Just a couple of hours away by car from us is the National Radio Quiet Zone (NRQZ), a 34,000 sq. km area around the Green Bank Observatory in the mountains, featuring forests and a few small towns. It spans across 37 counties in three states. In this zone, the use of radio transmitting devices is legally prohibited to anyone except police, firefighters, and medical doctors. The closer to the observatory, the stricter the enforcement. Special vehicles patrol the area for devices emitting, by their standards, excessive electromagnetic radiation, such as microwave ovens, Wi-Fi access points, and faulty electrical equipment, and these folks ask citizens to cease their use. Although they have no authority to enforce compliance (though the FCC can impose a $50 fine on violators), they somehow manage to communicate effectively with the residents.
Wondering about mobile service? That does not work there either 🙂 Generally in those areas, mobile phones more often do not work than do, and in the Green Bank zone, they do not work for the reason mentioned above. We have visited those areas several times, and yes, it’s somewhat annoying when you’re without Google Maps for about an hour.
Truly, there are also very few people living there. The population density is about 4 people per sq. km. So, if your car breaks down there, there may be no signal and no local residents if you’re unlucky enough to head in the wrong direction. Well, that’s still amidst bears, but they are actually not scary at all.
The quiet zone also protects the antennas and receivers of the Naval Information Operations Command (NIOC) in Sugar Grove. NIOC is a site for electronic espionage systems and is currently considered a key station in the ECHELON system, managed by the National Security Agency (NSA).
There’s even a whole book about this place called The Quiet Zone: Unraveling the Mystery of a Town Suspended in Silence.
I just remembered—I’m actually in the middle of reading The Three Body Problem, about a telescope sending a message to aliens, which is where all the troubles begin. It’s exactly like the one in the picture) see the picture in the comments
Hi, I'm Rauf Aliev. 