Talk To Aliens
TalkToAliens.com is a company that will beam any message you want into outer space, so that you can 'talk to the aliens.' The way it works is that you call their 1-900 number (it'll cost you $3.99 a minute). The phone line is hooked up directly to a parabolic antenna that beams your voice into space, live, as you talk. This sounds similar to
Endless Echoes which also beams recorded messages into space (they advertise it as a way to contact the dearly departed). What I find interesting is TalkToAliens' response to the question: What proof do we have that you are indeed transmitting?
We are working to provide live "proof" -- such as a live Web cam with views of our transmitter and our parabolic dish antenna. But we've just launched the service, which is financed with our own private funds. Now that the transmitter is up and running, our attention will focus on some of the more interactive opportunities, like the Web cam.
Why would a webcam image of an antenna prove anything? In fact, I can't think of any good way they could prove that they're really doing what they claim to be doing. But then again, does it really matter. It's just a gimmick anyway.
New Scientist has more info about the company. (via
Home Town Tales)
Posted By: Alex | Date:
Thu Mar 17, 2005 |
Permalink |
Total Comments: 21
Category:
Extraterrestrial Life
Comments
Listed in chronological order. Newest comments at the end.
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Send us your money. After all, the radio waves WE send out are way more special to the aliens than the ones they could pick up from your cell-phone.
End Transmission.
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Thu Mar 17, 2005 at 10:34 PM
I was going to mention cellular phones, but Rod beat me to the punch.
Cordless phones, wireless computer operating, and long-distance calls via sattelite also send radio signals of one sort or another. So do automatic garage door openers, for Pete's sake.
Of course, we have no proof that any of these signals come within range of any extraterrestrials capable receiving or understanding them, but then, that's also true of the messages you could pay "Talktoaliens.com" $4 per hour to send.
Posted by Big Gary C in Fairbanks, Alaska on Fri Mar 18, 2005 at 12:07 AM
One concern I would have, assuming that this is legit and that aliens could possibly get this message, is do they have any kind of monitoring system as to what kind of messages people are sending? What if someone is sending the message "come and kill all us Earthlings" or transmitting valuable military secrets (which incidently could be intercepted by someone on earth. Some nut could be sending anything out there! Do we really need this service available to the general public?
Posted by Glamcat on Fri Mar 18, 2005 at 04:37 AM
Gary, it's not $4 an hour, it is $4 a minute! Yikes.
Posted by Winona in USA on Fri Mar 18, 2005 at 06:03 AM
Why not. If the aliens are watching, they've already seen us kill most of the aliens we've encountered on the tv screen.
There's no way in hell that they would believe us if we said "we come in peace" right after they just watched the latest broadcast of an "Aliens" marathon.
And all it takes for some nut to broadcast is a ham radio, cell phone, etc. This is just another way to separate a fool and his money.
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Fri Mar 18, 2005 at 06:15 AM
But I already talk to aliens...the maggots in my head act as special transmittors. For $3.99/min these aliens better start talking back. Do you guys smell burnt toast?
Posted by Gentropy on Fri Mar 18, 2005 at 06:25 AM
This could be real, sort or like those services that for a fee will name a star after your loved one. But I see a number of flaky things with their setup:
The antenna is just an older style satellite TV receiving dish. You can probably get them free for the asking from someone's backyard where there are plenty taking up space (no pun intended) these days. They can be used for transmitting, you just need a transmitter in the feedhorn at the focus point. The gain at their operating freq (2.4GHz) would not be too great for that size of dish but it would still work.
They say they use the maximum power allowed by FCC Part 15 rules. Part 15 mainly deals with interference generated by the said device. I assume they are using an unlicensed low power transmitter to avoid the hassle of more stringent FCC regs. That means they are probably using a common wireless access point or cordless telephone for a transmitter, something that will not attract attention from the FCC.
Some ham radio operators who operate on that band could verify they are transmitting. Those hams that play with bouncing signals off the moon could tell if they are putting out a significant amount of power (when TalkToAliens is pointed that way) but I don't think they are.
They say they point at the Milky Way and since the Milky Way goes 360 deg around the earth it would require no tracking, but that's a huge area for a spot specially chosen by 'astronomy consultants'.
Anyway it's just a gimmick like Alex says. Funny how they try to dress it up by saying it was done by 'experienced business leaders and technical professionals' and that they have been working on it for 5 years!
Posted by Captain Al in Alberta, Canada on Fri Mar 18, 2005 at 09:03 AM
Even the companies that "name" a star after your wishes are a scam, sort of. They can't actually "officially" name that particular star after anything. Official names are determined by a body that doesn't take requests, for a fee or otherwise. They might name the star after your wishes for "their" particular star registry. But it's not the official registry... so is the star "really" named after you or your wishes???
Posted by Mark-N-Isa in Midwest USA on Fri Mar 18, 2005 at 01:11 PM
Yes Mark or Jen, I agree. But when you think about it, is any registry really official? The late Carl Sagan told a funny story in one of his books. He gave a lecture on astronomy to an adult audience. Afterwards a lady approached him and said, "I understand now how you determine what stars are made of. But how do you find out their names?"
Posted by Captain Al in Alberta, Canada on Sat Mar 19, 2005 at 04:48 PM
Posted by Shazam! on Sat Mar 19, 2005 at 08:29 PM
Oh, if I could walk with the aliens, talk with the aliens...
Posted by Reynard Muldrake on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:05 PM
Grunt and squeak and squawk with the aliens...
Posted by Rod in the land of smarties. on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 02:49 PM
All of this is wasted time to all of us who KNOW that aliens are already among us! Hey, I saw it on TV, it must be true. Besides, just watch any cat for a while. They do spend a lot of time communicating with their mother ship, and chasing Greeblings.
Posted by stork in the spiracles of space on Sun Mar 20, 2005 at 04:22 PM
i know a kool guy with a ku satellite van that just started a srvice that goes to parties and sci-fi conventions allowing everyday folks to get in fron t of the camera for 20 bucks and send there messages into any part of space they want for 3 minutes. pretty kool. bet he is geting rich !!!!
Posted by randy in pebble beach, ca on Sun May 01, 2005 at 08:42 PM
how are ya want to drop by my backyard for a bbq and a coldy
Posted by kevin gellatly in W.A on Thu Aug 18, 2005 at 05:59 PM
shaun is in my class
Posted by kath and kim in W.A on Thu Aug 18, 2005 at 06:02 PM
hi we are so cool luv all out there.
Posted by brianna and paige in W.A on Thu Aug 18, 2005 at 06:04 PM
every one does not bleave me that there u are reel but i have no prouf that u are reel if i had a peace of your ship mabby a huminouid by chance.
by...
Posted by mat in canada(gp) on Fri Apr 14, 2006 at 11:03 PM
i want a ride off earth this plant is dieing and if you can help help pepole off earth
Posted by j-r in ALASKA on Sat Apr 07, 2007 at 01:45 PM
prove how aliens r real let me talk to them
Posted by courtney in bedroom on Sat Dec 29, 2007 at 10:18 AM
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