April 23, 2025

This Week in Amateur Radio

North America's Premiere Amateur Radio News Magazine

The robot that captures Cold War radio stations via wi-fi

A desk companion that intercepts and plays encrypted radio communications—once popular during the Cold War era but still in use today.

Small and colorful, Cipherling is a gadget designed for radio enthusiasts. Using a Wi-Fi internet connection, this mini robot can pick up number stations scattered around the world and play their transmissions.

Number stations are encrypted radio broadcasts that have fascinated amateur radio operators, historians, and espionage enthusiasts for decades. Their operation is both simple and mysterious: a synthetic or human voice recites long strings of numbers, letters, or sounds, often accompanied by musical cues. 

Read more – Domus: https://bit.ly/4hZRhJb