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Alaska Gets 'Artificial Aurora' As HAARP Antenna Array Listens Again (hackaday.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the Alaskan-antennas dept.

Freshly Exhumed quotes Hackaday: The famous HAARP antenna array is to be brought back into service for experiments by the University of Alaska. Built in the 1990s for the US Air Force's High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program, the array is a 40-acre site containing a phased array of 180 high-frequency antennas and their associated high-power transmitters. Its purpose is to conduct research on charged particles in the upper atmosphere, but that hasn't stopped an array of bizarre conspiracy theories.
A university space physics researcher will actually create an artificial aurora starting Sunday (and continuing through Wednesday) to study how yjr atmosphere affects satellite-to-ground communications, and "observers throughout Alaska will have an opportunity to photograph the phenomenon," according to the University. "Under the right conditions, people can also listen to HAARP radio transmissions from virtually anywhere in the world using an inexpensive shortwave radio."

6 of 69 comments (clear)

  1. Basic Physics by JBMcB · · Score: 3, Insightful

    It seems most conspiracy theories of this sort involve a lack of understanding of basic physics. Usually it involves assuming that, because light and sound and radio energy all travel in waves that they all behave the same. I see the term "frequencies" thrown around a lot, even when describing non-oscillating direct current circuits and static electricity.

    --
    My Other Computer Is A Data General Nova III.
  2. "yjr atmosphere" by neglogic · · Score: 3, Informative

    "yjr atmosphere" How does this get posted? I mean, "yjr" isn't even a word, even the browser spell checker flags that. Pitiful.

    1. Re:"yjr atmosphere" by Athanasius · · Score: 3, Informative

      Look at a QWERTY keyboard, shift each of those letters one to their left.

  3. HF radio... by msauve · · Score: 5, Informative
    It you want to try to listen to the radio broadcast mentioned, here's the info:

    HAARP will transmit a sequence of tones and music using amplitude modulation (AM) on two different radio frequencies (2.7 MHz and 3.3 MHz) in a sort of reproduction of this so-called Luxembourg Effect. If conditions are sufficient and you tune-in to one frequency or the other, you will hear tones and music from both frequencies. The tones and music have been specifically composed to take advantage of the Luxembourg effect.

    The Luxembourg broadcast will begin as early as 6 p.m. on 19 and 20 February Alaska Standard Time (AKST) and conclude by 6:40 p.m. In Coordinate Universal Time (UTC), the broadcasts will begin as early as 03:00 on 20 and 21 February and conclude by 03:40. Tune in to 2.7 MHz or 3.3 MHz (2700 KHz or 3300 KHz), or both! The program is approximately 10 minutes in duration and will repeat until 6:40 p.m. AKST or 03:40 UTC.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
  4. Listening to HAARP radio transmissions... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Missing from the summary... "HAARP is a high power ionospheric research radio transmitter in Alaska, which typically transmits in the 2.7 – 10 MHz frequency region. Under the right conditions, people can also listen to HAARP radio transmissions from virtually anywhere in the world using an inexpensive shortwave radio. Exact frequencies of the transmission will not be known until shortly before the experiment begins, so follow @UAFGI on Twitter for an announcement." http://www.rtl-sdr.com/listeni...

  5. Re:A VLF maser? by jasnw · · Score: 3, Informative

    And this is how the tin-foil-hat crowd gets its facts, from vague recollections of things that aren't really pertinent to the situation. The VLF signals generated by HAARP during various experiments were of such low power that you needed really sensitive receivers and some signals-processing skills to detect them. At no point was anything remotely close to a Terawatt of power generated.