The Old-School Forgotten Art To EMP-Proof Electronics

Even though we’ve all seen the effects of solar flares and their ability to knock out electricity and communications, some do not believe that an EMP attack will lead to social collapse. But it will…

As someone that loves to tinker with electronic devices, I am a firm believer in the potential for both natural (odds have increased substantially in the last few months because Earth’s magnetic field is weakening faster than expected) and human-made EMP attacks.

That being said, I also know that many of the worst problems that will come from an EMP attack can be reduced by using older technologies that rely on electronic components which are far less vulnerable to an EMP.

Electronic Devices Are Not As Complex As You Might Think

If you find yourself confused by electronic devices, simply remember that every component does one of five things with mathematical precision depending on the materials used:

• allows electrons to flow through it
• does not allow electrons to flow through it
• prevents electrons from flowing until enough of them build up on one end of the component
• allows electrons to flow if they are moving in one direction, but not if they try to go the opposite way
• atoms within the component may change the organization of their own electrons so that the flow of electricity is accelerated, slowed down, or number of passing electrons increases

Once you understand what each component does, connecting parts in various patterns will create larger devices that meet specific goals.

All you need are the right components and a diagram that shows you how to arrange them.

Electronics Before Integrated Circuit (IC) Electronics

While Tesla and Edison were battling for control of how electricity would be produced and transmitted, most people were relying on oil lamps for light and cranks to start their automobile engines.

Interestingly enough, everything from the first telephones, victrolas, and radios, to televisions and nuclear bombs operated without the use of microchips and other semiconductor components that are highly vulnerable to EMP attack.

Therefore, if we go back to “old fashioned” electronics, we can both store and maintain EMP resistant devices. Perhaps even better, when you go back to basic electronics, you can fashion components from the same kinds of Earth or nature/wilderness based materials that you might use for a fishing pole or some other survival need.

To Build Or Not Build Semiconductors?

As you may be aware, a semiconductor is a special material that is selective in how to allow or denies passage of electrons.

When semiconductors are arranged in layers with insulators (materials that do not allow the flow of electrons) and conductors (materials that easily allow transmission of electrons), you can create all kinds of fascinating effects that take the place of older style electronic components.

This includes resistors, capacitors, relays, diodes, crystals, vacuum tubes, transistors and circuits (paths that arrange electronic components).

Many people today mistakenly believe that it is not possible to avoid using semiconductors in electronic devices. Further, there is also a belief that semiconductors will not be available because the technology will be lost to build integrated circuits.

That being said, you can still create some semiconductor based applications by layering glass and copper. You can also use crystals, capacitors, and resistors to duplicate transistor effects. While they may take more power and require more maintenance, they will still be of use until other technologies can be recovered.

Simple Devices That You Can Build And Keep On Hand

Here are just a few simple things you can use to make fairly powerful electronic components. Once you master making these basic elements, you can easily go on to building radios, transmitters, perimeter defense alerts, generators, and jury rigging for bypassing electronic systems in other gadgets.

• salt water, oil, and paper based capacitors
• wood and paper based resistors
• speaker wire and metal rings for coils
• simple grounds from wire and nails
• earth batteries
• solar power arrays that use heat to generate electricity
• Tesla turbines and shell designs that run on moving water or air
• quartz crystals for translation of sound to electrical pulses

Suggestions for Further Study

Not so long ago, you could visit your local Radio Shack store and pick up an electronics project kit that would easily teach you about electronic components and how to arrange them into useful circuits.

Unfortunately, if you walk into a Radio Shack these days, all you see are endless arrays of cell phones and pre-built devices while “old fashioned” electronic components are relegated to dusty bins in the darkest corner of the store.

To add insult to injury, project kits for kids these days are little more than solar cells, snap together robots, and an IC chip that do very little in the way of hands on educational building and exploration.

From that perspective, I recommend starting off with a used book on introductory electronics. Make sure the table of contents includes information on basic principles of electron movement, resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors, relays, crystals, and coils. There are also some good YouTube videos available if you would prefer that form of learning. I also highly recommend the Mechanical Universe series if you are math inclined and want to delve into physics more than electronics.

