UVB-76 Broadcasts New Voice Message

Doug52392 writes "Following days of increased activity, the Russian numbers station UVB-76 has sent out a new voice transmission. The transmission, sent out on August 23, 2010 at 9:35AM PST, recited the following in Russian: 'UVB-76, UVB-76 — 93 882 naimina 74 14 35 74 — 9 3 8 8 2 nikolai, anna, ivan, michail, ivan, nikolai, anna, 7, 4, 1, 4, 3, 5, 7, 4' The station, believed to be a part of the former Soviet Union's dead man's switch system, has been continually broadcasting for over twenty years, and its purpose has never been fully explained."

Comments

It is well known where it is

[Sycraft-fu]

The thing is, "where it is," is in Russia. They might object to the US breaking in, rather violently in fact.

Re:It is well known where it is

[mbone]

Russia owns it, Russia operates it, and Russia has a lot of men with guns who will kill you if you get too inquisitive about it.

Re:Location

[Wyatt Earp]

Its Russia. You can't just hike across it to wherever you want.

It'd like a radio transmitter in northern Canada or Alaska, there aren't roads, not many airfields, its going to be out of helicopter range, the weather sucks and for added difficultly, there is an integrated air defense network.

And bears. And wolves, alot of wolves and bears.

Re:Location

[ksandom]

The broadcast is not the bit of interest. It's the thing recieving it that's interesting.

Re:unexplained??

[glwtta]

Assuming they got writers that can write an ending.

Or a middle...

Just a guess, It's a salt.

[N1tr0u5]

You can pick this thing up from anywhere with the right equipment, right?

Re:"Dead man's kill switch"

[leathered]

I agree.. Ionospheric research is the most likely explanation. But..

UVB-76 has been broadcasting for 28 years. That's one hell of a long time to do research. It's also survived the collapse of the Soviet Union, a time of great economic turmoil where you'd expect a project like this to be first for the axe. A transmitter like that is not cheap to run or maintain.
The transmitter is located in the military district of Moscow.
There are two other sites in Russia that are purpose built for Ionosphere research that operate on much higher power, if they have such facilities then why the need for UVB-76?

Still lots of food for thought..