XING XING:
TAIWAN'S NUMBERS STATION

This article first appeared in my World of Shortwave Listening column in the April 2025 issue of The Spectrum Monitor magazine. Further details on this excellent publication are available at www.thespectrummonitor.com

It's always fascinating to listen to a numbers station these days. They aren't as common as they once were several decades ago, but a few stations still grace the airwaves with their mysterious announcements and monotonous number recitations. One or two even feature music, reminiscent of the old interval signals from international broadcasters. Some stations still use voice (in either AM or SSB modes), but CW and RTTY are also options.

Some nations have employed numbers stations dating back to the Cold War era. By utilising HF shortwave bands, their signals can facilitate long-distance communication, making it difficult to trace their locations. Their cryptographic simplicity and reliability render them ideal for covert communication. Interestingly, these old-style broadcasts still exist even though modern digital and encryption technologies are quick and, one would expect, mostly secure if data were to end up in the hands of adversaries.

A station thought to be located in Taiwan serves as a pertinent example. Xing Xing guangbo diantai is also known by its English names, Star Star or New Star Broadcasting Station, and its Enigma ID, V13. Its primary purpose is believed to be the transmission of encrypted messages to Taiwanese intelligence agents operating within mainland China.

It is speculated that the broadcasts are operated by Taiwan's Military Intelligence Bureau and are believed to originate from the Guanyin District near Taoyuan City. Copy and paste the following decimal coordinates into Google Maps: 25.035960492493725, 121.09688367055219.

If this is indeed the correct location, then this station is only 750 meters (half a mile) southwest of what is believed to be the Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station (next to the Keelung River). Google Maps clearly shows two distinct transmitter sites with large directional antenna arrays in the area. The Ministry of National Defence, Republic of China Armed Forces operates the Fu Hsing station, which can often be heard on 9410, 9774, and 15375 between 0700 and 1200 UTC.

Fu Hsing Broadcasting Station (photo source unknown)

To complicate matters further, there has been speculation that Xing Xing is not in Taiwan but instead on the Chinese mainland. However, for now, the consensus is that the location is likely Taiwan.

Broadcasts commence with a one-minute performance of a Chinese folk song played on a traditional flute. A female voice speaking Mandarin Chinese opens the broadcast with the station identification announcement: "Zhe-li-shi Xing-Xing Guang-bo Dian-tai."

There are four "stations," or more precisely, different transmissions numbered from one to four. These are announced in Mandarin immediately after the station ID as "di (yī, èr, sān, or sì) tai," which translates to "number (1, 2, 3, or 4) station." If two or more frequencies are being used at the same time, different transmissions might be aired on those frequencies. For example, at 1200 UTC, 13974 and 14944 kHz could be transmitting Station 4, while 15388 kHz broadcasts Station 1. The only way to tell is by listening closely to the beginning of the transmission.

In Mandarin, the announcer says, "Now we are about to start playing the telegram for you. Please pay attention and prepare to copy." This is followed by a sequence of four-digit numbers, after which she concludes the transmission in Mandarin by saying, "The above special communication has been completed. Thank you for listening. I wish you good health and happiness. Goodbye!" Most transmissions last between 13 and 18 minutes. Occasionally, there will be an announcement indicating that there are no messages, or the transmissions may not occur.

Below is my recent video of Xing Xing's interval signal and sign on announcements

So, where do we find Xing Xing?

In recent times, the following frequencies have been utilised:

8169, 8300, 9276, 11432, 13974, 14944, 15388, 15890, 18040, 19052, 20025, 20095.

However, transmission times and frequencies can be variable and sporadic. While shortwave schedules list broadcasts beginning on the hour or half-hour, for some odd reason, many transmissions kick off around three minutes past the hour and half-hour. This suggests that some form of automation is used for each transmission. Below are the times and frequencies I've monitored recently (as always, subject to change!):

0003 and 0033 – 15890, 15388 (QRM from 15390 CNR 13 via Lingshi, Uyghur service)

0103 and 0133 – 18040, 19052, 20025

0203 and 0233 - 8169, 8300

0303 and 0333 - 9276, 11430

1003 and 1033 - 19052, 20025, 20095

1103 and 1133 - 19052, 20025, 20095

1203 and 1233 – 13974, 14944, 15388

1303 and 1333 – 14944, 15388, 11430

1403 and 1433 – 20095

1503 and 1533 - 20095

Transmissions are in USB mode while also maintaining an AM carrier, enabling comfortable reception in both modes. I've posted a YouTube video featuring the station sign-on, opening identifications, and part of the numbers programming, which you can find at https://youtu.be/pR43I3QSsTo.

Three Xing Xing reception observations

As we approached the peak of solar cycle 25 over the past two years, the station's choice of frequency for broadcasts has also altered. Consequently, we're seeing much more use of the 19 and 20 MHz channels these days than when we were at the bottom of the sunspot cycle. A sensible move by the spies!

Secondly, and perhaps more intriguingly, the antennas are described in the regular shortwave listings as non-directional and rated at 10 kW. In this case, we might assume that a type of vertical antenna is being used. However, for the 19 and 20 MHz outlets, the signal strengths among the three frequencies—within just 1 MHz of each other—were notably different. I've observed the same phenomenon at the BM2KVV Taiwan Kiwi SDR during the 0300 UTC daytime transmission on 8169 and 8300 kHz. The 8300 outlet generally has a stronger signal than the 8169 kHz.

Does this imply that some signal directionality is implemented for agents in various, widely dispersed geographical locations? It suggests that the impressive directional arrays in the Google Maps coordinates mentioned earlier might be utilised instead of non-directional verticals. Alternatively, it could be a combination of both antenna types!

Thirdly, my monitoring indicates evidence of occasional jamming hash between the high side of 19052 and 19055 kHz, particularly after 1100 UTC. Again, 20095 kHz is sometimes subjected to what appears to be RTTY interference. Undoubtedly, the Chinese are attempting to disrupt the Taiwanese spooks!

Regardless of the mysterious reasons and circumstances behind the existence of Xing Xing station, it still provides captivating listening and plenty of speculation for SWL enthusiasts.

73 and wishing you good DX in finding Xing Xing,

Rob Wagner VK3BVW