OFF: The Aliens Are Coming

[J Strobridge]

NB - WARNING this really *is* off topic


> Well speaking as an alien, at least one here in the US anyway (I'm not

"I'm an alien - I'm an illegal alien" -    sorry, that's Sting...

> about the radio signals and so on. Well, just remember it's been 50 years
> since the first regularlyb'cast TV signals were sent out and even longer
> for radio signals. Now as these travle at the speed of light, then the
> extra-solar planets already discovered have probably been bathed in EM
> radiation form our blue-green home. However, actually dtecting them is

Could be why we so rarely see our friendly neighbourhood intergalactic
aliens of course - other spacefaring races are so fascinated by the
radio/tv garbage coming out of this planet that all they ever do is
tune in regularly and listen.   Since landing here would spoil the effect,
they just come down for a curious look every now and then 8-)

<begin digression>
Reminds me of a tv prog I saw recently where ocean scientists have
discovered highly intelligent squid deep under the ocean.  So they
now regularly send down unmanned mini-submarines equipped with
intensely bright searchlights, video/tv cameras and the ability to
capture a squid, take it inside the sub to examine it medically and
then release it back into its environment....
<end digression>

However if it really is possible to use the ionised ring round the
North Pole as a giant antenna would it also be possible to use
it as an transmitter and beam some rather more focussed signals out?

(quick caveat:  given my total lack of knowledge about electricity and
its transmission I would guess I'm missing something fairly basic here!)

oops, blethering

jill

 ==========================================================================
J.D.Strobridge at ed.ac.uk                         eset08 at castle.ed.ac.uk
                                                ELIJSA at srv0.arts.ed.ac.uk
---------------------------------------------------------------------------