Subj : Numbers stations
To   : Digital Man
From : Angus McLeod
Date : Sun Aug 14 2005 09:11 pm

  Re: Numbers stations
  By: Digital Man to Angus McLeod on Sun Aug 14 2005 00:01:00

 >  > I'd have to assume that they are intended for reception by
 >  > operatives under deep cover, who can not have any incriminating hardware
 >  > lying about.  You can copy the numbers stations with a simple shortwave
 >  > receiver and a pencil, and then (providing you have the key) decrypt the
 >  > message.
 > 
 > Are show wave receivers cheap? Small? Easy to procure?

A radio capable of receiving shortwave bands (as well as regular 'Medium 
Wave') is available over the counter in most countries.  It wouldn't 
necessarily be incriminating for someone to be found owning such a radio.  
My mother owns one.  Failing that, you can construct very simple, very 
small radios to receive signals on those bands.

 >  > I am surprised that they (Wikipedia) do not consider the complexity 
 >  > of the *receiving* station necessary to copy these transmissions.
 > 
 > Wikipedia is a publicly created/edited site. Anyone (yes, even you) can edit
 > any page at any time. Try it! It's easy. The community makes the content :-)

Yeah, I know, but I've never been motivated to alter the content.

 >  > I am interested in hearing any ideas other DOVE-Netters may have.
 > 
 > Me too. As an out-of-band source of OTP data or other cryptographic uses, it
 > intriguing to me.

I don't know that the numbers stations would be a good *source* of OTP 
data.  If you want to create your own OTP, you need to code up a 
pseudo-random number generator with a very high degree of randomness.  
Algorithms are available on the net.  C code too.  


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