Re: EMP Pulse/Non-lethal technologies

Michael Lorrey (retroman@together.net)
Mon, 05 Jan 1998 18:20:59 -0500


Michael Lorrey wrote:
>
>
> it took a capacitor the size of a large thermos to store a charge (don't
> remember the value). Took about 5 minutes of charging time off the
> alternator, which I had custom installed to provide an extra 15-20 amps.
> It used a radar detector type horn with a souped up magnatron from a big
> microwave, and a large voltage ladder/network (4 ladders in parallel,
> each 20 steps, at around 10-15 kv per step) fed from a custom built
> flyback and flip/flop operated SCR feeder from the capacitor.
>
> I kept the ladders soaked in an oil bath, rather than the typical
> RTV/silicone coating, as I frequently needed to replace diodes.

Oh, sorry, the capacitor was on the magnetometer end. Every thing else
was just to charge it. I don't have any of my notes from that project,
and I was pretty much a party animal when I wasn't on duty, so my memory
is fuzzy. Essentially, I just scaled up and altered a design for a small
science class sized EMP generator I had seen the design for I think in
one of Information Unlimited's books on funky highpower projects. As I
recall, it put out a burst of around 70,000 watts for something like
1/100th of a second. Thats about twice the power of an F-14's radar on
max range. Needless to say, it was hazardous to people in the effect
zone if they were not in the Faraday protection of a vehicle.

THis is the major problem I have with what the people on the Discovery
program were saying about it being "safe and harmless to vehicle
passengers" (except those who have metal in their teeth or a hearing aid
or pacemaker).The power densities needed to transmit a pulse fatal to
circuits in that zone would also have an effect like a couple dozen to a
few hundred chest xrays all at once to people not sitting inside a metal
car body. THere is a reason why we weren't allowed to work in front of a
fighter plane when its radar was being tested, as it could actually cook
your insides like you were in a mocrowave oven if you were out in the
open right in front of it. People inside plastic vehicles would have no
protection, however, these devices may be of lower power if the chips
used in cars these days operate at lower voltages.

-- 
TANSTAAFL!!!
			Michael Lorrey
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mailto:retroman@together.net	Inventor of the Lorrey Drive
MikeySoft: Graphic Design/Animation/Publishing/Engineering
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