Transmission: The Other Side of SETI

Abstract: The thesis of this paper is that the best way to answer the question of how to search for extraterrestrial intelligence is to look at SETI from the perspective of the civilization which is attempting to TRANSMIT to another. It is concluded that the visible band presents the most viable medium of contact, since it offers both the greatest bandwidth and the most narrow focusing, permitting the most information to be transmitted to potential targets at the lowest cost. The essential problem of defining the meaning of a message to an unknown civilization is solved by the concept of the SELF-DECODING MESSAGE. The problem of the selection of potential targets is discussed and criteria for optimal choice are given. Finally, the essential question of the PRUDENCE of such a transmission program is presented and discussed.

My central point is not bandwidth but easy acquisition and decoding by a naive receiver.