Ofcom's pilot starts seeing signs

We're one month into a four-month trial attempting to map radio spectrum usage in the UK and the companies involved are already turning up some interesting and occasionally downright odd results. The idea of the trial is to establish if mapping spectrum usage is a sensible thing to do - whether useful information can be …

[melt]

Meadowhall

There's still steelworks around that area of Sheffield, it's entirely possible that some large process there is generating interference.

[Anonymous Coward]

Millom spike

It's not a case of where it's coming from, but where it's going too...

I welcome the coming of our Millom-based overlords

[Paul Charters]

Oh come on!

'Even more bizarre is the 1.075GHz spike in the middle of Millom in Cumbria. This emanates from the square in the centre of the North-eastern town, without propagating down nearby streets, indicating a vertical transmission, but where it's coming from is anyone's guess.'

You can't say things like that without knowing you're just feeding the government paranoids and alien hunters! That's mean!

[Frank]

Where is it going to?

"..This emanates from the square in the centre of the North-eastern town, without propagating down nearby streets, indicating a vertical transmission, but where it's coming from is anyone's guess..."

Many people would be more concerned about where it's going to. I await frenzied theories about Lizard Army communication relay stations.

1GHz has a wavelength of about 33cm, which is comparable in size to those arty metal sculpture displays that small town councils put on plinths and small columns in the middle of town squares. The area is kept clean and tidy, free from interfering structures. Local CCTV and police ensure that the structure does not get vandalised, or it gets repaired quickly if it does. It's obvious really, they must have been doing it for years. We know they have, now we have confirmation.

[Shaun]

GPS near meadowhall

That will be down to the one-way system in Sheffield bein impenetrable to even the locals

[Dave]

Interesting story

Seriously, it was interesting, move along if you're expecting some smarty pants comment.

[The Mole]

Cumbrian transmission

Is it directed at a secret government satellite by any chance?

Black helicopter for obvious reason...

[Simon Dax]

Cue the Black Helicopter Brigade...

Or perhaps it's simply someone's iBook leaking RF due to a botched repair :)

[Anonymous Coward]

First spectrum map of the UK

Was anyone else hoping for a customised Google Map showing the location of lots of little 48K rubber keyed bundles of awesomeness?

[Neil Barnes]

GigaHertz spike in Cumbria?

"Even more bizarre is the 1.075GHz spike in the middle of Millom in Cumbria. This emanates from the square in the centre of the North-eastern town, without propagating down nearby streets, indicating a vertical transmission, but where it's coming from is anyone's guess."

Obviously, the local aliens are transmitting to the stealthed mothership. What better place to hide the first incursion of our new alien overlords? (Of whom, may I be the first to welcome etc. etc.?)

[Stuart Cherrington]

Somebody call MI6

Someone call for Bond, Spectre's new broadcasting underground sattelite has been found in Cumbria!!!

[Anonymous Coward]

That's actually REALLY interesting!

I'd love to see something like this.

But then again, I *am* a geek.

Fantastic! :)

[Tom Chiverton]

Google ?

So, where's the Google-powered GIS for us all to see this on then ?

[Bryn Evans]

Millom (Cumbria) in the North East ?

Now here was a missed opportunity for something useful for the Googol Spy Fleet to do.

[Anonymous Coward]

Salesmen?

Did they allow for wireless traffic during the evening, night, and morning, or just during the day when the salesmen were out and about?

[Dave Millom]

Sentinel ...

Please note proximity of this transmitter to Windscale/Sellafield reprocessing plant -- about 20 miles, or far enough away not to be affected by minor accidents, but well within blast range of any significant nuclear events.

So if the signal stops, the Centaurans will know not to head for the Lake District on their next visit.