The Mystery Of Number Stations

If you listen to long-range radio, you may have noticed something strange -- every so often, stations that usually only broadcast dead air seem to transmit mysterious series of numbers.

A number station is simply an unidentified shortwave radio station that broadcasts unknown transmissions. Apparently they are illegal to listen to, but because governments won't officially acknowledge them, it would be difficult to enforce this "law."





As mentioned in the video, number stations date back to just after World War II. At that time it would make sense to use this method of communication for encrypted transmissions. However, it doesn't seem to make as much sense to use them in this age. Why not just automate them and have them sent encrypted over the internet?

More recently number stations have begun tramsmitting over VOIP. Furthermore this method of communication would be an ideal backup for someone who couldn't recieve satelite or internet communications. It would also work very well in a post apocalyptic world, where most communications systems were disabled.

How you can listen to number stations?

By purchasing a shortwave radio. I know there are some shortwave radio enthusiasts on these forums. I'm currently looking into buying one myself.

There are actually a ton of resources online that actively record number stations.


www.dxzone.com...
www.archive.org...
home.luna.nl...
priyom.org...

reply to post by v1rtu0s0


Right on, Number Stations!

I really love anything having to do with number stations, especially UVB-76,

From a lonely rusted tower in a forest north of Moscow, a mysterious shortwave radio station transmitted day and night. For at least the decade leading up to 1992, it broadcast almost nothing but beeps; after that, it switched to buzzes, generally between 21 and 34 per minute, each lasting roughly a second—a nasally foghorn blaring through a crackly ether. The signal was said to emanate from the grounds of a voyenni gorodok (mini military city) near the village of Povarovo, and very rarely, perhaps once every few weeks, the monotony was broken by a male voice reciting brief sequences of numbers and words, often strings of Russian names: “Anna, Nikolai, Ivan, Tatyana, Roman.” But the balance of the airtime was filled by a steady, almost maddening, series of inexplicable tones.

www.wired.com...

The really weird thing about UVB-76 is that it is believed to be something held up to a microphone live rather than a recording.

Cool thread topic. Thanks.

X.

"...More recently number stations have begun tramsmitting over VOIP. Furthermore this method of communication would be an ideal backup for someone who couldn't recieve satelite or internet communications..."

If Internet is down, VoIP is down too because technology is using TCP/IP based network.

just to point out.

Awesome post,

This is pretty cool, I have never heard of number stations before. It's been a while since I learned something new on ATS.

Definitely something to look into.

Originally posted by darkorange
"...More recently number stations have begun tramsmitting over VOIP. Furthermore this method of communication would be an ideal backup for someone who couldn't recieve satelite or internet communications..."

If Internet is down, VoIP is down too because technology is using TCP/IP based network.

just to point out.

Badly worded. What I meant was that the radio broadcast communications would be an ideal backup. I was just mentioning that the transmissions were starting to become more modernized by being sent via VOIP.

Cool - never heard of them.

This subject has been discussed many times on ATS. Search "Number Stations" and numerous threads will come up.

It is an interesting subject. While on deployments we used to get fixes on the signals in vicinity of Haifa Israel.

I don't know if you play video games or not but Call of Duty: Black Ops has a campaign storyline that is all about the numbers stations.

These types of video games have become prolific and profound. 'On August 3, 2011, Activision confirmed that the game had sold over 25 million copies worldwide.' - Source Wikipedia

If we are to accept that video games were a medium of propaganda (I'm not saying it's good or bad propaganda, just propaganda) then we should take a moment to consider that 25 million people were exposed to the mystery of number stations when they played through this videogame version of history.

There is in my mind a connection between numbers stations and modern day video games. I don't know how else to describe it except : military industrial complex

But the video game connection mystery obviously holds much more to it. In the video game you play a character by the name of "Alex Mason". MASONIC Conspiracy in video games! You heard it here first.

Radio is fun.

If you buy an HF or shortwave radio you may want to get one that you can connect an external antenna to. The little antenna that comes with will disappoint. Best antenna for shortwave would be a long wire strung up in the trees. Also a good ground connection will improve your results. Get a copper ground rod at home depot, pound it into the ground outside your window, and connect your ground terminal to it with a heavy copper wire.

You may also want to look for one that has the SSB or single side band feature. Many HF stations transmit in SSB (not AM)

Different bands are active at different times.

Locally Vhf and Uhf radio is fun to listen to. You can even tune in the space station going over sometimes on Vhf (2 meters). Cops, fire, trains. All kinds of things to listen to on VHF and Uhf.

For daytime HF radio 10 and 20 meters are active. These are about 14 Mhz and 28Mhz. At night you will hear stations on 40 meters (7 Mhz) and 80 (3.5 Mhz) meters and even longer wavelengths. I hear lots of commercial radio stations around 7 Mhz at night.

To test your radio and antenna try WWV and WWVB 5, 10, 15 , 20 and 25 Mhz. Male voice is Colorado, Female voice is Hawaii.

ive got a eton e5 shortwave radio.. its really good

There are also some great old tube radios out there. I gave my old tube sw radio to one of the scouts in Michigan who was interested in radio. I have a Sangean now. It is ok.

Really though the best one is my Yaseu 857D which is also a transmitter but it will receive almost anything. I just have to change antennas on the car depending on the frequency.

Yaesu 857D

reply to post by kawika


Thanks for the awesome info. This helps alot when narrowing it down to what frequencies to look for.

Thinking of it, though, wouldn't that be a lightning hazard?

reply to post by v1rtu0s0


Yes, lightning will wreck your radio if it gets hit.

They make antenna switches that have a center grounded position. Or just disconnect it when not using it.

Antenna switch

As you gain knowledge and experience consider taking your amateur radio license test. Or contact your local radio club to learn how.

The antenna will make or break the setup. Little antennas just don't work that well.

UVB-76 is big mystery. There was sometimes very long time between transmissions, like 2003-2006 and 2006-2009, and there wasn't any messages heard in 2011. Last was aired on 10th of September 2010.

Its believed that its part of Russia's nuclear defense system, or wide area radar, or research of atmosphere.

Last message was: 27 416 TREKATOR 52 50 10 95 AREOGRAFIYa 18 05 35 23
Audio record

Wow quite interesting, i never heard of number radios.

And did u notice how some movies pointed out about the importance of CB radios in post apocalyptical/wide range disaster scenarios? Like in "die hard 4" (scene: at the warlock basement) or "terminator 3: rise of the machines" (final scene).

Does it have some message?

You guys might be interested in listening to this podcast about these Number stations:
Number stations
this is an mp3 file length 27:42
it is mostly about the Lincolnshire poacher ( a very famous Number station)

also check out Conet project, it has about 4 CDs worth of numbers station recordings which are FREELY AVAILABLE and encouraged to be shared
CONET

enjoy