ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 26

January 2005
Articles, newsreports and Items of interest :enigma2000-owner@yahoogroups.com

Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities | Polytones
Spy radio ? | Beginners' corner | German branch | Numbers predictions
Yosemite Sam | Propagation
Churchill House | Diego Garcia | The Smokey Dragon (3/4)
News Items | Web sites | Stop press | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home

Voice stations

We received an UNID: On 21/12/04 at 12.00z on, 9450kHz am, EE,OM 1158z carrier up, 1200z 275 x 3, 220 R till 12.10z, "end of message, end of transmission". Carrier down 1218z. Zero pronounced as "zzeero". Some B/C QRM & static.This was also there Thurs 16th,same time,clg 127 but reception so bad not possible to log as a "confirm" as only odd snatches heard using USB.

It’s E25 – see E25 section and the splendid analysis carried out by ‘X’.

Non- Number: 21620kHz 0715z 07/11 Radio Sohl, via Rampisham. Weak but readable, PLondon

Radio Sohl is apparently Radio Peace and is used as psychological warfare by the US in an attempt to collar Osama bin Laden. Other freqs include11810, 17710, 17720 and 17555. [via German DXer Wolgfang Bueschel]

The entire schedule can be seen in ‘Communication’ Edition 360, the Monthly Journal of the British DX Club.

Now onto the logs:

E03/E03a

Apart from the regulations concerning the reception of wireless stations within Great Britain advice on reporting intelligence matters also exists in the form of DA notices.

Whoever the messages, from E03/E03a, are aimed at ENIGMA 2000 has no wish to 'advertise' the existence of these stations to those who may not support the best interests of Great Britain, or its representatives abroad. Although we are unable to stop discussion of E03/E03a, ENIGMA 2000 will remain aloof from any such discussion and will not be including reports or analysis on E03/E03a.

E06

Before we kick-off with the logs E sent in a little snippet that he heard E08

The transmission was tight on top of the VOLMET transmission.

PoSW also has thoughts on this station and writes,

[Tnx PoSW]

RNGB’s logs

RNGB’s December log makes interesting reading indeed:

E07

The E07 English Man continues to display a distinct lack of depth of modulation on some transmissions. Quite often there will be an S9 carrier with just a weak, feeble voice difficult to hear although for some reason the third sending of a schedule often has much better audio than the first two. [PoSW]

PoSW reflected Gert’s findings in his logs and comments:

Schedules running are much as in the past with the usual change of frequencies on a monthly basis. Frequencies the same as in any given month in previous years except for the Wednesday and Sunday schedule starting at 1800 UTC. The long-standing problem with the depth of modulation still persists although frequently the third transmission of three often has more readable audio than the first two.

Further logs:

RNGB’s December log:

E10

An entry in the E10 piece [Page 13 Issue 25] proposed some theories as to the reason for the S7N2 transmission. Heard originally by ML, then BM, our E10 desk and then PLondon, ML writes in again:

Tnx ML.

It is known that E10 transmissions propagate widely, being heard in South Africa, South America, Great Britain, Malta and other parts of Europe as well as America. We have been notified that it is also heard in Hobart, Tasmania. One of the most southerly points we have reports from. Although we have had a report from Stanley, Falkland Islands. Robert’s report read,

tnx Robt!

Robert kindly sent a recording too – excellent copy by all accounts and at a greater strength we would expect in GB.

Jan 04 to Dec 04

E10 Monitored Networks & Call Signs Jan 04 to Dec 04
As at 16 Dec 04

Special Headers

Call Sign. Date Last Heard & Frequencies Used

E10 Desk For Nov 04

Some Freqencies With calls Heard

Nov 04

Comments

• 31 Oct 04 heard by Mike L, S7N2 on freq 4648 and again on the 5 Nov confirming the call sign S7N2.

• Mike also informed Paul (G7VAK) who sent me a recording, although there was background noise I was able to hear the call ok. (Nice one Mike L & Paul)

• My reception for the months of Oct/Nov has been poor on most frequencies, but there has been one exception to that, SYN 2 on 6930 at 2345hrs almost each night really booming through.

