Green Bank in Pocahontas County has been called the quietest town in America. It’s home to a big piece of technology, which ironically makes it illegal for people to have cell phones or even Wi-Fi.
Read on to find out why this tiny town is welcoming “wi-fi refugees.”
Green Bank is home to the Green Bank Telescope, the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope, which is operated by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory.
Because of the telescope, the town is part of the United States National Radio Quiet Zone, which extends to several counties in West Virginia, Virginia and a small part of Maryland. It covers about 13,000 square miles.
Restrictions are different depending on how close you are to the telescope. The biggest restrictions are for those within 20 miles of it. Radio transmitters are regulated within 10 miles of the NRAO facility. There's no cell phone reception, no radio stations.
In 1961, Frank Drake at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory presented his “Drake Equation,” which provided an estimate of the total number of extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way.
Because of its quietness, Green Bank draws people to it who say they are sensitive to electromagnetic activity. Since 2013, an estimated 13 people have moved to the town to escape cellular radiation.
Those who have electromagnetic hypersensitivity report that they exposure to electromagnetic fields cause headaches, stress, problems sleeping as well as skin symptons like burning and rashes. While these symptoms are real, science has so far not connected them with electromagnetic or radio-frequency signals.
A “radio policeman” enforces this Quiet Zone policy using special equipment that detects signals from prohibited electronics.
Microwave ovens are frowned on. Gas-powered engines aren’t allowed within a mile of the telescope because the ignition system on spark-ignited engines causes radio interference.
Despite their policing, the NRAO doesn’t really have the power to enforce the rules, although the FCC can still impose a fine of $50 on violators. Most often they work with residents to find a solution.
Even if you don’t have a sensitivity to electromagnetic fields or a love of space, Green Bank is a quiet retreat from the hustle and bustle of our fast-paced lives.
