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Number Stations’ Creepy Transmissions page 4
The Enduring Mystery of Numbers Stations
WHAT THE SECRET TRANSMISSIONS MEAN
Fans of the mid-2000s mystery television show “Lost” will be familiar with the concept of a radio station that transmits nothing but a robotic voice reading a string of numbers. But many don’t realize that the show’s writers took inspiration from real-life events. So-called “numbers stations” have existed since World War I and continue broadcasting today. Numbers stations got off to a quiet and inauspicious start when they were first transmitted via Morse code on low and medium radio wave frequencies. But shortwave radio technology soon hit the scene, allowing broadcasts to reach worldwide. Numbers stations followed suit and began broadcasting with human voices. Amateur radio fans took notice. While scanning for transmissions, they’d sometimes encounter bizarre, unexplained broadcasts. After starting with beeps or strange music, a voice recites several digits repeatedly. The messages were in many languages, and some even
used children’s voices, making the mysterious stations even more spooky. So, what does it all mean?
The creepy transmissions are most likely instances of spies working in plain sight. Experts believe intelligence agencies use these stations to send encrypted messages to operatives in other countries. And publicly sending these coded messages worldwide is safer than you think. Intelligence agencies running numbers stations use a mathematically unbreakable coding system called the one-time pad. A one-time pad involves a randomly generated key of numbers that correspond to letters. Since each key is only used once, other intelligence agencies listening to the broadcast will never detect a pattern in the coding and will be unable to decipher the messages.
of the tactic, their use dropped considerably after the fall of the Soviet Union. Still, some stations remain in use, and groups dedicate themselves to tracking their activity. Most number station broadcasts are linked to Eastern European countries like Russia, Poland, and Ukraine, but Egypt, Cuba, and North Korea may also use the system. While the stations are less common, the internet has made it easier to hear the broadcasts than ever. Enthusiasts have cataloged and recorded stations and any curious listener can usually tune in online. You’re unlikely to uncover a mystery, let alone any government secrets — but even adults can have fun pretending to be a spy.
Numbers stations became popular intelligence tools in the 1960s. But since the KGB was one of the biggest fans
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