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The Ghost Box Challenge

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12:31 pm
December 12, 2009


Stephen

San Jose, CA

Admin

posts 589

They're running a contest at the James Randi Educational Foundation for the most comprehensive explanation of a clip sent to them. To join, watch the clip and leave a comment.

I've taken a quick look, and it's a variant on "Frank's Box"– a device for receiving/producing EVPs. Apparently there are subtitles on the screen which could make you think that you're hearing things that aren't being said, so I'd recommend listening to it without looking at the video the first time.

Update:  Meant to say "Frank's Box", not "Ghost Box".

Stephen the Friendly Skeptic

2:26 pm
December 12, 2009


The Doctor

Lead Investigator

posts 488

Stephen said:

They're running a contest at the James Randi Educational Foundation for the most comprehensive explanation of a clip sent to them. To join, watch the clip and leave a comment.

I've taken a quick look, and it's a variant on the "Ghost Box"– a device for receiving/producing EVPs. Apparently there are subtitles on the screen which could make you think that you're hearing things that aren't being said, so I'd recommend listening to it without looking at the video the first time.


I'm surprised that this is worthy of Randi's groups attention.

The announcer says that you will hear voices so people will try their best to hear voices. They get a further hint by the question as to what they are supposed to be hearing.

I've always wanted to make up a phoney "3d" image and put it on the wall … drive people nuts when they keep trying to find the spaceship and moon Laughing

7:27 pm
December 12, 2009


Learjet

Australia

Lead Investigator

posts 1122

I continue to be completely baffled how FB ever got  any attention in the first place. I mean, it's a radio. It receives radio stations. How does something that receives radio stations ever get called a ghost box? I don't understand. As soon as one realises it receives radio stations that should be the end of it. The attention FB is getting is beyond me.

In the immortal words of the not so great Australian politician  Pauline Hanson… Please explain?

OD'd on EMF

7:46 pm
December 12, 2009


Nosfer

Rotaredom

Moderator

posts 2959

The Doctor said:

I've always wanted to make up a phoney "3d" image and put it on the wall … drive people nuts when they keep trying to find the spaceship and moon Laughing


I once changed the label on one of those…rather entertaining :)

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10:18 am
December 13, 2009


Leslie

Investigator

posts 157

I totally agree with Learjet. IMO this is a complete waste of time- unless you just want to have fun and see how many combinations of random words you can get that make sense.

1:57 pm
December 13, 2009


Wallydraigle

Ohio

Investigator

posts 114

I almost didn't get through it because that guy is so annoying.  But I listened to it without watching, so I didn't see the subtitles, and it sounded exactly like what it is, a radio scanning through whatever stations it can pick up and playing random snippets of noise.  Not only that, but the randon noises have been through so many lossy conversions it's not funny.  Assuming the sounds were perfect when they left the radio station, it had to go through the air (1), get picked up by the radio and be played through those crappy little speakers (2), be recorded by the recorder's mic (3), and then replayed on whatever speakers you listen to it on (4).  That's at least four lossy conversions before you hear it.  Ever play "telephone" with four people?

I can't believe JREF is paying attention to this at all.

1:45 am
December 15, 2009


Stephen

San Jose, CA

Admin

posts 589

Actually, I think the JREF is trying to kill two birds with one stone. First, they're working on increasing user involvement by widening the writer pool and getting the commenters involved. Running a contest is often a good way of doing that. (Remind me to run a contest here. In fact, here's the first contest. First person to suggest a good contest idea wins a Skeptical Viewer T-shirt or comparable schwag. PM me; I don't want to hijack this thread.)

Secondly, they're getting some thorough explanations of the Shack Hack video without having to write it themselves. That's not a small task– it's often a problem to describe exactly what's wrong with a video even when you know perfectly well it's nonsense. The utter insanity of a claim can make it even more difficult. I mean, what do you say to someone that thinks they can listen to ghosts by flipping a radio around at random?

Finally (I guess that was three birds), they get to respond to the video without actually dignifying it with an official JREF response. That can be good for a few reasons. One is that unless they respond directly, there's no actual conversation, and so the JREF can just ignore any emails they want. They can't be accused of walking away from a challenge. (As far as I know, the sender hasn't actually applied for the JREF Million Dollar Challenge.)

Stephen the Friendly Skeptic

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