Number stations = creepy

[scue]

For those that don't know what number stations are here is the wiki article
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_stations

quote:

Numbers stations are shortwave radio stations of uncertain origin. They generally broadcast voices reading streams of numbers, words, or letters (sometimes using a phonetic alphabet).

The voices that can be heard on these stations are often mechanically generated. They are in a wide variety of languages, and the voices are usually women's, though sometimes men's or children's voices are used.

Evidence supports popular assumptions that the broadcasts are channels of communication used to send messages to spies. This has not been publicly acknowledged by any government that may operate a numbers station, but in one case, numbers station espionage has been publicly prosecuted in a United States court.

Numbers stations appear and disappear over time (although some follow regular schedules), and their overall activity has increased slightly since the early 1990s. This increase suggests that as spy-related phenomena, they were not unique to the Cold War.

(cut)

The messages tend to use conscious and sub-conscious implications. An example of a conscious implication would be an organisation telling its spy to "listen for the German girl" (a reference to the Swedish rhapsody number station). A sub-conscious implication would be an organization using the voice of an adult female to make the spy remember what it is he is working for (soldiers in war times, often remember their loved ones back home for example, and use such euphoric memories as motivation to fight, for example).

The use of specific genres may also be an attempt to distract people away from the notion of a number station for being used for espionage purposes. A person hearing strange music and a young girl reading numbers, may pass such a broadcast off as being a child playing around with the radio for example, however the astute listener will notice that such numbers read out identically (much like when you dial the wrong number on the telephone and a machine reads you the number that you incorrectly dialed).

Now this may not sound too frightening. The whole espionage and spy angle is actually very cool. However when you actually hear the broadcasts they are actually VERY disconcerting.

http://irdial.hyperreal.org/the%20co...ady_irdial.mp3
This one always gets to me. All the ambient noise in the background with the crazy moon language lady sends chills up my spine.

They all seem like something out of Silent Hill.

For those interested here are some archives of the recordings:
http://irdial.hyperreal.org/the%20co...ject/disc%201/
http://irdial.hyperreal.org/the%20co...ject/disc%202/
http://irdial.hyperreal.org/the%20co...ject/disc%203/
http://irdial.hyperreal.org/the%20co...ject/disc%204/

I bet a good DJ could do something really interesting with these.

http://irdial.hyperreal.org/the%20co...ody_irdial.mp3

I like.

[lildonkey]

That IS fucking creepy..

[mapleleaf4ever]

meh... not so creepy.

Find a Radio with the Short Wave Bands and you can find the odd number stations smattered all through the Airwaves. I've found them in Spanish, Russian, Chinese and French.

There's a lot of stuff out there on the Radio.

I've been an Amateur Radio Operator for 13 years. :)

[Gunter S]

are u sure that's not more NIN viral marketting

[Gunter S]

could also be preparation for the takeover of the north american continent by communist forces

[Gunter S]

resistance is futile

[·dıesel·]

^^AH wtf! lol

[Guineveire]

this sounds like a topic that would be on Coat to Coast.

Man i miss listening to that radio program. Never have time.

scary yet so intresting

[swytch]

this is awesome. thanks.

[Gunter S]

Originally Posted by Guineveire

this sounds like a topic that would be on Coat to Coast.

Man i miss listening to that radio program. Never have time.

scary yet so intresting

try this www.theedgeam.com

[Guineveire]

wow, thanks!!

[.Promoter]

whats really so creepy about it

[scue]

well I find it more interesting than creepy, but the majority of people that I've seen listen to them, have said they do have a scary vibe. Unless you're just emasculating me then ok, continue.

[Guineveire]

I think its only scary because we dont know much about it.
We're not familiar with it.

[Grapes]

It's not scary because you're in your bedroom in the middle of the day.

If you were in a dark room, say after a power outage, suddenly everything is black and quiet, and then you start hearing noises like this emenating from somewhere around you..

Then it would be scary

[diva]

Dave, let's cuddle and listen to number stations!

[Grapes]

Wow that sounds like a fun Sunday.

[diva]

^ I want dim sum.

[diva]

I just shoved left over sushi in my mouth and felt like puking.

[Grapes]

ewwww

[esoter1c]

This is what I'd hear after doing to much acid.