Hundred twenty-fourth edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: December 2007)

Utility roundup

Clandestine stations

Mathias Kropf sent me the annual Clandestine Activity Survey:

Press-Release

2007 Clandestine Activity Survey

During the year 2007 the activity of political clandestine stations broadcasting on shortwave has increased by 4.8 % to 1321 Weekly Broadcasting Hours (WBHs). This is way below the record 2384 WBHs measured in 1990, but still up from the all-time low of 1116 WBHs in 1999.

Activity of clandestine stations broadcasting to target areas on the Asian continent has increased by 7.9 % to 939 WBHs and activity to target areas on the American continent has also increased by 11.4 % to 215 WBHs. On the other hand, activity to target areas on the African continent has dropped by 15.2 % to now 167 WBHs.

The three most active target areas worldwide are China with 240 WBHs (+40 when compared with last year), Cuba with 215 WBHs (+22) and North Korea with 196 WBHs (+14).

The number of different target areas active worldwide has dropped sharply from 24 in the previous year to only 18 at the end of 2007. While no new target areas have emerged during the past 12 months, the following target areas that were still active one year ago are now thought to be inactive: Maledives, Libya, Sudan, Uganda, Gambia and Cameroon.

End of Press-Release

Unid station

Heard on 23 and 24-12 by Peter and Ary (both in Holland). Dash on 6878 kHz.

Quite strong. All day long and part of the evening. No idea where it's from.

Pirate beacon report

3449.59	OK
4077.04	MO
4079.30	TMP39 TMP42 TMP64
4089.00	Dasher
4094.30	PA
4096.30	Hexie
4102.20	W
4102.50	A
4111.60	Florida dasher
6700.20	Dasher
8188.80	W
10237.80	Florida dasher
10245.20	Pike dasher
14417.70	New dasher. Power 100Mw, antenna 100 ft end fed wire, battery powered, 90 dashes per minute

11 December report:

OK and MO, both located in the heart of the ice storm, have lost antennas.
PA, located in Arkansas, may not be on the air do to cloudy weather for days.