[Spooks] Introduction

[Zack Widup]

Hello,

I just recently joined this group and thought I'd introduce myself.  I've 
been a radio amateur for 37 years and discovered numbers stations over 30 
years ago while prowling the shortwaves.  I've always been interested in 
shortwave listening in general as well as amateur radio and particularly 
in the utility transmissions and other oddities to be found.

I'm currently using a Kenwood TS-850SAT transceiver (one of the finest 
pieces of ham gear ever made, IMO) and various dipoles for different ham 
bands.  I operate mainly CW, RTTY, AMTOR, PSK31, MFSK16, Hellschreiber and 
Throb.  I can decode most of the utility transmissions heard on shortwave.

I am very intrigued by the station referred to as the "slot machine" on 
8588 kHz. I've been listening to that for over a week.  Last night I tuned 
to that frequency at about 0400Z and didn't hear it, but began to hear it 
weakly at 0500Z and even stronger at 0600Z. At 1100Z (about half an hour 
after local sunrise) it is very strong here; by 1300Z it drops to just 
above noise level.

>From my knowledge of propagation on that frequency, I'd guess the station 
is somewhere in the Pacific or maybe even Asia. I'm also guessing that it 
transmits 24 hours a day. Has anyone identified the location?  I'm really 
curious about its purpose and what method of communication it is using.  
I've never heard anything else like it before.

Zack W9SZ
Urbana, IL USA