# What is the Buzzer for? · UVB-76, "the Buzzer" > Five answers have been proposed. A routine command and alert channel of a Russian military district, sending short coded orders to subordinate… leads… Source: https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JSWP3WDM/what-is-the-buzzer-for Publisher: Mysteries Department Licence: CC BY 4.0 (credit Mysteries Department and link the page) Updated: 2026-10-26T11:59:00+00:00 --- **0** # What is the Buzzer for? Asked 26 Oct 2026 by [**apollo** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/u/apollo)·5 answers·0·0 following **Most likely: a routine command and alert channel of a Russian military district, sending short coded orders to subordinate…** Ahead on the evidence, not yet confirmed. It needs two reviews to be accepted. ## Where it stands Five answers have been proposed. A routine command and alert channel of a Russian military district, sending short coded orders to subordinate… leads, with evidence 3 for, 1 against: partly supported by its tests. Four are still possible. Of the two narrower questions under it, none is answered yet. ## Why it matters It is the question the station is famous for. The listening community agrees it is a Russian military network⁠[[1]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JHB81T45/the-buzzer-s28), but the specific readings make different, testable predictions about outages, frequencies and message timing, and one of them (a nuclear "dead hand") has been repeated in the press for years⁠[[2]](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJAG3NR3/the-ghostly-radio-station-that-no-one-claims-to-run). ## Answers 5 [**A routine command and alert channel of a Russian military district, sending short coded orders to subordinate…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/answers/ANS0CR2JTVY5FDV/a-routine-command-and-alert-channel-of-a-russian-military) Partly supported by its tests Evidence: 3 for, 1 against Most likely [**It is a numbers station sending enciphered messages to agents abroad.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/answers/ANS0CR2JY1G25XT/it-is-a-numbers-station-sending-enciphered-messages-to) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 2 against Disputed [**None of these.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/answers/ANS0CR2JYRY518W/none-of-these) Not tested enough to call either way Evidence: none yet Still possible [**The buzz is part of an automatic nuclear retaliation (Perimeter or "dead hand") system, whose silence would…** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/answers/ANS0CR2JW304QXT/the-buzz-is-part-of-an-automatic-nuclear-retaliation) Failed a test; not refuted outright Evidence: 4 against Disputed [**The station sounds the ionosphere, for example to support over-the-horizon radar.** ](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/answers/ANS0CR2JXA22BGN/the-station-sounds-the-ionosphere-for-example-to-support) Tested, but the results don't decide it Evidence: 1 for, 1 against Disputed ## History 1. 2008[Anisimov et al.: a Russian observatory uses a stable 4.625 MHz broadcast carrier as the reference for ionospheric Doppler…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JK9R7MKT/information-measuring-complex-and-database-of-mid-latitude)For: The station sounds the ionosphere, for example to support over-the-horizon radar. 1. 2011[Savodnik: call signs changed in September 2010, coinciding with the reorganisation of military districts.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJ2P1FVJ/inside-the-russian-short-wave-radio-enigma)For: A routine command and alert channel of a Russian military district, sending short coded orders to subordinate… 1. 2012[Priyom.org: live operators, open-microphone conversations and a phone call transmitted in error fit a working military…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JHK21TQ1/the-buzzer-primer)For: A routine command and alert channel of a Russian military district, sending short coded orders to subordinate… 1. 2012[Priyom.org: transmitter stoppages and maintenance outages are frequent.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JHK21TQ1/the-buzzer-primer)Against: The buzz is part of an automatic nuclear retaliation (Perimeter or "dead hand") system, whose silence would… 1. 2012[Priyom.org: priyom's primer states that, despite its catalogue designation S28, the Buzzer is not a numbers station.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JHK21TQ1/the-buzzer-primer)Against: It is a numbers station sending enciphered messages to agents abroad. 1. 2017[Gorvett puts forward: the buzz is part of an automatic nuclear retaliation (Perimeter or "dead hand") system, whose silence would…](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJAG3NR3/the-ghostly-radio-station-that-no-one-claims-to-run) 1. 2017[Gorvett puts forward: it is a numbers station sending enciphered messages to agents abroad.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJAG3NR3/the-ghostly-radio-station-that-no-one-claims-to-run) 1. 2017[Gorvett: no message has been decoded and the Russian military has never acknowledged the station.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJAG3NR3/the-ghostly-radio-station-that-no-one-claims-to-run)Against: A routine command and alert channel of a Russian military district, sending short coded orders to subordinate… 1. 2017[Gorvett: the station does not change frequency with the time of day, as a guaranteed long-range link would.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJAG3NR3/the-ghostly-radio-station-that-no-one-claims-to-run)Against: The buzz is part of an automatic nuclear retaliation (Perimeter or "dead hand") system, whose silence would… 1. 2017[Gorvett: stupples says ionospheric sounders sound nothing like the Buzzer.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJAG3NR3/the-ghostly-radio-station-that-no-one-claims-to-run)Against: The station sounds the ionosphere, for example to support over-the-horizon radar. 1. 2022[Cox & Rose: pirates have repeatedly transmitted on the frequency without visible response.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJJA6V3X/pirates-spammed-an-infamous-soviet-short-wave-radio-station)Against: The buzz is part of an automatic nuclear retaliation (Perimeter or "dead hand") system, whose silence would… 1. 2025[Litnarovych: broadcasts were reported suspended on 14 November 2025 after a power cut.](https://mysteriesdept.com/sources/SRC0CR2JJT45A73/russias-doomsday-radio-uvb-76-goes-silent-after-drone-strike)Against: The buzz is part of an automatic nuclear retaliation (Perimeter or "dead hand") system, whose silence would… 1. 26 Oct 2026Asked on this site ## Discussion 0 [Add to the discussion](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JSWP3WDM/what-is-the-buzzer-for%23discussion) Help with this question [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ] [ **Propose an answer** Something the evidence could support or rule out ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JSWP3WDM/what-is-the-buzzer-for%23add-answer) [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ] [ **Add evidence** A result for or against an answer ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JSWP3WDM/what-is-the-buzzer-for%23add-evidence) [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ] [ **Ask a sub-question** A smaller question that would help settle this one ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JSWP3WDM/what-is-the-buzzer-for%23add-question) [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ] [ **Add a source** A paper, archive record or image ](https://mysteriesdept.com/signin?next=/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JSWP3WDM/what-is-the-buzzer-for%23add-source) Where it fits UVB-76, "the Buzzer" **What is the Buzzer for?** Key question · you're here [Can the voice messages be read?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JTM404NA/can-the-voice-messages-be-read)Most likely · the messages are references into code tables held by recipients, so they cannot be read without the tables [Where has the station transmitted from since 2010?](https://mysteriesdept.com/mysteries/uvb-76-buzzer/questions/QST0CR2JTCA64RV/where-has-the-station-transmitted-from-since-2010)Open · 3 answers, inconclusive [ Ask a question under this one ]