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Mysterious Radio Station UVB-76 Goes Offline

leathered writes "Tinfoil hatters around the world are abuzz that UVB-76, the Russian shortwave radio station that has been broadcasting its monotonous tone almost uninterrupted since 1982, has suddenly gone offline. Of course no one knows what the significance of this is, but best brush up on your drills just in case."

77 of 336 comments (clear)

  1. Explanation: by Ethanol-fueled · · Score: 3, Funny
    Wiki:

    Another explanation for the constant buzzer is...radio waves are reflected from ionosphere inhomogeneities. Changes of an ionosphere state can be caused by solar geophysical or seismic events. This method involves comparing a continuous radio transmission which is reflected by the ionosphere with a stable basic generator. The continuously transmitted carrier frequency currently used for this research matches that of the Russian Buzzer (4.625 MHz).

    If the ionosphere can change state from seismic events, why couldn't seismic events be changed through manipulation of the ionosphere? It is indeed possible to control large-scale events with small-scale signals with phenomina such as resonance. What of all of the earthquakes which seem to hit the people we don't like, providing opportunities to rebuild and sieze their resources as part of the growing trend of disaster capitalism, the ultimate way to make money and spread influence without declaring war?

    And why is there no comparison to HAARP in that article?! From the HAARP wiki:

    The High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) is an ionospheric research program jointly funded by the US Air Force, the US Navy, the University of Alaska and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).Its purpose is to analyze the ionosphere and investigate the potential for developing ionospheric enhancement technology for radio communications and surveillance purposes (such as missile detection)...The current working IRI was completed in 2007, and its prime contractor was BAE Advanced Technologies.

    Which is a big, big military industrial comglomerate.

    Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to change the state of my tinfoil hat into a pipe, so I can put some more weed into it and smoke out of it.

    1. Re:Explanation: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I'm hoping like hell this is an attempt at a joke because if it isn't...

      If the ionosphere can change state from seismic events, why couldn't seismic events be changed through manipulation of the ionosphere?

      If the direction of the sun relative to earth can change the amount of light in my bedroom, why couldn't the direction of the sun relative to earth be changed through the action of my light-switch?

      I could possibly tolerate the idea that HAARP could effect the weather, although the system has so many variables that I doubt any controlled effect could be created, but earthquakes? really?

    2. Re:Explanation: by danny_lehman · · Score: 5, Funny

      maybe the guy pushing the button every 1-1.3 seconds figured out he didn't need to..?

    3. Re:Explanation: by Z00L00K · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This signal may well have been a check signal of some kind for various defense services - something like a dead man's grip but now it has been obsoleted. (At least we can hope that it has been)

      As long as there is a carrier there is no real problem. Of course there has had to be other channels too, so this was probably a last resort when/if all other means of communication did break down.

      All related to the M.A.D. doctrine. We can all hope that this is a sign that Russia no longer needs this transmitter because the warheads that were involved are no longer active or are rearranged to a setup where this is no longer necessary or useful.

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    4. Re:Explanation: by Belial6 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      If it was M.A.D. and it wasn't no longer needed, we would probably already know. So, sleep easy tonight.

    5. Re:Explanation: by AHuxley · · Score: 4, Funny

      Yes, just like Project ELF for extremely low frequency communication with US submarines, tech moves on.
      Great, useful, in place for years and then superseded.
      Or the lack of a signal and a change to a numbers station means KGB and FSB sleepers are digging out their weapons caches ready for a Red Dawn :)
      Somewhere in the depths of Bolling Air Force Base a DIA nerd is searching scanned East Bloc documents for any hint to signal changes.
      Did the CIA buy the right documents back at the end of the cold war and will the DIA worker find them in time.

