I was almost certain that it would be found in a strong signal source. When I heard about this item, I remembered back to a post I saw on Reddit almost two months ago:
http://www.reddit.com/r/EliteDangerous/comments/2z0w6g/thargoid_transport_in_tanmark/
The dialogue combined with the fact that nobody else had encountered this specific SSS is what made me decide to spend 8+ hours a day searching for it. I went to Tanmark and jumped in to every SSS I saw, completely avoiding other signal sources. I didn't tell anyone about this theory because I was greedy and wanted to be the first person to find it (I know, I'm an
). But now that someone has one, I don't mind talking about my experience.
I have been to hundreds (probably close to 1000) of SSS's over the last four days. Either I'm doing something wrong, or the chances of finding this specific SSS are RIDICULOUSLY low. I've encountered the T9/Anaconda convoy many times, I've even encountered the AI Relic SSS six or seven times (this encounter also has a very low chance of spawning, just nowhere near as low as the UA encounter), but after hundreds of SSS's I am yet to find the one with the UA. It's crazy to think that two people found the UA within 10 minutes of each other. I think I might just be really unlucky.
Good job RedWizzard, and I look forward to seeing where the mystery goes from here.