Seeking electromagnetic shelter in the National Radio Quiet Zone
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The airwaves in most of the United States are buzzing with activity thanks to all the cell phones, Wi-Fi signals and whatnot flying through the air, and though a condition known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity is still up for debate in the scientific community, those seeking peace and quiet do have a place to shelter from the storm.
Located in a 13,000 square mile region of Virginia and West Virginia, the National Radio Quiet Zone is attracting more and more people, but proves frustrating for tourists trying to get a signal.
…The zone, larger than the state of Maryland, was established in 1958 to minimize manmade signals that cloud the observations of radiotelescopes at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
The Allegheny Mountains are a natural block against radio signals, and federal law allows strict regulation of manmade signals from fixed, permanent transmitters, such as cell phone towers, within the quiet zone. State law sets limits for the signal strength of electronic devices within a 10-mile radius of the telescope.
Observatory staff have had a harder time enforcing the quiet zone in recent years thanks to all the Wi-Fi signals coming into use, but have also experienced interference from electric fences and a broken electric blanket which they tracked down in their equipment-laden white pickup trucks.
Who ever thought quiet would be so hard to come by?
Full story at The Daily via Boing Boing.
Photo credit: Fotolia
