SETI Disrupted By Cell Phones in Airplanes?

Iphtashu Fitz writes "If, as recently mentioned, the FCC does allow wireless access on airplanes, could it effectively mean the end of the search for ET? NewScientist has a new article that explains how radio interference from airborne cellphones could drown out faint radio signals from space. Among other concerns astronomers have is that the second harmonic of many cell phones falls in a frequency band that reveals the molecular signature of newborn and dying stars, which is among the 2% of frequencies in this part of the electromagnetic spectrum reserved for use by radio astronomers. Michael Davis, director of projects at California's SETI Institute, stated that a single cellphone on an airplane 100 miles from a radiotelescope could exceed recommended radio noise levels by 10 times. A potential solution that astronomers have suggested is to install a miniture cell transceiver on each airplane, called a picocell, that would act as a relay using a frequency that wouldn't interfere with their work."

Comments

Unavoidable...

[MS-06FZ]

The earth is a hotbed of RF noise as it is. I like SETI and all, but if they can't deal then it may just have to wait until they can move their stuff offworld..

Re:And I should care because?

[Le Marteau]

the cell phone frequencies are very close to the frequencies that radio astronomers listen for to detect stars being born & dying.

Now THERE's a reason to fall back to last millenia's standards of comfort and communication. We might miss detecting a star being born a thousand years ago a thousand light years ago. Wouldn't want to miss THAT bit of highly useful information.