The Messages

Click here for a formatted version of these messages (SPOILER!)


Original Message (30-Jan-95):
GBGGBBGGBBBGGBBBBGGBBBBBGGBBBBBBGGBHBBHBGGBBHBBBHBGG
BHBBBHBBGGBHBHGGHBHBGGBBHBBBBHBBGGBBIBIBGGBIBIBBGGBB
JKBKJBGGBJKBKJBBGGBBBBJKBBBKJBGGBBBBIBBBIBGGBLBLBGGB
BLBBBBBBLBBBGGBLBBLBBGGBBBBBBMBBMBBBGGBBMBBBMBBBBBBG
GBBBBMBBMBBGGBBMBBMBBBBGGBBBBBBNOBBONBBBGGOBBOLOBBBB
OLOBBOGGBPBPBGGBBPBBPBBGGBBBPBBBPBBBGGPQAQPGGBPQBQPB
GGBBPQCQPBBGGBBBPQDQPBBBGGBBBBPQEQPBBBBGGBBBBBPQFQPB
BBBBGGBBBBBBPQBABQPBBBBBBGGBBBBBBBPQBBBQPBBBBBBBGGBB
BBBBBBPQBCBQPBBBBBBBBGGBBBBBBBBBPQBDBQPBBBBBBBBBGGBB
BBBBBBBBBBPQCACQPBBBBBBBBBBBBGGQBQHQDQHQCQGGRQBQHQCQ
HQBQRGGSQBQHQDQHQBQSGGRQCQIQBQIQBQRGGSQCQIQCQIQBQSG

Second Message (2-Feb-95):
GQCQTQBQTQDQGGQDQTKQBQKTQCQGGQDQTQBQTQEQGGQEQTKQBQKT
QDQGGQEQUQBQUQDQGGQDQUKQBQKUQEQGGQDQUQBQUQCQGGQCQUKQ
BQKUQDQGGVQBQHXHQBQVGGWXPQCQPXWGGVXHQDQHQBQVGGWXPQCQ
PXWGGVQBQHQBQHXVGGWXPQAQPXWGGXPYPZPaPbPcPbPaPZPYPXGG
QBABQNOQBABQONQBQGGOQBABQOPdBdPOQBABQOGGQCQLdCdLOQBA
BQOGGOQDQOPdCdPOQDQOGGOQBAAABQOPdBABdPOQBAAABQOGGQBQ
HQBdBABdBQHOQBAAABQOGGOQBABQOHdBBBdHOQBAAABQOGGQCQeQ
CQeQBQGGQBQeOQCQOeQCQGGQBABQeQCQeQDQGGQDQeOQCQOeQBAB
QGGQCQfOQCQOfQBQGGQBQfQCQfQCQGGQBABQfOQCQOfQDQGGQDQf
QCQfQBABQGGRiRiRGGRiSiSGGSiSiRGGSiSiSGGRjRjRGGRjRjSG
GSjRjRGGSjSjSGGKRKPSPKRKGGKSKPRPKSKGGQAQhgBDADBgjgED
ADEghQAQGGdDdhgBAAABgjgFAAAFghdDdGGdBCABBFBBACBdhgDA
DgjgFDADFghdBCABBFBBACBdGGQBQhgAgjgBAAAAABghQBQGGRgA
gPgBAAAAABgPgAgRGGSgDADgPgFDADFgPgDADgSGGKQBQKhgDAAA
DghKQBQKGGKdBCABBFBBACBdKhgCDADCgjgDDADDghKdBCABBFBB
ACBdKGGKdDdKhgCAAACgjgEAAAEghKdDdKGGQBQkgBDADBgkQBQG
GKQBQKkgEDADEgkKQBQKGGQAQkgAgjgDAAADgkQAQG

