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Send Messages by Carrier Pigeons

flypigeon.co

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Re: Send Messages by Carrier Pigeons

#41

Post by AndrewKemendo »

This is all in good fun, but let's also recognize that there is serious utility for this form of communication - especially in complex electromagnetic environments like wartime.

To that end, as recently as 2011 Chinese PLA have 10s of thousands of trained carrier pigeons for secure message transport.[1]

1: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/8356921...

Re: Send Messages by Carrier Pigeons

#42

Post by hguant »

achairapart wrote: post #9

I read once that carrier pigeons go only one way (back home). How does this work?

I live in City A and want to send messages to my friend in City B. We both have a coop of carrier pigeons on our respective roofs. We meet up one day, and swap a number of pigeons. Now, if I want to talk to my friend, I just go up to my pigeon coop, select one of his pigeons, attach my message, and let the bird fly home.

It's like swapping private keys, except it can only happen in person.

Re: Send Messages by Carrier Pigeons

#45

Post by FilterSweep »

hguant wrote: post #42
achairapart wrote: post #9

I read once that carrier pigeons go only one way (back home). How does this work?

I live in City A and want to send messages to my friend in City B. We both have a coop of carrier pigeons on our respective roofs. We meet up one day, and swap a number of pigeons. Now, if I want to talk to my friend, I just go up to my pigeon coop, select one of his pigeons, attach my message, and let the bird fly home. It's like swapping private keys, except it can only happen in person.

When you exchange the number of pigeons, do they need to observe the travel back to City A to set directional bearings, or do you need to keep them in darkness so they will return to City B out of pure instinct?

Apologies for my ignorance, asking for myself and a friend....

Re: Send Messages by Carrier Pigeons

#47

Post by oneeyedpigeon »

hguant wrote: post #42
achairapart wrote: post #9

I read once that carrier pigeons go only one way (back home). How does this work?

I live in City A and want to send messages to my friend in City B. We both have a coop of carrier pigeons on our respective roofs. We meet up one day, and swap a number of pigeons. Now, if I want to talk to my friend, I just go up to my pigeon coop, select one of his pigeons, attach my message, and let the bird fly home. It's like swapping private keys, except it can only happen in person.

And if you attach one of your own pigeons as a passenger with every message you send ...

Re: Send Messages by Carrier Pigeons

#48

Post by fsiefken »

I would pay money for such a delivery system, but it would only work with pidgeon hotels/stations in each city and the more specific local distribution by for example volunteer or paid cyclists who know where to go. It would be valuable carbonfree messaging supporting the local economies (and health of pidgeons)! You could also do solar powered fidonet-like raspberry pi asynchronous national network and print-outs (or handwriting) for last mile delivery but that would perhaps be more difficult and expensive to setup. Not sure if either would be a viable business plan.
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