# Crack the code?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crack-the-code/20708>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [May 28, 2000, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crack-the-code/20708 "2000-05-28T00:09:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JonF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@JonF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JonF)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2000, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crack-the-code/20708/1 "2000-05-28T00:09:30Z")

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I sure seem to recall a Cecil column on this, so I’m posting this here. Maybe it’s a Weird Earl instead …

(The search engine came up with **zero** hits for the word “radio” … ya gotta be kidding!)

Remember those radio stations that just broadcast numbers? Now you can get a large number of them on CD at [The CONET Project](http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/%7Eirdial/conet.htm).

There’s a challenge too … [The Numbers Station Crack Challenge Home Page](http://www.ibmpcug.co.uk/%7Eirdial/crackhome.htm).

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**Author:** ![Kat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b19c9b/32.png) [@Kat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kat)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2000, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crack-the-code/20708/2 "2000-05-28T03:18:21Z")

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Probably this one:

[Who operates those weird “numbers stations” on shortwave radio?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a3_330.html)

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2000, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crack-the-code/20708/3 "2000-05-28T03:23:57Z")

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You may be thinking of Chapter 25 of _Big Secrets_ by William Poundstone, “Secret Radio Frequencies.”

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**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\
**Post date:** [May 28, 2000, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crack-the-code/20708/4 "2000-05-28T03:27:46Z")

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My mistake.