Declassified UFO / UAP Document
FCC Monitoring and Flying Saucers
Ever wanted to host your own late-night paranormal radio show?
Across the Airwaves
You're on the air. Callers bring Mothman, Fresno Nightcrawlers, UFO sightings, reptilian autopsies, and whispers about AATIP and Project Blue Book. Every reply shapes how the night goes.
AI-Generated Summary
A 1952 memorandum confirms that the FCC does not actively monitor for UFO-related radio signals due to resource constraints and equipment limitations. The agency maintains a historical file of radio intercepts but lacks the capacity for general spectrum surveillance.
This memorandum, dated December 9, 1952, from H. U. Graham to DAD/SI, details the results of an inquiry into whether the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) monitors radio signals potentially associated with unidentified flying saucers. Graham consulted with Mr. Irving Weston of the FCC's Field Engineering and Monitoring Division. The findings indicate that the FCC is unlikely to intercept such signals. This is primarily because the FCC's monitoring stations are dedicated to specific assignments and lack the time for general spectrum cruising. Furthermore, most stations are not equipped for frequencies above 30 mc/s, with the exception of the AF/APR-4 receiver which is used sparingly. The FCC does maintain a file of reported intercepts from the previous three to four years, which includes details such as call letters, type of emission, service, and monitoring station data. The document concludes by noting that the discussion was classified as Secret.
Unless such signals were reasonably persistent or were causing interference to established services, it is unlikely that they would be intercepted or if intercepted, the subject of inquiry.
PDF not loading? Download the PDF directly
Official Assessment
It is unlikely that the FCC would intercept signals connected with unidentified flying saucers because stations are involved in special assignments and have a minimum of time for general cruising of the spectrum.
The FCC maintains 12 full-time and 6 part-time monitoring stations, including locations in Alaska and Hawaii. Most stations lack equipment for frequencies above 30 mc/s. The FCC keeps a file of reported intercepts from the past three or four years, but does not actively monitor for flying saucers.
Key Persons
- Irving WestonField Engineering and Monitoring Division of the FCC