• CIO2 on the other hand has been difficult to receive within the background noise and only on freq 4165 and 3270 with limited success. As you can see from the logs mainly late night and early morning.

E10 Desk For Dec 04

Some Freqencies With calls Heard

Dec 04

Comments

• Many thanks to Rodney Wild. I can confirm that the station you heard was EZI on 9130 on the 6/12.

• I too heard this and our initial group blocks agreed G95 NGUUR and G7 PDDOG.

• It was also repeated on freq 6840 on the 7th of Dec. It seems to be the practice for the station to end the transmission when sending large Groups in this case 5mins approx before the hour, even though its repeat transmission cannot be completed.

• With the above comes my yearly log for the period Jan 04 to Dec 04.

• During that time I never once heard ABC/HNC/MIW or SYN but managed most of the others.

• Looking at the date last heard section I have not been too successful with some of those.

• My move from Dartford to Longfield took longer than anticipated and poor reception in general, with a severe electrical problem have not helped.

Anyway enough winging - Happy Christmas and New Year!

© BMLongfield, E10 Desk, 20/12/04

[Tnx for your work here Bob, excellent as ever. Compliments of Season to you and yours].

E11

Readers should note the frequency changes from 1^st November, 2004 [Tnx AnonUK and AF]:

The first 1030z November transmission [02/11] for E11 was not found

E11b

E15

We print the known schedule [as issue 22]:

E17z

E23

Best frequency is usually 8188kHz. 3 weekly cycle starting on the first Monday of the Month. [See E23 entry in NL24].

Transmits Monday Wednesday and Thursday:

*Week 2 Used to be M04 but has not been heard for several years, so therefore no transmission on week 2.

E25

No recent singular reports but read on for the definitive analysis of this station:

E25 English counting, Eastern music (sometimes), by ‘X’

I was reading some old newsletters and saw a log of E25. I was wondering if I could hear it too or if it is still active at all.

I left my receiver on the only known frequency of 9450 kHz and heard nothing for a while.

Then, on fri 24 sept 2004 I heard a complete message starting at 11.50 UTC:

780 780 780 repeated for 2 minutes
message (3 times)
0681 8310 3830 7795 0472
3369 8099 6631 3434 2638
1403 5514 7360 8487 9626 8310
repeat (3 times)
---rpt of msg---
end of message
end of transmission.

I was very surprized that I could hear this station. It was very weak but audio was good.

The third and last groups are identical.

Happy with this success left my receiver again on that freq and heard nothing for a while.

Than again a message on wed 13 oct 2004, 12.00 UTC.

275 calling for 5 minutes
message (3 times)
9542 7151 7510 7959 6707
9186 2922 0727 7558 1000
3865 2472 0918 1963 7510
repeat (3 times)
---rpt of msg---
end of message
end of transmission

On sun 31 oct at 12.00 UTC I heard another transmission, but a different format.

275 calling for 5 minutes
message (3 times)
280 280 280 repeated for 5 minutes
end of message
end of transmission

I am not sure what to think of this, might well be a null msg or a “there’s nothing for you” transmission.

Than a few hours later – still on sun 31 oct 2004 – at 13.30 the following was aired:

909 6
905 7
909 6
905 7

This lasted for 5 minutes and ended without end of message / end of transmission.

Again, I don’t know what this means. Perhaps a kind of controll message. Or maybe there’s a message for 909 over 6 days, for 905 over 7 days (read on for more on this). I heard nothing…

The next transmission occured on sat 13 nov 2004, 12.30 UTC.

Musical intro lasting 3 minutes. Eastern sounding music, with a singing man in an eastern language.
555 555 555 repeated for 3 minutes
message (3 times)
1211 5211 9410 2484 5913
9031 6613 4613 5947 7542
9410
Repeat (3 times)
---rpt of msg---
end of message
end of transmission

The next message I heard was on wed 24 nov 2004, 12.00 UTC.

280 280 280 repeated for 5 minutes.

Note there was no music, no Id, no intro (message 3 times) and no ending (eom / eot).

I think this was a null message.

