What did you do today to prep?

[Angie]

Got some seeds started. The rack is a little rickety, so nothing on the top shelf. Didn't want it to be top heavy.



I also picked up about two dozen strawberry plants from my parents. They needed to be thinned badly. I put them in the green house until we get some exterior raised beds built. The older my parents get, the less thinning and weeding they do. The garden still produces, but it's very overrun. We planted a new raised bed garden last year for them: three 3x40 beds, three or four cinderblocks high. By the end of this season, I predict that it will be just as overrun as their other garden, which is now mostly just an enormous berry thicket.

 

[The Heretic]

Yes. And for cooking when fuel/power is scarce, autoclaving/sterilizing, etc.

Sterilizing Liquids

teach.genetics.utah.edu

 

[Bacchus]

Yes. And for cooking when fuel/power is scarce, autoclaving/sterilizing, etc.

A while back I was thinking of getting into canning, and I came across this document from the USDA that seemed to me to be extremely useful and informative:

USDA Guide to Home Canning

It is divided up into seven "guides": 1. Principles, 2. Fruit, 3. Tomatoes, 4, Vegetables, 5. Meat, 6. Pickled vegetables, 7. Jams & Jellies.

I found Principles very interesting, as it discusses the different pH levels of different foods and how that determines what sort of preservation is required. Terrific illustrations.

 

[AshWilliams]

Got some seeds started. The rack is a little rickety, so nothing on the top shelf. Didn't want it to be top heavy.

View attachment 1859254

I also picked up about two dozen strawberry plants from my parents. They needed to be thinned badly. I put them in the green house until we get some exterior raised beds built. The older my parents get, the less thinning and weeding they do. The garden still produces, but it's very overrun. We planted a new raised bed garden last year for them: three 3x40 beds, three or four cinderblocks high. By the end of this season, I predict that it will be just as overrun as their other garden, which is now mostly just an enormous berry thicket.

Wow, look at that view!

 

[ATCclears]

A while back I was thinking of getting into canning, and I came across this document from the USDA that seemed to me to be extremely useful and informative:

USDA Guide to Home Canning

It is divided up into seven "guides": 1. Principles, 2. Fruit, 3. Tomatoes, 4, Vegetables, 5. Meat, 6. Pickled vegetables, 7. Jams & Jellies.

I found Principles very interesting, as it discusses the different pH levels of different foods and how that determines what sort of preservation is required. Terrific illustrations.

I found the individual, downloadable PDF's (by section):

National Center for Home Food Preservation

nchfp.uga.edu

 

[Bacchus]

I found the individual, downloadable PDF's (by section):

National Center for Home Food Preservation

nchfp.uga.edu

That's much easier.

 

[Bacchus]

More on EMP.

A few years ago when I was trying to learn about EMP I came across some YouTube videos by a man, I forget what his credentials are, who was testing EMP bags, etc. He talked the right talk, he was testing with the right equipment, and he used what I think is a valid test procedure. Essentially, he would use a EMP pulse simulator to blast out a pulse, and then check his test equipment (a battery powered spectrum analyzer) to measure the strength of his pulse. He then put the analyzer inside one of the EMP bags, closed up the bag, and repeated the test. He would then open the bag, remove the spectrum analyzer, and record the strength of the pulse recorded inside the bag.

The tester uploads his videos with the name empdoctor.

The newer video I looked at is

Testing High Quality Faraday Bags - EMP/EMF Protection …

The products he tested here performed very well, on the order of 50dB and 80dB power reduction, much better than the products I saw tested many years ago.

His web site is

DisasterPreparer

Here's a link to one of the bags he tested:

Next-Z EMP Bags

These are considerably cheaper than what I was anticipating, and with their tested performance I wouldn't hesitate to use any of these for EMP protection. I think I could just throw everything into one of these bags and be done with it if they're big enough. I might do that anyway, just to simplify everything. However, since I already have a steel garbage can (complete with "EMP CAN" label!), I would still put the bag into the can. I would hate to waste that label. I think my can is the 6 gallon size, about 13" high by 13" diameter. Home Depot had them.