      --
      Domestic spying is now "Benign Information Gathering"
    6. Re:Explanation: by inKubus · · Score: 3, Interesting

      This reminds me a lot of my monitoring systems for servers. Of course, I use an active check for most stuff, but there are also passive checks that listen for a SNMP trap. Probably that's what this is. There's something important that someone wants to monitor. When it drops out, probably the monitoring device starts recording the message. We have something similar in the U.S. called the Emergency Broadcasting System. Interestingly, the EBS uses a non-automated system (at least it did when I was in radio). So basically you receive a signal from your upstream provider and then you send it out to your downstream people, and then whatever payload there is you send out on the air. It's all manual, the operator in the control room has to know how to do it. This sounds like something similar. The odd thing is the constant carrier. That can get expensive. So it must be something really important, or they use it for other calibrations or orientations.

      Obviously, it could be a spy thing also, it wouldn't be surprising at all. If it's stopped, it's not a big of a problem as if there were a lot of messages ;) Anyway, rest assured the NSA is hard at work and knows much more than you.

      --
      Cool! Amazing Toys.
    7. Re:Explanation: by Z00L00K · · Score: 4, Interesting

      If you like some ELF and history I suggest that you go here: SK6SAQ

      --
      If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker would destroy civilization.
    8. Re:Explanation: by pcolaman · · Score: 2, Funny

      You kids need to stop playing that fucking World of Warcraft game. There are no such thing as Elfs, whether they be night or blood varieties. But Orcs, as we all know, are real.

    9. Re:Explanation: by w0mprat · · Score: 3, Funny

      I could haarp on about this all day.

      --
      After logging in slashdot still does not take you back to the page you were on. It's been that way for 20 years.
    10. Re:Explanation: by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2, Funny

      This signal may well have been a check signal of some kind for various defense services

      If you had been listening back in 1982, just before the tone started, you would have heard, in Russian, "This is a test. This is only a test..."

      It just takes them a long time to test over there.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    11. Re:Explanation: by lorg · · Score: 4, Funny

      ... not to mention trolls. Those guys are everywhere.

    12. Re:Explanation: by sharkey · · Score: 2, Funny
      --

      --
      "Outlook not so good." That magic 8-ball knows everything! I'll ask about Exchange Server next.
  2. The reason by girlintraining · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's a conspiracy! Damn them! This means something, but WHAT COULD IT MEAN?

    "Maintenance"

    --
    #fuckbeta #iamslashdot #dicemustdie
    1. Re:The reason by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      Funny, maybe, but not insightful. Of course, the station has undergone regular maintenance over its decades of service. The pattern of decreased power (but not cessation of the signal) is well documented.

    2. Re:The reason by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 2, Insightful

      It's funny because you conspiracy nuts think it means anything. "Oh no, a station that is easily monitored and does nothing useful went off the air! It clearly must be the precursor to something evil!"

      How about no.

    3. Re:The reason by jabithew · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I have an alternate conspiracy. I reckon they're doing it for a laugh. Every now and then they stop it and broadcast gibberish, just to see what the reaction is. That sounds like the Russians I know.

      --
      All intents and purposes. Not intensive purposes.
    4. Re:The reason by leonardluen · · Score: 2, Insightful

      i am not normally a conspiracy nut...but to be fair would a conspiracy nut realize they are one?...but i find it hard to believe that this station, which was on the air for nearly 30 years, and was undergoing regular maintenance (as detectable by the drop in transmitting power at regular intervals) wasn't serving some purpose. now do i think it was serving some evil purpose? probably not, but it appears someone was spending a significant time/effort/resources to keep this station on the air for about 30 years. so was this station useless? i doubt it, it very much must have been serving some sort of purpose to justify the expense of running it. so what was it doing? i don't know...its possible it could simply be doing some monitoring of remote equipment and they now have a data line connecting the equipment, or setup some microwave transmitters so no longer need the station.

    5. Re:The reason by melikamp · · Score: 3, Funny

      I grew up in Moscow, and I agree. This thing reminds me of the Diablo II chat gem.

  3. Article Quality. by cosm · · Score: 5, Insightful

    So the main article comes from a discussion board on a conspira-blog-forum. And the description of the station in question is from Wikipedia, followed by a YouTube video in the third link. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not questioning the journalistic capabilities of the submitters, but holy-jumping-jeebus can we get an article with some legitimate [CITATION NEEDED] please. Perhaps this one was a tongue-in-cheek submission facetiously posted for the TFH crowd.

