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13390 - 1910UTC - a sine-wave signal was being transmitted. It was obviously warming up" the transmitter prior to some sort of broadcast. This lasted until 1922 when just the strong carrier signal was left on the air. At 1930
a woman in English started repeating "619" until 1934 when "485, 485, 32, 32" was sent. The woman then sent the five figure groups, ending with "00000".

13775- A woman repeating "Golf Charlie" with electronic tones from 1000-1005, then text for addressee "082". Had "24 und 124 gruppen". Two messages were separate for the same recipient.

Unfortunately, the complete story behind the numbers stations is a mystery. As of the fall of 1991 the KGB was apparently being wound up and a new organisation was being formed to look after the interests of whatever remains of the Soviet Union. The new organisation's purpose is supposedly to protect Soviet interests abroad and, we're told, it will have little to do with phone tapping, spying and all of the other traditional activities of the old KGB. Indeed, the amount of Russian language traffic being sent has markedly decreased.
However, German language transmissions continue undiminished. Why this should be is unclear. Are the old East German agents still spying in the West? If so who is the agency benefiting from their information? Where are the transmitter sites located now, after the sites in the former East Germany were shut down? Are some actually operated by western governments? Trying to find the answers to these and many other questions is practically impossible.
A recent example: 6840 is listed as a BBC "feeder" frequency in various utility station guides. The BBC uses the frequency to send programming from their transmitter site at Daventry, UK, to various receiving sites for rebroadcast. These programs are usually sent using independent sideband (ISB). Indeed, on many occasions in 1991 BBC programs have been heard on this frequency, especially during the Gulf War early in the year. As stated earlier, 6840 is also home to various number stations and on a few occasions I have heard BBC programs mixing with number stations on this frequency. Puzzled as to how the programming could be of any use to the BBC when it was tangled with "EZI 2", Gypsy violin tunes, counting stations and the others that haunt the frequency, I wrote to BBC asking if the number stations caused them any interference. As usual, the reply only deepens the mystery:

"Thank you for your letter regarding our World Service transmissions. 6840 kHz was an ISB feeder used to provide programs for relays prior to inauguration of satellite feeds. We have not used it for many years so have not logged any complaints."
If the BBC hasn't used 6840 for many years then who has been broadcasting BBC programming on that frequency? I doubt that the BBC is involved in the numbers mystery but sometimes strange things have happened regarding international broadcasters and spy stations. On various occasions monitors in the United States have reported Spanish language number transmissions mixing with Radio Havana Cuba programming.
Recently I was convinced that I heard a similar broadcast on 5340 kHz. The German language station which signs on using the Swedish Rhapsody tune was sending its five figure groups as usual one Saturday at 2010. when the station finished sending its traffic at 2023 the carrier was left on for a few minutes. In the background I could faintly hear Russian speech from male and female presenters in the "Mayak" programming style. Mayak is the Russian word for "lighthouse" or "beacon". The programming is usually music and speech, broadcast over practically all of the USSR. When the carrier left the air so did the program.
It cannot be assumed that this number station was sent over Soviet transmitters. Number stations very rarely give up their secrets so easily. That is what makes what to many is a pointless and boring pursuit so fascinating. Yes, there are dull periods but they contrast greatly with the excitement of uncovering a new clue, a new insight as a result of one's monitoring efforts. In its own way, tracking and puzzling out the number stations mystery can be as interesting and rewarding as any other part of the radio hobby.
Much work remains to be done. In Europe, the transmitter sites are unknown and individuals with direction-finding equipment can perhaps shed some light on these. This book has been concerned solely with the European number stations but, around the world, many other broadcasts take place, apart from the numerous transmissions in Spanish. Far Eastern languages such as various Chinese dialects and Korean can be heard. One thing is certain: even after the ending of the cold war, the break up of the Warsaw Pact, the demise of the Stasi and the KGB and all of the other monumental changes in recent years, unknown agencies still find it necessary to transmit random figures over the airwaves.
The numbers continue.

Includes traffic excerpts and clues found in transmission mistakes.