rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Over the past few weeks, I have posted four series of images from our week in West Virginia
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-472418-1.html
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-473004-1.html
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-473096-1.html
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-473835-1.html

This is the last series, and puts those others into perspective.

The part of West Virginian we were in is a "quiet zone" as a result of government mandate at both the federal {limits cell phone coverage} and state {limits anything that emits radio waves, such as micro-wave ovens} levels. The reason for these limits is GBT, the Green Bank Telescope, a radio telescope which is the largest moving structure on solid earth. It is so incredibly sensitive that the tour buses to the actual site are diesel-powered, anything that gives off a spark in the vicinity of the actual antenna would interfere with its work; also, only film cameras are allowed beyond the gates to the actual property {in the introductory talk, the guide used an oscilloscope to show radio waves emitted by a small digital camera}.
I wish I'd brought my old film camera with me, because my style these days involves including people, and showing us standing near its base would have really neat! But I didn't. They did stop at a platform just outside the property so we could take pictures from there, and it turns out that you can also see it from the Visitor Center.

view from official viewing platform {72mm "35mm equiv"}

(Download)

view from Visitor Center {202mm "35mm equiv"}

(Download)

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

That is very cool that you got to visit something like this. Even the distance photos are worth seeing and, also, the fun of taking. Who'd have thought that digital cameras give off radio signals. However, when one thinks about it, they do have on board processors. Thanks for sharing these.
--Bob

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

And thanks to you for your comments.

I hope the images I've posted will encourage others here to go there - and now you've got fair warning about being prepared to function without a cell phone {my wife's comment was "remind me how we functioned the last time we were here" - in 1986} and to bring an old film camera so you can get the on-site images I wasn't prepared for - ironically the camera I had in 1986 would have been perfect.

Add Loc: S.W.Florida

Go to the Cass Railroad while in the area.

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Yes, the second series referenced above
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-473004-1.html
was a nine-image series on our day riding the Cass to the top of the mountain

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Thanks for that amazing story!

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

You are very welcome.

lmTrying Loc: WV Northern Panhandle

An amusing story:
Several years back, a friend of mine was in the Green Bank area when he noticed all these big trucks from all the major sports reporting networks coming in and setting up, raising antennas, etc. He ask around and found out there was going to be a big dirt bike race. He laughed, and kept an eye on the trucks. All of a sudden they all folded back into travel mode. They had been informed that they were inside the quiet zone and would NOT be transmitting anything.

sailorsmom Loc: Souderton, PA

West Virginia is so incredibly beautiful! Good shots, rehess!

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Yes, and GBT has a truck which looks like something out of a science fiction movie {I wish I had taken a picture of it} - antennae on top and everything - that goes around tracking down sources of "radiation" their constant monitoring has detected.