ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 9

March 2002
Articles, newsreports and Items of interest : e2k_news@hotmail.com

Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities
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Oddities

Ary reported via E2k Group and Spooks of an Unid Pip on 2232.50kHz. Here is what 'P'London sent to group on the evening of 29/12:

"The Pip occurs on average every 870ms with some variation. The actual pulse is of 60ms duration with a freq of 312Hz. The three tones occur on the second Pip, fourth pip and so on, but again some variation.

The rising tones are 399, 872 and 1325Hz with respective durations of 300ms, 310ms and 330ms. There is a regularity on the rise of frequency of the first two tones, but the third, 1325Hz, does vary in frequency slightly. I am not so certain that the three tones are a separate entity. Any ideas as to the actual purpose of this enigmatic signal would be gratefully received."

As with AR, signal strength varied about S8 to 9. AR describes the tones as, "like the tones heard when you dial an incorrect number in the UK." AR confirms 'P's findings with, " The Pip is every second, with the tone sequence underneath, starting every other second." Thanks AR.

The tones were confirmed as being part of the signal by Ary who informed E2k that the frequency had changed to 2200kHz and that the tones had in fact moved too.

'C' adds this valid comment to the 'new pip'. 2200 & 3250 kHz - I first noted this unusual 'Pip' type signal while checking for XJT signals in 2 MHz - I initially dismissed it as a Maritime Navigational Aid - but it seems to have aroused some interest, looking at my scribble pad I had jotted down a similar signal on FRI 12th October on 4095 kHz, so this could be another potential frequency ?

Ary informs us of another 'pip' as: 'A 3-tone marker with a S5 signal here in Holland was heard on 3178 USB kHz at 0621z 30/01. The pip on 2200.5 uses the same tones. The French mil station underneath is probably not related as the signal is much weaker and was blown away by the pip.'

Another unidentified pip, reported by 'P'London occurs on 3213//3332kHz. "A series of pips with a prf of 1.64Hz and audio freq of 1.28kHz can be heard repetitively pulsing away. The duration of the pulse is 100ms and sounds not unlike a fax start up tone. That there is no fax data passed is of no surprise. This unid pip is not constantly on but can be heard 0000z or 1200z on those freqs mentioned above. 'P' writes that he heard this also on 3226kHz 2330z 28/12, whilst the other freqs were monitored 29/12. [Tnx 'P']

'C' brings to our notice another polytone-like transmission worthy of monitoring:

Slow Polytone in USB - I noted this while monitoring 5265 for E10 station HNC. On 5267 was a 'slow' Polytone transmission in USB. This was operating with a repeating 36 letter/number message, and a shorter message, between 20.40 and 21.00 on FRI Jan 11. This was not the familiar XPH transmission and it is curious to know who else is using Polytone ? [Tnx 'C'].

Backwards music station

Gert of Holland reports:

This very strong signal was also heard by 'P'London.

'P' commented that a 'scope was connected to his receiver, set at 1ms/100mV and that the resultant traces were splendid pure sine waves up to 400mV p-p in amplitude.

Try also 5177 and 8085kHz for XM

'C' noted that the Backward Music Station has resurfaced around 2000z on 5267kHz and 6753 kHz.

'Spooksters' have reported hearing BMS on 2662 and 5434kHz. This interesting view was sent from a Florida resident, via 'Spooks' and makes very interesting reading: "The tones on 2662 are very likely to be feedback on a NASA freq. Typical military set-up - transmitters and receivers at separate locations. The Transmitters are usually always keyed up, and sometimes a bit of telco noise over the connecting lines to the message centre will put out RF. Most HF voice circuits at the receiver end are always monitored, squelch devices being unreliable. The Speaker at the receiving end will feed the telco noise back into the mic, and you get these weird tones, sometimes referred to as the Moaning Whales.

2662 is used by booster recovery ships among others. Remember well copying this freq at mid-day in winter of '86, listening to recovery efforts during the Challenger disaster, this from qth on Salt Pond in Point Judith. Salt water ground helped out, but this is a strong signal, I think Collins 45 Kw xmtrs are the workhorse at Cape Radio. This is a sight to see, leave out of Port Canaveral on a cruise and you goes right by the antenna farms."

