasterprepar....
More information and EMP preparedness supplies are at disasterprepar.... Also, check out my cool fiction and non-fiction books at www.amazon.com.... Finally, if you like my work, kindly consider becoming a Patreon supporter at / arthurbradley . Don't forget to subscribe!
Thanks, I've been hoping you would make a video on this subject for years.
Sorry it took so long!
As always, great presentation with the right technical depth yet accessible, straightforward without fluff, informative, practical. Also, thank you for offering components and products at discount.
Doc, thanks again for taking the time to put this in video. I am a Ham operator and had pondered this.
Very welcome!
I've really appreciated these emp protection videos for non-engineers
Great stuff! I’ve been struggling with ways to protect my ham station. This info and recommendations are gold. Keep it coming! Thanks
I've been using Polyphasers until I discovered much better designed and built protectors built by Morgan Mfg. here in the USA. Unlike Polyphasers, MOrgan units also include a static discharging coil on the antenna side and a static bleed resistor on the radio side. Of course they also come with fast, gas discharge tubes and high quality, dual DC blocking capacitors installed. Polyphasers only have a gas discharge tube and two DC blocking capacitors. Maybe $10 worth in parts.
MOrgan units are cheaper too. They make different units based on frequency range and power rating. I highly recommend them.
Protectors with static bleed coils and/or resistors should be used on larger antennas, like HD dipoles or end-fed antennas because they pick up a lot of static from wind, snow or even rain. When static gets to a Polyphaser, it gets dissipated in the gas discharge tube. Problem is that it creates a lot of unwanted noise in the receiver. The static bleed coil in the Morgan unit has a very low DC impedance but very high RF impedance. The static is dissipated to ground without creating any additional noise in the receiver. This, and the lower cost, is the reason I switched to Morgan Mfg protectors.
Thanks Andrew. I haven't heard of Morgan Mfg., but I'll check them out. Specifically, I need to review the specs on their gas discharge tubes.
Link to product? Reviewed Specs?
Very simple, yet well designed video. You clearly hit all the key points and illuminated potential pitfalls. 👏
Great video. I will upgrade my lightning protector on my antenna cable for sure.
This video was very helpful thank you sir will be purchasing some items from you soon was wondering if you could make a video about that antenna switch in a lil more detail thanks again sir 👍✌
The antenna switch is basically just a way to disconnect the antenna from the radio when not in use. There are simple ones, such as the Daiwa CS-201A, or more complicated ones out there. It's nice if the switch connects the unused port to ground, but not all do that. When you switch over to the dummy resistor, you just need to make sure that the resistor is high enough power to handle the transmit power. Send me a note if you need to know more (arthur@disasterpreparer.com).
@@disasterprepper Awesome thank you sir 👍✌
Thank you for your brilliance have a great night
Don't understand everything but I'm sure I could assemble this setup. My solution was using a microwave casing. Wrapped in old school steel screen.
I will take one or two of these.
Dr Bradley, thanks for the information about this EMP issue. Are you able to comment on what the global HF propagation characteristics would be like (a) after an EMP attack, and (b) after a full nuclear exchange? Would a nuclear WW3 change that?
Thank you for this great video. Would you recommend anything different for a setup in a vehicle?
great info. thx
Awesome Video Doc ! 73....
Many thanks!
Coupling and inductance are the key terms here I see
2-18-23, followed the link in the video to the Polyphaser emp surge protector. He said $130 in the video but now they’re selling for $325 😮. What the….?
Poly site is $150 btw
Thank you! Great info!
thank you 🙏🏻
Does this advice apply equally to lightening as well?
Yes, it's a dual-purpose device for lightning and EMP. I talked at length with an engineer at the company.
@@disasterprepper Many thx for your quick response, meantime, what size of EMP clothe do you recommend for an average size HAM radio? I use a typical mobile radio as my permanent base station. It is approx. 9"x7"x3". It is on 3 tier rack above a desk. Also the EMP ferrite what size would I use for that?
@@Richardofdanbury The EMP cloth I sell comes in a width of 59", and you just pick the length. A 4' x 59" might be right for you? Double check what would work before ordering. It just needs to cover the radio system in this application. As for the ferrite, it needs to go around the power cord - a quick measure of the diameter will tell you the minimum you can use. Bigger and beefier usually do a better job, so either a 0.72" or a 1" is probably best. If it's much too big, you can loop the power cord back through it for additional protection.
