EMI (Electomagnetic Interferece) can happen from many sources (both natural and man-made), most of which are harmless or the device in question may have some protection against it. But a strong EMI will potentially interfere with the device (i.e. cell phone, radio, etc.), it can damage parts of it, or damage it completely to render it useless.
EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse) can happen from many sources (both natural and man-made), which is a significant burst of electromagnetic radiation which can disrupt or damage electronic equipment. This can be your car, radio, cell phone, anything with circuits in it. In most cases, it will be a disruption, but it can impact more than your personal devices.
There are EMP devices available that someone can deploy to damage a small area or a large metropolitan area either locally or at distance. This is not science fiction, and it has been deployed many times not to disrupt your phone, but mitigate attacks, render surveillance systems useless, or infiltrate a building or sections of a building.
The other method EMPs can impact your devices are far more realistic, especially in 2024, is Solar Cycle 25 hitting the peak in 2025 (but the impacts are already happening, which is earlier than expected) sometime around mid to late 2024. Solar flares can reach earth and cause disruption to satellites, cell towers, internet infrastructure, as well as to devices.
What can you do?
Don’t worry too much about protecting your cell phone because even protecting it will still render it useless, unless you want to play a game on the phone that does not need wifi or internet. Here are the things I would protect.
- Radio (HAM, GMRS) – These will work after the event to communicate locally and potentially globally if others protected their radios as well.
- Laptop – The last thing you want is a damaged laptop. Hope you backup often.
- Car – Yes, your car will be rendered useless if a strong EMP event occurs. There are ways to deal with this.
- Solar Power System – Yes, your investment will be fried. Good news is just unplug the solar panel, and replace the controller when the event is over. There are also ways to mitigate this as well.
- Home – Things like doorbell cameras, garage doors, etc. may be rendered useless until the event is over. You can definitely protect some of it, but not all of it.
How long will this event last?
That is to be determined, and will be updated here if there is additional information. As far as scientists know at this point, Solar Cycle 25 will peak at 2025.
Has it already happened?
Yes, there was a disruption to communications that already occurred in December 2023. More of this is to come.
What can I do to prepare?
You can get a faraday cage for your devices, or leave it off. There are many videos online to build a small faraday cage. The best thing is to keep the devices powered off and unplugged (especially communications devices.) Don’t worry about protecting your phone. It will be rendered useless, and just replace it. Even if parts of the phone is working, there will not be internet anyway (at least temporarily.)
Things like EVs always are powered on similar to cell phones, so they may be rendered useless when the event occurs. The keyword there is “may”. But keep in mind most modern vehicles also rely on computers to work, so they are just as susceptible to failure as well. In either case, a significant system board (or multiple boards) repair will be necessary to make the vehicles usable again.
I miss those old cars without GPS, electronic fuel injection, and computers. May need to go buy one just in case.