Monday 29 nov 2004 was a very busy day for E25. Starting at 12.00 I heard this:

280 280 280 for 5 minutes.

Note there was no music, no id, no intro(=msg x3) and no eom / eot.

Than a few minutes later at 12.12 UTC I heard this:

837 17
830 18
837 17
830 18

This was repeated for about 5 minutes.

Still at the same day, mon 29th nov, I heard this:

780 780 780 for 5 min
message (3 times)
9233 4601 8822 3888 3729 6229
3285 3822 7303 8822
Repeat (3 times)
---rpt of msg---
end of message
end of transmission

• Sun 5 dec 2004, 12.00 UTC I heard this:

272 1
275 1
272 1
272 1
275 1

Lasting 5 minutes. Nothing else heard that day.

• Tuesday 7 dec 2004, 12.27 UTC.

Music lasting 7 minutes
Calling 555 555 555 for 3 minutes
Message message message
1033 6211 8450 1821 9988
2631 6613 1670 1164 6713
8450
Repeat repeat repeat
---rpt of msg---
End of message / end of transmission

Transmitter did not went off after the transmission and at 12.45 I heard the man calling:

830
785 24 25
788 19 20
785 24 25
788 19 20

This lasted for 3 minutes.

When I heard this I realized this could well be a controll message telling when there is a message, namely at date 19 and 20 dec plus 24 and 25 december. Message would be for 780 and the decode key for 19/20 dec would be 788. For 24 and 25 dec the decode key would be 785. It is of coarse all guessing but if someone has a better idea please tell me/us…

ID’s used so far:
222 275 555 730 780

Starting times:

I think it may transmit on any time between 11.00 and 15.00 UTC, but likes 12.00 UTC.

For my own use I divided the transmissions into 3 formats:

• Format 1a
  No music
  No id
  No intro (message x3)
  No end of message / end of transmission (eom / eot)
  Only a 3 figure group repeated for a couple of minutes.

• Format 1b
  No music
  Use of ID
  Use of intro
  Message of only a single 3 fig group repeated for 5 minutes
  Use of eom / eot

• Format 2
  No music
  No id
  No intro
  No eom / eot
  Only one or more 3 figure groups followed by 1 or 2 numbers (for example 277 1 or 788 19 20).
  Before you hear these groups repeated you should hear the ID only once

• Format 3a
  No music
  Use of ID
  Use of intro
  Message of 4 fig groups
  Use of eom / eot.

• Format 3b
  Use of Music
  Use of ID
  Use of intro
  Message of 4 fig groups
  Use of eom / eot.

Conclusions

Till now, some conclusions can be drawn:

• All transmissions are in AM mode.
• Format 1a and 1b are null messages
• Format 2 is a control transmission
• Format 3a and 3b are the actual messages.

©ENIGMA2000 8th December 2004 Thank you for an interesting analysis of E25 ‘X’

ML also wrote

“To add to X’s good work :- 02/12/04 1245z 9450kHz, i/p E25, 222 21 R (null) ended 1247z . Have heard it a number of times, possibly, outside the usual slot but sig has been totally unreadable so not regarded as a "confirm".

Today [10/12] for instance there was something there at 1115z, 1150z, 1226z but there are also two BC's tight on the freq at various times which wipe it out.”

Then ML offered "13.30 - 13 35z 10/12, repeated 3f gp, but I did not get the figures.”

This was followed by further logs from X who writes:

• E25, tue 14 dec 2004, 13.30 UTC, 9450 kHz,

906 for 5 minutes
message (x3)
9370 2110 9445 6344
3876 2110 6474
repeat (x3)
--- rpt of msg ---
End of message / End of transmission.

Logs for wed 15 dec 2004.

• E25, 12.30 UTC, 9450 kHz, Format 2 message:

Calling 557 5 for 5 minutes.

• E25, 13.30 UTC, 9450 kHz, Format 3a plus format 2 message (for details read on):

906 for 5 minutes
message (x3)
0451 0210 6519 4346
6217 9331 9770 5825
4562 5140 1028 3948
7372 0210 6481
End of message
905 13
905 13 (for 2 minutes)
End of transmission.

