20140830 - Number Stations

Post date: Sep 20, 2014 12:34:06 AM

Simon VK6FSYM sends in this report:

Further to our conversation on F-troop this morning - heres some more information on numbers stations. I've been listening out for them on and off ( mostly off :) for several years with no luck - I was using a very outdated book that I bought in the 90's " the underground frequency guide".

Just recently I dug out the old shortwave radio for some listening to the news, and thought I'd give numbers stations another go - so  I hit the internet and found this site : http://priyom.org

It's got a schedule of all known numbers stations. I've attempted to tune in to several, though the only one I have had luck with is H01, aka the cuban lady.

I know that there was an Australian numbers station " cherry ripe" but this seems to have gone off the air.

I'm also keen to tune into the Russian station UVB-76, though I have not been able to hear anything on 4625Khz there is a site which has a live feed : http://uvb-76.net

My logs as follows : 

18/8/2014 0700UTC 9330Khz Spanish numbers and data.

                 1000UTC 9155Khz Spanish numbers and data.

25/8/2014 1000UTC 9155Khz Spanish numbers and data.

I was quite surprised at how strong the signal was, from what I have heard about numbers stations they were quite elusive, though I was able to hear this station with the antenna retracted on my Sony ICF-SW7600GR ( this was on the 25th) previously, I just extended the antenna with a wire and alligator clip with good results.

I've posted some ( poor quality ) videos on youtube : 

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAbYpHUXBeY

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kz2pfzoRz3E

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NW4QPrdp0vc

Hopefully I can make a better audio recording this week, now that I've wrangled my Zoom H1n mic back from a work colleague :).

There's a lot of info on numbers stations on the internet - and I find it fascinating, it doesn't sound like it though ( who would want to tune into someone reciting numbers over and over?) But I guess its the trying to theorise as to what the stations are actually for.

Feel free to use any of this info on the F-troop page, not sure how useful it is though!

73 - 

Simon VK6FSYM.