The Ring and Its GPS Tracker

[Galadriel55]

It's perhaps worth noting that the Ring gives power according to the stature of the holder. Maybe it "gives off electromagnetic waves" in the same proportion. All that Gollum really cares for - except for the Ring - is food. The Ring is a means to get it. Frodo, on the other hand, is quite an Elvish hobbit. He not only knows the Ring's power and history, but he's learned in Elves lore to a certain extent. I'd say his stature is "higher" that Gollum's.

When Sam put on the Ring, it didn't have the same immediate effect as when Frodo put it on. So I can take from this that the Ring's electromagnetism only counts for book-lore, or whatever it is that Frodo has that Sam doesn't.

[Aiwendil]

I've always been under the impression that Sauron's immediate awareness had entirely to do with Frodo's proximity to Mt. Doom and the fires where the Ring was forged. Indeed, I've always assumed that it was the mere act of putting the Ring on while standing before those fires that alerted Sauron. It's clear that the Ring's power becomes stronger and stronger as Frodo approaches the mountain, and it seems to me that this effect is sufficient to explain its maker's heightened awareness.

[Findegil]

I think that there is a big diference between claiming the ring to be yours and the way Frodo claimed it on Mount Doom: Gollum was never ware of what the Ring was when he wore it, neither was Bilbo. Frodo and Sam were aware of the possibilities the Ring would give: Comand over all the other ring beares including Sauron, if you could handle the Ring right (which neither could, but which the Ring made them belive they could).

Now what Frodo did was claiming that he considered himself the master of the Ring not only the bearer. He now at long last was ready to try what Boromir had suggested all that time: Use the Ring against Sauron. He would have lost that fight, but he put that challange up.

Respectfuly
Findegil

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Aiwendil

I've always been under the impression that Sauron's immediate awareness had entirely to do with Frodo's proximity to Mt. Doom and the fires where the Ring was forged. Indeed, I've always assumed that it was the mere act of putting the Ring on while standing before those fires that alerted Sauron. It's clear that the Ring's power becomes stronger and stronger as Frodo approaches the mountain, and it seems to me that this effect is sufficient to explain its maker's heightened awareness.

What about putting it on on Amon Hen?

[mormegil]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

What about putting it on on Amon Hen?

Sauron was aware of somebody wearing the ring but he did not know where immediately unlike when worn in Mount Doom. This would seem to support what Aiwendil said.

[Eruhen]

Re: Gollum, I seem to remember someone (Gandalf, maybe, in The Shadow of the Past?) saying that it had been a long time since Gollum wore the Ring. In the dark under the Mountains, it wasn't needed. I may very well be wrong, though.

[Galadriel55]

That's true as far as I remember. However, we know from TH that Gollum wore it shortly before Bilbo's comming.

[Inziladun]

Originally Posted by Eruhen

Re: Gollum, I seem to remember someone (Gandalf, maybe, in The Shadow of the Past?) saying that it had been a long time since Gollum wore the Ring. In the dark under the Mountains, it wasn't needed. I may very well be wrong, though.

Gandalf did indeed say that to Frodo.

In The Hobbit though, it says:

And still, sometimes [Gollum] put [the Ring] on, when he could not bear to be parted from it any longer, or when he was very, very, hungry, and tired of fish. Then he would creep along dark passages looking for stray goblins. He might even venture into places where the torches were lit....for he would be safe....Only a few hours ago he had worn it, and caught a small goblin-imp.

Riddles In the Dark

Perhaps Gandalf was only guessing about Gollum's use of the Ring. After all it doesn't seem on the face of it that he would have worn it in the caves.

x/d with G55

[Puddleglum]

I think part of the answer is given in RoTK, "The Tower of Cirith Ungol" as Sam crosses the summit of the pass (removing the Ring from his finger as he does so)

His [Sam's] thought turned to the Ring... No sooner had he come in sight of Mount Doom than he was aware of a change in his burden.
As he drew near the great furnaces where, in the deeps of time, it had been shaped and forged, the Ring's power grew...
'He'd spot me, pretty quick, if I put on the Ring now, in Mordor'.

As far as Amon Hen, that was the Numenorean's "Seat of Seeing". The seat, coupled with the Ring, had already combined to let Frodo's gaze carry even to Barad Dur.

While we don't know the specifics of "how" that worked, the fact that it "DID" work, opens the possibility that the combination also allowed Sauron to "look" back. In the event, that took time and Frodo managed to remove the Ring before Sauron's back-trace could be completed.