Could you be more specific regarding how to apply the cloth over the equipment? Can I just place the equipment on top of the cloth with a simple overlap? Would a basement location make it simpler?
Thank you. 73. W9OLO
Have you tested empty paint cans for EMP protection? They seem to seal pretty good as compared to trash cans. I'm purchase two quart cans and store two Ham radio handhelds with batteries in them.
Question if its a handheld HAM radio would putting it into a faraday cage protect it well enough? Or would i need to remove the antenna before putting it in the faraday cage?
hey dr bradley can you make a video going over whether an empty steel file cabinet is a good poor mans faraday cage or not
Sure, I'll add that to my list of things to do.
What about mobile ham radio antennas? Mine are hidden inside the covered bed of my truck (unplugged, unprotected) but grounded through its magnetic base? Is there any risk during G5/R5 events to antennas that are completely unplugged but still grounded through its magnetic base?
Thanks for sharing very informative video :)
Would a coronal mass ejection have the same effect or is this specific to EMP? Thanks
A CME creates something very similar to the E3 effect of an EMP.
Dr Bradley - I'd like get your feedback regarding location in the country vs EMP exposure. I often see maps of the US that show the height of a detonation, and a chart that shows percentage of peak exposure. I'm located in FL, which in most maps show that we may get about 30-50% of the peak exposure if such a device was detonated approximately 300 miles up, in the center of the US. What sort of impact would that have on how we should prepare in our location, assuming that the maps are accurate?
Hi Travis, I've seen the same maps and assume they are generally accurate. The issue though is that we don't know where the EMP would actually detonate. It could be over the east coast, the west coast, over the central states, etc. I think the only way to prepare is to assume the worst-case field levels of 50 kV/m.
I do not see the Polyphasers offered on the website. Sell out? Future Buy? Able to research the Morgan offerings recommended in the comments?
The polyphasers are on our website, here is the link:
disasterpreparer.com/product/hamsurge/
Shame no one can come up with a simple cost effective or home built protection as some cannot afford a benjamin plus per protection device...
I bought them in bulk and am selling for $79. I realize that's still not cheap, but I think they're worth it.
Your site shows $325 - However Poly site is $150. Just sayin
What about a Mobile Rig EMP protection?
Great video. I always have my base radios unplugged and the antennas switched off. What would you recommend for hand held radio storage? I was considering individual cardboard tubes wrapped in aluminum foil. Would that be sufficient, or would they also need to me in a metal can Faraday cage? Is there another/better option?
Handhelds would be great in EMP bags. Making DIY Faraday Tubes would probably work as well, but you'd have to be very careful there were no leak spots.
Thanks for this video on radios.
Does the discharge tube have to be changed every time a protection occurs ? How many turns to do, and at what angle ? Also, does having a shielded cable change the setup, as incoming energy would flow through the shield back to earth/ground ?
Cheers from Europe
A GDT acts as an overvoltage device, in which a gas that is normally insulative temporarily ionizes under high voltage and becomes conductive. Once the voltage drops back down, the gas once again returns to an insulative state. They can be damaged by repeated discharges, perhaps hundreds of small discharges or tens of large discharges.
Trap A/C availability?
We have those in stock!
Doc, I understand 5G systems will be able to target humans with directed energy pulses. Do you have systems to protect the human body ?
Shielding from any RF energy is done either by putting distance between you and the source, or by putting a conductive barrier between you and the source. Unfortunately, there’s not really any other viable method. Most people can’t control the distance, since new 5G mini-towers are popping up everywhere. That leaves conductive barriers, such as conductive clothing, sheets, bed canopies, etc., as the only real option.
If a nuclear bomb went off near you, the last thing you need to worry about is the EMP pulse frying your radio. The blast followed by the humongous fireball will do a better job at causing your radio to packin.
I think you misunderstand how this works. The nuclear explosion is hundreds of miles in the atmosphere, not near the ground. Most people would never even know it happened.
@@disasterprepper With all due respect, what you would be saying would be 100% correct. If they didn't first carpet bomb everything to smithereens.
@@fredcatcreedy980 Ah, I get your point. EMP preparedness assumes that traditional all-out war hasn't broken out. If nukes were hitting cities, I'd have to agree that those living within would have bigger worries than an EMP.
100% wrong. High altitude nuclear detonations do basically nothing to people on the ground, but the EMP would absolutely fry lots of electronics, as the energy gets reradiated by the atmosphere and causes more damage.