It helps that we know exactly where to look for it the signal, but I agree it's insane that it's so far away and we can still communicate with it 49 years later. This was launched in 1977, it's running on half-century-old tech and still partly functional. And the main reason it's only partly functional is that we shut down features to save on power.

The Deep Space Network uses 70 meter parabolic antennas, along with multiple 34 meter antennas located in California, Spain, and Canberra Australia. Pointed precisely at the known location of the probe allows the antennas to detect enough of the signal to decode it from the background noise.

It's a testament to both how easy and difficult it is to look out in to space.

Easy, because even the weakest signal travels immense distances, as there is almost nothing to slow it down or stop it.

Difficult, because the only reason we can receive this signal is because we can pinpoint the exact location and frequency of said signal.

There could be aliens sending us messages right now, but buried in the noise of the cosmos. 🤷‍♂️