13 Sep 2014

OH NO!!!! What ever shall we do! If only there was a device that allowed navigation without relying on microprocessors and electricity!

On a serious note, considering the amount of electronics in today's vehicles, I'd be far more concerned about the rest of the vehicle. Enough EMP could fry the ECM's and shut down entire fleets. I don't think its a major concern, but if solar storms continue to get worse (as some are predicting) we are going to be forced to look into 'hardening' our vehicles as well as out antiquated power grid and satellite-based communications systems.

 

Always gotta be one.....

 

Currently the only source of an EMP large enough to have widespread impact is a thermonuclear warhead, so there might be bigger issues at hand.

Older vehicles (pre 80s) have a certain amount of resistance to the effects of EMP in that they are largely constructed of steel and essentially provide a Faraday cage around the engine compartment. These vehicles also have way less electronics to have problems with (no computers, fuel injectors, etc.).

 

If by "widespread" you mean it will affect many different kinds of devices, I will agree with you. A nuclear EMP can wipe out pretty much anything with a transistor within a few miles.

A solar event doesn't cause much of a disturbance at the local level, but it is over a huge geographical area. Power lines that run for hundreds of miles will act like a giant antenna, and the resulting voltage spike can wipe out the equipment that keeps our power grid running. We've seen this happen before.

As for satellites, most of the sats that are in use are recent enough to have protection against solar flares. Of course, we could have a supermegacolossallyhuge flare big enough to wipe them out, but that flare may also be big enough to wipe *us* out, too. Gotta draw the line somewhere.

 

Can't seem to open your attachment ......

If a solar flare wipes out my service do I still have to pay my data bill........ ?

I'll send you that # ......