Are aliens eavesdropping on us ?

If they are monitoring our TV signals they are not going to have a clue what we are really doing here on a daily basis. Talk about putting forward a bad impression.

I think that how ever slim the chance that we do find something, it would be stupid not to try, right. Its cheap (private donations) but the reward if they do find something would be exceedingly wicked. Agreed. If the chance is there, why not try? I have heard the sentiments Robbo brought forth that signals break up and are undetectable, but we still have 2 way communications with the Voyager probes, so it seems plausible that 2 way communications can be established.

we still have 2 way communications with the Voyager probes Agreed, but those are deliberate communications and not just signal leakage into space. Both the Voyagers; if they survive the trip into deep space, would be our best bet for contact. They would probably first discover our probes and then detect some of our leaked signal energy.

Agreed, but those are deliberate communications and not just signal leakage into space. Both the Voyagers; if they survive the trip into deep space, would be our best bet for contact. They would probably first discover our probes and then detect some of our leaked signal energy. Could we not establish 2 way communications should we stumble on a "leak"?

Only if they were very close, like in our solar system. I'm talking mainly about analogue signals anyway - digital is a completely different matter. But with analogue, the wavelength increases over time - so once it is longer than the circumference of the Earth, we'd have nothing big enough to detect it, since we would only get a fraction of the signal...perhaps that was the reason behind the "WOW" signal but we'll never know. If we did stumble upon a leaked signal, we'd first have to determine its origin and then blast something back at the same amplitude and frequency.

Only if they were very close, like in our solar system. I'm talking mainly about analogue signals anyway - digital is a completely different matter. But with analogue, the wavelength increases over time - so once it is longer than the circumference of the Earth, we'd have nothing big enough to detect it, since we would only get a fraction of the signal...perhaps that was the reason behind the "WOW" signal but we'll never know. If we did stumble upon a leaked signal, we'd first have to determine its origin and then blast something back at the same amplitude and frequency. But the Voyager probes... [More]

I just had an interesting idea. We have sent cameras into space since before the beginning of the space race, with Voyager being a good example. In the same vein as the SETI program why couldn't we send out tandem probes to maintain a parallel trajectory say, 1,000 km apart? Instead of cameras, have audio equipment to pick up radio signals, or any other kind of pertinent 'noise' from space. Send them on a slow path to the edges of our solar system and/or beyond, with the intent of picking up signals and returning them to Earth for evaluation. The tandem probes could calculate directionality at... [More]

I just had an interesting idea. We have sent cameras into space since before the beginning of the space race, with Voyager being a good example. In the same vein as the SETI program why couldn't we send out tandem probes to maintain a parallel trajectory say, 1,000 km apart? Instead of cameras, have audio equipment to pick up radio signals, or any other kind of pertinent 'noise' from space. Send them on a slow path to the edges of our solar system and/or beyond, with the intent of picking up signals and returning them to Earth for evaluation. The tandem probes could calculate directionality at... [More]

So long as we can keep in contact with the Voyager probes as they pass into the Heliosphere, we set new records for long distance communication. Meaning, we know at least we could communicate with a ship on the outskirts of the solar system. I think it would be more likely to have our signals intercepted than to intercept alien transmissions; simply because we do not posses the necessary receiving array that would be large enough to capture an entire wavelength of a distant signal.

I think since it is almost 2012, they are going to come to earth quick and help us survive. Maybe introduce us to new planets?