ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 5

July 2001
Articles, newsreports and Items of interest : e2k_news@hotmail.com

Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities
Geoffrey Prime, Radio Operator, Linguist, Spy! | Book review : The big breach | News Items
Web sites | Requests | Stop press | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home

Selected Morse stations

5680kHz

This frequency is the well-known RAF rescue frequency often occupied with voice traffic in USB.

Peter of Saffron Walden tuned onto this frequency at 2221Z on 27/04. A very strong , S9+, ICW signal was heard sending slow Morse in a format that Peter had not heard before. Groups were sent as singles and the most noticeable feature was zero '0' being sent as a standard five dash, not a single dash as with most Morse number stations. The signal ended with BT AR AR at 2229Z with no dk/gc. The next morning the frequency was properly occupied with USB traffic.

Having mentioned this to GD the reply I received was, "The transmission was actually M23, that sends single groups with long zero and ends = AR AR. It can appear at any time, anywhere so it is always difficult to catch. It also does have other endings." [Thanks GD]

Igor Buhtiyarov in Chita, Russia reports the following unidentified station, note Igor's comment about the zero being sent as 5 dashes. Is it connected with the above format discovered by Peter?

12930kHz

792: Unid, 0700Z (14-05-2001) MCW 000 format hand keying

792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 000
792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 000
792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 792 000
792 792 792 792 000

Speed is low, callsign repeated various number times, zero sent as 5 dashes, signal is weak, very strange station. Does anyone have any ideas as to the identity of this station.

Igor heard this station previously, as listed in Issue 4:

792 792 792 000 000(repeated in 8 minutes)
callsign repeat various time, "000" always 2 times.
"0" - 5 dashes."

As well as:

vvv cq cq cq de x2m x2m(R4)
msg msg eng eng
msg eng
nr01 nr01 ck100 ck100 time1900 time1900 date0706 date0706 =
aekng mdlqh wxioj tkqwk zdsdu lcjyo nbvhn jpafm yctel pfokl
TEXT REMOVED
wjzqk ofbzt bcdzj apczl gbkdl lzeiw ryqin cowjz lxprc
etete
zmo 15
ETETE = AR

Also heard again:

Igor noticed that messages with MSG CH have 5f groups whilst those with MSG ENG have 5 letter groups. Has anyone else seen this before?

E2k would be glad to receive your thoughts on this transmission.

We move into the loggings:

M01

Hand sent and using short zero.

M03

Usually ICW, sent at about 17wpm but one slow [5wpm] possibly 0800Z Mondays on 10620kHz and 0900Z Tuesdays on 10720kHz.

121/24 121/24 121/24for 5mins
==
32544 30119 05386 60757 77275
56566 60039 26677 04439 58261
76467 37735 49148 66433 65426
70096 48696 47110 40197 67089
48058 62167 45075 65188 ==
121/24 121/24 121/24
==[msg repeated]
==000

M08

Keith of Kent sent in these observations:

M08a

[Mark Slaten US for these observations]

Reported on the following frequencies through March and April:

M08a's recent 0700Z 9236kHz transmission was reported to have been preceded, at the start up time, with a loud, lively male voice briefly shouting. After cessation of this surprising tirade the expected emission read GUWTD AWNIN AMGRN.

M10

ICW always used. Transmission times changes quite often. Sending speed varies 17 to 25wpm.

M10E

In keeping with S10E this station was heard on Monday 0900Z 04/06 on 5020kHz ICW. The last transmission start time was on 07/05 which was not expected, the correct start date, had the schedule remained constant would have been 03/05. The transmission continued for 5 days finishing on 11/05. Whilst it is too early to consider this as a hard and fast schedule the next expected appearance in 28 days should be at 0900Z 02/07. [Thanks to D of Kent for fast response on M10E showing].

M12

Peter of Saffron Walden writes: "The M12 Morse stations continue to be very active, especially on Friday evenings, Several of the later evening schedules have the same DK/GC as heard in the early evening "749".

Key clicks are very much in evidence, often extending several tens of kHz on the HF side and somewhat less on the LF. I assume this is down to one particular individual transmitter. If this is the case it must be frequency synthesiser controlled and be capable of being tuned up quickly on a new frequency. I have often tuned to the next frequency in a known schedule, and observed a few seconds of carrier as though the transmitter is being given a quick air test. On the other hand some M12's have a very pure and click-free signal, but at the moment they are a distinct minority. Key clicks have one distinct advantage for the listener searching for M12's; it makes them easier to find. I have often been tuning across the bands and noticed the key clicks several turns of the tuning knob short of where the station actually is!" PoSW

M12

Logs in numerical order 109 derived from: 9916kHz 2140Z 01/05 [109 109 109 1 dk/gc 2951 75x2], The rest derived et al:

109 were strong signals and were sent on the following frequencies and times

124 were strong signals with key clicks and were sent on the following frequencies and times:

134 were sent as listed:

Note the 11/05 transmission on 5788kHz. The freq used should have been 10343kHz. 5788kHz should have come up at 1740Z for 462!

