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The Weak Signal Challenge - Decode and Win $100
superid writes "Several years ago while reading comp.dsp I found a link to The Weak Signal Challenge. On that page is a .wav file of a morse code signal bounced off the moon. The page author Mike Cook is offering $100 to the next person to successfully decode the morse code.
Since I was the one who originally solved this, I promised Mike that I wouldn't divulge the answer or provide any clues. I can say thought that I didn't use anything special other than traditional signal processing techniques, octave, matlab, and patience. I think that overall I spent about 24 hours total sitting at my '486.
I think it would be great to generate some interest in this. Maybe someone could come up with a novel solution and win $100!"
It starts out, "ALL YOUR BA--"
I'll finish up translating the rest tomorrow.
How can we continue to believe in a just universe and freedom to eat crackers if we have no ale?
http://www.rathergood.com/moon_song/
"I think that overall I spent about 24 hours total sitting at my '486." With my Intel Pentium II processor, with the power to make the internet come alive, i should be able to complete the problem in one tenth the time of your 486! and since this is multimedia, my MMX processor should really speed things up!
"This should send the guys at SETI on a wild goose chase."
I promised Mike that I wouldn't divulge the answer or provide any clues. I can say thought that I didn't use anything special other than traditional signal processing techniques, octave, matlab, and patience.
Why, you've given it all away! I can tell that since you mentioned traditional signal processing techniques that the answer is clearly not in the neural network in front of you but being that you know that I know you're a Sicilian you obviously wouldn't put it in a simple band pass filter in front of me! Aha ha...Aha ha ha *clunk*
This is nothing more than a recording of a McDonald's drive-through speaker.
It is the repetion in the message that allows humans to know what they are really saying. Thus, we hear, "Vu Vu Von Vie Vih Vah", and know from prior experience that they are saying, "Do you want fries with that?" Otherwise, I often would not know what the hell they are saying.
Table-ized A.I.
Reminds me of story somebody told me once, but I have yet to verify it.
During preparations for the Apollo moon missions, some members of NASA were sent out to record greetings messages from various communities to be included on a recording that was to be left on the moon by the astronauts.
After visiting a Native American tribe, one Native American man refused to tell NASA what he had just said into the recorder in his native tongue. So, they eventually found a translator, and the message said something like, "Watch out for these guys. They will take your land too. Explorers, my ass".
Table-ized A.I.