The DGI, or Dirección General de Inteligencia (intelligence directorate), is the main intelligence agency of Cuba. It was designated as the operator of numbers stations involved in spying cases that were publicly prosecuted in the US.

History

Prior to 1997, DGI ran voice station V02 and morse station M08. In 1997, they were replaced by V02a and M08a with evolved formats. In 2006, DGI started experimenting with various amateur radio PSK digital modes, sending messages still based on 5-figure groups. Then starting in late 2007, the RDFT mode provided by the DIGTRX software was used to transmit encrypted files, as the station SK01. In 2012, they introduced the hybrid HM01 station, combining the analog voice of V02a and the digital RDFT transfers of SK01. HM01 then replaced SK01 and V02a schedules. It is currently the sole DGI station, transmitting basically all day every day.

Binding characteristics

HM01 features the same voice as V02a. Sometimes V02a appeared on M08a schedules and transmitted instead of it. SK01 and HM01 have used digital modes provided by the same DIGTRX software.

DGI lets through many crossing leaks between different signals. On M08a schedules, sometimes M08a and V02a were heard mixed and modulated together; sometimes instead HM01 is heard through. Radio Habana Cuba has also been occasionally heard on HM01 schedules.

Operation quirks

DGI numbers station operations are notoriously unreliable and ridden with mistakes. On top of the crossing audio feeds, Windows XP system sounds are leaked through too. HM01 transmissions usually start at the wrong time, a few minutes too early, and get restarted after a few minutes. M08a and V02a transmissions schedules were only indicative. Sometimes two overlapping HM01 transmissions are sent at the same time on the same frequency. Sometimes HM01 keeps transmitting on the same frequency as the previous hour, instead of switching to the correct frequency for the current hour. Sometimes HM01 is left on after the end of its scheduled broadcast day, and is leaked through an M08a channel.