Blank carrier

Blank Carrier (24 hours) frequency - 11552kHz - this displays a strong but silent carrier night and day, the only bit of excitement is the very nasty heterodyne it creates when broadcast station WSHB tries to use 11550 at 20.00. Very messy. Anyone ever heard it send anything? [Thanks 'C'].

Captain Davros mentioned on Group that he had been listening to a Blank Carrier on 16580kHz for best part of 9^th/10^th Feb. This was heard to be still active 11/02 by PofLondon, but sounding a little like XJT.

Buzzsaw (XBS)

Not much reported of this rasping peculiarity lately but AnonNI draws our attention to this interesting piece available via: http://www.arrl.org/arrlletter/99/1105/#buzz

Crackle (XC)

This peculiar sounding signal has been reported for 2002 by 'C' as being heard, during the evening, on 5495 and 5505kHz. 'The Crackle' An old friend was noted again on SAT 15.12.01 and is still operating in the European evening time. The Crackle on 5495 // 5505 under Shannon Air Radio, is back ! Like a dog to a lamppost it as returned to its only known frequencies - where as it been ? Still crackling away for no apparent reason. Listen while you can for hours of entertainment. Any one any ideas on this ?

Gert of Holland confirms 'C's observations by hearing XC on a Thursday evening:

Jet (XJT)

A recent audit of the freqs carrying the XJT, or jet, transmissions resulted in the following frequencies being tabulated as actively carrying this noisy transmission. The audit was undertaken on 4th January 2002 from my QTH in South London.

The results are recorded as follows: Freq in kHz, Time heard [z] and signal strength [+20dB shown as +20 etc, no meter movement as 'x'].

Of the forty-five frequencies a good percentage exhibited reasonable to excellent signal strengths.

A recent posting, mentioned in NL8 stated that the purpose of the XJT transmissions was mapping data. When the informant was asked for the reliability of that statement they replied they had heard it somewhere.

It is known that computer generated holograms can be generated using fast fourier techniques where the image appears on a film as a meaningless image until viewed in laser light. Perhaps whole images of sea-beds, mountain ranges, cities or whatever can be transmitted in this manner for military or surveying use. Of course there is also the theory of chaos being used as encryption being recently mentioned. It is of no surprise that the US Navy has invested no small sum in this research and that a DiY system was once published in a past copy of the 'Scientific American', the author having very tenuous links with USN research on this matter.

A circuit was built to the spec in the particular copy and a simple message was passed through the circuitry. The resultant output was a totally encrypted message that sounded [if one used a little imagination] not unlike XJT. This was demonstrated to four Southern Region ENIGMA members at a group meeting in Epsom in 1997. Of course the facilities for using a 'scope to demonstrate what was happening was not possible in a pub but the audio spoke for itself. Certain other persons sitting near on another table also took much interest?.

Perhaps the most interesting of all the XJT frequencies listened to during the audit was 4357kHz.

It was my practice to sit on the freq and listen, briefly whilst I noted the signal strength/comments. Whilst I was listening at 1801z the XJT signal ceased transmission. That was not the first time this had happened but XJT was replaced with a strong USB transmission with a well suppressed carrier. [Signal strength was topping S9 on the meter, peaking +20dB on occasion].

A European accented male voices a spoke in English [Note: UPPER case letters pronounced using the NATO phonetic alphabet].

Further traffic was heard but not noted. The lack of copy was not to do with the signal strength but more with the listeners own inability to cope with the accents of the operators.

The questions to be answered, and somebody reading this will know the answers, are:

Who do the call-signs belong to? [We know that DHJ58 = Segwarden Naval Radio, Germany (prev GFR)].

Why were they using English to communicate?

Were they working with XJT, working round it, or just happened to pick a real duff frequency?

©P Beaumont

CarlH emailed e2k with his experience using a new receiver, "On Dec 25th at 1530z I bumped into XJT on 8460khz but the jet also had a modem type dialling noise in 4-5 second bursts at regular intervals. The modem noise was very loud and clear. This carried on for about an hour but I was torn away from the radio due to xmas dinner." [Thanks Carl, pse send more reports].

