The Secret Russian broadcasts in Stranger Things are real
Collectively these broadcasts are known as number stations and many countries operate them. Let’s open that curiosity door…
Like most people who grew up on a diet of 1980’s culture, I am a huge fan of Stranger Things Season 3. At the beginning of Season 3 we find out that Dustin has managed to intercept a top secret radio broadcast, which features a strange coded message in Russian:
The silver cat feeds when blue meets yellow in the west…
Admittedly the Russians probably wouldn’t have been so naive as to broadcast directions to their secret base without some form of encryption, but creepy Russian broadcasts using cryptic code words do actually exist. Collectively these broadcasts are known as number stations, and many countries operate them.
Radio transmission provides a time-tested method of communicating secret messages. The broadcasts themselves can be automated by machine, transmitted from any country, and can penetrate far into enemy territory.
Secret agents, army officials and government agencies can listen in at any time to receive messages from command. All your secret agent needs is a simple radio and a one-time pad…