    --
    'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
    1. Re:Article Quality. by Ethanol-fueled · · Score: 2, Funny

      Even the venerable Cryprome implicitly endorses a conspira-wiki.

    2. Re:Article Quality. by binarylarry · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Remember, just because you're a paranoid psychotic nut job crank doesn't mean there isn't a conspiracy.

      --
      Mod me down, my New Earth Global Warmingist friends!
    3. Re:Article Quality. by gad_zuki! · · Score: 5, Funny

      >but holy-jumping-jeebus can we get an article with some legitimate [CITATION NEEDED] please.

      In the 1980s the US was eager to test the resolve of the Soviet's glasnost policy of open relations with the West. A drunken Caspar Weinberger, the current Secretary of Defense, decided to ask the Soviets to work closely with experimental music artist Brian Eno after reading an article about him in the Post. Brian was supplied with the best drugs Iran/Contra could supply. After months of negotiations and late night stoner brain-storming sessions, Brian finally got the approval for his epic 10,000 year song which is to be broadcast by the Russians. The break from today was simply the start of the chorus.

      Shortly after the Soviets got revenge by allowing Yakov Smirfnoff passage into the US and then "losing" his paperwork for return.

    4. Re:Article Quality. by Vahokif · · Score: 4, Informative

      You never know, the Russian Woodpecker signal turned out to be a nuclear launch detection radar in Chernobyl.

    5. Re:Article Quality. by prionic6 · · Score: 2, Informative

      Sounds a bit like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_Slow_As_Possible

      Basically, it is a short piece of music that is to be played as slow as possible. In the church where it is played, it is expected to last more then 600 years. Ironically, it started with a pause of 17 months.

  4. They're changing the format by Renderer+of+Evil · · Score: 5, Funny

    Russian media says the station is switching to soft rock.

    1. Re:They're changing the format by jimmydevice · · Score: 5, Funny

      UVB-76 AM 4625 THE BUZZ! THE BEST BUZZ ALL THE TIME, SINCE 1982!!!

      28 Years is a hell of a long time to be stunting.

    2. Re:They're changing the format by cosm · · Score: 5, Funny

      Russian media says the station is switching to soft rock.

      It would be redundant. The uncreative repetition of top 40's these days is no different than "a buzzing sound that lasts 0.8 seconds, pausing for 1–1.3 seconds, and repeating 21–34 times per minute". Mainstream must all wear tinfoil hats, because they already took a page out of UVB-76's book.

      --
      'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
  5. It's back up by jimmydevice · · Score: 4, Informative

    I dialed into 4625 KHz and I can hear the buzz, Guess it was just a maintenance down-period.

    1. Re:It's back up by jimmydevice · · Score: 2, Informative

      My fat fingers, also it's gone again.

      Stupid IU!

    2. Re:It's back up by MichaelSmith · · Score: 5, Funny

      Its been slashdotted.

    3. Re:It's back up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I just listened to 4625 kHz in Southern Finland with my portable shortwave receiver. I've heard the buzz signal earlier while scanning the frequencies but didn't really pay any attention to it. The signal is still there today, but they might have switched on SSB modulation, since it was much clearer when the radio was in SSB mode.

    4. Re:It's back up by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

      One interesting fact about UVB-76 is that the signal is broadcast through a microphone. At times other noises or conversations can be heard in the background. This would tend to imply that the signal is for monitoring something that makes that noise.

  6. Re:Heard about this on 4chan by cosm · · Score: 4, Funny

    Heard about this on 4chan's science board

    Current events research. Your doing it wrong.

    --
    'We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.' RPF
  7. Re:Heard about this on 4chan by game+kid · · Score: 5, Funny

    Your doing it wrong.

    ...

    --
    You can hold down the "B" button for continuous firing.
  8. Boxer Rebellion by Itninja · · Score: 2, Funny

    I man stepped into the boxing ring
    His name was Sock'em Dazer
    He took a look around and said...
    Where's my Occam's Razor?

