Posted on 08/22/2023 9:09:36 PM PDT by week 71
Experts have warned that the dark region, which is cooler than the surrounding area, could release energetic explosions capable of knocking out our planet's power grids.
The exact measurements of the sunspot are unknown, but NASA's Perseverance rover snapped images of the spot as it sits more than 152 million miles from the sun.
The rover observed the sunspot on August 17 through August 20 while exploring the Jezero Crater on the Red Planet.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
I can’t believe it; but I learned Morse in 1958 for Boy Scouts. I remember about half of it.
CMEs won’t damage a ham radio if it’s unplugged and isolated from any long wave antenna.
*IF* a really big CME was forecast to hit the earth, we’d have plenty of time to ‘unplug’ a number of vulnerable assets. That could include shutting down the electric grid and waiting it out.
They might love the idea of it. The reality of it would be something else entirely.
I learned Morse code by listening to a cassette tape. The first thing I did, was simply listen to code at 13 WPM, just to see what it sounded like. It sounded like total gibberish to me, and I said I couldn’t possibly learn Morse code. My friends told me, yes I can, just keep at it. I did and in about 8 weeks, I could copy about 7 WPM, enough to get my novice ticket. I only made about 8 or 10 contacts, and I just quit, thinking I won’t get back on the air, till I could do it on voice. By then I was just listening to W1AW code practice sessions, till I got up to about 16 WPM. Then I got my general class license. I never used Morse code again.
I doubt anyone knows that W1AW, was the call sign of the first ham radio operator in the US, Hiram Percy Maxim. Many might remember his father, Hiram Stevens Maxim. Does the Maxim machine gun ring a bell? He invented it.
I would just unplug my stuff, like I do now, in a bad thunderstorm.
How long do you want to go with the grid down, and no communications? And essentially no legal commerce? No emergency services. And post-EMP, dead vehicles everywhere.
Hang on. *IF* a truly Hugh and series CME were headed to earth, the power grid can be protected and it’ll be “fine” in time. Yes there will be damaged components, but it won’t be like a nuclear HEMP.
Solar pulses are not like high altitude nuclear bursts.
Dont believe me- read Jon Hollerman’s work at griddownconsulting.com
I worry more about people’s reactions to the event. Do you announce that the grid is going down in X hours...don’t go fill your gas tanks all at once...don’t go panic buying at the stores? Don’t rush the banks and ATMs to have cash on hand? Because whatever you tell people not to do, they’re gonna do. Personally, I’d probably fill whatever I could with water.
I think it was in the ‘90 s when there were so many large sunspots, I could see them with the naked eye with the right fog or high cloud conditions. No big deal.
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.
As it already become sentient, and ADHD as well!?
Got my Advanced in 1976, Extra in Dec 1985 and my GROL Commercial in 2000.
Operated a Navy/Marine Corp MARS station out of my home and car from 1976-1995.
Note: licensing is much easier today. No code required for most things. The exams are local now, not driving long distances to set before a FCC examiner.
For a number of years I did not operate much (was caring for many old or ill family members), but a few years back we put together a very good local club. There are a lot of changes, but the technical hams are interesting to be around again. Lots of projects.
Be sure to wear a mask.
Yeah ... if one of these ever hits us again like it did in the 1840s, it will be ugly.
You’re exactly right about people’s reactions.
Just look at S California last week and the ‘warnings’ there.
Like a lot of folks here on FR, we’re pretty well prepared to handle an extended grid down event.
IF you are interested I strongly suggest you read Survival Theory and Survival Theory 2 by Jon Hollerman. Survival Theory 2 goes deep into human behavior.
What you are touching on is a huge topic, worth far more than I can post about.
I can only strongly urge you to learn and prepare for any number of possible events- some more than others.
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 😉
We'll be fine. I purchased extra carbon offsets from algore yesterday.
Thank you for the instructions. Now I don’t need to get 80 boxes of Reynolds Wrap for the cars!
Can’t be Christie. A sunspot is bright.
Well, fortunately we have all the right people and so many ‘experts’ in DC to get us through another crisis safely! (sarcasm)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.