[Spooks] RE: Spooks Digest, Vol 21, Issue 33

[Mike L]

> Tassixar Loknar wrote:
> 
> > I'm a bit of a newbie here, so forgive me if I'm wrong; how long will
> > Numbers Stations continue to be broadcasted, due to the fact that technology
> > is progressing so quickly that they might become obselete?  What then?
> 
Hi Tassixar,
They've been going for the best part of 100 years, one way or another, and look what's
happened to technology in that time. Not made the slightest difference to HF usage for
number stations other than making them more effective, not less.
What needs to be considered is the fact that all the new "gizmos" such as cellphone,
satphone, email, Wi-Fi, Voip, etc can be traced to both sender and receiver relatively 
easily - by governments - you cannot do that with HF transmissions which could have a 
coverage area containing hundreds of millions of people many of whom will have a simple 
domestic receiver capable of hearing the signal.
What could, and does, change is the politics and therefore the "requirement" to send the 
signals or the costs of maintaining the infrastructure, but they are different issues.
Within the recent past those stations which have ceased transmitting have predominantly  
been as the result of political change, or at least "a perceived change", only history will 
tell.  
 
 Cheers
 Mike L
 ENIGMA 2000