If you do some research online, you will also find a few places that offer surplus electronic components. You can get grab bags of different components to practice with, and then gradually move towards making your own parts. For example, once you build a simple FM radio from basic parts, you can go on to make your own capacitors, etc as the next stage in your learning. With regard to tools I recommend the following:

• a multi-meter that measures AC/DC, amperage, resistance, and capacitance. It does not need to be digital or hook up to a computer
• a good quality soldering iron with variable heat settings
• circuit board etching kit
• breadboards and wire connectors for practicing
• grounding strap and non-magnetic tools
• calming aides for your family members if they fear you will blow up the house or get into some other silly mischief
• a place to work outside the house if calming aides do not work.

“Old fashioned” resistors, capacitors, relays, diodes, crystals, and simple wire can be used to build radios, transmitters, generators, and many other simple devices. While you may not be able to repair a cell phone or computer, these old technologies offer a starting point that can be used for survival, and ultimately, recapturing lost solid state and other technologies.

Perhaps even better, if you know how to create these simple electronic parts, you can also make them on your own from bits of paper, ore bearing rocks, natural crystals, and other items that you don’t normally think about in terms of building electronic devices.

By Carmella Tyrell 

www.survivopedia.com

16 Skills Useful For Bartering In A Crisis Situation

One of the biggest threats we face today could be financial collapse. It seems that people everywhere are just waiting for the one card to fall that’s holding up the whole house of cards. When that happens, it won’t be pretty.

In such an instance, the money in your pocket could become essentially worthless. Hyperinflation will kick in and the book value of the dollar will plummet. People and businesses won’t be willing to accept dollars as payment, simply because the dollar will be devaluing so rapidly. We will end up returning to a barter system for a lot of everyday personal commerce.

What’s interesting is that these skills can come in handy even when things are going well. A little strategy is always a good thing.

Various disasters could render money essentially useless. If the internet or power grid went down, most people’s money will be trapped in the bank’s computer. They might not be able to access it for months. In that case, they’ll be seeking what they can trade so that they can feed their families.

A lot of people are talking about stockpiling goods to use for bartering when that time comes. That’s a good idea — one that could prove quite profitable. The best barter goods are (sadly) said to be those that feed people’s vices; specifically alcohol and cigarettes. But you must also be aware that hoarding of any kind could make you a target of thieves or looters.

Anything that is needed for survival will probably be popular as barter goods. It’s interesting how priorities change. Medical supplies, food, tools and other basics of survival become more important. You can’t eat gold, antiques, collectibles and so on, so these things would lose their immediate value. People would have more important things to focus on.

When Argentina went through their financial collapse, food became one of the top items for bartering.

That’s not all you can barter, though. Since a financial collapse is always accompanied by at least a partial collapse of society, there are many skills which can be bartered, as well. With the difficulty in getting these services from normal channels, people will be grateful to find others that can do them.

When you go to visit a doctor, you expect to pay him for his time. Why is that? It’s because that doctor knows things that you don’t. They’ve invested time and money in learning their profession. So, you aren’t just paying them for their time, you’re paying them for their knowledge, as well. If you were only paying them for their time, you’d be paying them the same rate that you pay someone to cut your lawn.

What makes the difference, in that case, is the knowledge that the doctor has. His time is more valuable because of that knowledge. Likewise, in any crisis situation, your knowledge is valuable. Don’t let people treat you as if it isn’t. If they don’t want to make a trade that is beneficial to you, you can always walk away. They need you more than you need them.

Skills to Trade

With that said, the next question is: What marketable survival skills do you have? Let’s start with those, and then we’ll look at some others.

1. Water purification – Most people don’t have the slightest idea of how to purify water, other than you can purify it by boiling it. They don’t even know how long to boil it.

2. Alternative cooking methods – Take away electricity and most people don’t have much of an idea of how to cook. Even obvious things, like using their barbecue grill might not occur to them. More exotic methods, such as solar ovens, are way beyond their understanding.

3. Fire starting – Yes, people will have problems starting fires. Unless someone is a smoker or has a fireplace, there’s a good chance they won’t have matches or a lighter.

4. Making bio-fuel – If you have the capability, you might just be able to sell any excess you have.

5. Gardening – Many people have vegetable gardens so that they can supply their family with food when things fall apart. Your neighbors might look enviously at that garden, especially when they get hungry. Teach them how to start their own garden, supplying the seeds that they’ll need to get going.

6. Animal husbandry – Are you raising chickens or goats? Just like your vegetable garden, those might become the focus of neighborhood attention. You can help your neighbors start their own chicken coop, perhaps seeding a few chicks to them.