Well, maybe with the linked bags and their 50dB performance I might still double bag. The manufacturer says "reducing even a worst-case 50,000 V/m down to 158 V/m – a level that most electronics would survive". A second bag (isolated from the first) would give me 100dB.

With the more expensive 80dB bags I would feel comfortable with one bag. And in all of this I'm just stating what I would do, I'm not saying what anybody else should do. I don't think even the government knows for sure the extent of the power of an unexpected EMP pulse. Probably too many variables.

The Next-Z bags linked above appear to be metal on the outside, so I would probably still isolate between multiple bags inside the can. He also tested other bags that appeared to be non-metallic (black) on the outside, and if they are not conductive I think I wouldn't need any kind of isolation (plastic zip locks) between bags in the can, although those are more expensive.

empdoctor tested at 500MHz as what he called a representative EMP frequency. Some cell phones operate at almost four times higher a frequency than that. Occasionally I see a video by a YouTube uploader who tests a bag by putting a cell phone in the bag and then calls the phone, and then opening the bag to see if the phone received the call. Sometimes the phone still received the call, and the uploader declares the bag faulty. However, with a higher frequency (and therefore a smaller wavelength) a cell phone signal can squeeze into a smaller gap than a 500MHz EMP, so this test isn't valid to me. Even worse are the "testers" who check to see if there is a message on their voice mail: I don't think the voice mail messages are stored on the phone in the first place, I think they're on a server somewhere and you can't access them on your phone until you call your voice mail, and then they are available.

 

[The Heretic]

However, with a higher frequency (and therefore a smaller wavelength) a cell phone signal can squeeze into a smaller gap than a 500MHz EMP, so this test isn't valid to me.

EMP from nukes is reportedly low frequency (less than 100mHz), but there are devices that generate EMP over a broader spectrum - up into the TeraHertz range.

 

[Kcee]

Got some seeds started. The rack is a little rickety, so nothing on the top shelf. Didn't want it to be top heavy.

View attachment 1859254

I also picked up about two dozen strawberry plants from my parents. They needed to be thinned badly. I put them in the green house until we get some exterior raised beds built. The older my parents get, the less thinning and weeding they do. The garden still produces, but it's very overrun. We planted a new raised bed garden last year for them: three 3x40 beds, three or four cinderblocks high. By the end of this season, I predict that it will be just as overrun as their other garden, which is now mostly just an enormous berry thicket.

My little local library does free seeds now. They also do seed sharing, and seed saving. I've got the book "Seed to Seed," I've just never taken the time to do seed saving.

Someday instead of killing all the rodents that attack my garden, I might have to start eating them. LOL.

 

[Bacchus]

Someday instead of killing all the rodents that attack my garden, I might have to start eating them. LOL.

At that point your garden becomes bait!

 

[Bacchus]

EMP from nukes is reportedly low frequency (less than 100mHz), but there are devices that generate EMP over a broader spectrum - up into the TeraHertz range.

In the linked video, empdoctor mentions that he could test over several different frequencies, but for video brevity he only tested at 500 MHz as a "representative" frequency. Actually, it might have been better if he had tested over a couple dozen frequencies on his own time and reported the results at the end of the video, having already showed us the procedure he used testing the 500 MHz.

I suspect maybe he has tested with multiple frequencies over the years and didn't see enough difference in test results to continue testing so exhaustively.

 

[Bacchus]

Sorry, but I want to throw in just a little more clarification on EMP.

To summarize the products tested in empdoctor's video linked above.

Prices as seen on

https://shop.faradaydefense.com/product-category/bags/nesting/

Product
Tested protection, in dB
Advertised protection, in dB
Price, in $
Quantity or size (or both)
Notes

Nest-Z
52
> 40
$49.99
12x18", qty 1; 8x10", qty 1; 5x7", qty 3
Ziplock, metal outside

NX
65
not adverttised)

NX3
> 80
85 - 90
$139.99
3 bags
3 layers

Dry Bag (sac)
> 80
…
$174.99
16x15x6"
Backpack, 3 layers

Tower Bag
> 80
(not advertised)

empdoctor has several videos specific to car EMP protection.