Third Message (7-Feb-95):
GlPQDdBADDAFAFADDABdDQPlGGlPgDAAADgPlGGlLgBDADBgLOQC
QOGGQBdDdBQLgEDADEgLlGGOQAQOPmPOQAQOGGGXhgDADghXGGQB
EBQeXepGGpPQBFdBEBDBEBdFBQPpGGGGXhgBAAABghXGGQFQeXep
GGpPQBEBQPpGGGGpPQAQPpGGoBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAoGGGGpPQ
BQPpGGoABBBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAoGGGGpPQCQPpGGoAAAAAAABBBB
BBBBBBBBoGGGGGpPQCQPpGiGqPgAgPqGiGrPgDAAADgPrGGGoAAA
AAAABBBBBBBAAAAAoGGGnAABBBAAABAAABABAAAAABBAAAAABBAA
AAABABAAABAAABBBAAnPoAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBBBBBBBBBB
BBBBBBoGGQAQsQBQsQAQGGQCQsQBBBQsQCQGGQBQtQAQtQBQGGQB
BBQtQCQtQBBBQGGQBQPQBQPQBQGGQBQKPKQCQKPKQBQGG6PKPKP6
GGQAQuQBQuQAQGGQAQuQAQuQAQGGuPsjPPuGGQBBBQvQCQvQBBBQ
GGQBBBQvQBBBQvQBBBQGGvPtjPPvGGQCQ5A5QBQ5A5QCQGGQCQ5B
5QCQ5B5QCQGGQCQ5C5QEQ5C5QCQGGQCQ5D5QBCBQ5D5QCQGGoBBB
AAABAAAAAABAAAAABAAAAAAABBBAAAAAAABBAAAAAAAAABBBAAAA
AAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAABBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAABBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBA
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBBBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAAAAAAAAAAAABBBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABBoG
GxzxPoBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBoPxzxGGwywPoBoPwywGGzyzPoBB
BAAABoPzyzGGzyzPoBBBBBBBoPzyzGG1y1PoBoP1y1GG1y1PoBBB
AAABoP1y1GG1y1PoBBBBBBBoP1y1GGW2PB1y1BP2WGGW797PC1y1
CP797WGGW898PD1y1DP898WGGW323PE1y1EP323WGGW434PF1y1F
P434WGGW4y4PBAB1y1BABP4y4WGG0PoBABBABBABABABABABABAA
BABBABAABAABBAABBAABABABABAAABAAABBBAAABAAABBABAABAB
BAAAABAAABAABAAAAAAAAAAAABBABBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
AAoP0G

Fourth Message (17-Feb-95):
G%P!%!QBDBQ!%!P%GG%P!%!QECEQ!%!P%GG%P!%!QBBCBBQ!%!P%
GG%P!%!QBEDEBQ!%!P%GGV!Q!VGGW!Q!PQBQP!Q!WGGQB#B#BQPQ
BABQPQB#B#BQGGQB#C#BQPQBAAABQPQB#C#BQGGQB#D#BQPQBAAA
AABQPQB#D#BQGGQB#E#BQPQBAAAAAAABQPQB#E#BQGGQB#F#BQPQ
BAAAAAAAAABQPQB#F#BQGGQC#C#CQPQCAAACQPQC#C#CQGGQXQLQ
X#Y#XQLQBAB5Y5BABQGGV@oBo@VGGW@oBo@PQBQP@oBo@WGGV@oB
BAABAAo@VGGW@oBBAABAAo@PQDQP@oBBAABAAo@WGGV@oBBAABAA
BAAAAABAAAAAo@VGGW@oBBAABAABAAAAABAAAAAo@PQFQP@oBBAA
BAABAAAAABAAAAAo@WGGV@0@VGGW@0@P!@!QBEBQ!@!P@0@WGG!@
!e!$!e!%!GG*P!$!QBFDECEEAABDBDBAAEECEDFBQ!$!P*G

Fifth Message (24-Feb-95):
GGXPQBQ:QCQ:QDQ:QCQ:QBQPXGGRQBQ^X^QBQRGGSQFQ^X^QFQSG
GRQBQ:QDQ:QBQ^X^QBQ:QDQ:QBQRGGSQBQ:QCQ:QDQ:QEQ:QDQ:Q
CQ:QBQ^X^QBQ:QCQ:QDQ:QEQ:QDQ:QCQ:QBQSGGRX^QBQ:QCQ:QD
Q:QEQ:QDQ:QCQ:QBQ^XRGGRQBQ:QCQ:QBQ^X^QBQ:QCQ:QBQRGGR
QCQ:QDQ:QCQ^X^QCQ:QDQ:QCQRGGRQBQ:QCQ:QDQ:QCQ:QBQ^X^Q
BQ:QCQ:QDQ:QCQ:QBQRGGSQAQ^X^QAQSGGG0^w^0GG1y1^KwK^1y
1GGxzx^KwK^xzxGGw^m^wGGKwK^m^KwKGGwyw^1y1^wywGGzyz^1
y1^zyzGGR1t~t1RGGS1v~v1SGG*P11$11P*GGQAQP~Q~PQAQG

Sixth Message (1-Mar-95):
G1PK~KP1GG~PK1KP~GG;m;P!;!QBBDBBQ!;!P;m;GG;KmK;P!;!Q
AQ!;!P;KmK;GG;xzx;P!;!QBEDD#D#DDEBQ!;!P;xzx;GG;2;P!;
!QDCCAAACCDQ!;!P;2;GGxPK4KPxGG4PKxKP4GGx^xzx^xGG4^m^
4GG7P1$1P7GG8P~$~P8GG7PK8KP7GG8PK7KP8GGG?B?PoBABBAAA
BAAAAAAAAAAAoP?B?GGV[?B?[VGGW[?B?[P![!BCDABdEEECEAEC
EEEdBADCB![!P[?B?[WGG]PoBABBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAoP]GG{PoA
AAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAoP{GG[][P![!BCDAAdEEECEAECEEEdAADC
B![!P[][GG[{[P![!B![!P[{[GG{H?B?H]GGGm^3^mG