    --
    I judt got a nre Kinesis keybiartf so please excusr ant egregiou typos.
    1. Re:Boxer Rebellion by Dr.+Eggman · · Score: 5, Funny

      Burma-Shave

      --
      Demented But Determined.
  9. A week or so after last episode of Lost? by feepness · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I think this is pretty obvious.

  10. Don't worry... by n3umh · · Score: 5, Interesting

    There's still a freaky buzz on 4644kHz. And there's something that sounds like a movie ray gun on 4666.
    FOUR SIX SIX SIX
    Plenty of freaky shortwave left...

    1. Re:Don't worry... by Tablizer · · Score: 2, Funny

      At 666kHz I can hear Dick Cheney breathing.
           

  11. Re:ID4 by jbell730 · · Score: 2, Funny

    No, calm down, I'm sure it's got something to do with those pesky aliens.

  12. Re:ID4 by Concerned+Onlooker · · Score: 2, Informative
    Oh yes, it does...

    Transmission at Outpost 79

    --
    http://www.rootstrikers.org/
  13. Re:Heard about this on 4chan by _Sprocket_ · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, no... that's spelled correctly in the native language of 4chan.

  14. Doomsday machine by PatPending · · Score: 2, Funny

    [discussing the Doomsday machine]

    President Merkin Muffley: How is it possible for this thing to be triggered automatically and at the same time impossible to untrigger?

    Dr. Strangelove: Mr. President, it is not only possible, it is essential. That is the whole idea of this machine, you know. Deterrence is the art of producing in the mind of the enemy... the FEAR to attack. And so, because of the automated and irrevocable decision-making process which rules out human meddling, the Doomsday machine is terrifying and simple to understand... and completely credible and convincing.

    --
    What one fool can do, another can. (Ancient Simian Proverb)
  15. Listen to the last words transmitted by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

    If anyone here can understand German, take a listen and report back what it says!

    http://media.abovetopsecret.com/media/6950/UVB-76_06052010_2030_MP3/

    Fast-forward to the end... sounds like a news broadcast to me.

  16. Maybe by NotQuiteReal · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe someone just opened the electric bill...

    --
    This issue is a bit more complicated than you think.
  17. Meanwhile...in no longer Soviet Russia... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    "So we cut the power to that computer over in the corner. What was it doing, no-longer Comrade..."

    "I don't know, fellow Capitalist, the guy who put it in drank himself to death"

    "Ah, nothing important then I'm sure"

  18. Re: At least WWV is still on the air by Black+Parrot · · Score: 4, Funny

    WWV? Did I miss WWIII and WWIV?

    Guess that's what happens when you spend too much time on Slashdot.

    --
    Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
  19. Re:Any confirmation on this? by Lije+Baley · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Come now, not a single hunk of wire laying around, no gutters, no bedsprings?

    --
    Strange things are afoot at the Circle-K.
  20. Actually it usually does by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 5, Insightful

    For one thing, you'll notice that the conspiracy nuts are, well, always wrong. They have an abysmal track record throughout history and in modern times. Well, with a trend like that, it is pretty safe to say that they'll continue to be wrong. Same sort of thing with any crackpot thing that has been wrong time and time again. I mean just because ESP has failed every test doesn't prove beyond any and all doubt that it doesn't exist in some form... But it gives really strong evidence of that fact, and thus makes it pretty safe to say that indeed it's BS.

    The other thing is that the people who are in to conspiracies seem to have extremely poor logic skills. They ignore obvious evidence, jump at tenuous connections, straight out make shit up, and place more faith in that which can't be proven than that which can. As such, the conclusions they draw are very likely wrong. When you use a bad logical process, your conclusion usually isn't right. That's just how things go. The scientific method, logical principles, and so on aren't random. It is the stuff that works reliably for separating truth from fiction. So when you fail to use it, well your results are probably incorrect.

    So yes, just because you are a paranoid, psychotic nut job who thinks there's a conspiracy probably DOES mean there isn't a conspiracy. If you bet against them, you'd make plenty of money.

    1. Re:Actually it usually does by B1oodAnge1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      So yes, just because you are a paranoid, psychotic nut job who thinks there's a conspiracy probably DOES mean there isn't a conspiracy. If you bet against them, you'd make plenty of money.