The mention of modem noise is interesting and adds to the mystery of exactly what these transmissions are for. Given that they have also been reported from Japan, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand on frequencies well into the 18MHz region one gets the impression that the information carried is very important.

Jof A sent details of his listening activity on 29/01:

XJT Tue. 29/1, High freqs. ~2140z. 26602,25400,26385,25400,25191kHz. (Slight variation from usual sound). 16062kHz, 17108kHz. 2158z. (Slightly deeper tone than usual).

As well as 03/02:

XJT 03/02, 2000z - 2115z:
2170 2193 2209 2381 2453 2580 2590 2614
3291 3328 3370
4056 4205 4225 4265 4300 4316 4510 4535 4563 4605 4645 4780
5161 5218 5230 5238 5281 5333 5362 5430 5850
6230 6251 6343 6395 6407 6416 6430 6449 6475 6506 6765 6806 6895 6996

JoA notes: The 6407 & 6416kHz. XJT may be one wide one, perhaps with a designed silence in the middle. They are rather close together.

Jammers

AnonNI writes, "I have noticed that there has been increased jammer activity around 5 MHz in the early hours of the mornings - I'm quite familiar with the spectrum around 5MHz, but I don't quite remember quite so much jamming - almost without exception, the jamming is of the bubble type."

New pip XT2

As discovered by AryB the New Pip continued to 'pip' on 2200kHz along with the three-tone component until Ary reported its move to 3250kHz on 22/01. It moved back to 2200kHz on 25/01 again changing to 2207kHz on 29/01. Then changing back to its original 2200kHz due to the very strong PSK transmission that sits on 2207kHz. Regarding the 'New Pip' 'C' writes: MON 2014z 21/01 started up on 2200 kHz noted a teleprinter but could not determine if related as 'Pip' continued WED 2010z on 3250kHz very good sig, S9 - hearing Pip and 3 tone rising signal, transmitter seems quite noisy and easy to find. Teleprinter bursts ARE related and have come along from 2200kHz. Teleprinter bursts at 05 to 29 seconds and 33 to 57 seconds, or 00 to 25, and 30 to 54. Seems to be sending continuous teletype at present but Pip still active ? When the Teleprinter operates the 'Pip' continues - why - would it not destabilise the received signal ? Cannot tell if the 3 notes go off when Teleprinter is sending ?

Following a move around Ary discovered the Pip on 7605.5kHz early February.

S28 [formerly XB]

Still buzzing! We pass on the kind comments to Jan from those readers without 'net access who wish to congratulate him on his presentation of his site and investigations into UVB-76.

S28 caused some interference on the January 2140z slot for XPH on 4627kHz.

S30 [The Pip]

Continues to Pip away on 3757kHz despite mutterings from amateur radio operators on 80metres.

Slot machine (XSL)

XSL is heard on 4233, 4292, 6419, 6445, 6466, 8555, 8589 and 8703.5kHz. USB mode

Still being heard in US, Oceania and like areas. E2k would like to receive details of any observations made in Great Britain, Eire and Europe please.

XSL general transmission times [freqs of 8588.0//8703.5]

More Info on 'oddities' can be found on Brian of Sussex excellent web pages:

http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/brogers/page2.html

Squeaky wheel (XSW)

Heard once again by Ary [N&O] as:

Ary mentions that this peculiar signal is a channel marker.

NOTE: Designation XSW

TeleprinterR 4710

Apart from the usual frequencies of 4710, 6702 and 9000kHz 'C' writes in to inform us of yet two others, 11122kHz [daytimes] and 15020kHz [evenings]. Both freq. confirmed by 'P'London.

However 'C' wrote, almost in defence of listening to this station :

"Teleprinter 4710 - Oh Dear ! Too much publicity is making it very shy. Mentions in ENIGMA 2000 and on a recent ENIGMA page in SWM seems to have struck it dumb! Over Christmas nothing but a steady carrier. I have left a receiver tuned all day and not a noise, not even a single chatter of teletype. December 31st and it bursts back into life, I even have news for you, but don't get too excited at CIA HQ.

I have not one but two new frequencies which carry the 4710 kHz output. The whole thing just adds to the mystery. 15020kHz carries the 4710 output - noted at -2 seconds, but 15020 is not active all the time, try UK evenings, a steady carrier is sent when no teleprinter is operating, another frequency which is also active is 11212 kHz which also carries 4710 output, this operates at +1 second. 6702 & 9000 kHz are also active.

