Video: Unlocking a Car with your Brain

[FlyTexas]

I guess this explains why you can receive a radio signal from farther off when the sky is overcast.
http://www.wimp.com/carbrain/

Brian

[cjw50310]

I was always astonished how well that trick worked when I had the BMW, I mean, MINI. Knowing how it works doesn't reduce the joy of the trick though.

Haven't tried it with the Golf; since it came with keyless entry and start, usually the only time the keys are in hand is when i'm back home unlocking the door.

[511Flyer]

When the sky is overcast, like a heavy rainstorm, my SKY TV signal breaks up. So how does that relate to this theory?

Forgive me. I am but a simple minded soul.

[FlyTexas]

When I was young I had a transistor radio which, on overcast evenings, could pick up very distant stations that I normally couldn't receive. This video made me wonder if this was possible because of the water content of the clouds. Of course I've been wrong in the past...just ask Mrs. FlyTexas.

Brian

[Garry Russell]

Radio is always better in the evening and night

Shortwave can be from the other side of the globe on some nights, then, next day it's just a few hundred miles.

[Tako_Kichi]

Let me see if I can shed some light on a few points raised based on my knowledge as a Ham Radio operator of many years standing.

When the sky is overcast, like a heavy rainstorm, my SKY TV signal breaks up. So how does that relate to this theory?

During a heavy rainstorm you are trying to receive fairly weak satellite signals through a very dense cloud which acts like a filter and prevents your receiver/dish from getting the maximum signal available. In addition the water droplets defract/deflect the signal meaning even less of the signal gets to your dish hence the loss of reception.

When I was young I had a transistor radio which, on overcast evenings, could pick up very distant stations that I normally couldn't receive. This video made me wonder if this was possible because of the water content of the clouds.

This is different to the scenario above as we are talking about two ground based stations (one transmitting, the other receiving) rather than a ground based and space based system. With two ground stations signals can be 'bounced' off water laden clouds (depending on the frequency of the signal) which in turn makes them receivable over greater distances. Normally VHF and UHF radio signals are 'line of sight' and disappear off into space rather than following the curvature of the earth.

Radio is always better in the evening and night

Shortwave can be from the other side of the globe on some nights, then, next day it's just a few hundred miles.

Shortwave (or HF) radio is a very different beast in that it does follow the curvature of the earth and it is highly dependant on solar activity and the ionization of various layers above the Earth's surface. During the day HF is very short range as the solar interference kills the HF signals but as you get into twilight and then night proper so the range increases as you can bounce signals off the ionized layers where the sun is actually still shining. HF radio is also greatly affected by the 11-year 'sun-spot cycle' with the greatest communication distances coming at the times of sun-spot maxima.

[Garry Russell]

Hi Larry..not just shortwave..we used to be able to get Colour TV UHF in the evnings and night and on some days when the pressure was high. This was before we had the signal officially sent to us.

[FlyTexas]

Let me see if I can shed some light on a few points raised based on my knowledge as a Ham Radio operator of many years standing.

- .... .- -. -.- ... / ...- . .-. -.-- / -- ..- -.-. .... / ..-. --- .-. / - .... . / .. -. ..-. --- / .-.. .- .-. .-. -.-- .-.-.-

Brian

[Tako_Kichi]

- .... .- -. -.- ... / ...- . .-. -.-- / -- ..- -.-. .... / ..-. --- .-. / - .... . / .. -. ..-. --- / .-.. .- .-. .-. -.-- .-.-.-

..- .-. / ...- .-. -.-- / .-- . .-.. -.-. --- -- . / -.. . / ...- . ...-- -.-- . - / . -..- / --. .---- -.-- . -

[FlyTexas]

- .... .- -. -.- ... / ...- . .-. -.-- / -- ..- -.-. .... / ..-. --- .-. / - .... . / .. -. ..-. --- / .-.. .- .-. .-. -.-- .-.-.-

..- .-. / ...- .-. -.-- / .-- . .-.. -.-. --- -- . / -.. . / ...- . ...-- -.-- . - / . -..- / --. .---- -.-- . -

Yes, our Garry in a red polka dot dress would be amusing but...KIDDING, kidding.

Brian