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Numbers Stations

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Chris Russell

Mon Jun 12 2006, 10:59PM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

For those of you that don't know, numbers stations are mysterious shortwave stations that broadcast streams of seemingly random numbers or letters, typically in groups. These are almost certainly encoded messages being sent to undercover operatives in the field. Some may be related to drug-smuggling or other clandestine operations.

At any rate, thanks to my new radio, I was finally able to catch one of these numbers stations on the air. I thought you guys might be interested in having a listen. This one is known as the Lincolnshire Poacher, and transmits on a number of frequencies, following a predictable schedule. Popular belief holds that this station is operated by MI6 on the island of Cyprus. The station's informal name is derived from the title of the song it plays at the start and end of each transmission, "The Lincolnshire Poacher."

Thoughts? Comments?
] 1150153140_1_FT0_lincolnshire_poacher__intro_group s_and_tune.mp3[/file]
] 1150153140_1_FT0_lincolnshire_poacher__tones_and_m essage.mp3[/file]
]1150153140_1_FT0_lincolnshire_poacher__tune.mp3[/ file]

Avalanche

Mon Jun 12 2006, 11:25PM

Registered Member #103 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:16PM
Location: Derby, UK
Posts: 845

Fascinating stuff. Would this kind of station be a pirate station? How did you find out the name of the station, is there some kind of database somewhere?

Sorry for the noobish questions, ham radio is something that has always fascinated me yet I have never 'got into' it. I went to a hamfest yesterday, so that only fuelled my desire to get into ham radio, but I never know where to start properly.

Edit: I suppose if that signal comes from Cyprus, I should be able to recieve it quite strongly here in the UK... I'll have a go sometime, I just went into the attic and found an old shortwave radio that tunes from 6 to 18Mhz. I guess it's a start

Chris Russell

Mon Jun 12 2006, 11:59PM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

I suppose it is sort of a pirate station. They are not licensed or registered, or even really acknowledged to exist. I'm sure the FCC or any other authorities aren't about to shut them down, though.

At any rate, the name of this station is informal. The listeners have named it because of the tune it uses. There isn't any official name, of course, because officially, it doesn't exist.

I should note that I received these sound clips at 2200 hours UTC, on 6959kHz, on USB (upper sideband). This was the last transmission of the day for this particular station. You can find the complete schedule here:

, which I found to be accurate. The Lincolnshire Poacher transmits on three different frequencies at once, so you may want to check all three if you can. I had a "louder" signal on 10426 and 11545kHz, but both were subject to more noise and fading, and were thus less readable. Good luck!

Michael W.

Tue Jun 13 2006, 12:36AM

Registered Member #50 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 04:07AM
Location: Vernon, B.C, Canada
Posts: 324

I think it said my phone number.......

Chris Russell

Tue Jun 13 2006, 01:11AM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

Here's another one from a different station, on 6840kHz. Presumed to be originating from Israel, for their Mossad intelligence agency. Recorded in USB mode at 0100 UTC.
]1150161093_1_FT11318_e10__mossad.mp3[/file]

Avalanche

Tue Jun 13 2006, 12:35PM

Registered Member #103 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:16PM
Location: Derby, UK
Posts: 845

I've been having a go, but I'm not having much luck really, just picking up loads of interference and strong foreign stations. Lack of digital tuning makes it quite difficult as well.

I was wondering, what kind of antenna is required? My quick setup is 10 meters of wire wound spaciously onto a long piece of 10mm dowel, placed indoors, and I've earthed the radio to a pipe. I guess the whole setup just isn't up to scratch.

Dave Marshall

Tue Jun 13 2006, 12:52PM

Registered Member #16 Joined: Thu Feb 02 2006, 02:22PM
Location: New Wilmington, PA
Posts: 554

Ideally a tuner and dipole antenna would be used. In your case, just stretching the wire out instead of winding it around a form would probably help. By winding it, you introduce alot of inductance, which drastically reduces the effective bandwidth of the antenna.

Stringing the wire out a window to a nearby tree or other support, and adding a variable inductor of some sort to the base of the antenna would probably give you the best bang for the buck.

Alternately you could google for a simple L tuner design that would probably require a 9 position switch, an air variable capacitor, and a homemade inductor.

Whether you just use a loading inductor in the antenna, or build a tuner, you just tune the antenna for the loudest noise/signal, at which point you can assume the impedance of the antenna, and the feedpoint impedance of the radio are pretty close to the same. This will drastically improve the effectiveness of any receiver.

I happen to have an extra tuner, receiver, and computer. I'm thinking about setting up something to record the broadcasts on a specific frequency for several days in a row. It might be interesting to see if anyone on the forum can break the code.

Dave

Avalanche

Tue Jun 13 2006, 08:25PM

Registered Member #103 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:16PM
Location: Derby, UK
Posts: 845

Thanks for the tips. I've found a schematic for an ATU

but first I might just try the inductor.

Anyway, at 2000UTC I received the Lincolnshire Poacher on 9251Khz

My setup is now a cheap pocket shortwave radio, with the 10M piece of wire stretched out between two rooms and clipped onto the radio's built in antenna. The signal was so weak I thought at one point I was just imagining it, but when the tune came on I knew I had it. Had to use headphones though.

I'll have another go tomorrow, hopefully with an improved setup.

Chris Russell

Wed Jun 14 2006, 01:32AM

... not Russel!
Registered Member #1 Joined: Thu Jan 26 2006, 12:18AM
Location: Tempe, Arizona
Posts: 1052

Excellent news! That tune really seals the deal, leaves no doubt as to what you're hearing. Any chance of an audio capture from your next attempt?

I should note that all my attempts so far have just used a 20M hamstick, no tuner. Obviously I would get much better results if I had a longwire antenna handy.

Penguin7471

Wed Jun 14 2006, 05:15AM

Registered Member #71 Joined: Thu Feb 09 2006, 08:23AM
Location:
Posts: 63

Recently I got an old shortwave radio from a friend who had it collecting dust. Actually its got alot of pretty lights and signal meters, lucky I found it before it saw the bin.

Anyway it has a range from 2.5 to 18MHz. I set up a 50m antenna looping from tree to tree outside in the backyard. It is almost impossible to tune for anything because the entire range is completely swamped out by the gazillion chinese stations. EVERY single spot on the dial.

I never knew about numbers stations. Fascinating though.. I'll try and have a listen somenight.

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