Forum: Author Hangout

I have experienced radio interference from what I later learned was "sun spots" over the years. I do not now recall whether it was AM or FM or satellite radio or all three. As far as I know, none of that involved an EMP that hit earth.
In an EMP event, either nuclear or solar, how long before, during and after will it interfere with or completely knock out AM, FM and Satellite radio communications (assuming, perhaps falsely, that there will still be electric power). How about other radio signals - such as shortwave? Citizens Band? Walkie talkies? Police bands?

Out of the top of my head. Two different things: the Electro-Magnetic Pulse itself and the destruction it can cause to electronic devices.

Because it's just a – very powerful – pulse, there should be no interference with radio waves before and after the pulse.

If you can emit and receive radio waves after an EMP depends on how well the necessary equipment was shielded against EMPs. Heavy shielding may be simple and inexpensive if you accept the devise is unusable while shielded. So the time span after the EMP until the device can send again is not influenced by the EMP it's just the time you need to remove the shielding, or get the device out of the shielding.

AFAIK, during the short duration of the pulse, no other electromagnetic transmission will work, it's drowned by the pulse, this affects all radio, radar, microwave, ...

BTW, shortwave is part of the AM spectrum. Citizens Band, Walkie Talkies, Police bands use frequencies within the radio spectrum set aside for their use. As for all radio transmission if the equipment was not fried by the EMP it will work after the EMP.

Just my $.02

HM.

Here is a "CliffNotes" version, that explains the differences:

https://www.loreandlegends.net/2020/12/solar-flares-cmes-and-emp-threat.html

In an EMP event, either nuclear or solar

There is no comparison between a HEMP and a Solar based EMP event. HEMP is going to be short lived, whereas a solar flare or CME can be short term to days long.

Another difference is in how they interact with the ground. A solar based event will only have E1, and E2 components at the poles. A nuclear HEMP will crate all the above below the detonation point.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nuclear_electromagnetic_pulse

I don't usually use wiki, but it beats typing out the definition of E1, E2, E3, and E3 heave.

The solar event energy enters at the poles then supercharges the natural telluric currents. Look up the Carrington event for how that plays out.

A nuclear HEMP is primarily top down in effects.

A solar event is bottom up except for satellite and ionospheric effects.

ETA: There are other solar events than just a flare that causes problems.
Solar wind for instance.