A SMALL RESEARCH ON CONTEMPORARY ENCRYPTED RADIO TRANSMISSIONS

description of the project

Since the Second World War time until our days the short waves radio band is permanently used for a special type of encrypted transmissions to send messages from „a center“ to „its agent“. Ciphers of those messages are secured to be surely not decrypted by those who are „not authorized“ within minimal period of few decades of nonstop hard working. This way of secret communications is highlighted by an advantage of having none of any special equipment besides an ordinary radio receiver. Not like in the Internet, the receiving of such kind of radio transmissions is not traceable and not recognizable by any interested part. The most serious bad side of this way of communication is of course the radio distortions. This and some other things are the reason why each message is usually transmitted not once but repeated by a certain prescribed procedure (within the same transmission course, during few days, weeks etc).

The project consisted of performing the role of „an agent“, receiving transmissions from „his center“, as well as the role of „an analytical officer from a counter-acting secret services“ which both have resulted into „material part“ of the project.

The material part of the project consists of a set of 11 audio cassettes (90 min each) with magnetic records of actual encrypted radio transmissions in the short waves band, within the period of February 19 - April 1, 1999, accompanying with a detailed report. The report provides a reader with the timetable and actual (not decrypted) texts of the messages, as well as with some conclusions. The report can serve as a material for further possible analytical research.

The idea of the project finds its origin in not expected receiving of an encrypted transmission in Gothenburg, Sweden, December 1998. The text and audio record of that transmission is available.

Igor Savchenko

Boswil, Switzerland, June 1999