‘Mars may attempt contact by radio …’
p2pnet news view | Cool:- Is there life on Mars?
We still don’t know, landings on the surface of the Red Planet notwithstanding.
“On June 19, 1976, after a 10-month trip from the Earth to Mars, the first Viking spacecraft, a combined orbiter and lander, fired its engines for thirty-eight minutes and entered orbit around Mars,” says Space.
But America’s interest began long before then.
“Here’s a 1924 telegram (right) from then Chief of U.S. Naval Operations, Edward W. Eberle, instructing all Naval stations to monitor the airwaves for any unusual transmissions due to anticipated contact from Martians,” says Letters of Note, going on,
“August 22nd of that year was witness to the closest Mars opposition since 1804 (a mere 55,777,566 km), and as such provided desirable conditions in which to receive radio signals from the Red Planet. The man tasked with clearing the airwaves — a Professor David Todd — somehow managed to persuade both the Army and Navy to report any findings for a three day period, but failed to silence the country’s private radio broadcasters for even two days. Needless to say, the three day exercise produced nothing but static.”
Here’s the text, as trabscribed by Letters of Note:
WASHINGTON-ALASKA MILITARY CABLE AND TELEGRAPH SYSTEM
TELEGRAM
RECEIVED AT 1308 1ST AVENUE, SEATTLE, WASH.
18RD B 78 GOVT DUPE
RD PUGETSOUND WN AUG 22 1924
GOVT COMDT 13 NAV DIST
SEATTLE WN
7021 ALNAVSTA EIGHT NAVY DESIRES COOPERATE ASTRONOMERS WHO BELIEVE POSSIBLE THAT MARS MAY ATTEMPT COMMUNICATION BY RADIO WAVES WITH THIS PLANET WHILE THEY ARE NEAR TOGETHER THIS END ALL SHORE RADIO STATIONS WILL ESPECIALLY NOTE AND REPORT ANY ELECTRICAL PHENOMENON UNUSUAL CHARACTER AND WILL COVER AS WIDE BAND FREQUENCIES AS POSSIBLE FROM 2400 AUGUST TWENTY FIRST TO 2400 AUGUST TWENTY FOURTH WITHOUT INTERFERRING WITH TRAFFIC 1800
SECNAV WASHN DC
257P
Now you know. 
Space – Viking: The First Landing, July 20, 2001
Letters of Note – Prepare for Contact, November 6, 2009
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