EMP Shield Protection For Ham Radio

EMP radio protection, particularly EMP-proof ham radio. This is critical for those who have invested in expensive ham radio equipment and are committed to shielding their radio from EMP threats via the antenna. The EMP Shield, a key element, is installed between the radio and antenna. Equally important is EMP protection of the power source, a crucial aspect that should not be overlooked.

The same EMP Shield provides lightning protection, too (a direct hit is a different story). The same protection principle for protecting from a nearby lightning strike energy field also applies to an EMP, electromagnetic pulse.

The’ E1′ pulse, a high-speed, nanoseconds phenomenon, is a rapidly rising field of electromagnetic energy that could damage or destroy a ham radio. How? Through the antenna. That’s the main way (it could also come in through the power source, which can also be protected from EMP).

An antenna can collect considerable voltage/power from a spike of energy from EMP or lightning, nearly instantaneously traveling down your feed line, potentially destroying your radio.

The E1 pulse of an EMP is the most difficult to stop. Why? Because of its rise time. It’s lightning fast:

[ Read: EMP Components E1, E2, E3 ]

There is a solution. Keep reading:

EMP Proof Ham Radio Protection

Ham radio operators gravitate towards preparing for short—or long-term emergencies or disaster scenarios, and I believe that many are preppers to some extent. Some may be concerned about the threat of EMP weapons and wish to mitigate this risk by protecting their ham radio equipment via antenna input. Yes, disconnecting the antenna during a thunderstorm is wise and common practice, but an EMP could happen at any time, depending on global threats, and without warning.

Your HF/VHF/UHF radios will not help you if an EMP electromagnetic pulse destroys them.

There are few real-world examples of what an EMP / electromagnetic pulse will ultimately do or destroy. None are within the timeframe that includes our modern way of life—the Internet, computers, cellphones, and any modern technology.

That said, in 1962, the US government conducted an experiment called Starfish Prime: a high-altitude nuclear bomb detonation in the Pacific. It was not intended as an EMP test. However, an EMP resulting from the blast caused ‘major malfunctions’ on monitoring instruments. And 900 miles away in Hawaii, the impact disrupted the street lights and the telephone network. That was in the days before all of our modern electronics!

EMP Shield

EMP Shield
Shop their Radio Protection page

They are a 100% American-made and owned company, located in Kansas. They are listed by the Department of Homeland Security for EMP protection and are used by various government organizations and private industry.

[ Read: EMP Shield – Whole House Protection ]
This will protect your radio’s power source, too

Here’s where “EMP Shield” protection comes in. Their specialty is clamping down on that extremely fast voltage/power spike. And among their many EMP / Lightning protection devices, they also make them for ham radio HF/VHF/UHF with either SO-239 or N connectors.

The listed models are for different power ratings: 200 watts, 500 watts, and 1000 watts.

They also have EMP protection for radios with an F connector (100-watt rating).

They are not cheap. However, I do believe “you get what you pay for”.