I was most curious about the comments in ENIGMA 2000 Issue 8 Page 20 that we should not bother mentioning this again, this signal is coming from a known CIA transmitter site in the UK, I consider it of interest, although I agree that it is encrypted."

Wop wop(XWP)

In Issue 8 'C' wrote 'Strange signal between 9240 and 9270 kHz - An unusual signal can be heard in the afternoon and evenings (European) operating between 9240 and 9270 kHz, this does not appear to be a jammer and operates when no numbers activity is present in that area. Usually commencing around the top of the hour for a varying length of time (usually 20-30 minutes). It consists of a strange 'Wop Wop Wop' noise, I likened it most to a noise made by those long pieces of plastic tube which were very popular with children a few years ago - you held them over your head & spun them round - this created a peculiar noise! I recently noted a very good signal in the UK at 16.00 UTC'.

Since then further wopwops have been received via 8034kHz. Usually between 1200 and 1300z and 1800 and 1900z there is a slight pause at H+20 and H+40. All characteristics remain the same although some variation on the bandwidth has occurred, the maximum being 3166Hz.

NOTE: Designation XWP.

Further XWP investigations reveal:

XWP Frequencies/Times

The schedule discovered so far appears to be a daily one. Two attempts to find active XWP frequencies between 2100z and 0600z have failed, the range tuned being 2000 to 5000kHz, 5000 to 8000kHz and 8000 to 10000kHz. [See9250kHz above though].

The signal consists of a 20ms pulse with a 180ms separation and a pulse repetition frequency [PRF] of 5.5Hz The bandwidth appears to range between 2700Hz and 3166Hz, with a mean around 2850Hz.

The transmission does not normally [there have been some exceptions] start at H+00. When frequency change over occurs from f1 to f2 [say from the 0900z freq of 9390kHz (f1) to 9250kHz (f2) at 1000z] the occurrence is this:

f1 ceases transmission at H+00; f2 starts transmission at H+01:03

Whilst it is perhaps difficult to see why this occurs an understanding of the next two sequences helps.

XWP continues its transmission until H+20 when the pulsing ends. The carrier drops 3 seconds after the cessation of the 'wopping' and the background, if there is one, rises. 42s after the pulsing has ended the carrier is heard again and remains so for another 21s when the signal starts again at H+21:03. This sequence is then repeated at H+40 with signal re starting at H+41:03.

[There have been slight changes, recently allowing this sequence to occur 1minute earlier].

The signal strength on day transmissions have usually been within the range S8 to S9+, the mean being S9 [at my South London QTH]. Those after dark have some variation, S3 to S9, there have been some fades too but the mean, from my log appears to be around S6.

[6900kHz 1300z 20/01 was a very poor S5 with excursions down to S3 and to S9 also].

The official frequency allocations [From GB: RA306 and US International Tables of Frequency Allocations] give little away:

[Freq range of allocation, Upper case gives primary use, lower secondary - Comments]
[ International Allocation/US Allocation]

Looking at the above the most obvious allocation seems to be for FIXED use. Given also the comment in our own RA305 'Government Use' does lead to the assumption that this strange signal is something more than just an 'oddity'. Exactly what information is passed by this very strange noise is anyone's guess. Perhaps it is another Ionospheric probe along the same lines as a chirpsounder, but why the 60min transmission time and the 63s break every 20mins?

Whilst the frequency selection for this odd signal seem to be within set areas there have been clashes and problems. On 19/01 at 1700z on 8158kHz XWP was vying for occupancy against our old friend XJT, the Jet, which appears to come up when and where it wants, and has been heard scrapping with XWP again, since this first discovery!

6900kHz at 2000z 19/01 saw XWP trying to swamp, almost successfully on occasion, the E03 2000z transmission.

The 8034kHz transmission ended suddenly at 1515z on Saturday 19/01. A search through known active freqs did not reveal any secondary transmission, nor did a scan through the entire search range.

