The Buzzer: The mysterious and ghostly radio station that nobody seems to run

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This ghostly Russian radio station has ‘buzzed’ every day since the 1970s.

But no one knows who or what it is broadcasting.

In the middle of a Russian swampland, not far from the city of St Petersburg, is a rectangular iron gate. Beyond its rusted bars is a collection of radio towers, abandoned buildings and power lines bordered by a dry-stone wall. This sinister location is the focus of a mystery which stretches back to the height of the Cold War. The mystery has a name: ‘The Buzzer’, or ‘MDZhB’.

Most believe the Buzzer is a Russian military station. Exactly what it is transmitting, though, is a bit of a mystery.

It may be that the station is transmitting data to spies and military groups around the world. The type of shortwave transmission used is well suited for this.

Others, however, believe it is instead, or also, used for scientific research. A recent paper suggested the frequency was being used to bounce signals off the ionosphere.

Delving into the more unlikely, it has been speculated the station may be a ‘Dead Man’s Switch’ system. In the case of a nuclear attack against Russia, MDZhB would launch an automated counter-strike.

Some have even suggested the whole thing may just be misdirection, as while people focus their attention on decoding the mystery of MDZhB, important communications may be carried out in another manner.

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The Buzzer seems to originate from a swampland near St Petersburg, but no-one knows who is broadcasting it. via BBC

The Buzzer is a shortwave radio station of unknown origin that was first heard in the late 1970s, and was first recorded in 1982.

Its noise has changed slightly over the years, but it has always involved some form of regular buzzing, interrupted by a voice on rare occasions seemingly reading out a message.

The buzzing plays out on a frequency of 4625 kHz, which anyone around the world can tune in to.

The transmission seems to originate from a swampland near St Petersburg, but no-one knows who is broadcasting it.

You can listen to many other mysterious and creepy Numbers Stations here.

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