Calling in the Craft
For decades, UFO enthusiasts have tried to "call in" saucers using lights, mirrors, and radio broadcasts. The idea is simple: signal to extraterrestrial observers that we are here, ready for contact. Whether by flashing a powerful spotlight skyward or broadcasting prime-time television shows into space, these DIY summons have become a quirky subculture within UFO lore.

Light Signals and Mirrors
In the 1980s, amateur skywatchers in Nevada set up giant heliostats-motorized mirrors-to reflect sunlight into the night sky, hoping pilots of alien craft would notice the flicker. Similar "signal mirrors" have been fashioned from compact discs and polished metal plates, aimed at bright stars and the Moon. Reports vary: some claim brief glints returning, others see nothing but reflected city lights.

Radio Broadcasts
Ham radio operators have transmitted everything from children's TV theme songs to college football games on frequencies aimed at the stars. In 1974, the Arecibo message beamed a binary-encoded greeting toward the M13 star cluster. Many contactees believe routine broadcasts-especially pulsed or patterned signals-might pique extraterrestrial curiosity and invite a response.

Group Rituals
Some groups hold "UFO summoning" gatherings at remote ranches or desert sites. Participants shine lasers, chant coded phrases, or perform synchronized light dances-all intended to create an unmistakable beacon. While no mass arrivals have occurred, the shared experience often deepens participants' belief and forges tight-knit communities of skywatchers.

Skepticism and Caution
Critics argue that reflected city lights, aircraft, and lens flares explain most "responses." Radio signals dissipate quickly in space, and the odds of hitting an alien receiver are vanishingly small. Yet even skeptics admit there's value in watching the sky-every flash and blip is a chance to learn, whether it's a satellite, a meteor, or something truly unexplained.

Reflection
Whether or not our signals ever wake distant observers, the act of summoning UFOs reveals our deepest hopes: to connect, to discover, and to know we're not alone. In every flicker of reflected light and every crackle on the radio, we cast our message into the cosmos-waiting for an answer that may arrive in its own mysterious time.