334 were a very strong signal, no key clicks and and were sent on the following frequencies and times:

462 were weak signals sent on the following frequencies and times:

583 all noted as strong signals with key clicks were sent on 25/04 as follows:

628, a strong signal, no key clicks was sent as follows:

731 noted as being sent:

749 was heard on 25/04 1600Z with strong QRM, 1620Z with key clicks. Both strong signals:

On 07/05 with QRM:

963 was sent as:

Friday 11/05 saw a mistake in the established schedule of the 1740Z slot on 10343kHz [142] when the transmission was sent out on 5788kHz instead. Note the other two frequencies were on time. However, the established Friday night schedule of 1930Z 10343kHz, 1950Z 9164kHz and 2010Z 7849kHz has apparently not been heard since then. ENIGMA 2000 would like to hear from anyone copying this schedule on other frequencies.

Another M12 station was heard 2108Z 27/04 11583kHz inside the 25M band and beating with the Hebrew broadcast of Kol Israel eventually ending at 2127Z with 2x3 dash '000 000'. The message must have been a long one.

On 03/05 the 1700Z transmission on 8084kHz [462] caused hetrodyneing with the 8085kHz transmission of E05.

Thanks to Peter of Saffron Walden for his log, used extensively in this compilation.

Igor noticed this interesting text:

529 529 529 1(R4) - 15 wpm
pause
T883 82 T883 82- 30 wpm
78954 63254 T1263 2T159 63635 2T154 85478 96589 69856 96523
2T154 62598 77487 1T215 63259 65415 55216 332T1 52145 68978
77485 96526 3T215 66325 41414 52456 85578 96565 21T21 66325
96587 41541 2T136 96587 41541 55263 T2136 22547 74854 85985
96968 52145 1T12T 52163 2T124 66325 85415 T2136 52163 66325
85415 58582 2T125 22T12 63265 85412 74859 T1236 52145 65236
96574 1T154 96523 T2136 52146 66325 T23T2 4154T 2T124 52362
96587 4152T 41415 2T12T 63256 3T215 66325 96587 41412 21T26
63256 41541 TTT TTT

Very strange text: many groups are equal (e.g. 66325 - 6 times). [Thanks Igor].

M13

Sent in ICW and constantly changes times and frequencies, usually between 3.8 and 12MHz. Sent circa 9wpm usually very strong in UK.

M14

Transmits on the first and third Friday of the month, ICW, MCW and machine sent.

Prior to transmission at 1948Z rapid dots noted.

On 20/04 at 2000Z on 10635kHz the second sending of message heard at 1900Z on 11425kHz was sent:

256 134 134 27 27 00000. Both very strong signals. At 2200Z on 5470kHz MCW like signal noted sending 457 until 2204Z then 136 136 42 42 BT BT. It was noted that the frequency of the keyed audio tone was higher than that of the M14 heard previously that evening, as well as being a faster speed. Ended at 2210Z BT BT 136 136 42 42and 5 dash 00000.

21/04 saw repeats of the previous days 256 134 134 27 27messages at 1900Z on 11425kHz and at 2000Z n 10635kHz.

(Our source made the comment, "No trade for agent 256 this month then"!)

Other observations:

(2022Z transmission: Operator warmed up with 896, then 254 254 73 73 BT BTand 5f's as doubles. Strong signal).

(Finished at 1609Z so started at 1605Z if usual 4 minute no message format)

M14A

Interestingly on twice in one week:

• Transmission on Thursday 24 May,
  03 878 878 2 2 203 619 619 54 54
  2 group message was 11111 00015
• Wednesday 30 May Thursday 31 May
  203 847 847 2 2 203 641 641 57 57
  2 group message was 11111 00019

M16

ICW auto, usually VVVx3 8BY followed by 3 fig each group separated by (/).

Occasionally hand sent.

A months log received from LP [thanks] documents the activities of '8BY'. This listing shown in date order for 7668kHz [variation in freq shown as F+nnn] :

*Poor sigs, [LP used SINPO to give an accurate report, thanks].

Some other freqs M16 has appeared on:
12075, 12169, 12283, 14433, 14925, 14931, 18415, 20946kHz

M18

Numerous reports, 4f continuous.
4073kHz between 1200Z to 2130Z hrs throughout April

M23

Has been heard at 2000Z on 5155kHz sending 123

M24

These 30 to 40wpm transmissions continue:

M29

ICW in three formats, freqs around 3 to 6MHz with speed of 12wpm

On 05/06 at 0600Z and 0630Z M29 was heard on its expected frequencies of 5810 and 5910kHz as well as 6560 and 6660kHz:

See also G04 report.

M40

This station changes its frequencies in March, May, Sept and Nov.

For May to August:

There may be others that we are not aware of please send details to E2k.

Reported as follows:

M50

Has moved to 5372kHz at 1930Z ID 249.

M51

Message header is s/n of msg, first letter of month, date, time [A time] +1hr =NR 54 J 9 10:42:37=

M53

Igor received this station, believed to N Korean intel and shown in ENIGMA Control list as deleted:

M77

Usually only audible in the US

MX

This series of SLHFM's have been heard world wide and reported as such on these frequencies:
3195kHz R, 3594kHz, 3658kHz V, 4558kHz F&M, 4878kHz V, 5466kHz R, 7039kHz F&M, 8495kHz Unid.

There are many other markers to be heard :

We acknowledge the use of 'Spooks' in the production of this column.

Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities
Geoffrey Prime, Radio Operator, Linguist, Spy! | Book review : The big breach | News Items
Web sites | Requests | Stop press | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home