      Spoken like a true conspirator.

      --
      RUGBYRUGBYRUGBY
    2. Re:Actually it usually does by Sycraft-fu · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Has nothing to do with profit motive, just simple statistics. Supposing you could find a place that would give you even money on conspiracy theories, well you'd make a ton betting against them. Reason is because they are wrong all the time. It is just a way to illustrate the extremely bad track record.

      One of my favourite recent ones was that the US was cutting communications lines to Iran in preparation for an invasion due to the opening of the Oil Bourse. The media noticed that undersea cables were getting cut and reported on it, without reporting that this happens all the time and there are ships who do nothing but fix cable breaks. The conspiracy theorists on /. came out of the woodwork and said that this was a precursor to attack (the cuts were happening in the Mediterranean) and it was a "sure thing" that the US would invade shortly.

      Well, of course, that didn't happen. The cuts were repaired, life went on, and cables continue to get cut by various sources (careless ships, natural phenomena, etc) all the time and the media pays it no mind.

      It was a completely ridiculous theory, with no good evidence, yet it was a "fact" to the nuts, until it didn't happen. They of course never came out and admitted error or anything.

      So sorry, but you aren't convincing me by making vague references to "disinformation". Simple fact is that conspiracy nuts suck at logic. Their track record is abysmal. Thus, when they make a claim, my default position is to assume it is wrong.

    3. Re:Actually it usually does by takev · · Score: 4, Funny

      I real conspiracy theorist would say that the reason the US didn't invade right then was because they were exposed by slashdot and others and therefore aborted the invasion. In fact all those theories that didn't actually come true was all because of the theorists, so be happy that they exist.

    4. Re:Actually it usually does by BikeHelmet · · Score: 5, Insightful

      For one thing, you'll notice that the conspiracy nuts are, well, always wrong. They have an abysmal track record throughout history and in modern times.

      That's because they aren't remembered as conspiracy nuts once they prove their case.

      And the ones that are nutty get a whole lot more attention.

    5. Re:Actually it usually does by w0mprat · · Score: 2, Interesting

      It's a fallacious argument to assert that just because one has been wrong before one is therefore wrong now, without addressing the actual facts of the argument. It's a common tactic that cranks use themselves.

      Another nut job fallacy is.. Absence of evidence is not proof of absence. Well we've all heard that one. In reality absence of evidence is indeed evidence of absence. Is it not that lack of evidence one was at the murder scene is indeed evidence one is not guilty?

      Oh and I do love the saying "correlation is not causation" often said here, which is where crackpot anti-logic spills over into the /. group think. Correlation is in fact a prerequisite of causation, certainly a lack of correlation is evidence against causation? Once possible correlations are eliminated this way, whatever remains is the best hypothesis.

      I love the argument skills of crackpot conspiracy theorists almost as much as the wild stories themselves. Logical fallacies are underrated.

      --
      After logging in slashdot still does not take you back to the page you were on. It's been that way for 20 years.
    6. Re:Actually it usually does by Jah-Wren+Ryel · · Score: 3, Interesting

      For one thing, you'll notice that the conspiracy nuts are, well, always wrong.

      That's only because when a conspiracy is proven its no longer considered to be in the realm of "conspiracy nuts."

      I'm sure there are hundreds like that, I can think of a few off the top of my head - COINTELPRO, Watergate, Iran-Contra. Tuskegee experiments, Greek Wiretapping Scandal.

      --
      When information is power, privacy is freedom.
    7. Re:Actually it usually does by dave420 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Nearly all of the "conspiracy theorists" I've spoken to online (including on Above Top Secret) aren't actually conspiracy theorists (akin to investigative journalists of days gone by), but seem to actually be paranoid fantasists. They don't have, or seem to require, actual evidence of a conspiracy before they will accept it as fact, and get rather upset if others don't believe it too.

    8. Re:Actually it usually does by drinkypoo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      For one thing, you'll notice that the conspiracy nuts are, well, always wrong.

      That is a gross misrepresentation of the truth.