[Tnx X]

The latest E25 log from X:

Format 1b, null message:

Tuesday 21 dec 2004, 12.00 UTC, 9450 kHz;

275 ID called for 5 minutes
Message (x3)
280 repeated for 5 minutes
End of message
End of transmission.

X mentioned that he was expecting messages on the 17th, 18th and 19th but heard nothing despite all day long listening.

It seems that E25 is active indeed - perhaps our greatest problem in GB is propagation as we originally thought.

G06

Schedules for this station do exist:

First Monday of each month [2004]

[Repeated Tuesday if message]

Thursdays[2004]:

[Thurs freqs are 4519, 5934 or 6887kHz]

Friday[2004]:

[Friday Freqs are 4792, 5442 or 5934kHz and occur alternate weeks].

Saturday [2^nd and 3^rd Sats each month]:

Sundays [2^nd and 3^rd Suns each month]:

[Many Thanks to AnonUK for sharing his analysis used in the above compilation].

Gary Hagermann wrote via Group, "I think I may have spotted a possible extra on the tx of G06 this evening. She came up on 4519 bang on time at 1830, with the call sign/net ident sig. of 271 on AM, and for no special reason I switched in USB, to be rewarded with a slowly sent Morse 'X'." Any ideas?

From RNGB:

Schedules known to be active are the long-standing first Monday in the month and the alternate Thursday 1830 UTC repeated the following day at 1930 UTC.

Of the schedules PoSW writes:

First Monday in the Month Schedule;-

Thursday 1830 UTC Schedule;-

Friday 1930 UTC Schedule;-

[Tnx PoSW]

G22

From Gert:

who reminds us that 2300z = midnight local time in central Europe.

Now we move on to the ENIGMA 2000 Slavic Desk, admirably run by DoK:

Slavic Stations

From DoK we receive his latest ‘Slavic’ analysis:

Chart 17

M10, S10d and S17c Listings From 1^st November to 31^st December 2004
Compiled by Slavic Desk

The above chart supersedes Chart 16 and updates charts 8A, 9 and 10; the next major change should be on 1st March 2005 although minor changes may occur on a month by month basis.

Comparison of the above mentioned charts will show what can be expected if the group continues operating to programme.

M10e was last heard at 0900z, on 5019kHz, Tuesday to Friday 14^th to 17th December 2004 inclusive.

Comments have been received confirming the generally poor signals during November and December; unfortunately my new antennae will not be erected until February so some schedules were virtually non-existent with me.

The schedules shown in italics [Chart 17] are those I have not received, although some of them should be active. More concentration on these schedules is needed at the expense of the easier ones.

An unusual occurrence; the 1800z schedule on Thursday 4^th November used the ID571, on Friday 17^th December the 1720z schedule also sent ID571.

This was new to me considering ID571 is only used on the 0535z and 1630z schedules. The message preambles were checked and found not to be the same as those used for the 0535z/1630z schedules.

During this period being reported the 1700z schedules changed weeks and reverted back and are currently where I described them in Newsletter 25 of November, 2004.

Something I have not heard for a long time; Tuesday 28/12 1200z schedule very weak and echo sounding – the effect of long and short path reception.

Again, Tuesday 28/12 1250z 9166kHz S17c sent 27063, a change of some sort. [Certainly not in the usual range of 5 figures sent].

Finally, Astastny novy rok 2005. [Tnx DoK]

©ENIGMA2000December2004

S04

Nil reports

S06

PoSW’s S06 log reads:

AnonUK writes of an interesting observation,

"For S06 Last month, there was an S06 sked at 0840 on 6820, it has not been on this month so far, but this morning, 14/12, at 0840 on 6820 was sent the letter 'F ' in MCW for 5 minutes."

Gert also sent his S06 log in and one mentionable item is:

This particular sending had two messages mixing at the same time.:

• Msg 1 724 Null Message

• Msg 2 793 – 205/148 = 53602

[Tnx Gert]

From RNGB and AF:

[Tnx RNGB]

From Gert we receive a chart of S06 Schedules.

Note that Week 1 starts at the first day of the month.

