-
Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.
If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!
To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
Where the Meter came from.
The Real Story.
In 1791 the French Academy of Sciences was trying to establish a new unit of measure.
They wanted to create a unit of measure which was 1 ten-millionth of the distance from the Equator to the North Pole.
In 1792 Jean Delambre and Pierre Mechain were dispatched to do the measurements.
When they arrived at the North Pole, they pulled their ship up to the nearest parking meter, so as not to get a ticket.
The explorers were quite exhausted, and tired of their travels, and thoroughly sickened by the thought of several more years traveling the globe measuring oceans, when they already had a perfectly good ocean at home (not to mention the fact that Pierre was starting to get hemorrhoids, and Delambre snored at night, and if they hadn't had old VHS copies of the "Odd Couple" to keep their spirits up, they would have surely killed each other.)
As they plopped a few coins into the parking meter, they leaned against the meter, sharing their gripes and misfortunes.
As Jean stood leaning against the meter, he suddenly took notice of it's fortuitous height!
EUREKA!
The height of the parking meter was PERFECT for their new unit of measure!
They immediately chopped down the parking meter, and sailed back to France.
(First they planted a few flags and claimed the North Pole for France, but some Eskimo women pulled up the flags and made some lovely "French knickers", and so the North Pole never belonged to France... but they did invent French knickers so it didn't turn out all bad. But that's another story.)
On the way back to France they stopped absolutely everywhere, and grabbed every parking meter they could find.
They knew as soon as they changed the measuring, everybody would want a meter, and they could corner the market... so they took them all back to France!
(And that's why, even to this day, you can never find a parking meter where you need one... because they're all in France.)
And this is the true, unadulterated story, of how the Meter came to be.
Attachments
Last edited:
How to prove beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt that the Earth is flat, and not a sphere...
Position, somewhere on the Equator, a stationary reference "beacon" that sends out a signal in all directions -- or, at least - either East or West - with an angular range from North to South ( i.e. - 180 degrees with East / West in center - albeit, only the North 90 degrees will be significant ).
Position, on a ship / airplane, a directional receiver - such that, it can be determined with sufficient accuracy the angle ( relative to the Equator - or, directly behind ship / airplane ) the reference beacon is being detected.
Using a directional transmitter-receiver at both points would be even better.
Make sure that the signal - of whatever type - is of sufficient strength to reach a very long distance - and cannot be "blocked" by anything that might happen to come between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
As the ship / airplane moves away from the beacon, while staying on the equator:
~ If the Earth is a sphere, the signal will be lost soon enough because of the curvature of the earth; however, the angle from reference will never waiver from 0 degrees -- the beacon will always be directly behind the ship / airplane.
~ If the Earth is flat, the signal will be sustained for whatever distance it is capable of being detected; and, the detection angle will increase with the distance between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
Why? Because the ship / airplane will actually be following a circular path over the face of the Earth.
This will only work on the Equator - because, from a perspective regarding the angular part of the above suggested experiment - it is the only lattitude that is supposed to be a continual straight line all the way around the globe. And, that is why - if the results of the latter case are obtained - the Earth cannot possibly be a sphere.
Position, somewhere on the Equator, a stationary reference "beacon" that sends out a signal in all directions -- or, at least - either East or West - with an angular range from North to South ( i.e. - 180 degrees with East / West in center - albeit, only the North 90 degrees will be significant ).
Position, on a ship / airplane, a directional receiver - such that, it can be determined with sufficient accuracy the angle ( relative to the Equator - or, directly behind ship / airplane ) the reference beacon is being detected.
Using a directional transmitter-receiver at both points would be even better.
Make sure that the signal - of whatever type - is of sufficient strength to reach a very long distance - and cannot be "blocked" by anything that might happen to come between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
As the ship / airplane moves away from the beacon, while staying on the equator:
~ If the Earth is a sphere, the signal will be lost soon enough because of the curvature of the earth; however, the angle from reference will never waiver from 0 degrees -- the beacon will always be directly behind the ship / airplane.
~ If the Earth is flat, the signal will be sustained for whatever distance it is capable of being detected; and, the detection angle will increase with the distance between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
Why? Because the ship / airplane will actually be following a circular path over the face of the Earth.
This will only work on the Equator - because, from a perspective regarding the angular part of the above suggested experiment - it is the only lattitude that is supposed to be a continual straight line all the way around the globe. And, that is why - if the results of the latter case are obtained - the Earth cannot possibly be a sphere.
Seems like this topic has been going on for a while, will try to keep an open mind and look into things, but if the earth was flat and with technology why has no one ever filmed the edge of the earth? what is at the edge of the earth? what about the live feed on youtube of the satellite circling the earth?
G
If you mean "the ice wall", then - we have pictures of that. If you mean "an actual [ outer ] edge" of the earth, then - no one has been that far out ( that we know of with certainty ).
Why will the governments of the world not allow "just anyone" to go there to film it?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide picture of the [ whole ] earth from space???
Before I tell you that "it has to be fake" -- I have an open mind -- what youtube live feed are you talking about? ( got a URL? )
Why will the governments of the world not allow "just anyone" to go there to film it?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide picture of the [ whole ] earth from space???
Before I tell you that "it has to be fake" -- I have an open mind
-- what youtube live feed are you talking about? ( got a URL? )
How to prove beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt that the Earth is flat, and not a sphere...
Position, somewhere on the Equator, a stationary reference "beacon" that sends out a signal in all directions -- or, at least - either East or West - with an angular range from North to South ( i.e. - 180 degrees with East / West in center - albeit, only the North 90 degrees will be significant ).
Position, on a ship / airplane, a directional receiver - such that, it can be determined with sufficient accuracy the angle ( relative to the Equator - or, directly behind ship / airplane ) the reference beacon is being detected.
Using a directional transmitter-receiver at both points would be even better.
Make sure that the signal - of whatever type - is of sufficient strength to reach a very long distance - and cannot be "blocked" by anything that might happen to come between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
As the ship / airplane moves away from the beacon, while staying on the equator:
~ If the Earth is a sphere, the signal will be lost soon enough because of the curvature of the earth; however, the angle from reference will never waiver from 0 degrees -- the beacon will always be directly behind the ship / airplane.
~ If the Earth is flat, the signal will be sustained for whatever distance it is capable of being detected; and, the detection angle will increase with the distance between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
Why? Because the ship / airplane will actually be following a circular path over the face of the Earth.
This will only work on the Equator - because, from a perspective regarding the angular part of the above suggested experiment - it is the only lattitude that is supposed to be a continual straight line all the way around the globe. And, that is why - if the results of the latter case are obtained - the Earth cannot possibly be a sphere.
Position, somewhere on the Equator, a stationary reference "beacon" that sends out a signal in all directions -- or, at least - either East or West - with an angular range from North to South ( i.e. - 180 degrees with East / West in center - albeit, only the North 90 degrees will be significant ).
Position, on a ship / airplane, a directional receiver - such that, it can be determined with sufficient accuracy the angle ( relative to the Equator - or, directly behind ship / airplane ) the reference beacon is being detected.
Using a directional transmitter-receiver at both points would be even better.
Make sure that the signal - of whatever type - is of sufficient strength to reach a very long distance - and cannot be "blocked" by anything that might happen to come between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
As the ship / airplane moves away from the beacon, while staying on the equator:
~ If the Earth is a sphere, the signal will be lost soon enough because of the curvature of the earth; however, the angle from reference will never waiver from 0 degrees -- the beacon will always be directly behind the ship / airplane.
~ If the Earth is flat, the signal will be sustained for whatever distance it is capable of being detected; and, the detection angle will increase with the distance between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
Why? Because the ship / airplane will actually be following a circular path over the face of the Earth.
This will only work on the Equator - because, from a perspective regarding the angular part of the above suggested experiment - it is the only lattitude that is supposed to be a continual straight line all the way around the globe. And, that is why - if the results of the latter case are obtained - the Earth cannot possibly be a sphere.
Gary, if you "really" want to use radio wave propagation to prove your point you really ought to know what you are talking about. Get a ham radio operator's license. They come in three levels: technician, general, and extra. I have a general license. To even get a technician license one needs to learn a lot more about radio wave propagation around the sphere of the earth than you can imagine there is to know. That is not meant as a put down. It is a humble statement of fact.
Radio wave propagation science proves a spherical earth far beyond any ability to argue to the contrary. Please study for and get a ham (amateur) radio license. (They cost fourteen dollars and are good for ten years.)(If you pass, I'll even pay for your license fee.)
My reason for BEGGING someone to explain where the meter came from is because it was known long before NASA that the world is a sphere. As almost explained above, in the late 1700's people had calculated the circumference of the earth in the modern era. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metre]
But the circumference of the earth and a heliocentric solar system was known 2000 years ago and is unconditionally proven by the antikythera device.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism
You maintaining of this delusion or intentional deception is not healthy for your soul. You seem relatively intelligent. If you are sincere in your belief please sincerely and humbly ask Messiah Jesus to correct you in His truth and love. You can trust His love to bring you along at your own pace.
If you really know better, I ask you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to pursue the love truth and wisdom of the LORD God Almighty in every part of your life.
Obviously, what you are doing is not honoring to God, but do you really want to be promoting the deceptions of God's enemy?
In either case, ask Jesus, God's one and only human born Son, to come into your life and make you all you can be for God's glory. I promise you will never regret that prayer.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Last edited:
G
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
"Answer me that..."
cognitive dissonance
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
Radio waves may very well reflect off of a physical 'dome' up above. What they have taught us about radio waves 'skipping' off of the atmosphere may or may not be existant...
I do not have the answer to every question. However, I do know one thing "absolutely for sure"...
I have discovered that - a lot of what we were taught in school was "made up" -- it is not real - it does not actually exist. And, most of it falls under the category of 'science'...
Remember:
1 Timothy 6:
[SUP]20[/SUP] O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: [SUP]21[/SUP] Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
This is telling us to avoid "false science" that opposes the truth of the Word of God.
"Don't anyone bother to ask me to prove or explain complex things if you cannot answer the simplest painfully obvious blunt in-your-face things..."
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
The simple things are the things you need to look at - and focus on - and pay attention to - and consider.
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
"Answer me that..."
cognitive dissonance
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
Radio waves may very well reflect off of a physical 'dome' up above. What they have taught us about radio waves 'skipping' off of the atmosphere may or may not be existant...
I do not have the answer to every question. However, I do know one thing "absolutely for sure"...
I have discovered that - a lot of what we were taught in school was "made up" -- it is not real - it does not actually exist. And, most of it falls under the category of 'science'...
Remember:
1 Timothy 6:
[SUP]20[/SUP] O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: [SUP]21[/SUP] Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
This is telling us to avoid "false science" that opposes the truth of the Word of God.
"Don't anyone bother to ask me to prove or explain complex things if you cannot answer the simplest painfully obvious blunt in-your-face things..."
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
The simple things are the things you need to look at - and focus on - and pay attention to - and consider.
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
If you mean "the ice wall", then - we have pictures of that. If you mean "an actual [ outer ] edge" of the earth, then - no one has been that far out ( that we know of with certainty ).
Why will the governments of the world not allow "just anyone" to go there to film it?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide picture of the [ whole ] earth from space???
Before I tell you that "it has to be fake" -- I have an open mind -- what youtube live feed are you talking about? ( got a URL? )
Why will the governments of the world not allow "just anyone" to go there to film it?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide picture of the [ whole ] earth from space???
Before I tell you that "it has to be fake" -- I have an open mind
-- what youtube live feed are you talking about? ( got a URL? )
that would mean the wall of ice would be in all directions since it would be at the edge. what kind of gov can have the power to patrol such a vast area, it's also impossible to see the the whole earth in one picture since the earth is round and you wont be able to see the other side.
here is the live feed from the space station http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzMQza8xZCc
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
"Answer me that..."
cognitive dissonance
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
Radio waves may very well reflect off of a physical 'dome' up above. What they have taught us about radio waves 'skipping' off of the atmosphere may or may not be existant...
I do not have the answer to every question. However, I do know one thing "absolutely for sure"...
I have discovered that - a lot of what we were taught in school was "made up" -- it is not real - it does not actually exist. And, most of it falls under the category of 'science'...
Remember:
1 Timothy 6:
[SUP]20[/SUP] O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: [SUP]21[/SUP] Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
This is telling us to avoid "false science" that opposes the truth of the Word of God.
"Don't anyone bother to ask me to prove or explain complex things if you cannot answer the simplest painfully obvious blunt in-your-face things..."
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
The simple things are the things you need to look at - and focus on - and pay attention to - and consider.
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
"Answer me that..."
cognitive dissonance
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
Radio waves may very well reflect off of a physical 'dome' up above. What they have taught us about radio waves 'skipping' off of the atmosphere may or may not be existant...
I do not have the answer to every question. However, I do know one thing "absolutely for sure"...
I have discovered that - a lot of what we were taught in school was "made up" -- it is not real - it does not actually exist. And, most of it falls under the category of 'science'...
Remember:
1 Timothy 6:
[SUP]20[/SUP] O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: [SUP]21[/SUP] Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen.
This is telling us to avoid "false science" that opposes the truth of the Word of God.
"Don't anyone bother to ask me to prove or explain complex things if you cannot answer the simplest painfully obvious blunt in-your-face things..."
Why has NASA not ever produced an actual unedited bona fide photograph of the [ whole ] earth from space?
The simple things are the things you need to look at - and focus on - and pay attention to - and consider.
Don't let your 'brainwash' training keep you from noticing the painfully obvious in the world around you.
This is the formula to find out the hump in the earth at a given distance this way we can all go out on a lake/ocean and find the curvature of the earth.
There is an Island about 30 miles away so to find how high the hump is you would:
30^2= 900/32,000= .028125 x 5,280 = 148.5 ft
So this means if I were to stand on the shore of the beach on a clear day being about 6 ft tall I should not see anything on the island that is lower than 142.5ft
If there isn't an island we can go on a lake about 5 miles away from a marker
5^2= 25/32,000 =.00078125 x 5,280= 4.125 ft
So if you have a friend 5 miles out on a lake on a boat and you had your head at water height you should not be able to see him if he and the height of the boat is lower than 4.125 feet
Proverbs 1
22. "How long will you simple ones love your simple ways? How long will mockers delight in mockery and fools hate knowledge?
Proverbs 12
15. The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice.
16. A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.
Proverbs 14
7. Stay away from a foolish man, for you will not find knowledge on his lips.
8. The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception.
Proverbs 15
2. The tongue of the wise commends knowledge, but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.
14. The discerning heart seeks knowledge, but the mouth of a fool feeds on folly.
Proverbs 17
12. Better to meet a bear robbed of her cubs than a fool in his folly.
24. A discerning man keeps wisdom in view, but a fool's eyes wander to the ends of the earth.
28. Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue.
Proverbs 18
2. A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.
Proverbs 19
1. Better a poor man whose walk is blameless than a fool whose lips are perverse. (deceitful)
Proverbs 20
3. It is to a man's honor to avoid strife, but every fool is quick to quarrel.
Proverbs 23
9. Do not speak to a fool, for he will scorn the wisdom of your words.
Proverbs 26
4. Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.
5. Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.
Answer a fool according to his folly and you will be like him.
Do not answer a fool according to his folly and he will think himself wise.
This means that you can't win when trying to reason with a fool, or a delusional person, or a troll who knows better.
Proverbs 26
12. Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
Someone who considers himself Biblically superior to others is even worse than a fool.
Someone who considers himself Biblically superior to others is even worse than a fool.
Great view. Thank you for that.
Clearly shows a spherical earth.
But it will make no difference to the FENSers.
The problem is not lack of knowledge. The problem is something wrong in their head. Either they are delusional and can't be reasoned with, or they are emotionally and spiritually deformed and are playing at this for fun.
Alright, I'm really going to try and leave this thread alone again. ;-)
Clearly shows a spherical earth.
But it will make no difference to the FENSers.
The problem is not lack of knowledge. The problem is something wrong in their head. Either they are delusional and can't be reasoned with, or they are emotionally and spiritually deformed and are playing at this for fun.
Alright, I'm really going to try and leave this thread alone again. ;-)
How to prove beyond-a-shadow-of-a-doubt that the Earth is flat, and not a sphere...
Position, somewhere on the Equator, a stationary reference "beacon" that sends out a signal in all directions -- or, at least - either East or West - with an angular range from North to South ( i.e. - 180 degrees with East / West in center - albeit, only the North 90 degrees will be significant ).
Position, on a ship / airplane, a directional receiver - such that, it can be determined with sufficient accuracy the angle ( relative to the Equator - or, directly behind ship / airplane ) the reference beacon is being detected.
Using a directional transmitter-receiver at both points would be even better.
Make sure that the signal - of whatever type - is of sufficient strength to reach a very long distance - and cannot be "blocked" by anything that might happen to come between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
As the ship / airplane moves away from the beacon, while staying on the equator:
~ If the Earth is a sphere, the signal will be lost soon enough because of the curvature of the earth; however, the angle from reference will never waiver from 0 degrees -- the beacon will always be directly behind the ship / airplane.
~ If the Earth is flat, the signal will be sustained for whatever distance it is capable of being detected; and, the detection angle will increase with the distance between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
Why? Because the ship / airplane will actually be following a circular path over the face of the Earth.
This will only work on the Equator - because, from a perspective regarding the angular part of the above suggested experiment - it is the only lattitude that is supposed to be a continual straight line all the way around the globe. And, that is why - if the results of the latter case are obtained - the Earth cannot possibly be a sphere.
Position, somewhere on the Equator, a stationary reference "beacon" that sends out a signal in all directions -- or, at least - either East or West - with an angular range from North to South ( i.e. - 180 degrees with East / West in center - albeit, only the North 90 degrees will be significant ).
Position, on a ship / airplane, a directional receiver - such that, it can be determined with sufficient accuracy the angle ( relative to the Equator - or, directly behind ship / airplane ) the reference beacon is being detected.
Using a directional transmitter-receiver at both points would be even better.
Make sure that the signal - of whatever type - is of sufficient strength to reach a very long distance - and cannot be "blocked" by anything that might happen to come between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
As the ship / airplane moves away from the beacon, while staying on the equator:
~ If the Earth is a sphere, the signal will be lost soon enough because of the curvature of the earth; however, the angle from reference will never waiver from 0 degrees -- the beacon will always be directly behind the ship / airplane.
~ If the Earth is flat, the signal will be sustained for whatever distance it is capable of being detected; and, the detection angle will increase with the distance between the reference beacon and the ship / airplane.
Why? Because the ship / airplane will actually be following a circular path over the face of the Earth.
This will only work on the Equator - because, from a perspective regarding the angular part of the above suggested experiment - it is the only lattitude that is supposed to be a continual straight line all the way around the globe. And, that is why - if the results of the latter case are obtained - the Earth cannot possibly be a sphere.