There may well have been transmitter problems on 19/01 at the time of the 1515z shutdown. 8034kHz was used for 1200z, 1300z, 1400z and 1500z transmissions, changing to 9250kHz at 1600z. The subsequent transmission the next day did not suffer the same fate at 1515z and occurred on 9390kHz.

Perhaps the reason for the peculiar use of 8034kHz between 1200z and 1500z is due to an intermittent fault with the sending apparatus. On Monday 20/01 the 0700z transmission started, on 6818kHz rather weakly but by 0745z was apparently up to full strength. This poor start was thought to have been due to propagation and transmissions carried on until 1400z when the expected 6818kHz was NRH.

Tuesday 22/01 saw the start up at 0700z but the signal was fraught with problems. Intermittent sending and slight change in frequency prior to unexpected closure indicated a problem as the station shut down until 0739z when it popped up, until it was caught in mid-wop and shut down. Starting successfully at 0801z it shut down at 0803z returning at 0821z only to close again 30s later. That freq was 6900kHz.

For the 0900z 9390kHz transmission monitors were rewarded with NRH until 0902z whilst still bereft of XWP they were able to hear a carrier being whistled up. At 0920z the wopping appeared. On 8034kHz at 1240z a rapid series of tones dominated the frequency whilst the 1300z 6900kHz transmission had a rather peculiar 'click' on the end of the wop. There were no apparent problems reported between 1700z and 1900z.

However Wednesday 23/01 0700z 6818kHz was NRH. Listening to the XWP bereft frequency some USB activity occurred until 0739z when a rather off tone wop-wop occurred briefly. This was followed by a very strong distorted wop-wop at 0800z 6900kHz for a few seconds until that too went off-air. The 0900z 9390kHz attempt was only slightly better, lasting until 0804z, and a comment was offered 'that sounds different'. It did as it was off frequency. Far from sending its peculiar wopping for 60m, the situation changed in the day. It changed, from 180ms between 60ms pulses to something like a 400ms pulse. Badly constructed of two 80ms pulses and noise, and separated by 400'ish ms it was sent for a period [any length from fraction of a second to several minutes] at H+20 and H+40, a complete reversal of the usual sending. The sendings on Thursday 24/01 were back to 'normal' with the signal going off at H+00, H+20 and H+40. Comparison of signal traces did appear different, two 88ms pulses separated by 120ms.

XWP Daily schedule to date appears to be:

Perusing the schedule one can see that the signals are sent on frequencies that are not too far apart. One possibility is it being used as a research tool. There can be very few reasons for changing one frequency to one that is only a hundred or so Hz away. The fact that 'C' has heard XWP wopping away at 2200z [21/01, see below] does not exclude military useage. We have had input from Ary that this may be signals from a system called CODAR [COastal raDAR] known to send on frequencies between 6 and 30MHz.

A bearing taken, with difficulty, using a home brewed shielded loop, resulted in a bearing, taken against signal maxima/minima, of 147/327deg.[Accuracy not assured!]. Plotted on an Azimuthal Projection Map this puts a line from south-east of London, through France and Sardinia, continuing into Libya. From North west of London the line clips Reykjavic in the south-west of Iceland, continues through Greenland into Baffin Bay and beyond.

©P.Beaumont

'C' has sent some observations, note 2200z observation:

• 1500z 21/01 was on 9390kHz and 9250kHz, 9250kHz offering was slower and weaker.

• 1600z 21/019250kHz much stronger after transmitter ended on 9390kHz (tx switch)

• 2200z 21/019250kHz quite weak.

JofA contacted E2k to report hearing 2 frequencies up and wopping away on: 6818 and 9250kHz between 1825z and again at 1828z, returning to 6818kHz at 1829z.

Thanks to AB, AF, AK, ANUER, Anon UK, AnonNI, Anon Scandinavia, AR, Ary, BMDartford, 'C', CD, D of Kent, 'E', Gert of Holland, HFD, IB, J of Aylesbury, JM, Ben Mesander, Jan Michalski [Poland], JMM, K of Kent, LP, Mike of Kent, Mark Slaten, 'P', Peter of Saffron Walden, QZD, R anon, Rob of Essex, selco, US', Spy Numbers Robot, and all others for their contributions to the Morse, Voice and Oddities columns. As ever we acknowledge information from the Spooks site.

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