Freqs in red are from 2003.

©ENIGMA2000, December 2004

RNGB’s December log – tnx R!

S06b

Nil reports

S06c

Nil reports

S10d

PLondon mentioned that his few December intercepts of S10d have been typically weak, this is echoed by PoSW, "Many of the S10d Czech YL schedules have become extremely weak as the hours of darkness have increased. The only one which offers anything like a strong signal at my QTH at the moment is the Saturday 1520z on 8,175 kHz."

From AF:

Note AF’s comment for the 8m freqs.

From RNGB:

From Peter we read further:

As expected has stayed on UTC with the end of summertime on the last weekend of October which means that transmissions appear one hour earlier local time - not always convenient for some of us! There were changes of frequency on most schedules for November and in general seem to be the same as in the same month last year.

The following schedules have been heard in November and December;-

[Tnx PoSW].

S11a Cherta

Nil Reports

S17c

5 fig from AF, DoK, and HFD:

Bearing PoSW’s remark of weakness in mind, S17c also had its fair share, AF wrote of the sendings on 09/11, 26/11, 04/12, 10/12 12/12 & 18/12 as very weak. This slight on signal useage was also mentioned by DoK in a conversation with PLondon.

S21

S25

Of S25 Gert writes, "I lost it after the summer/winter clock change. It is starting at 9.00 UTC on 11115 kHz so did not keep UTC but stays on cet (centr. europ. time)."

AnonUK remarked the peculiarity of the groups starting with a 5 and ending with 4. I note Gert’s sample started with a 3 and ended with a 2. It must have a significance.

V02

PoSW’s logs:

[Tnx PoSW}

V02a

V02c

In a pvt email MS US asked,

“Did anyone else happen to copy the V2c at 1000z on 7975kHz? [06/11?] He has been coming up weekly for a few weeks on Saturday. I am not sure about the format of the callup. Because of the pauses, I am not sure if the callup is:

• 888 16x2 252 166x1 888 16x2 (R5) or

• 888 16x2 888 16x2 252 166x1 (R5) or

• 252 166x1 888 16x2 888 16x2 (R5)

In the mad dash to copy the callups from the other Cuban skeds at that time, I didn't get the beginning or end of V2c callup before it went into traffic.”

Then Mark copied an email addressed Spooks to E2k:

“Hi Spooksters:

Chris Smolinski submitted a log on 11/11/2004:

2100z 6855m V2a Thursday (A new V2a sked?)

This log caught my eye as you don't hear V2a much at that time of the day. So I decided to check it out the next day at the same time and freq.

The sked was heard again, and is actually V2c. V2c has callups different from V2a and the traffic for V2c is not limited to the standard 150 group message that V2a and M8c tend to send. The callups are a 3/2 type call.

Example being 888 16 or 252 166.

Also, another curiosity is the fact that there is a distinct pause after every 10 groups in the message. The transmitters seem to be better than the transmitters used by V2a also.

I have been following this sked ever since then and have found that it appears to be a daily sked. It also has an earlier transmission at 0900z and 1000z. It is then repeated at 2000z and 2100z.

Freqs that I have recovered so far are: 6855m, 7520m, 7527m, 7887m and 7975m. The 2000z/2100z sked seems to favor 7887m/6855m.

By the way, V2c usually has his AM carrier up about 10-15 minutes prior to broadcast. I have heard it even earlier. So he should be a pretty easy find when searching the freqs.”

Happy hunting! Good find Chris! 73's Mark”

[A good find indeed. Tnx for sharing Mark].

Mark noticed that, “Early skeds (0900z/1000z) seems to vary the freqs. The later skeds (2000z/2100z) seem to be fixed at 7887m/6855m.

“Note: The V02c that I have been studying the past week has continued to send the same 450 group message and callup each sked. Here is his format: A 888 16x2 A 252 166x1 A 888 16x2 (R3) - - - - SENDS 450 GROUP MESSAGE (YL/SS) - - - -

Finale Finale Finale

The sked lasts about 38 minutes. It is then repeated one hour later.”

[Tnx Mark].

V02c logs as follows: