Easter Egg: Overlook Radio Transmissions

[ColdGlider]

I'm going to have an absolute hell day at work today, thanks to finding an easter egg on the Overlook level in the Reach Beta.  

After spending hours recording the audio, transcribing it, and putting it in order I then found out that others had already done so.  For example, there is this YouTube Video by ZealousSangheili and folks over in this forum are discussing it.

What people may not have noticed is that there are seven separate transmissions.  These are heard at intervals between 30-50 seconds apart while standing near the Bravo generator.  The seven transmissions are played randomly.  Notice the number on the radio's display:  7.070.763.

There is also a trick to hearing the transmissions clearly:  in Theater Mode, position yourself near the Bravo generator using the free-moving camera mode (hit Y twice).  Then let the entire film play to the end of the game.  When it's over, the sound effects will continue and you'll hear one of the seven radio transmissions every 30-50 seconds.  The only thing that will mess you up is your controller timing out... so you may want to move an analog stick a little bit from time to time.

The audio in the YouTube video linked above was apparently edited together from different recordings at different levels and with background noise in many sections (explosions, etc.)  The attached MP3 was made using my end-game trick and was edited down from 15 minutes of straight recording.  I reduced the 30-50 second intervals between transmissions to an even 4 seconds each.  If anyone is interested, I also have a version with the original "dead air" lengths... it's about 5 min. long as opposed to this 1.5 minute edit.  My source recording is a stereo 44.1 kHz WAV file which I converted to this 320 kbps LAME-encoded MP3 using Audacity.

My transcription of the audio follows.  I largely agree with the others out there, but it's tough to make out the first spoken line in Transmisson #1.  "Three Mikes" could be radio code for "three miles", or it could totally be wrong.  Please reply with what you hear differently than me.  Enjoy.


Transmission #1
Blue Delta, this is Dragon X-Ray.  We are on the ground and [three Mikes out?] from the objective, over.
Dragon X-Ray, be advised that you are the only UNSC ground asset in that grid.

Transmission #2
Say again, Blue Delta.  We've got movement due east- that should be Strike Red, over.
That's a negative Dragon X-Ray.  I say again: be advised that you are the only UNSC asset in that area.

Transmission #3
Roger, Blue Delta.  We're picking up that movement again due east.  You got something to soften it up?
You got a location, Dragon X-Ray?

Transmission #4
Grid as follows: Whiskey Delta 1574 1712, over.
I copy Whiskey Delta 1574 1712.

Transmission #5
That is correct.  Request immediate support from any assets on station, over.
Dragon X-Ray, it looks like all I've got available at this time is the UNSC Aegis Fate.

Transmission #6
Blue Delta, is the Aegis Fate wet navy?
Negative, Dragon. She's currently listed as a XO asset- a frigate.

Transmission #7
Whoa! We are less than a click from the target area, Blue Delta.  We ain't that desperate for help.
Understood, Dragon X-Ray.  Give 'em hell out there and good luck.

[Imppa]

Sounds like Three Mikes for me. It could mean "Three miles", since "Mike" means "M" in NATO phonetic alphabet.
This would mean, however, that during the discussion, Dragon X-Ray has moved over 2 miles, since he says in the last part that "We are less than a klick from the target area" (1 klick/kilometre = 0,6 miles). So considering that there aren't really any interruptions, their speed is about 166 km/h (119 mph)!What are they doing, falling from the sky? Droppods, Pelican, who knows?
Of course, there may be some more interruptions, or "Three Mikes" could mean something oh-so-different. Thought that's not what I think.

[Dunder Moose]

Excellent CG.  I had heard those as well while getting shots in overlook.  Mostly useless stuff like mulch bags.  It will be interesting to parse these for clues, maybe to the awaited Reach ARG.

It got me thinking though, you don't think they'd put Seige of Madrigal in a beta do you?

[The Arkaeologist]

This would mean, however, that during the discussion, Dragon X-Ray has moved over 2 miles, since he says in the last part that "We are less than a klick from the target area" (1 klick/kilometre = 0,6 miles). So considering that there aren't really any interruptions, their speed is about 166 km/h (119 mph)!

I guess there are a couple of different ways this could be interpreted, but the impression I get is that "the objective" and "the target area" are two different locations.  En route to the mission objective, Dragon X-Ray in effect creates "the target area" when he asks for air support, which he then refuses when he realizes the only available craft is a frigate and would pose a threat to himself/his team.

And may I just take a moment to praise the voice talent on this.  That "Whoa!" is priceless.

[Imppa]

This would mean, however, that during the discussion, Dragon X-Ray has moved over 2 miles, since he says in the last part that "We are less than a klick from the target area" (1 klick/kilometre = 0,6 miles). So considering that there aren't really any interruptions, their speed is about 166 km/h (119 mph)!

I guess there are a couple of different ways this could be interpreted, but the impression I get is that "the objective" and "the target area" are two different locations.  En route to the mission objective, Dragon X-Ray in effect creates "the target area" when he asks for air support, which he then refuses when he realizes the only available craft is a frigate and would pose a threat to himself/his team.

Ah, I see. I can see the logic.
I thought that he was like "Whoah, we're almost there already, we don't need help from some Navy dudes!"

[The Arkaeologist]

I thought that he was like "Whoah, we're almost there already, we don't need help from some Navy dudes!"

I'm with you and that is certainly possible.  I just didn't want you doing too much of THE HEAVY MATHEMATICS without considering the alternate meaning.