Best emergency radios? How to protect from EMP?

I would love to hear thoughts on this. I am wanting input on SW recievers. Also how to protect your electronics in the event of a possible EMP.

I just got a small handheld Tecsun PL360 which seems pretty good. Doing my search I realized there is a lot of junk out there also.

a reply to: openminded2011

I've hear from multiple sources that these are very good and affordable.



As far as shielding it from an EMP, I would recommend getting your freqs set then storing it in a Faraday cage or one of those fancy Faraday bags.

a reply to: openminded2011

I have a Tecson pl-660 that I bought years ago. I just got it out and changed the batteries. I'm glad you brought this up. I don't have it shielded.

originally posted by: watchitburn
a reply to: openminded2011

I've hear from multiple sources that these are very good and affordable.

As far as shielding it from an EMP, I would recommend getting your freqs set then storing it in a Faraday cage or one of those fancy Faraday bags.

That's a good choice; lots of bang for the buck. We've got some of these and find them very capable; they come in handy for monitoring local emergency traffic.

Hubby retired from a communications and installation business, so I think we have at least one of everything , but the Baofeng always seems to be the first choice to grab for everything.

Around the house you can store small electronics in an old junk microwave. Those are a good Faraday cage

a reply to: openminded2011
My wife buys a Faraday fabric by the yard. She has made various envelopes for phones, laptops etc, bags for larger items, storage for red dots…you get the idea.

It’s also a huge improvement to the old fashioned tin foil hat😉

a reply to: BlueJacket

Do they come with sweat bands? I hate that tim foil dont have this feature

a reply to: Brotherman
I’ve been requesting a sweatband, meantime I squeezed a faraday beanie in my ball cap😆

a reply to: openminded2011

Get one of these guys... pic won't upload

Search Crossbread Ark... EMP proof bags.

1. First and formost you need a 12 volt source. And a way to recharge it.
. I have 2 Grundig sattelite SWs one new and small and one old with no comp. chips. Know the frequencies in advance. Print them out. Both short waves will fit inside the three microwaves we have for protection.
2. An old CB radio capable of SSB. With a mobil antenna.
3. At least one higher end if possible a 2meter and 70cm Ham radios capable of 50 watts with both base and mobil antennas. [known as dual band] Also a 10 meter will be of good use] Get a ham license..worth it.
The yaesu non digitals like the FTM 6000 are pretty powerful. Not SSB but good. Small enough to fit in a small faraday set up ..even a microwave.

4. Finally you need to understand you may not reach out further than 50 miles with the mobile hams, but no more than a few miles say 5 or less with portable. Or cb.
I prefer the Baofeng uv5 R portable ham for 20 bucks.,
and a few others of that make which have greater output. Know that the antenna on those portables will not get you very far. Get an adapter for those radios online to adapt your mobile and base antenna for them. Also a good 2/70 meter base and mobile antenna with a portable antenna adapter work very well with portables.
A large metal safe with inside and outside metal containment. Usually cement in the middle. A nice faraday enhancement.

And finally understand none of these things work well for you for long if things get really bad. What counts then is making sure you are prepared with food, communication, medical, and finally...spiritually because only God knows when things will go south.
Again keep in mind folks, amateur radios do require a license to operate. I know I know, if it gets bad who cares, but to learn to use it ahead of time..the FCC does care.
So many ways to prepare. One must alsonot forget God.

originally posted by: texas thinker
Around the house you can store small electronics in an old junk microwave. Those are a good Faraday cage

Interesting, when I want to have secure communication, my smart phone goies in a Microwave as well, (bit NOT turned on obviously LOL); although, I have not actually tried to make a call on it while it was in there.

Can anyone confirm this?? 🤨

a reply to: BlueJacket

This.... For cheap, effective, and spacious faraday cage...

a reply to: Komodo

Interesting, when I want to have secure communication, my smart phone goies in a Microwave as well, (bit NOT turned on obviously LOL); although, I have not actually tried to make a call on it while it was in there.

I read that its a good way to test your microwave sheilding to see if its faulty ie put either a cell or mobile land phone into the microwave (while it is switched off) then call it from another number. If it starts ringing the shielding is damaged.

If the SHTF you would not be able to rely on it to shield your delicate electronics.

I made an account just to let everyone know, microwaves are not Faraday cages.. they will not block EMPs at all.. anyone saying this has obviously never tested it. Get or build a Faraday if you want your comms to stay safe.

originally posted by: zenzao
I made an account just to let everyone know, microwaves are not Faraday cages.. they will not block EMPs at all.. anyone saying this has obviously never tested it. Get or build a Faraday if you want your comms to stay safe.

Would a metal ammo box work like a faraday cage?

a reply to: godservant

Ammo cans can be secured with a little modification. There are many tutorials online that give step by step instruction on the topic. The main issue is removing the rubber gasket found in many of the larger cans, but yes, they can be modified.

a reply to: zenzao

How do they keep the microwaves inside?

a reply to: Terpene

If you're asking how a microwave keeps the microwaves inside.. in short.. they don't completely. You don't have to take my word for it of course. Feel free to take your cell phone, place it in a microwave.. and try to call it. I assure you, it will ring. Place a 2 way radio inside one and key up from the outside.. Again.. you will see that it will pick up pretty clearly.

a reply to: zenzao

You might be right, I'm not questioning your first hand experiences mind you.

From what I understand about Faraday cages is that the mesh defines what frequencies get blocked, I dont exactly know all frequencies that are a danger to electronic devices, obviously radio and mobile isn't.
I'm guessing microwave is and I'm also guessing it would protect your electronics from microwaves, maybe not much more, but I'm not quite sure.

a reply to: zenzao

I haven't seen the radio tried, but a cellphone will definitely ring inside a microwave. I don't know if the microwave is a true Faraday cage or not, but cell phone waves are much shorter wavelengths than the microwaves used for cooking.