Recording Microwave Hearing Effects: Literature Review and Case
Report of an Affiant to Recording Remote Harassment
John J. McMurtrey, M. S., Copyright 2006, 2008 Jul 20
Donations toward future research are gratefully appreciated at
http://www.slavery.org.uk/FutureResearch.htm
Abstract
Literature pertaining to the conditions by which microwaves produce sound via
the thermoelastic effect and recording the effect is reviewed with comparison to
microphone components. A case report of an affiant to recording remote harassment is
presented. Actual words understood as transmitted by the affiant could have been
recorded as distorted sound.
Introduction and Literature Review
The accepted microwave hearing mechanism is by thermoelastic expansion
resulting in acoustic perception. 1 2 The rapid heating of a surface sets up stress waves of
sound within a material, and this is more pronounced for constrained surfaces. 3 4 5 Glass
containers are considered a constraining surface, and the ability to record microwave
hearing sound is described utilizing hydrophones (a liquid immersible microphone) in
water or salt solutions. 6 Such effects are detected by implanted hydrophone within the
heads of rats, guinea pigs, or cats 7 8 as well as from model equivalents of muscle 9 and
brain. 10
In appropriate materials and situations the thermoacoustic vibrations are strong
enough to be air conducted with reports of such sound production. The ability to hear
microwave pulses impinging on tin foil held next to the ear is described. 11 Audible
sounds were observed during an interferrometric study in certain lossy dielectric
materials. 12 Two patents discuss the ability of the radio frequency (microwave) hearing
effect to produce sound in spheres of material with appropriate radio frequency
response,13 14 and mathematical prediction of such effects compared to experimental
results in dielectric spheres is available. 15 An article on recording simple microwave
hearing effects by microphone describes sound production in carbon impregnated
polyurethane. 16 This microwave absorber produced sound from pieces as small as 4 mm2
by 2 mm thick. Tin foil was also tested as a microwave sound transducer with sound
induced by microwave pulses in crumpled foil, though whole sheets did not produce
sound.
One microphone design is known responsive to the thermoacoustic effect, and
several other microphone designs involve elements that are very similar to conditions
producing sound in thermoacoustic or microwave hearing literature. Since rapid transient
heating of a very small surface depth is the thermoacoustic mechanism, the effect is more
related to the energy deposited, materials, and conditions than the electromagnetic energy
2
source. Sound is produced by lasers from thin metal films, particularly as deposited on a
constraining surface. 5 Thermoacoustic sound is produced by lasers in aluminum films, 17
and by radio frequency in gold, nickel, or titanium. 3 Condenser (or capacitor)
microphones have a diaphragm that is normally made of mylar with a metallic film
backing, which is usually of gold, though aluminum, nickel, or titanium have also been
used. 18 Thermoacoustic sound production from metal as simply constrained by Mylar
tape is mentioned in laser experiments. 5 Condenser microphones are shown directly
responsive to thermoacoustic sound production in laser experiments. 19 The electrolet
microphone is a recent design variety of the condenser microphone. 20 Ribbon
microphones utilize aluminum foil that is often corrugated, which is similar to the
crumpled tin foil microwave sound production above, and a recent ribbon design variant
has the aluminum on a polyester film, 21 which imposes a constraint known to enhance
thermoacoustic sound production. 3 Microphones based on piezoelectric films have
aluminum deposited upon the film as an electrode, 22 and piezoelectric materials from
which such films are composed are acoustically responsive to microwave excitation. 23
One report on recording microwave hearing sound within animal heads notes free air
response of a lead zirconate-titanate (a piezoelectric material) hydrophone to microwave
pulses that was considered an artifact to within head sound recording. 7
Sharp and Grove were co-authors in an above citation on recording microwave
hearing effects from microwave absorbing material, and also discovered a method of
voice transmission to humans. 11 This voice transmission technique can pass though
walls, and there is evidence of further development of such capability with references to
detrimental uses as well as the existence of weapons. 24 Substantiation for plausibility of
directly recording microwave hearing harassment is indicated by: the demonstration of
condenser microphone thermoacoustic response, the indications of piezoelectric
microwave effect implies piezoelectric microphone response, and the similarity in other
microphone designs of elements responsive to thermoacoustic conditions.
