William R. Colbert wrote:
>
> I have been following the postings of several people including Jay,W6CJ,
> concerning the numbers stations (recently reported on 10.130). I have
> also heard them on 10.125, 10.115, etc in the 30 meter band, but as Jay
> points out, they are on many freq ranges. If the station is running cw,
> it is probably an A2 type transmission, sometimes if one is on the
> frequency before the start of scheduled transmission, the setup of the
> tones superimposed on the carrier can be heard (and sometimes additional
> voice channels in the background from crosstalk on the phone lines).
> A large number of these transmissions to non-U.S. operatives originate
> just to the south of the continental U.S. And just because the language
> is in German, Polish, Hungarian, or Spanish does not mean it orginates
> in courtries that speak any of those languages.
> One point to remember has been mentioned and that is the amateur
> operation on 30 meters is secondary, all other government, commercial
> type operations would be considered primary. Including the bothersome
> General Pacheco Radio-LOL telephone circuit out of Bueons Aires that
> insists on transmitting on 10.107. The numbers stations will probably
> not be bothered by operations on their freqs as most will be running
> from 10KW to 50 KW, depending on which country, and that is probably
> into a Log Periodic antenna. A significant number of these broadcasts
> contain operational instructions but a large number are practice. The
> practice transmissions are for propagation information. For example, if
> the particular government agency wants to have operatives in a specific
> location, they would do a month of practice transmissions, twice a day,
> twice a week, each on different frequencies (usually with a 2 to 4 Mhz
> separation). The operative would then send the results back as to what
> interference was encountered, how practical the frequencies were for
> the distance used, and other pertinent information. Therefore, if one
> is playing games on the transmit frequency, your new neighbor could be
> the recipient and a problem could occur. With the advent of the multiband
> Radio Shack DX390, 440, and 392 portable receivers, Sangean 803
> receivers and a number of others, the carrying of a portable radio
> does not attract suspicion. The old type such as the Grundig Yacht boy
> series without a bfo or product detector required the AM/AME with A2
> cw. That is less of a requirement now. To keep the suspicious items
> to a minimum, Jay is correct with the type of encryption - primarily
> the crossword type gridded matrix system is used. A commonly agreed
> upon commonly available novel will be the source of the codes and
> instructions are often contained in the trigraph callsign.
> As previously mentioned on the list, the various SLB's(T,F,S,U,K, etc)
> located on 40, 80, 30 and various non-amateur frequencies are used for
> propagation studies by the host country for various communications
> services including their HFDF networks, and although I don't recall
> now, but believe the beacons are also used by the illegal operatives
> to test propagation to/from selected areas.
> So, I hope that will answer some of the questions that have been
> raised here recently. It is probably a prudent move to qsy when
> one of these things appears as it may be on frequency from a few
> minutes to an hour - with no receiver?
> --
> Ray Colbert, W5XE, SOWP 1064M, FISTS 2146
> (also af852@rgfn.epcc.edu)
> El Paso, Texas
-- Ray Colbert, W5XE, SOWP 1064M, FISTS 2146 (also af852@rgfn.epcc.edu) El Paso, Texas
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