TRACKING THE LINCOLNSHIRE POACHER
BBC RADIO 4
0930 UTC 23 APR 05
Tracking the Lincolnshire Poacher 
Sat 23 Apr, 10:30 - 11:00  30 mins
A wild journey to the outer limits of radio cryptography and espionage as Simon Fanshawe enters the clandestine world of shortwave Number stations.

Are they the mad aural daubings of pirate DJs, an extraordinary and elaborate hoax or are they, as many believe, coded messages broadcast by intelligence services and governments to their agents in the field?

DOWNLOAD THE SHOW HERE: 
Tracking the Lincolnshire Poacher





Number stations in the Newspaper guides.

CRITICS' CHOICE in the FT.
By Martin Hoyle

Today's most intriguing programme is a repeat: Radio 4's Tracking the Lincolnshire Poacher (11.00am) investigates a radio puzzle: the "number stations" caught on short wave, mysterious messages, strange noises, voices reading numbers. . . All untraceable. Surreal, verging on sinister.

Radio choice by Gillian Reynolds
(Daily Telegraph)

Tracking the Lincolnshire Poacher: the Number Stations
Radio 4, 11.00 am

First heard in April 2005, this is a fascinating account by Simon Fanshawe of the strange radio stations you can find on short wave, the ones that put out strings of letters and numbers at the top of every hour. Are they code, intended for spies? No one knows for sure, but they are certainly a perfect method of anonymous one-way communication.

 
I was lucky enough to be invited to take part in the show and here are two photos of my day at the studios. The outside photo is an attempt to receive the Lincs. Poacher in difficult circumstances.  

The station is just about audible above all of the West London interference. 

Three Simons. 
Simon Mason, the producer Simon Hollis and ex-"That's Life" presenter, Simon Fanshawe (seated).


Feature in my work's magazine.