People who consider themselves harassed by what may be microwave hearing
technology have formed protest organizations around the world. 25 26 27 28 29 One of these
groups, Citizens Against Human Rights Abuse (now Mind Justice) had anecdotes of
recordings that captured harassing voice transmissions. On receiving one such recording,
this organization decided to commission a study to attempt to capture voice transmission
near victims who complain of such symptoms. The study was inconclusive and not fully
completed due to the terminal illness of the investigator, but the study did record
unidentified sounds and is Internet published. 30 Other victims have reported an ability to
record sounds and voices that harass them. 31 32
Case Report
Tape recordings made by one victim of the above phenomenon 31 were provided
to the author for consideration with a notarized affidavit in authentication. Affiant
believes a key component for recording such effects is the Sonic Super Ear personal
sound amplifier microphone (or microphones with similar characteristics). 33 A tripod
suspended this microphone about 6 inches behind the top of the affiant’s head while he
attempted to sleep. The sound system also included a RCA model SA155 Mini Stereo
Amplifier. The microphone’s pickup gain was set about ¾ maximum and the RCA
2
3
amplifier gain set at about ¼ maximum. A videocassette was also supplied, which was
taken by a Cannon ES75 Camcorder mounded on a tripod, and recorded by a SONY
model TC WE305 Stereo Cassette Deck on an 8-hour cassette. Since components
should be compatible with the microphone, the affiant has supplied the operating
specifications of the components, which is appended.
The audio recordings were compiled on two tapes with a short preamble by the
affiant as to the content of each segment, particularly about words understood by the
affiant. The affiant perceived this apparent sound and voice as harassment (particularly
to disturb his sleep), and was uncertain as to precise origination. Though sounds
comparable to the words indicated by the affiant could be attributed to the recordings by
listening, there was also considerable distortion, and the vocabulary indicated in the
examples was limited. Other sounds that the affiant affirms not to be made by him and
intended to harass him at night, resembled snoring or nasal and oropharyngeal sounds.
The provided videocassette contained compiled recordings of similar sound episodes (as
well as sounds that may be distorted voice, as so affirmed by the affiant). The affiant had
his eyes closed during these videos, but affirmed he was awake, however his alertness
was indeterminate except on voice response. His mouth appeared closed during most
sound episodes, but complete closure could not be determined. The affiant reports that he
has unconsidered videotapes of sound meter readings responsive to local ambient sound,
but which he believes do not correlate with those sounds recorded that are understood as
transmitted.
Unfortunately, the vendor of the Sonic Super Ear was unresponsive to repeated
inquiry as to specific design, however the condenser microphone design is widely
utilized. 20
Discussion
Such recordings merit further investigation by more definitive methods, and/or
independent experimental replication. The report for Mind Justice 18 also noted sounds
indistinct as to volume or distortion that could be voice, but was inconclusive. Some
radio frequency speech transmission patents 13 14 require pre-distortion of speech signals
compatible with sound conditions within the head for intelligibility, and suggest a sphere
of similar mass having radio frequency characteristics equivalent to the head intelligibly
demodulates such signals, so distortion could be expected from a non-ideal transducer
like a microphone. Of relevance is that the Sonic Super Ear diaphragm cannot be more
that ½” in diameter, and the study showing condenser microphone thermoacoustic
response 19 appeared to indicate a better response for 1” than ½” diaphragms at high laser
pulsation.
More sophisticated evaluation of the affiant’s recordings than by ear and viewing
may be more definitive. Thermoacoustic experiments have produced waves at the
pulsation rate of the electromagnetic source in ultrasound frequencies 34 even into such
high rates that can be termed microwave sound a with gold films being particularly
efficient transducers. 35 36 Besides these early studies, similar thermoacoustic methods
are presently considered for generating ultrasound of sufficient frequency to improve
biomedical image resolution. 37 Such results raise the interesting possibility that voice
a
Not to be confused with electromagnetic microwaves which transmit without fluid or solid media.
3
4
transmission devices based on microwave pulse bursts could have a detectable ultrasonic
component. Voice transmission microwave hearing patents based on pulse bursts have
such high rates for pulses within bursts that along with normal sound, ultrasonic
frequencies from 100 kHz to 40 mHz could be expected from the patent specifications. 38
39
Condenser microphones are responsive to the lowest range of such frequencies to
capture ultrasound from moths 40 and bats, 41 yet such microphone responsiveness is not
clear for preferred patent burst parameters that would indicate ultrasound within bursts of
5 mHz, though responsive transducers do exist for the highest expected ultrasound
frequencies as 50 papers are evident on Pubmed search terms of ultrasound and “40
mHz.” Such ultrasound component would be unlikely to be usual from normal sound.
