goes phhht! Just like a bug hitting an electrified bugkiller screen. </p>
<p> For years passing ships have observed and reported such multiple-shield
"light phenomena" over remote regions of the ocean. U.S. intelligence has
routinely not paid any heed to "lights at night" over remote ocean areas, and
so <enttype='NORP'>Soviet</ent> tests in this manner have remained relatively unnoticed by
officialdom... </p>
<p>--<enttype='ORG'>WOODPECKER</ent> BEAMS INTERSECT OVER <enttype='ORG'>NORTH AMERICA</ent>--
In July 1976 the U.S. received very special <enttype='GPE'>Bicentennial</ent> greetings from
the <enttype='NORP'>Soviet</ent> Union. </p>
<p> At that time, communications systems of the world in the 3-30 megaHertz
band suddenly met substantial interference from extremely powerful, chirped
<enttype='NORP'>Soviet</ent> transmitters which were suddenly activated. These transmitters
continue their transmission to this day. </p>
<p> Estimates of the power of these transmitters vary, but figures range as
high as several hundred megawatts, with a nominal figure being 100 megawatts. </p>
<p> These powerful transmitters were properly nicknamed "<enttype='ORG'>Woodpeckers</ent>"
because of the characteristic sound of the chirped signal when received. That
is, the received signal makes a "pecking" sound much like a woodpecker's beak
hitting a block of wood. </p>
<p> Several nations protested, but the powerful signals have continued,
right down to this day. The only <enttype='NORP'>Soviet</ent> response was to add a "spread
spectrum" capability, so that the transmitter would not dwell too long on one
specific frequency, but shifted periodically to other frequencies. </p>
<p> These transmitters have apparently never been precisely located by U.S.
intelligence, but their beams carry much of the characteristics of an over-the-horizon (<enttype='ORG'>OTH</ent>) radar. They have been dubbed <enttype='ORG'>OTH</ent> radars by U.S.
intelligence, and can without question perform that mission, in addition to
some very interesting missions that U.S. intelligence does not assess. </p>
<p> "<enttype='NORP'>Soviet</ent><enttype='ORG'>Military Power</ent>", Department of Defense, 1985, p.45 shows the