If you have adobe acrobat reader, here is the latest government report on emp

it is a link to a 62 page pdf file:

http://empcreport.ida.org/EMPCExecRpt_FinalToSandS.pdf

If we are hit by a nuclear attack and subsequent EMP, the last thing I'd be worried about would be my electronics.

It would be time to hoof it with my boots and BoB. <img src="/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

On a related note, how does the military protect their sensative electronics from EMP? I remember seeing pictures in books of aircraft carriers hosing the decks (although to remove fallout).

"how does the military protect their sensative electronics from EMP?"

Most military grade electronics are "hardened" both environmentally and electronically. This is why they are usually big, basic, and heavy. A GI issue GPS weighs in at several pounds for example.

Although I have a feeling it is more the equivalent of "water resistant" when it comes to EMP. You have to figure that if you are at ground zero then EMP is the least of your worries. It is only away that you have to worry about it.

"If you send your data away, & you have E<P troubles, how do you get your units back?"

I was thinking of long term data preservation but you always have the option of going to it or getting it sent to you either electronically or physically. Let us assume a single, massive EMP was able to take out your entire city... you may have to travel to a location unaffected to find a working terminal where you could download your data. That being said... for some data (not a 60 GB music library) it might be wise to pay for a bit of online storage.

How old would a vehicle have to be to be able to move after an EMP attack?

Sue

I cant remember where I read it or the exact detail, but before they knew that a nuclear blast caused an EMP, when they were testing on a Pasific atol they demaged the phone systems on another island about 1000 kilometers away. Unfortunately I cant remember the name of the island or the exact distance.

Heres something to try. Get an old CD and place it in a microwave oven data side facing up on a piece of cardboard. If you like try taking the microwaves globe out first so you can see the effects. Turn the microwave on for a few seconds (no more than 8 seconds)
Watch the mini lightning and then tell me how a DVD or CD will survive an EMP. Before you tell me that this is different that an EMP blast, I would like to state EMP damage will occure but may not be as dramatic as the microwave. As soon as the energy hits the CD its damaged, but the lightning effects take a fraction longer. You will also get to see how fast the magnatron turns on. In mine there is over a second delay but my friends is on before the finger has left the button.
Also the CD's will make pretty neat drink coasters after the microwave, but injurries may occure after your wife smells the microwave after doing this, so air it for a couple of hours.
You wont notice the smell after that.

You dont need a nuclear weapon to create an EMP. You can design a purpose built device to make an EMP, but it will be more localised. It is also much cheaper to make than a nuclear device, so would be easier to create multple devices to work together to achieve a bigger result.

I googled EMP+DAMAGE and these sites were on the first page. I just skimmed them, but some of the info on a couple of the sites seems to contradict the info on the other sites.... whatever:

http://www.aussurvivalist.com/nuclear/empprotection.htm

http://www.qsl.net/n9zia/emp.html

http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2001/010930-attack04.htm

http://www.sonic.net/~doretk/Issues/00-03-SPR/theblack.html

Sue

EMP sheilding is like the escape trunk on a sub- if it is useful, you got lucky or they weren't in your weight class. You can always make a bigger bomb for a lot less than the other guy can add shielding.

OK, speaking as professional geek and someone who grew up in a house full of cold warriors, let me say that this is pretty much a nonissue. The probability of an EMP device or a near space nuke are a lot lower than battery failure.