I previously stated the need for electrically isolating devices wrapped in EMP protection. I think this is true for wraps that are nested; that is, one layer nested inside another layer; but not on the outside layer, where the devices lay next to each other. The can should still have cardboard (or other) insulation to keep its metal insides from contacting the devices and their layers of EMP protection.

For example:

1. Device #1 < EMP layer < plastic zip lock for insulation < EMP layer
2. Device #2 < EMP layer < plastic zip lock for insulation < EMP layer
3. Device #3 < NX3 bag with its 3 insulated EMP layers
4. Device #4 < EMP layer
5. EMP can < cardboard insulation < Device #1, #2, #3, #4

I'm only discussing the products in the video that were tested. That doesn't mean there aren't other products available just as good or better. It's just that these products were tested in a manner in which I have confidence.

empdoctor has several YouTube videos specific to protecting cars. I haven't watched them, but if you have an interest in protecting your car they may be of interest.

 

[Bacchus]

Garbage Can and Ammo Can as Faraday shields

More videos from empdoctor.

Testing Garbage Cans and EMP Bags
Garbage Can without Tape: 18 dB shielding
Garbage Can with Tape: 40 dB shielding

Gaskets to Seal Faraday Cage
Garbage Can without gasket: 17 dB shielding
Garbage Can with gasket: 52 dB shielding

Ammo Can Faraday Cage
Ammo Can without gasket: 28 dB shielding
Ammo Can with gasket: 74 dB shielding

The shielding measured in the above videos using garbage cans using tape or a gasket is good (40 or 52), but it not as effective as the best Faraday bags (> 80). But, the shielding you get from the can gets added to the shielding you get from the bags inside, provided the can is insulated from the bags.

The ammo can works better than the garbage can, but of course holds less.

dB (decibels) is not linear. 20dB is 10 times greater than 10dB. 30dB is 10 times greater than 20dB and 100 times greater than 10dB. 70dB is 1,000,000 times greater than 10dB. Each 10dB is tenX more.

dB does not have units, it is a ratio. If I am comparing 1000 W to 1 W, the ratio is 1000:1, or 30 dB.

 

[The Heretic]

70 dB is a hefty reduction in signal

Every 3 dB is a 50% power reduction, 10dB is a 10X power loss, 20dB a 100X power loss,

How I would protect something from EMP would be to put the component in a static bag (typically > 40dB EMI protection), then wrap that in bubble wrap (for physical protection), then a zip lock bag with desiccant, then that would go in the ammo can (which I might put plastic board (the kind you see used for signs) on the inside walls of the ammo can. The ammo can gasket would be replaced with a wire mesh (rubber inner core) meant for Tempest/EMI/RFI shielding.

If the component was a radio I would remove the battery and any external antenna.

Between the static bag and the ammo can, the component would probably be fine.

 

[Angie]

Costco run today. Seeds began popping up. It's fun to watch. I'm glad I drew a map of what I planted in which row.

Oh! And saw two pheasants over by the greenhouse. So, at least we will have tasty birds if SHTF!

 

[Burt Gummer]

I haven't been to Cabelas in years. What are they known for, at reasonable prices? While be right near the one off I5 tomorrow.

 

[Burt Gummer]

How do they compare with MidWay online or Bi-Mart for ammo - say 22LR? - decent?

 

[Mono1]

I haven't been to Cabelas in years. What are they known for, at reasonable prices? While be right near the one off I5 tomorrow.

No reasonable prices. But Definitely worth a Walk-Thru just for the Atmosphere.

 

[Mono1]

Costco run today. Seeds began popping up. It's fun to watch. I'm glad I drew a map of what I planted in which row.

Oh! And saw two pheasants over by the greenhouse. So, at least we will have tasty birds if SHTF!

Seedlings in NW Oregon. It's All Happening!

 

[Angie]

View attachment 1863667

Seedlings in NW Oregon. It's All Happening!

Nice!! Peppers are the only thing still sleeping for me. Either they were unhappy with my process, or they are just late bloomers. 2 types of bells, jalapeños, and poblanos.