Twenty-second edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: Sun, 30 Jan 2000 01:49:43 +0100)

1999 Clandestine activity survey

Clandestine stations are very often jammed by the governments that they oppose. The arrival of a new station opposing Iraq, to name just one, automatically means that the jamming activity increases. It is therefore interesting to know how the clandestine activity is developing. Take a look at the press release that Mathias Kropf sent to me:

1999 Clandestine Activity Survey
Clandestine Activity decreases again

In 1999 the activity of political clandestine stations on shortwave has decreased by 8.7 % to 1116 Weekly Broadcasting Hours (WBHs). This marks the seventh year of decreasing activity in a row. The highest activity since this survey has been published (1986) was 2284 WBHs in 1990.

This year, activity on the Asian continent has decreased by 6.5 % to 819 WBHs, activity to target areas on the American continent has decreased by 7.4 % to 176 WBHs and activity to African target areas has even dropped by 20.3 % to 114 WBHs. Clandestine stations to target areas in Oceania are still active with 7 WBHs.

When compared with 12 months ago, the number of active target areas worldwide has dropped from 19 to 18. While Nigeria and Tajikistan are no longer active, Sri Lanka is shown active for the first time since 1990.

The three most active target areas worldwide are Iraq with 330 WBHs (+38 when compared with last year), Cuba with 162 WBHs (unchanged) and North Korea with 140 WBHs (-98).

*** End of Press Release ***