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Off-Topic Discussion => General Discussion => Topic started by: aldo_14 on August 11, 2004, 05:00:14 am

Title: "Earth to disappear from alien radar"
Post by: aldo_14 on August 11, 2004, 05:00:14 am
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2004/08/10/alien_hunt_wrong_freq/

Interesting.  Sort of.  Maybe.
Title: "Earth to disappear from alien radar"
Post by: karajorma on August 11, 2004, 06:37:58 am
I always did say that the Drake's calculations mistakenly assumed that aliens developed their tech in a simlar way to ours and just kept increasing the power until there would be no way we could miss them.

Seems like Drake has finally noticed the mistake himself :)
Title: "Earth to disappear from alien radar"
Post by: beatspete on August 11, 2004, 08:16:52 am
Not everone uses cable TV.  Digital Satellite is just as popular, and even if the satellites just transmit to earth, the ground based transmiters send out into space.  Radio stations are changing to digital now too, which must have some advantages for extra-terestrial 'reception'.
Title: "Earth to disappear from alien radar"
Post by: Col. Fishguts on August 11, 2004, 08:51:41 am
Quote
Originally posted by beatspete
Not everone uses cable TV.  Digital Satellite is just as popular, and even if the satellites just transmit to earth, the ground based transmiters send out into space.  Radio stations are changing to digital now too, which must have some advantages for extra-terestrial 'reception'.


But satellite communication uses directed EM waves which rewuires less power output to succesfully transmit a clear signal. The result are radiation cones which cover only a small portion of the sky and has  a rather weak signal strength.
Terrestrial TV on the other hand uses omnidirectional antennaes which have a power output in the MegaWatt region....thus acting as "bright" beacon in the radio spectrum.

But IIRC, there are plans from the SETI project to send an "official handshake signal" into space, over a longer period of time.
Title: "Earth to disappear from alien radar"
Post by: demon442 on August 11, 2004, 11:53:26 pm
Quote
Originally posted by Col. Fishguts
But IIRC, there are plans from the SETI project to send an "official handshake signal" into space, over a longer period of time.


Wasn't the T-V war started by a communications mishap? :nervous: