Encode a message in an EMP burst?

There is a form of communication called meteor burst or meteor backscatter, You can bounce your radio signals off the ionized trails left by the meteor passing through the atmosphere. It works.

I don’t get it, @worriedguy, but I want to, so please assist my limited understanding. Radiowaves are a form of EM waves. So if you had an EMP without a meteor passing by at the same time, what ionized trails would there be to bounce your message off?

Wouldn’t it be pointless encoding messages within an EMP? The point of the EMP is to induce sufficient current flow in wired technology to burn it out. The EMP would likely take out any receivers in it’s range.

The EMP burst will most likely be generated by a large blast. A nuke, for example, that would make a large ionizied fireball. Anything in the area will be affected by the EMP but at a sufficient distance, hundreds of miles away, your communication devices will survive and might be able to use the residual ionized gas as a reflecting surface. This would not be repeatable but it would be possible. Meteor bursts happen all the time and amateur radio enthusiasts pick up skips from hundreds to thousand of miles away by bouncing off the trails. Again, it works but is not a reliable method.

An easy reliable method is EME (Earth Moon Earth) which uses the moon as a reflector. You need good antennas and high power but that method is reliable when the moon is visible to both parties. Of course you can use satellites, uplink and downlinks, but for this Q I am assuming that is to be avoided.

@ETpro. I too think it would be pointless (impossible?) to try encoding a signal in the EMP. I’d use it as a reflector.

Awesome. Nothing quite like a good engineer.

@worriedguy What message would your send?

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!”

“All your base are belong to us. You have no chance to survive make your time.”

@ETpro Good message. My engineer son has an “All your base…” T-shirt.
The nut doesn’t fall far from the tree.

I think I’d have it be Conan’s speech on what is best in life.