Unknown Artefact (or artifact) Community Thread - The Canonn
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There is also the Arecibo message, delivered in binary and aimed at the M13 cluster in 1974. Might be worth checking to see if there are snippets of that mixed in.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_message
[video=youtube;6qQRQyEodsE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qQRQyEodsE[/video]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arecibo_message
[video=youtube;6qQRQyEodsE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qQRQyEodsE[/video]
Tried it, in many different formats (for the purrs, that is). Unfortunately, without a sequence number (assuming the whole decay-in-space thing had been considered by those FDev team members designing it) you can't piece together the short runs of data into anything resembling a correct order.
I've kind-of discounted the purring for now on account of a) the exceptionally low bit rate b) the lack of any repeatability c) the sheer effort needed to gather the "data" before you can even consider "decoding" something. If there's something in that bit, more detail is needed by way of clues first.
Is there a list of things that have been tried to date that way I don't make any more erroneous suggestions? Because I have many.
digitalscream
Banned
...and, in case anybody remembers (or cares), I've got an original copy of The Dark Wheel kicking around here for the first person to figure it out.
Or you can read it here: http://www.dream-ware.co.uk/elite/books/the-dark-wheel/
digitalscream
Banned
There is a pattern, though - the lack of repeating digits past two or three (can't remember which) means that it's definitely not random. You'd also tend to think that the most important part of a message would be the bit that you definitely want to be decoded, so you make it as clear as is possible.
Or...getting a little more scientific (and speculative) about it...
Maybe the difference in bit rate is nothing to do with the transmission rate. If it's a conversation, what if the outgoing message from both ends is slow (the purrs)...but the incoming message is much faster due to blue shift, thus implying that the other party is travelling towards us really fast? It could be a "Where do you think I am?" "<station name>" "Correct!" conversation. These could then be waypoint markers, sent in advance and talking to the main fleet (for example).
Alternatively, the converse might be true - the bit rate is high (so the purrs are the response) and the other party is travelling away from us really fast (thus susceptible to red shift, reducing the bit rate), which would frame it as "Where are you?" "I'm here! <station name>" "OK". In this scenario they're still waypoint markers, but they're communicating with the ship that's dropping them off; think "Stargate Universe".
Just musing. Sorry if this has already been suggested...I must confess, I haven't read the whole of the original thread.
In any case, this might not be particularly useful unless it gives us a starting consideration for decoding the purrs.
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It's not about reading it, it's about owning an original 1984 copy. It's not much, but I thought someone might appreciate it.
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http://theappendix.net/issues/2014/7/the-invention-of-wireless-cryptography
Various early morse code encryption methods, including "dotty" and "dashy" which were used by the Germans in WW1.
http://www.quadibloc.com/crypto/pp1323.htm
Fractionated morse, though this is largely used for Japanese messages the Japanese kana do represent basic syllables which can often be put together to produce english words.
Sorry, I read you totally wrong. I tought you ment for hint research. I would love to own an original
For clue finding, ctrl+f is your friend.
Might as well, eh? Until we get some nerd lore in here or one of us gets motivated to read all of the Elite novels we're at a standstill correct? Every location I know of that could be significant beyond what I just mentioned about the voyager probes would require a relay race of several ships to get it there.
digitalscream
Banned
Sorry, I read you totally wrong. I tought you ment for hint research. I would love to own an original
For clue finding, ctrl+f is your friend.
Hehe
I think there's a reasonable consensus on this, and I'm just adding my voice to it.
If it's a scanner, or at least it has a scanner, and we're hearing an echo of what it's finding in the whacky morse, then we should ask the question: what, or where, is it scanning for?
The only place hints I think we have right now are from the Wings trailer - Leonard Nimoy station and the California sector where the action takes place.
I've gone right through Galnet since the release of Wings, and I can find nothing of consequence outside of community posts - so struggling to see any other hints.
So if that is what we're supposed to do - exactly how are we supposed to know where it should be taken? There's got to be something pretty obvious being missed here, or it's a place from lore (as mentioned only a post or two ago), or it's not a location-based thing at all - but something else. That would mean that the morse is incidental, though, and that doesn't feel right at all.
My head is really hurting!
If it's a scanner, or at least it has a scanner, and we're hearing an echo of what it's finding in the whacky morse, then we should ask the question: what, or where, is it scanning for?
The only place hints I think we have right now are from the Wings trailer - Leonard Nimoy station and the California sector where the action takes place.
I've gone right through Galnet since the release of Wings, and I can find nothing of consequence outside of community posts - so struggling to see any other hints.
So if that is what we're supposed to do - exactly how are we supposed to know where it should be taken? There's got to be something pretty obvious being missed here, or it's a place from lore (as mentioned only a post or two ago), or it's not a location-based thing at all - but something else. That would mean that the morse is incidental, though, and that doesn't feel right at all.
My head is really hurting!
Until we figure out a way to tell that the UA is saying this place is special we are at a dead end. Even if the morse code theory correct.
Frontier did not spend all this effort in making a wild goose chase, I would imagine quite the fanfare when the truth is uncovered.
BTW Are we even sure it is morse code?
Huge thank you Kerrash, and yes a tiny hint may be very helpful at this point!
Just to ask again, has it been taken to Earth? I know it seems it should have but I've just never seen it mentioned.
Yes it has, but I don't know if there are videos of the tests. We don't know what it morses near earth.
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Ratking droped it next to a nav beacon once. He had to scoop it quicly and run. To much activity in there.
Yes, linked from the first post of this thread is the wiki. I've been updating it the last couple of days, but its by no means a complete list of everything that has ever been tried or suggested (no way I can do that on my own!) so another shameless call for editors.
One thing that is missing from that list is 'Selling it at Leonard Nimoy Station'. Its a shame that these things are soooo rare that nobody wants to 'lose' it, so its unlikely to be tested unfortunately. I suggest it because not only is that the only station mentioned in the only massive clue we have (Wings Trailer), right at the end they say "right lets get to the station and see what this thing is worth." IF that's a clue, it doesn't get much more obvious than that, just saying.
[edit] assuming this hasn't been done already of course.
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I've only read The Dark Wheel in the lore series and about to start the Elite 2 stories and move on from there, but what I have read is Drew Wagar's Oolite Saga and in the fourth book, Finis, there is a reference to the Thargoid homeworld of Beenri (see page 99 in the PDF version). I don't recall this system being in-game and it also seems to clash with Polaris being one of the systems they may be at seen as you can't actually get there in-game. Of course, this could all be a red-herring but I thought I'd mention it.
Galaxy search knows not of it. =(
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