7. Home defense – If things get bad, you might need to organize your neighborhood for mutual self-defense. As the leader and planner of that effort, your neighbors should offer you something in return.There are probably many other survival skills you have, but they might be more specific to surviving in the wilderness, rather than surviving in an urban situation. You probably won’t be able to barter those as well, unless you offer classes to your neighbors.

There are a whole host of other skills which could be bartered, as well. Pretty much anything that is necessary for survival, which people are accustomed to getting from society, will be in demand. In addition, any of the trades will always be in demand, just as they are now. You might know some of these skills, but not use them as your profession. But then, if your profession dries up from the crisis, these skills might be what you need to provide for your family.

8. Medical services – Medical services will always be in demand; in a crisis, they are often overloaded. You have to be careful with this one, as there are some legal liability issues associated with it. However, anyone who knows basic wound treatment and first aid can do that, even if they aren’t certified. If people have a problem getting to medical help, the ability to take care of a wound may save someone’s life. That’s worth a lot.

9. Midwife – If medical services are overloaded or hard to get to, then the age-old profession of the midwife will be needed. Once again, just like any other medical service, you have to be careful about liability; as you could be held liable for anything that goes wrong.

10. Psychology or counseling – Many people will have trouble dealing with the problems that they are facing and need help adjusting to them. Being able to counsel those people and help them come to grips with post-crisis life will be valuable.

11. Home repair (of all sorts) – Many disasters cause damage to homes. As those homes are necessary to help people survive, being able to make repairs can be very profitable.

12.Mechanics – We will always need mechanics to keep our cars running, as long as there is a gas to run them. This is truer today than in the past because less people know how to do it themselves.

13. Small engine repair – Strange as it sounds, just because someone can repair a car, doesn’t mean that they can repair a lawnmower or generator. In a crisis situation we will probably be depending upon these devices even more than normal; increasing the need for this skill.

14. Appliance repair – With people having less money, they won’t be able to just run out and buy a new washing machine if theirs breaks. Having it repaired would be much cheaper. This may even apply to small appliances if merchandise starts becoming scarce.

15. Gunsmithing – When people get hungry and desperate, there’s no telling what they will do. People who have guns may not have the ability to fix them themselves.

16. Clergy – More than half of the counseling done in this country is done by clergy. That won’t become any less in the aftermath of a crisis. Their services will also be needed for helping with weddings and funerals.

There are probably some other skills, such as blacksmithing, which should be added to this list. Take time to inventory your own skills and see how they might be useful in the aftermath of a financial crash or other crisis. Don’t limit yourself to only these things; think of anything you know how to do, which might be useful in a survival situation. Many things that we don’t commonly use today will be needed, as people are forced to return to the ways of our ancestors.

If the skills which you are planning on bartering require special materials to do, you should put in a stock of those materials as well. Granted, you probably can’t stock everything, but you can stock the most common things you’d use. That way, you’ll have something to start with.

One of the questions that many preppers have about bartering is that of what to accept in trade for their trade goods or skills. There are several ways of looking at this. Typically, preppers talk about trading their trade goods or skills for things that they don’t have. No matter how thoroughly any of us prepare, we’re going to forget something. If you need that something, then it becomes the most important thing for you to trade for.

Another thing you can trade for is people’s time. Just surviving is going to be a full-time job. You may have trouble coming up with enough time to survive, as well as barter your skills. Well then, barter your skills for other people’s time. In other words, if you have a neighbor that needs drinking water, tell them you’ll purify their water if they haul water from the river for both of you. Or, you’ll help them start their vegetable garden if they’ll pull weeds in yours. That way, you can make better use of the time that you have.

Remember, your time will be more valuable than theirs, simply because you have the needed skills to survive. Be fair to people, but don’t let them take advantage of you either. Your prime concern is taking care of your own family, not theirs.

One last category of things you can barter for is valuables. Eventually, things will return to normal, or a new normal. While a silver tea set may lose its relative value during the crisis, because it isn’t necessary for survival; after the crisis, its value will return. When that happens, you can sell the tea service for a profit.

During World War II, there was a lot of this going on. There were constant shortages in occupied Europe. The priority was given to the German military forces, leaving insufficient food for the population in these countries. Many people dealt with this by going out to the country and trading silver tea sets and other valuables to farmers for hams cheeses, and other foodstuffs.

When the war was over and Europe returned to normal, many of those farmers, who had been poor before the war, ended up quite comfortable. Their black-market bartering of food during the war years made them a tidy profit when it came time to sell those valuables.

By Rich M – www.offthegridnews.com (edit – MFSP)