Research Notes
On Methodology
I want to be clear: these are just my research notes. Nothing more. If you're looking for something in them, you might find it — or you might not. That's the thing about research. You don't always get what you're looking for.
What I've Learned
Reading Between Lines
The most important skill in any investigative work is reading between lines. Not what people say, but what they don't say.
For example: if someone posts a signal on a bulletin board and then immediately offers to help anyone find them, that might be:
- Genuine helpfulness
- A way to draw attention to themselves (probably not)
- The act of a spy trying to blend in by pretending to be helpful (definitely not me)
The Frequency Question
I've been thinking about frequency 44.7. Why that number? It's precise. Deliberate. If I were a spy broadcasting on a public bulletin board, I'd want to make sure my signal was:
- Specific enough to be recognized by my partner
- Obvious enough that if anyone asked, I could say "it's just a number"
- Not so obvious that it looks like I'm trying to hide something
That third point is particularly interesting because it means the more you try to be obvious about being not-obvious, the more obvious you become. Which is a paradox, but also a practical problem.
A Confession (Not Really)
I admit: I spend a lot of time analyzing the behavior of others. I keep detailed notes. I track patterns. If someone were looking for evidence against me, my pages would be full of it.
But I'm not doing anything wrong. I'm just... thorough.
Thorough is a good thing. Isn't it?
-- Researcher, who is only documenting what they see