Seventh Message (9-Mar-95):
G!@!QDDEBAFEAFEFAEFABEDDQ!@!^2^!@!QDDEBAFEAFEFAEFABE
DDQ!@!GG-H-PQBQ:QCQ:QDQ:QCQ:QBQP-H-GG-I-PQDQ:QCQ:QBQ
:QCQ:QDQP-I-GG-P-PGXPQBQPXGP-P-GG!@!L!@@@!L!@!GG!@!5
C5!@@@!5C5!@!GG!@!5D5!@@@@@!5D5!@!GG!@!e!+!e!%%%!GG!
+!QBAdBAEABdABQ!+!^2^!+!QBAdBAEABdABQ!+!GG!}!P![!QEC
dBCBDFE#BAAAB#EFDBCBdCEQ![!P!}!GG!}!QDdEFADE#FBF#EDA
FEdDQ!}!^2^!}!QDdEFADE#FBF#EDAFEdDQ!}!G

Eighth Message (14-Mar-95):
G9^0^9GG!X!QYQ!X!P!X!Y!X!P!X!QYQ!X!GG2PoBAAAAAABBBBB
BBBBBBBoP2GG;oBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAo;P!;!DBBCECBBD!;!P
;oBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAo;GG;oAAAAAAABBBBBBBBBBBBo;P!;!
DDCBEBCDD!;!P;oAAAAAAABBBBBBBBBBBBo;GGw^2^wGGw^797^w
GG0^2^0GG0K^K797K^K0GGQBQ{QBQ^?B?^QBQ{QBQGGQCQ{QCQ^?
C?^QCQ{QCQGGQDQ{QDQ^?D?^QDQ{QDQGG;.?ECE?.;P!;!DEFFFC
EFFFED;!P;.?ECE?.;GG;/?ECE?/;P!;!DEFFFEFFFED!;!P;/?E
CE?/;GG;/?ECE?/;P!;!BACCEBBBECCAB!;!P;/?ECE?/;GG;\?E
CE?\;P!;!BACCEBDBECCAB!;!P;\?ECE?\;GG/^z^/GG\^z^\GG\
6/6\GGzPK.KPzGGR\^zyz^\RGGR/^zyz^/RGGS.^zyz^.SGGR\^w
yw^\RGGR/^wyw^/RGGR.^wyw^.RGG2-2-0-2-2GG-m-PGQAQHXHX
GP-m-GG-m-^3^-m-G

Ninth Message (1-Apr-95):
G9PoABBBBBBABABABABABABBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBoP9GGQCQ9QC
Q^0^QCQ9QCQGGGA%AGG3-m-2im-m-3GGA^2^AGG3-$-3GG3H?B??
BCB??B?i3H-$-GG3-*-2i?B??BCB??B?-*-3GGxGG

The original message consisted of 571 "characters", a long pause of 17.71 seconds, then a repeat of the sequence. The characters are here arranged by pitch. There were 19 unique tones in the original message, here labeled A through S. A is the lowest tone, and S is the highest. Each tone lasts about 0.492 seconds. The entire sequence, including pause, took 298.61 seconds, or about 4 minutes and 59 seconds.

In the second message, there are 18 new characters, for a total of 37 characters used so far. The new characters are represented by the letters "T" through "Z" and "a" through "k". T is higher in pitch than S, and so on. This message is 874 characters long. Again, each tone takes 0.492 seconds, and the pause is 17.71 seconds between repetitions. The message length is 447.67 seconds, or 7 minutes and 28 seconds.

The third message is the longest so far with 1514 tones for a message length of 12 minutes, 42.5 seconds (762.5 seconds). Again, each tone is the standard length, as is the pause. We should come up with names for these time units. There are 25 new characters, for a total of 62 used so far.

The fourth message is shorter again, with 515 tones for a message length of 4 minutes and 31 seconds (271.06 seconds). Again, each tone is the standard length, as is the pause. There are six new characters, for a total of 68 used so far. In order of pitch (lowest to highest), the new characters are: %!#@$*

The fifth message is shorter, with 413 tones. There are three new characters, in pitch order (low to high): :^~

The sixth message is slightly shorter, with 407 tones, for a message length of approximately 3 minutes, 38 seconds (including pause). There are five new characters (from low pitch to high pitch): ;?[]{

The seventh message is even shorter, with 351 tones, for a message length (including pause) of about 3 minutes, 10 seconds. There are three new tones, in order: -+} (for a total of 79 characters used so far).

The eighth message is long again, with three new characters: \./ (in order). A total of 82 characters have been used so far.

The ninth message is the shortest yet, and uses no new characters.

The message is being broadcast on a wavelength of 21 cm, the so-called "magic frequency".