Second MOSSAD Voice
This is a copy of The Numbers Racket CD-ROM, which I prepared back in 1998. I am presenting it here, unedited, for historical purposes. Obviously most if not all of the information is 'out of date' today, but think of it as a snapshot of what the Spy Numbers scene was like in the late 1990s.
Like what you see here? Help support my work by taking a look at my software , and buy something of interest :) It's all available for download before purchase, so you can try it out.
Enjoy!
A female voice is used to repeat a three letter phonetic phrase (the identifier), often followed by a number, such as "Papa November Oscar Two". This can go on for hours before a message is sent. The message consists of blocks of phonetic letters. It is not uncommon to hear MOSSAD stations transmit the identifier for hours on end, even if no message is to follow.
A "One" is sent after the identifier (such as "Papa November Oscar One" if no message follows, a "Two" is sent if a message will follow. Extremely rarely, some other number is sent, presumably this indicates a higher priority message follows? It's also not uncommon to hear the identifier sent without any number after it. In this case, a message usually does follow.
It is generally believed that MOSSAD (the Israel Intelligence Service) operates these stations, and they are often referred to as MOSSAD transmissions. Transmitter sites include Israel, and Israeli embassies and consulates, due to the extremely high signal strengths reported by listeners close to such facilities. In fact, one can assume that many number station transmissions occur from embassies and consulates, as this allows nations (especially those without the resources or friendly allies to situate transmitters abroad otherwise) to place transmitters close to the target areas. International law allows countries to communicate using radio from their embassies.
Listeners have reported high strength signals in the vicinity of the Israeli UN mission, as well as the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC. I can often pick up MOSSAD transmissions on the 2 and 3 MHz bands during the late afternoon, while it is still light out. I would think that propagation directly from Israel is extremely unlikely under these conditions. I should also note that at my location, about 75 miles north of Washington DC, I never pick up MOSSAD transmissions with what I would consider strong signal strengths. While not a certainty, this could indicate that the transmissions are coming from somewhere in the area, and that I am in the "skip zone".
MOSSAD uses a network of ordinary people of Jewish decent, called sayanim (meaning "helpers"), who perform tasks for MOSSAD. These can be small yet important tasks, such as arranging car rentals or hotel stays for an operative, all without the operative's real name being used, or any details of their having been in the area recorded. As a rule they are not paid for their work, so it cannot be said that they are doing it for money, but only to "help" Israel.
As with most intelligence agencies, there are MOSSAD officers stationed in every Israeli embassy. Part of their job is to interact with the undercover MOSSAD agents who are not part of the embassy staff, and therefore are more able to go about unnoticed. (I would have to presume that most governments have a good idea of which embassy staff are actually intelligence officers) They may also deal with the local sayanim.
It would appear that the MOSSAD transmissions are meant for either the undercover agents or the sayanim, since the embassy staff would have access to more secure communications channels. Remember, numbers stations may be easily monitored by anyone. Their importance is not that they are secure, but rather that it is not possible to detect who the recipient of a message is. Since it is well known that all embassies house spies, standard methods may be used to communicate encrypted traffic between the intelligence agency and it's diplomatic offices. The numbers stations would be reserved for communicating only with deep cover agents.
Typical transmission:
Echo Zulu India Two (rpt) Message to EZI Message Message Group 22 Group 22 Message of 22 blocks of five letters each Text Text Message follows Kilo Papa Tango Romeo Golf Message Bravo Alpha November Kilo Mike... End Of Message Message finished Repeat Repeat Sometimes the message is repeated Message Message Group 22 Group 22 Message of 22 blocks of five letters each Text Text Message follows Kilo Papa Tango Romeo Golf Message Bravo Alpha November Kilo Mike... End Of Message Message finished End of Transmission That's all folks
The MOSSAD network uses a wide range of frequencies for transmissions. Each frequency is usually used by only one identifier, although some frequencies share several. Transmissions typically take place on the hour, and at 15, 30, and 45 minutes past the hour.
MOSSAD Frequencies:
2270 JSR 2626 FTJ 2743 ULX 2844 YHF 2953 VLB 3090 CIO 3150 PCD 3270 KPA 3417 ART 3640 VLB 3840 YHF 4165 CIO 4270 PCD 4360 CIO 4463 FTJ 4604 ROV 4665 VLB 4780 KPA 4880 ULX 5091 JSR 5170 EZI 5230 SYN 5339 TMS 5437 ART 5530 MIW 5630 SYN 5820 YHF 6370 KPA 6500 PCD 6598 NDP 6658 CIO 6745 MIW 6840 EZI 7445 MIW 7605 SYN 7918 YHF 8464 SYN 8641 KPA 9130 EZI 10352 SYN 10970 MIW 11565 EZI 12950 SYN 13533 EZI 14750 SYN 15980 EZI 17170 SYN 17410 EZI 19715 EZI
There is one voice that is used for most of the broadcasts. However, rarely, a second, slightly different voice is used. Some say it sounds oriental.
The MOSSAD stations are typically well run operations. Sometimes the transmitters seem to go on the air a few minutes early, typically for just a few seconds. Then they go off the air, and back on again at the correct time.
Station Echo Zulu India (ENIGMA E10)
Station Echo Zulu Inida with no message (ENIGMA E10)
An odd case of a four letter identifier being repeated (ENIGMA E10)
Message String (ENIGMA E10)
Here's a case of what are known as 'Message Strings'. These are occasionally sent by MOSSAD
stations, and sometimes repeat for hours or days. Some believe these are either the real
messages, or highly important messages. It has been noted that these are often heard when
there is a crisis in the Middle East that involves Israel.
This is a copy of The Numbers Racket CD-ROM, which I prepared back in 1998. I am presenting it here, unedited, for historical purposes. Obviously most if not all of the information is 'out of date' today, but think of it as a snapshot of what the Spy Numbers scene was like in the late 1990s.
Like what you see here? Help support my work by taking a look at my software , and buy something of interest :) It's all available for download before purchase, so you can try it out.