bzs@bu-cs.UUCP (Barry Shein) (11/22/85)
A few days ago I saw a fairly long broadcast on CNN about RF weapons that seemed intriguing. Granted, CNN is not a primary source of this type of info, but I was wondering what is and what people know about it (oh forget it, 20 people lacking anything better to say will post 'I dont like CNN' anyhow.) Basically, the claims were: 1. The Russians are way ahead of us in this technology (that's always the claim, it's a real grabber I guess) 2. Properly tuned RF 'weapons' can: a) Cause various hallucinations b) Distort visual functioning (blurriness etc) c) Provide many psychotropic effects of drugs The claim was that an RF device they had was a common fixture in mental hospitals in Russia. The reporter allowed himself to be hooked up to a mild experimental form of the device (somewhere in CA I believe) and sat in one room with a mike while the researchers sat isolated in another room with a mike, he reported seeing 'spikes' and other waveforms at the same time the researchers in the other room were pointing at various CRT displays doing the same thing (ie. the images were being induced in the reporter by RF.) Some 'expert' (may have been one, I just don't know) got on and started showing a polar projection map and claiming that some device that the Russians had been beeping over the North Pole with, that we originally thought was some sort of low-altitude radar, was in fact sending exactly the same RF frequencies they have found to induce tranquilizing effects. Maybe quackery, maybe not (these days it's so hard to tell, but if it is true I think you'll agree that it's kinda disturbing.) Anyone know anything more solid about this stuff? -Barry Shein, Boston University Please, let's save the back-of-the-envelope calculations that 'prove' it's impossible for /dev/null unless you're real sure. thanks.
gcb1@ukc.UUCP (G.C.Blair) (11/25/85)
> A few days ago I saw a fairly long broadcast on CNN about RF weapons that > seemed intriguing... > > 2. Properly tuned RF 'weapons' can: > > c) Provide many psychotropic effects of drugs > > > Some 'expert' (may have been one, I just don't know) got on and started > showing a polar projection map and claiming that some device that the > Russians had been beeping over the North Pole with, that we originally > thought was some sort of low-altitude radar, was in fact sending exactly > the same RF frequencies they have found to induce tranquilizing effects. > > Maybe quackery, maybe not (these days it's so hard to tell, but if it is > true I think you'll agree that it's kinda disturbing.) Anyone know anything > more solid about this stuff? > > -Barry Shein, Boston University > Well, I remember something along these lines a few years ago. The British Broadcasting Corporation had a documentary (probably one of the "Horizon" series) on RF weapons as used by the Soviets. The device referred to as being beeped over the north pole was at a frequency of 18MHz, and was fairly easy to receive on any suitable radio receiver. The origin of the transmission was triangulated to somewhere east of The Urals, and further investigations showed that it was only detectable in the Western World. The level of reception also indicated that it WAS detectable by the human brain without the need for ariels or other external devices. The net effect of these 18MHz signals was allegedly the stupify the brain's capability for coherent thought, introducing a tranquilising effect and, in a few extreme cases, causing hallucinations. I don't recall the beep's effects actually being SHOWN on humans, but the reporter said that the tests "left him in no doubt as to the potential of RF weapons." So, it looks as if all the Ruskies have to do is step up the power of their signal several hundred-fold then calmly march all over us, meeting no resistance at all, except possibly from some fiendishly clever chaps who may build similar transmitters to work over a shorter range, thus creating destructive interference at selected points (eg The Pentagon)! Hope this is of some help to you all out there. Grant C. Blair [Gee, I never realised what the mention of "Star Wars" would start! - honest, I only wanted (& still do!) a job................]