A ominous radio transmission coming out of Russia nicknamed ‘the Doomsday signal’ has been broadcasting ever since the days of the Soviet Union and the Cold War – but its purpose is still shrouded in mystery as no one has ever been able to crack the code.
The broadcast of a short, monotonous hum at 25 tones per minute coming from behind the Iron Curtain has been running 24/7 for decades, with a voice occasionally interrupting the buzzing signal to transmit a message in Russian.
Known as UVB-76, the eerie signal’s constant coded messages, understood to be used by the Russian military, have stumped experts and amateur sleuths alike.
Believed to have first been broadcast during the mid-70s – more than 50 years ago, the ‘Doomsday signal’ is believed by some to be linked with the outbreak of nuclear war or even a potential alien invasion.
Despite technological advancements placing greater stock in other means of instant communications, it is still thought that the transmission is in military use, with several voice commands heard through the station since Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, in February 2022.
The signal, no matter how consistent, has thrown up some mistakes, or potential red herrings, in the past, though.
Distant chatter and other background noises are sometimes picked up behind the prominent droning, suggesting the buzzing is produced from a device near a live microphone.
Many think that, on November 3, 2001, a conversation in Russian was accidentally picked up by the mic and broadcast in the background.
The brief conversation was unremarkable, with many agreeing the translated words were: “I am 143. Not receiving the generator […] that stuff comes from hardware room.”
Previously, Professor of Electronic & Radio Engineering David Stupples speculated that there is likely an ominous purpose to the codes, if they were to be from from Putin’s government.
“If it is the Russian government, it wouldn’t be for peaceful purposes,’ He speculated. “They may be just reserving the channel for air defence or some form of defence.
“If they don’t actually use it, someone will poach it. They are keeping the channel available by broadcasting and saying ‘this is ours’.”