Number Channel on Wireless Phone??

A couple of weeks ago, I was phoning my friend sitting by the computer on a wireless home phone. (Not a cell phone) I was about to start dialing when I heard this women's voice saying a strand of numbers. It was a very mono-tone and almost robotic voice. She sounded to be about 25-35.

I at first thought it was the women who said, "The number you dialed is not in service please hang up and try again". But I then realized it wasn't...

I started to move the phone around, and the clearness of her voice changed. I found that if I put the phone about 1 1/2 feet above my floor, I could hear the best. I stayed and listened for about 3 mintues, but it began to slowly soften and eventaully just turned to static.

I tried doing it again many times since then, but I have been un-succesfull.

Anyone know what was going on???

My guess is that you were picking up somebody else's conversation, somehow, kind of like those 'phone scanners' or whatever they are called do. (those devices that you can listen in to cellphone/wireless phone conversations) Your phone and theirs were probably at just the right frequency and you were standing in just the right place to pick it up. (which would explain why the clearness of the voice changed as you moved) As for the monotone voice, I suspect that has to do with the fact that she was just spitting out a list of numbers, maybe a list of some sort, like a column out of an accounting book, for example. It's hard to get excited when dictating a bunch of numbers.

Think of how if you and a buddy have a set of walkie talkies or two-way radios, you might accidentally pick up a stray conversation. (I've picked up snatches of stray talk this way before) I think this is likely what happened.

A less likely situation (unless your phone provider really sucks) is that part of another conversation crossed over into the bandwidth for your conversation. This could maybe (though unlikely) happen if tons of people were on the phone at that time, or if the phone company was really cheap and didn't allot enough bandwidth space for everyone's conversations. That would also explain why the voice had a strange tone; if you only picked up part of the bandwidth, you would get an altered voice tone.

I think the first scenario is more likely, myself.

Heyyyy you know what I'll bet you thats what it was...thanks buddy!

Or maybe the island is calling..... 4 8 15 16 23 42......



[edit on 4-12-2005 by Shadow88]

StrangledHeart

What you have described sounds very similar to the phenomenon known as numbers stations. Sometimes shortwave radio operators will pick up monotone, almost robotic voices broadcasting seemingly random strings of numbers on unused frequencies. These voices are often female, and have been heard in a variety of languages:

Numbers stations are shortwave radio stations of uncertain origin that broadcast streams of numbers, letters (using a phonetic alphabet), or words. It is not known publicly with certainty where these signals originate or what purpose they serve. The voices that can be heard on these stations are often mysterious: mechanically generated; spoken in a wide variety of languages; usually female, but sometimes male or those of children. Numbers stations appear and disappear continuously, although some stick to regular schedules, and their overall activity has increased slightly since the early 1990s.

Numbers stations are popularly thought to be a means by which various governments throughout the world can communicate with their covert operatives whilst in the field, using an unbreakable single-use code pad. I have no idea why you would hear them on your phone, but it certainly sounds like what you are describing.

To find out more about numbers stations, check out the following links:

Spy Numbers Stations on Shortwave Radio

Dark Side of the Band

Shortwave Espionage

[edit on 5/12/05 by Jeremiah25]

Originally posted by Shadow88
.....

4 8 15 16 23 42......

I'm off to buy a lottery ticket with those numbers. Tell you what Shadow88, If it comes up, I'll split it with you.

[apologies for being a few country miles off topic]

[edit on 5/12/05 by Implosion]

Originally posted by Jeremiah25
I have no idea why you would hear them on your phone, but it certainly sounds like what you are describing.

Two things might be the cause here.

1) Cordless phones are pretty crappy radios/transmitters and many times a strong local signal will totally overwhelm the phone. I had one that picked up an local AM station in one corner of the room.

2) Radio transmissions have what is called harmonics. Without getting too deep whenever you transmit on frequency xxx at certain multiples (depending on internal components) of that frequency you can also pick up what is on the original frequency. For example if something is broadcast on 440 MHz, it might also send out a signal on 880 MHz, 1320 MHz, 220MHz, 110MHz. One of these multiples might be on the same frequency as your phone.

Yes I'm an amateur radio nerd.

I don't know for sure if Cug's theories are the correct ones, but they do make sound scientific sense, based on the communications course I took in school.

I think Cug's first idea is the most likely, myself.

Originally posted by Shadow88
Or maybe the island is calling.....

4 8 15 16 23 42......

[edit on 4-12-2005 by Shadow88]

The pattern should be:
4 7 8 15 16 23 24