Why can't they track number stations?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mystery of number stations, their purpose, and the reasons why they are not tracked by amateur radio enthusiasts or government agencies. Participants explore the nature of these broadcasts, their historical context, and the technical challenges associated with locating them.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express curiosity about why number stations remain a mystery and question the lack of amateur interest in tracking them.
  • Others provide a brief explanation of number stations as coded radio frequency broadcasts, often associated with espionage, that have persisted since the Cold War.
  • One participant suggests that the nature of these broadcasts makes them difficult to track, as they can be received by anyone with a commercial receiver and are hidden in plain sight.
  • There is a challenge posed regarding the capabilities of agencies like the NSA to track these broadcasts, questioning the evidence for their inability to do so.
  • Some participants wonder if there are technical reasons why amateurs have not successfully located the transmitters of these stations.
  • One participant suggests that the lack of interest from the amateur community may contribute to the continued mystery of number stations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express a mix of curiosity and skepticism regarding the tracking of number stations, with no consensus on the reasons for their continued mystery or the technical challenges involved.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes assumptions about the capabilities of government agencies and the motivations of amateur radio enthusiasts, which remain unresolved. There is also a lack of detailed technical analysis regarding the transmission methods and potential tracking challenges.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in radio communications, espionage history, and the technical aspects of signal tracking may find this discussion relevant.

houlahound
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Or why don't they?

All the mystique around them I would have thought even amateur's would do it for fun.

What/why are they still a mystery?

Or am I missing something?
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
What is a number station?
 
Cant do links but put in YouTube and listen to some. Basically coded RF broadcasts presumably spies that started in the cold war, mostly repetitive. They slowed down a bit after the cold war but very many have never stopped.

I think there are new ones now. Better than the internet because the internet is point to point, easy to locate and monitor.

These stations only need a commercial receiver, everyone and anyone can listen from almost anywhere, perfectly hidden in plain sight.

Of course only the intended receiver knows the presumably once only key code.
Lots of amateur sites publish the frequencies, just google it. Thousands of transmissions are recorded and you can listen to them.
 
The NSA is pretty capable, and very secretive. What evidence do you have that NSA can not track them if they want to?
 
Well govs tend to deny they e ist, even when yoygive them instructions, I asked my fed authority re ham licences and they didn't say much of value.
 
Is there any science or engineering in your question?
 
Yes is there any technical reason why the transmitters have not been exposed by amateurs already.

Seems like a retirement project to do.
 
houlahound said:
Yes is there any technical reason why the transmitters have not been exposed by amateurs already.

probably because we are not interested and don't care about them
 

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