Recent news reports indicate that radio stations are going bankrupt due to a lack of listeners caused by the growing prevalence of wireless technology. People use smartphones with built-in radios, laptops with earbuds or headphones that also have a radio feature, and other portable listening devices like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant which can play music as well!
Will CB Radios Work After An EMP? Many believe that after our recent power outage there will be an increase in people turning off all forms of electronics except for those with a radio function. This could mean big trouble for some radio station owners since their revenues have gone down drastically.
Fortunately, you can still pick up very good quality clear channel AM (or “carrier current AM radio”) radio reception even if your house lost power! Here is how to do it!
Carrier Current Radio Reception
Most homes now have two things connected to a constant electricity source: A refrigerator and a stove. Both of these appliances need a regular supply of energy to work properly so they usually remain on during a power outage.
Refrigerators and freezers contain chemicals that freeze when there is no heat coming from the oven or burner. These chemical reactions stop when there is a continuous flow of electricity through them. So when there is no fire, there is no food freezing!
This is why most people say that it does not matter whether the power goes out for one day or indefinitely because nothing ever truly freezes solid.
How to Prepare for an EMP Attack?
In the event of an EMP attack, the most important thing for individuals and families to do is to be prepared. Here are some tips on how to prepare for an EMP attack:
1. Store non-perishable food and water.
2. Have a plan for how you will communicate with your family and loved ones.
3. Be prepared to evacuate if necessary.
4. Have a plan for how you will provide for your basic needs if there is no power or running water.
5. Be informed and stay up to date on the latest news and information about EMPs and their potential effects.
By following these simple tips, you can help ensure that you and your family are prepared in the event of an EMP attack.
What is the damage caused by an EMP?
A major cause of loss of power after any significant disaster is when someone or something removes all the electricity from the area. This happens with two things: direct power outages and what’s called electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
During an EMP, there are no longer continuous electrical currents in the air. There may be some intermittent pales, but they are very short-lived and do not constitute an adequate source of energy for most electronics.
This includes radios!
After an EMP event, many people try to use their radio to listen to news or music. Unfortunately, their radios don’t work because there isn’t enough power left over to turn it on!
There are ways to get more information than just “there’s been an earthquake” and “there have been reports of X happening,” but those depend on having functioning technology at least within range of the broadcast.
Will CB radios work after an EMP?
Even though some people say that you can’t use radio equipment after a direct hit from an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), this isn’t necessarily true. Some experts believe that most of the components in a typical handheld radio will survive, making it possible to re-activate them.
In fact, several companies are offering hardened personal radio transmitters that have shown to be very effective during times of a power outage. These devices were not designed to be used for regular communications, but they do show that even if a normal radio is totally destroyed, other types of technology can still function.
However, we should all keep in mind that using any type of electronic device close to a source of electricity at the time of the meltdown could potentially hurt or kill you!
It would also probably be best to avoid picking up any radio waves for a while after an EMP incident unless your goal is only to listen to music or learn more about electromagnetism.
Equipment that will help you during and after an EMP
Recent news has brought us another major disruption due to natural disasters or terrorist attacks. This time it’s caused by what is called an electromagnetic pulse (EMP).
You may have heard about these before, but there are still many things we don’t know about them! Fortunately for you, we have some helpful information here at APS.
We wanted to take a moment and talk more in-depth about whether or not conventional radio receivers can survive an EMP event. Thankfully, the answer is yes!
But before we get into hard and fast rules, let’s discuss why having an adequate source of communication is so important in times like this. We will also go over which types of radios are most likely to work immediately following an outage.
Tips for using a CB radio after an EMP
Since there are no longer working power sources, it is difficult to use most radios as they were before the outage. Fortunately, however, you can still enjoy listening to Radio Shores!
Most scanners have a backup battery or supply source that keeps the scanner running. This may be an internal rechargeable cell or a collection of scavenged dry cells.
Many times these batteries are not in use so it would be worth looking into whether yours does too! If it does, get this set up properly so it will always keep your ears wet!
Another option is to connect an external antenna to boost reception. Most scanners come with one already but if yours do not then grab one from Amazon or another store. These work by capturing wireless energy and transmitting it through the air at higher frequencies.
Helpful resources
Recent developments in technology have made it possible to get quality radio reception even when no AM or FM station is available! These are called Clear Channel radios, or “crowdsource” radios because people with them contribute their own frequency bands for you to use as a source of music and talk.
There are several types of clear channel radios that work via Bluetooth, LTE (cell phone network), WiFi, or both. The best type of crowdfunded radio depends on your needs at any given time- what kind of radio reception do you need most?
If you only need short-term radio coverage, then using a smartphone app designed for clear-channel listening can be just as good as having a dedicated clear-channel radio device. If you need longer-lasting radio signal strength, however, there are other options too!
TIPS TO USE A CROWDSOURCE RADIO THE RIGHT WAY
1. Make sure the receiver has adequate range before searching for a broadcast
2. Check if the device has automatic tuning so it does not need to be tuned by hand
3. Test out the radio in another area first to see how well it works for you
These tips will make sure you get the most out of your new crowd-sourced radio! May we suggest keeping an eye on YouTube reviews for more tips?
We hope this article helped you learn about why clear channel radios work and some ways to use one effectively.
Will cell phones work after an EMP?
Since we are now in the era of mobile technology, will radio scanners and cellular telephones still work months or even years down the road? Technically speaking, no! Radio scanners and cell phones require large amounts of power to function, so making sure you have enough batteries for them is important.
Sadly, not everyone has this preparedness skill before us, which is why it’s extremely important. Because of this, some people may be out of luck until later in the coming apocalypse.
However, there is one small consolation- most people don’t need radios or cell phones very often anymore anyway. This means that those who do have a scanner or phone can probably keep using them unless they run out of battery, in which case they should just save themselves as much pain as possible.
There is also another theory about why many gadgets use less power these days. Some say that our increasingly connected world creates too much data, requiring bigger bandwidth, and thus consuming more energy.
Will GPS work after an EMP?
While there are some theories about what kind of electromagnetic pulse would completely destroy modern-day electronics, we have no actual proof that this will happen anywhere on or around our planet. In fact, most experts agree that it is very unlikely that anything major will break down due to an EM spike.
That being said, many people have suggested that radio wave-based communication systems such as those used for citizens’ band (CB) radios and global positioning system (GPS) receivers will not function properly following an EMP event.
While these types of technology rely on signals from satellites and ground-based transmitters, they also require receiving antennas to pick up the signal. Antennas can be built either using surface waves or loop currents to gather energy – both of which are destroyed by an electrical surge.
Will the internet work after an EMP?
Recent news reports suggest that we may experience a major power outage caused by either a natural disaster or a man-made event. This would be the first significant power outage of our generation!
If you listen to the radio regularly, you know how important good reception is in order for it to function properly. Fortunately, however, there are ways to prepare for this potential catastrophe.
One option is to store some batteries in advance to ensure that you have adequate light during the period when electricity will not be readily available. Batteries can last for months if used correctly so do not use up all your best battery sources before the outbreak.
Another alternative is to invest in a portable AM/FM radio with auxiliary input to continue listening to music while exploring shelter sites or finding food. These types of radios usually do not require electricity to operate.
However, what if the electrical grid goes down completely? What if there’s no radio signal whatsoever? Luckily, scientists have been working on alternatives to radio since the 1970s.
These technologies include cell phones, satellite radio, and digital broadcasting. While they are not necessarily new, many people forget about them because technology has become too advanced.
Fortunately, these three methods are quite easy to implement, and most come with free software or apps to get started.