Pigeon Transfers Data Faster Than S. Africa’s ISP

somanyholes · Sep 10, 2009, 10:29:24

And we complain about our speeds over here

http://www.liquidmatrix.org/blog/2009/09/09/pigeon-transfers-data-faster-than-s-africas-isp/

Rik · Sep 10, 2009, 10:31:54

Well, it could explain the increase in the pigeon population...

somanyholes · Sep 10, 2009, 10:33:26

We finally have a 2nd use for them, aside from target practise.

Rik · Sep 10, 2009, 10:34:54

It should help the sales of SD cards too.

Sebby · Sep 10, 2009, 10:39:07

Brilliant!

Simon · Sep 10, 2009, 11:56:08

It could be worse. They could be on Pipex.

Rik · Sep 10, 2009, 11:59:06

No, that would be too cruel.

Technical Ben · Sep 10, 2009, 22:17:44

I actually wondered if you could use a pigeon to transfer files on a usb stick. But could never catch one myself...

What is the bandwidth on that?

Sebby · Sep 10, 2009, 23:27:37

You'd need a band with a width of only about 10mm to go round the leg and USB stick, I'd say.

Rik · Sep 11, 2009, 09:25:36

esh · Sep 11, 2009, 13:47:51

Not quite as extreme an example, but until recently transferring data between stations by tape + courier was faster than internet for radio astronomy -- due to the amount of data involved. For the forthcoming LOFAR project they have bought up a 600Gb/s line for their data transfer. That's pretty scary.

Rik · Sep 11, 2009, 15:38:17

I wouldn't mind having one of those.

Technical Ben · Sep 12, 2009, 21:24:07

I found the fastest test to be at 16.4Tbps on optical (but it was an old article) and the fastest broadband to home to be 40gb/ps.

Slightly off topic, I remember one day at work clicking the wrong link to an internal memo, and getting a manual on setting up your own Dslams and their range verses 21cn. Or something like that, it was way over my head. But cool reading up on bandwidth, seek time and the signal delegation over distance.