      The other thing is that the people who are in to conspiracies seem to have extremely poor logic skills.

      Not as poor as your logic skills:

      So yes, just because you are a paranoid, psychotic nut job who thinks there's a conspiracy probably DOES mean there isn't a conspiracy

      You appear to assert overall that because some people who think that there are conspiracies are paranoid and/or psychotic (nice ad hominem added on) that everyone who asserts their existence is a "nut job" but the truth is very much the opposite. If you think that numerous conspiracies that affect you are not in progress right now, you are forgetting the lessons of history. Our government has proven vulnerable to conspiracy time and time again. The best part of that statement is hat there's no nation in the world where you can't use it. Remember, if two people get together to bone one more person out of something, it's a conspiracy. But vast conspiracies have been uncovered time and time again. Skepticism is one thing, but you're engaging in a willful type of blindness, a kind of deliberate obtuseness which transcends into pure foolishness.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    9. Re:Actually it usually does by hairyfeet · · Score: 3, Informative

      Don't forget the biggest one, the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which was used to escalate our involvement in Vietnam and led to 50k Americans dead, and of course now turned out to be total bullshit.

      As for TFA it is probably just another form of numbers station, which aren't exactly big secrets. Hell I used to listen to them with my grandfather on his big Korean War military radio (I need to find some tubes for that old thing and break it out) and according to him it was pretty common knowledge those were for spy communication. It was one of those things that nobody with high enough clearance would confirm, but he would laugh and say it was one of those "We don't know WHAT that is, wink wink" kind of deals.

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    10. Re:Actually it usually does by Cl1mh4224rd · · Score: 2, Insightful

      No, the simple fact is that MOST people suck at logic. When ANYone makes a claim, you should definitely assume it's wrong because most people are complete morons.

      You're not helping your case at all; you understand that, right?

      --
      People will pass up steak once a week, for crap every day.
    11. Re:Actually it usually does by CAIMLAS · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Yep. Hit this one on the head.

      Something I think the so called "conspiracy theorists are nuts" mentality is hurting is America's ability to accept evidence of boring conspiracies, or to not think much of them when they come out. So-and-so embezzled a million bucks with custom software? Meh. Such-and-such company has been stealing from the population for decades? Meh. The NSA/FBI/ATF/IRS/whatever has been with their funding that's illegal? Meh. Oh, but if there was evidence that the government has puppet Presidents, or something like that... people would be interested.

      --
      ~/ssh slashdot.org ssh: connect to host slashdot.org port 22: too many beers
    12. Re:Actually it usually does by pev · · Score: 2, Funny

      Any conspiracy that can be proven is a pretty rubbish conspiracy - it's in their nature that they need to be denyable! :-D

  21. No satellite imagery? by TheChicGeek · · Score: 2, Informative

    The last sentence on http://sites.google.com/site/stationuvb76 states: "As of January 17, 2010 at the latest many available map viewing services that provide satellite imagery have the UVB-76 station darkened or removed entirely. Of interest to note is the fact that seemingly unrelated buildings in close proximity are also blacked out." I cannot find any verification yet, however. Weird.

    1. Re:No satellite imagery? by omni123 · · Score: 3, Informative
      http://maps.google.com/maps?t=h&q=56.082778,37.089444(UVB-76)&ie=UTF8&ll=56.081568,37.089972&spn=0.014464,0.045404&z=15

      it's missing on Google Maps right now... that's actually pretty interesting. I'm not really the conspiracy type but definitely interesting.

      Bing has aerial photography that isn't really helpful..
      http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&cp=56.082778~37.089444&style=h&lvl=15&sp=Point.56.082778_37.089444_UVB-76___

      More sources at http://toolserver.org/~geohack/geohack.php?pagename=UVB-76&params=56_4_58_N_37_5_22_E_type:landmark_region:RU

    2. Re:No satellite imagery? by MillionthMonkey · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Wow... God is in on this too.

    3. Re:No satellite imagery? by jones_supa · · Score: 2, Interesting

      I noticed it too. Abovetopsecret had this station information link posted which has a Google Maps thingy embedded. Mostly black when you zoom in, some faint borders can be seen though.

