[21twelve]

I have no doubt that there is a large sun spot on the sun. That's what it does. I suppose the article said something like “the largest one seen in 11 years!” It appears that this cycle while on the low side, may end up being higher than predicted.

Sort of like predictions of earthquakes. One of these days it will happen where I live (Seattle). Good to be prepared, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it.

To a degree I'm prepared if the power goes out. But not if it takes 5 years to repair the grid. Hmm. My neighbor is thinking about getting rid of his old truck. It has a carburetor, but I suppose it still has enough electronics on it that it won't run after a huge solar flare.

[21twelve]

You know what REALLY bothers me about this article? Why isn't the rover focusing on the Jezero Crater like it's supposed to!?

As it already become sentient, and ADHD as well!?

[Blueflag]

With a solar flare, aka CME, you’ll have warnings and lead time.

It’s easy to prep a vehicle to survive a solar flare (unlike a nuke EMP) because the ‘pulses’ are quite different.

With foreknowledge of a CME, do the following:
1. Have your tank full and have extra gas in cans if your living arrangements permit it.
2. If your vehicle is parked in a garage with an electric door or gate, open it now and leave it open, or park it outside. Garage doors can be quite difficult/heavy to open.
3. Disconnect both battery terminals.
4. Find your owners manual and the page with the fuse box layout. Print it out if it’s online only.
5. Open the fuse box and remove all the fuses. Put them in a bag in the center console with the fuse box layout page.
6. Leave the car unlocked - no issues with the fancy new locks nowadays.
7. For extra protection, likely not necessary, open your key fob and remove that little battery. Put both in a baggie and put it where you know you’ll remember it ;-)
8. If you have a mast antenna for the radio, wouldn’t hurt to unscrew it and put it on the front seat.
9. Lastly, for the fully anal retentitive, ground the vehicle to the dirt with a bare wire wrapped around a big nail or bolt, (put that in the dirt) and attach the other end to a bare metal part of the car. This will provide a path to dissipate induced current.

A big CME can last for hours or days. Don’t put it all back together for a while.

Tune in next week for how to protect portable radios 😉

[5th MEB]

Any vehicle pre 1971 or 72 should be good to go as long as you have a spare set of points, distributer, and coil.

None of the fuel injection crap either.