I’ll put this question in a form of a physics problem: Transmitter at a point A sends a signal to a receiver at a point B. What is the longest distance in light years from points A to B for which receiver can still understand the signal?
Given:
- Signal type: electromagnetic wave.
- Signal frequency: frequency for which signal fades the least - probably radio.
- Signal form:
- Variant 1: beam of highest concentration possible.
- Variant 2: full sphere.
- Transmitter power: power of the most powerful transmitter known to be built in the Earth.
- Receiver: sensitivity of the most sensitive receiver known to be built in the Earth.
- Transmission medium: interstellar space.
- Understanding of a signal:
- Variant A: Can detect that the signal is not a noise.
- Variant B: Can decode the information in the signal.