Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!pyrdc!grebyn!umd5!cgs
From: cgs@umd5.umd.edu (Chris Sylvain)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: time capsule
Message-ID: <2392@umd5.umd.edu>
Date: 1 Mar 88 16:02:24 GMT
References: <3a935422.44e6@apollo.uucp>
Reply-To: cgs@umd5 (Chris Sylvain)
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park
Lines: 26

In article <3a935422.44e6@apollo.uucp> nelson_p@apollo.uucp writes:
>
> Anyway, how would I get the antenna up where it could be heard?

I remember reading about a safety device for skiiers in avalanche-prone areas..
The thing was about the size of a small thermos bottle, and it transmitted a
signal around 30 kHz, which was supposed to allow detection of the skiier even
if buried by the entire mountain. No antenna per se, but I guess the
requirement is that the search team be close enough to pick up the signal via
a loop antenna (the transmit antenna is a loop as well).

Hmm, that's going to be a problem.. If in the next century cables, fiber optic
or RF, become the rule instead of wastefully radiating energy all over the
place, then how do you know there will be anyone listening? Will the important
frequencies of today (international marine distress, et. al.) be the same
tomorrow? That is, what frequency (or band of frequencies) will you need to
pick in order that someone will notice the little 'hello, I'm here. Come and
get me.' signal in the first place?

It would be a shame to build the time capsule, only to have no one notice the
signal in a century...
-- 
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