Studies on microwave-induced thermoacoustic tomography, which induces
thermoacoustic responses internally within tissues at ultrasound frequencies, 42 43 44 also
encourage the prospect that such ultrasound frequencies could be detected from tissues as
well, on voice transmission. However, it is unclear from the specifications that such
frequencies would be expected from more recent voice transmission patents, 13 14 as
pulsation parameters are omitted with only a Freedom of Information Act release, being
briefly informative. 45
APPENDIX
RECORDING COMPONENT SPECIFICATIONS
Sonic Super Ear: Personal Sound Amplifier by Sonic Product, Inc.
Audio Gain: .... +50 dB
Max. Signal Output: .... 107 dB
Frequency Response: .... 100 Hz to 14 kHz
Power Requirement: .... 1.5 volt AAA batter, for normal operation upt ot 30 hours
-------------------------------RCA SA155 Mini Stereo Amplifier
Power Requirement .... 120 Voltes AC, 60 Hz. 25 Watts
Output Power (1% Distortion, 1 kHz, Both Channels Driven) .... 1.8 Watts/Channel
(RMS)
Frequency Response .... 20 Hz to 25 kHz
Input Sensitivity:
A. Phono .... 2.5 mV (Magnetic); 200 mV (Ceramic)
B. Tuner .... 160 mV
C. CD/Tape .... 160 mV
Tape Output .... 150 mV
Speaker Impedance .... 8 to 16 Ohms
Tone Control Response .... -18.0 dB
4
5
Crosstalk at CD/Tape Input (@ 2 Watts Power) .... 50 dB @ 1 kHz
--------------------------------------------------------SONY TC WE305 Stereo Cassette Deck
Recording System: ... 4-track 2-channel stereo
Fast-winding time (approx.) .... 120 seconds
Bias .... AC bias
S/N Ratio (at peak level and weighted with Dolby NR off)
A. Type 1 Tape, Sony Type 1 (Normal): .... 55 dB
B. Type 2 Tape, Sony Type 2 (High): .... 57 dB
C. Type 4 Tape, Sony Type 4 (Metal) .... 58 dB
S/N Ratio improvement (approx.)
A. With Dolby NR on: 5 dB @ 1 kHz, 10 dB @ 5 kHz
Harmonic Distortion
0.4% (with Type 1 tape, Sony Type 1 (Normal)
160 nWb/m 315 Hz, 3rd. H.D., 1.8% (with Type 4 Tape, Sony Type 4 (Metal), 250
nWb/m
315 Hz, 3rd. H.D.
Frequency Response (Dolby off)
Type 1 Tape, Sony Type 1 (Normal), 30 Hz to 14 kHz, +/- 3 dB, IEC; 20 to 15 kHz
+/- 6 dB
Type 2 Tape, Sony Type 2 (High), 30 Hz to 15 kHz, +/- 3 dB, IEC; 20 to 16 kHz +/- 6
dB
Type 4 Tape, Sony Type 4 (Metal), 30 Hz to 15 kHz +/- 3 dB, IEC; 20 to 16 kHz +/-6
dB,
30 to 13 kHz +/- 3 dB, -4 dB Recording.
Wow and Flutter
A. +/- 0.21% W. Peak, IEC; 015 % W. RMS, NAB; +/- 0.3 % W. Peak, DIN
Inputs
Line Input (phono jack)
A. Sensitivity .... 0.16 V
B. Input impedance: 47 kohms
Outputs
Line Output (phono jack)
A. Rated Output Level: 0.5 V @ load of 47 kohms
B. Load Impedance: over 10 kohms
Power Requirements: 120 V AC, 60 Hz.
--------------------------------------------------------------
5
6
SYLVANIA KVS600 Video Cassette Recorder
Television System: .... NTSC, TV standard .... Video Output Level: .... 1 Vp-p
.... Video Input Level .... 0.5 to 2.0 Vp-p
Video Heads: .... Rotary 4-head .... Video Output Impedance .... 75 ohms
Tape Cassette: .... VHS video cassette .... Audio Output Level .... -6 dBv (1 kHz)
Tape Speed:
A. Recording .... SP, SLP .... Audio Input Level .... -10 dBv
B. Playback: .... SP, LP, SLP .... Power requirements 120 VAC, at 60 Hz
Acknowledgements: Thanks are given to God for inspiration and guidance, as well as
Bob Dunlap for collaboration and Christians Against Mental Slavery for web space at
http://www.slavery.org.uk
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40
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