"science" problem

[kengr]

Ok, I'm trying to solve a few problems with a hypothetical communications device. It's undetectable, nothing but the paired device (they are made in pairs cannot made hooked up other than as pairs). Think of the paired part as a small chips, like a SIM card.

There is no way to determine the distance or direction of one unit from another. Not even a time lag.

So, given this, is there any way you can think of to determine where you are with such a device. I mean, you could use some *external signal like GPs, but that's essentially cheating. I'm trying to figure out something that dooesn't rely on other devices. Closest I can come is using it as a reliable clock and doing celestial navigation tricks. Which is both cumbersome and kinda noticable.

Just as a side note, while uyou can use paired chips for a completely secure link, and like build comm units to have slots for multiple chips, more common units just have a chip paired with one at a switching facility that hooks you up different users.

Comments

[siliconshaman]

Ok, I'm going to assume your communications device has a chip that is quantum entangled with the other chip in the other device because that would have the properties you describe, but is otherwise similar to a smart phone.

The lack of time lag is important here. They would need a simple internal clock to work, most electrics with computer chips do. These clock chips are usually sync'ed to some external clock, like the one at Greenwich. This is almost always done using a radio signal which will introduce a delay.

Here's what you do, you compare your devices internal clock to the other devices internal clock, speed of light will give you a distance from origin. Although, if the internal clocks are set to local time instead of UTC that will make it even easier. That will get you distance, and possibly a rough time zone. You could also compare sunrise/sunset times.

The other alternative is wait for an Earthquake...

But to be honest, absent any kind of external signal I don't think it's possible without doing celestial calculations.

[stickmaker]

Definitely sounds like quantum entanglement. If on Earth, local Noon will give you a rough estimate of Longitude. (See: https://www.marinenavigationbooks.com/images/pdfs/Chapter-07-Approximate-Longitude.pdf and similar documents) Angle of Sun above horizon at Noon for the time of year will give you a rough estimate of Latitude.