  22. Re:It's no mystery by dgatwood · · Score: 5, Informative

    Chances are, it's a power failure. The area reportedly had a significant storm yesterday. It's possible that the power failed and that they didn't have enough fuel or battery capacity or whatever to keep it running during an extended outage. That would also neatly explain why it reportedly came back and has reportedly died again.

    --

    Check out my sci-fi/humor trilogy at PatriotsBooks.

  23. Ionosperic sounder by flyingfsck · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This is clearly an ionospheric sounder, same as the numbers stations. These things are used during communications planning for a military exercise.

    --
    Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
  24. Well, at least this one is still up. . . by Fantastic+Lad · · Score: 3, Funny

    http://www.khaaan.com/

    I've lost track; how many years has Kirk been yodeling into the ether like that?

    -FL

  25. It's all Sealab by antifoidulus · · Score: 2, Funny

    maybe Sealab really blew up for good this time.

  26. Spooky by aceofspades1217 · · Score: 3, Funny

    This is pretty spooky, I mean the conspiracy theories are kind of warranted considering this station's eerie history.

    Someone must have been funding a station that has lasted since 1982 and is powerful to be heard world wide. I have done a little bit of amateur radio and I know that in order to do that you need some serious power, a huge antenna, and quite a bit of constant maintenance. It is definitely not a stretch to think that this station was/is run by the Russian Government as at the very minimum for some sort of testing or maybe as an emergency broadcasting system during a disaster.

    However, I really doubt its part of the Dead Hand system. I would think they would use something more secure if the dead hand system was under automatic control. If there is any possibility that it is part of the Dead Hand system than the Dead Hand system is certainly a system that requires some sort of human intervention due to possibilities of interference, false positives, or someone over riding the system to send a the activation codes.

    Just my 2 cents, I am certainly no conspiracy theorist but it is always fun to think about the possibilities. There is plenty of stuff that we simply don't know about; however, I do hope that the some of the theories are real because than at least I would know that our government has a high enough level of competence to actually keep fool us in a significant way.

  27. Message finished by Aladrin · · Score: 2, Funny

    Maybe they finally finished typing out the message in morse code?

    I hear the translation was something like:

    Hi Mom! The camp counselors insist we learn to use ham radio to communicate with you. Hope this reaches you before you die. Love, Junior.

    --
    "If you make people think they're thinking, they'll love you; But if you really make them think, they'll hate you." - DM
  28. I hate the editors by guyminuslife · · Score: 3, Funny

    Before I read this, I had no idea this thing existed.

    Now, I am consumed with an overwhelming need to discover the reason for this transmission. I will not be able to rest until I have discovered the secret. This transmission is now the most important thing in my life.

    DAMN YOU!

    --
    I don't believe in time. It's a grand conspiracy designed to sell watches.
  29. "offline" by N7DR · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Radio transmitters do not go "offline". They go "off the air".

  30. Let's test it! by tomhudson · · Score: 2, Funny

    Lesson: Whenever a poster says "Mark my words" in bold type, there's absolutely no chance that he'll admit that he's wrong when events don't go his way.

    Mark my words, somebody will click on this link and regret it.

  31. Obviously... by stalky14 · · Score: 2, Funny

    They were bought by ClearChannel. They will return as a Classic Rock station playing Hotel California and Stairway To Heaven seven times a day.

  32. Public Transport Conspiracy by manaway · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Also don't forget the American streetcar scandal, in which several corporations--including GM, Firestone, and Standard Oil (now Chevron/Exxon?)--were convicted in court of conspiracy. Ever wonder why you jump in your 2000+ pound car to travel in the US while pumping out greenhouse emissions, when Europe has trains and trolleys? It's because of a conspiracy.

    Also, it could be that the UVB-76 buzzer was designed to make people wonder what it did, to make big goofs write comments on slashdot /*looks at self*/, instead of pursuing more useful inquiries. Kind of like the slow release of JFK shooting materials to occupy those particular, uhhh, conspiracy theorists.