"Fractenna"
http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/1...eut/index.html

One thing doesn't make sense.

If it was emitting on 121.5 MHz, then why was it first picked-up by a
satellite, as opposed to the dozens of aircraft that would have been passing
overhead in the time before the satellite passed over ?

The Truth !! - as filtered through journalism students sigh.