SETI League Press Release
LITTLE FERRY, NJ.., June 22, 1995 -- Two Central New Jersey radio amateurs have donated a state-of-the-art radiotelescope antenna to The SETI League, Inc., a non-profit organization engaged in a scientific Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence. Brothers Mark and Keith Sproul, longtime ham radio enthusiasts from North Brunswick, NJ, made the donation to help privatize extra-terrestrial research in the wake of a Congressional spending cut.
The donated antenna, a five-meter diameter Comtech reflector complete with dual feedhorn and mount, weighs in at over 1500 pounds. It was delivered by flatbed trailer to the League's Little Ferry, NJ, headquarters last week. Since it is too heavy to install on the roof of their headquarters building, SETI League engineers are now trying to devise a satisfactory ground mounting scheme.
The twins decided to make the contribution after Keith Sproul heard SETI League executive director Dr. H. Paul Shuch speak of the project's financial plight at an engineering conference in St. Louis last February. "This is a first-class research instrument," comments Shuch. "The gift will allow us to hear much farther into the galaxy than we had dared to hope."
SETI scientists seek to determine through microwave and optical measurements whether humankind is alone in the universe. Since Congress terminated NASA's SETI funding in 1993, The SETI League and other scientific groups have been attempting to privatize the research. Experimenters interested in participating in the search for intelligent alien life, or citizens wishing to help support it, should email to join_at_setileague_dot_org, check the SETI League Web site at http://www.setileague.org/, send a fax to +1 (201) 641-1771, or contact The SETI League, Inc. membership hotline at +1 (800) TAU-SETI. Be sure to provide us with a postal address to which we will mail further information. The SETI League, Inc. is a membership-supported, non-profit [501(c)(3)], educational and scientific corporation dedicated to the electromagnetic Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.
P.S. Tearsheets are always appreciated. Thank you.
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