A method utilizing a computer processor for performing computations and for recovering a decodable message from a noise-corrupted subterranean electromagnetic telemetry message string, the method comprising: simultaneously operating a plurality of spatially distributed electromagnetic field sensors (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) to sense the telemetry message string, each field sensor having one or more channels to detect electromagnetic field characteristics; receiving information signals from each channel of the plurality of field sensors, each information signal being representative of a sensed electromagnetic field characteristic at a point in time; and recording said information signals in a manner facilitating identification of temporally corresponding information signals from the plurality of field sensors; identifying minimally noise corrupted information signals from among all temporally-corresponding information signals; and assembling a virtual message utilizing the minimally noise corrupted information signals, wherein the telemetry message string is digitally encoded on an ultra-low frequency electromagnetic wave in accordance with a digital modulation scheme having at least two possible data states; characterized by the method further comprising: assigning each information signal received from a sensor channel to one of a plurality of clusters, wherein a cluster comprises a plurality of information signals previously received from a common sensor channel, and wherein each cluster represents one of the possible data states of the digital modulation scheme; computing the centroid of each cluster; and identifying, for each set of temporally corresponding information signals, the information signal deviating the least from the centroid of the cluster to which it is assigned, wherein the step of identifying minimally noise corrupted information signals is functionally dependent upon the identification of least-deviating information signals. simultaneously operating a plurality of spatially distributed electromagnetic field sensors (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26) to sense the telemetry message string, each field sensor having one or more channels to detect electromagnetic field characteristics; receiving information signals from each channel of the plurality of field sensors, each information signal being representative of a sensed electromagnetic field characteristic at a point in time; and recording said information signals in a manner facilitating identification of temporally corresponding information signals from the plurality of field sensors; identifying minimally noise corrupted information signals from among all temporally-corresponding information signals; and assembling a virtual message utilizing the minimally noise corrupted information signals, assigning each information signal received from a sensor channel to one of a plurality of clusters, wherein a cluster comprises a plurality of information signals previously received from a common sensor channel, and wherein each cluster represents one of the possible data states of the digital modulation scheme; computing the centroid of each cluster; and identifying, for each set of temporally corresponding information signals, the information signal deviating the least from the centroid of the cluster to which it is assigned, wherein the step of identifying minimally noise corrupted information signals is functionally dependent upon the identification of least-deviating information signals.