Alien signal tracked to kitchen microwave - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2015, 02:14:07 am
content: http://microwaves.reviewed.com/news/astronomers-track-baffling-signal-to-kitchen-microwave?utm_source=usat&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=collab

author: LordNobady
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2015, 06:56:18 am
content: I knew it. microwaves are not from earth.

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2015, 09:00:34 am
content: Microwaves are the reason the 2.4GHz band is "free" to use for everyone. Turn on your microwave with the door open and your entire neighborhood loses WiFi.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2015, 08:49:40 pm
content: Look on YT for kreosan, and you will see his way of using a microwave to cook food.

author: jlmoon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 29, 2015, 08:58:50 pm
content: Quote from: LordNobady on April 29, 2015, 06:56:18 amYeah, and you should have heard what the gerbil said!

author: Blofeld
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 29, 2015, 09:08:29 pm
content: "Inquisitive minds may ask, why were the bursts were so short? It's because they would occur when lunchers opened the microwave door before the timer went off. Since microwaves are momentarily active when you open the door in this manner, some of that electromagnetic energy would escape and get picked up by the telescope."That's interesting to know. I did this regularly. Will stop this habit now because I would prefer the microwave to cook my food, not me.

author: lowimpedance
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 01:15:23 am
content: Quote from: Jeroen3 on April 29, 2015, 09:00:34 amI suggest you buy a new microwave.

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 30, 2015, 01:29:42 am
content: Quote from: Blofeld on April 29, 2015, 09:08:29 pmI would take a moment to take the microwave's power and multiply it by "a moment" to see the sort of dose* we're actually talking about, rather than immediately panicking and creating FUD. If you choose the latter, make sure you throw away your WiFi and mobile devices while you're at it, since I wouldn't be surprised if the daily microwave dose from those exceeded the momentary pulse from a microwave oven.* Also, microwaves aren't ionizing, right? It's just a heating effect?

author: corrado33
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2015, 04:39:50 pm
content: Answer me this...If my microwave is shielded correctly, then why do my 2.4 GHz headphones stop working when I turn the microwave on? (It's a new microwave as well.)Microwaves won't cause any lasting damage. They just heat the water and will make you feel like you're burning for a few seconds. They were, at one point, considered for a non lethal weapon used by the military.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 04, 2015, 05:06:36 pm
content: The door seal typically will have a maximum radiated signal of under 5mW of power, 5cm from the door ( the pass fail limit of a microwave leakage detector) so, as your typical bluetooth transmitter will have a power output that is almost that, the microwave will win with it's noisy 50/60HZ modulated broadband noise whenever the receiver is getting a larger signal from this leakage than from the transmitter. Microwave passes it's level ,but it is just that the allowed leakage is more than the bluetooth transmitter power.

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 02:22:00 am
content: Quote from: rs20 on April 30, 2015, 01:29:42 amThis. Also consider the inverse-square law - it's not a focused beam that will come out when it's opened.Yes it's a heating effect; the danger is mainly to parts of the body that don't have heat receptors, like the eyes. So you'd probably maximise the risk if you were staring right at the door gap when you opened it, which is a very, very unlikely scenario. What is more likely to occur is a small strip of flesh on your hand getting heated by a near-unmeasurable few fractions of a degree... nothing compared to the heating of reaching inside and removing the contents.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diathermy#Microwave

author: Red Squirrel
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 10:02:05 am
content: LOL that is pretty funny. Any time I've troubleshooted a RF related issue in IT (usually wifi) the first thing I ask is "Does it only do it if someone is using a certain device like a microwave?". Normally they should not cause issues though but some can be a tad leaky, and probably should be fixed or replaced.

author: rolycat
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 10:51:09 am
content: As is all too common with 'popular science' reporting, the article linked by the OP is rather disingenuous - it was always known that the 'perytons' being detected by the Parkes telescope were terrestrial in origin, because they were wide-field emissions.Of course, the truth doesn't make such an amusing story.The original paper identifying their source can be foundhere.

author: corrado33
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 10:14:43 pm
content: Quote from: rolycat on May 05, 2015, 10:51:09 amThat paper is quite a fun read, thanks for the link!