Offically, KKN50 was run by the US Department of State Intelligence Service. Interestingly, it is registered with the ITU (International Telecommunications Union) as operated by the CIA. In reality, it was a CIA operation, with transmissions from the Warrenton Training Center near Remington, Virginia, just outside Washington, DC. The WTC is the transmitter site for many of the CIA Counting Station transmissions. It was part of a network of other stations. Many of the stations had listed locations that did not seem to make sense, considering shortwave propagation, and reports of reception at times that should have been impossible.
KKN50 transmited regular marker beacons, which could be heard throughout the day. It has not been heard since 1997, and may no longer be operational.
Here's a sample marker transmission:
QRA QRA QRA DE KKN50 KKN50 KKN50 QSX 6/10/11 K
Occasionally actual traffic is heard, often in the form of 5 digit groups (Gee, what a shock)
6925.5 kHz 11455.5 kHz 15970.5 kHz 18525.5 kHz
KKN50 WTC - Remington VA KKN40 Monrovia, Liberia KWS78 Athens, Greece / Cyprus KWH90 Clark AFB, Philippines KWH50 RAF Croughton, UK KKN39 Miami FL
You are visitor number Return to Spy Centre
cps@blackcatsystems.com Chris Smolinski