ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 27

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

Morse station news

A representative sample of the logs received, in the format introduced in Issue26.

Unid 1 per IB

Jan 14^th

4080kHz

09.02z

i/p
vvv 8nz 8nz de mf3 mf3 = 34 6663 94
qru 355
R x1
qru 355 sk

Unid 2 per IB

Jan 14^th

5701kHz

10.00z

very poor sending. (Training ? Ed.)
vvvv vvvv vvvv vvvv vvvv q5o (x 11) de xv6 xv6 xv6 xv6, all x 3, qrx next va va

Unid 3 per IB

Jan 14^th

5110kHz

15.46z

i/p
nw4 nw4 nw4 nw4 nw4 de 7dk 7dk 7dk vvvv qsv k, all twice.

Unid 4 per IB

Probable Chinese military

6704 kHz

1144z

(11-feb-2005)

cw 3FG cut

(IB)

Poor quality signal

IB remarks that :-
This cw station is possibly a “sister” of V26/V27 stations, who use a mix of English and Chinese in their TX’s. Igor took the following intercept then retabulated into the “full” uncut, an interesting result.

I/p... tua 773 356 4t3 nn3 446 3d3
4dt 4d6 tu6 773 tu7 773 356 4t3 nn3 436
46d 3d4 4dt 4d6 tun n34 t33 773 356 37u
4t3 nn3 446 467 3d4 4dt 4d6 tuu 773 357
373 4t3 nn3 436 46d 3d4 4dt 4d5 3ud tau
iii 2p = = = =
773 353 4t3 nn3 447 46d 3d5 4dt 4d6 tan
773 tu3 773 353 4t3 nn3 446 3d3 4dt 4d6
tut 773 tua 773 356 4t3 3t3 nn4 435 466
3dt 4d6 tuu 773 tu6 773 tu7 773 356 4t3
nn3 446 477 3d4 4dt 4d6 tuu 773 357 373
4t3 nn3 446 467 3d4 4dt 4d5 734 n47 3u7
3un tau 773 353 4t3 nn3 436 46d 3d5 4dt
4d6 ta7 773 tad 773 353 4t3 nn3 446 467
-d4 4dt 4d6 tu4 773 tu5 773 357 366 4t3
nn3 446 467 3d5 4dt 4d5 tu6 773 --- ---
--- 4t3 nn3 446 4dt 4d6 tun n34 t33 773
<further traffic very qrm>
snipped

This is the full text version of above, but restructured into its “addressee” lines :-

021			773	356		403		993	446		383	480	486
026			773
027			773	356		403		993	436	468	384	480	486
029	934	033	773	356	372	403		993	446	467	384	480	486
022			773	357	373	403		993	436	468	384	480	485	328
012			773	353		403		993	447	468	385	480	486
019			773
023			773	353		403		993	446		383	480	486
020			773
021			773	356		403	303	994	435	466	380		486
022			773
026			773			403		993	446	477	384	480	486
027			773	356		403		993	446	477	384	480	486
022			773	357	373	403		993	446	467	384	480	485	734	947
327	329
012			773	353		403		993	436	468	385	480	486
017			773
018			773	353		403		993	446	467	-84	480	486
024			773
025			773	357	366	403		993	446	467	385	480	485
026			773
---			---	---		403		993	446			480
486	029	934	033		773	...

M01 “Two Tone” MCW, hand.

Late log

Dec 4^th	5810kHz	15.00z	clg “197”
Jan 17^th	4007kHz	21.00z	u/r
Jan 22^nd	5808kHz	15.00	i/p
Feb 13^th	5463kHz	07.00z	clg “197 226 226 30 30 = = 86731 etc”
Feb 20^th	repeat above

M01b MCW hand

Jan 28^th	4506kHz	22.05z	“419 912 34 `- -` 87267 etc” sent 10 gps/min, only one error.
Feb 7^th	5065kHz	21.10z	“136 `- -` 311 31 `- -` 19894 etc”

M03 ICW, some MCW

M03

7317kHz

0915z

09/01/05

Spectrograph:

©ENIGMA2000Jan2005

Image shows 284/00 = = 0 0 0 [Red cross at RH is freq mark for 800Hz – the tone the demodulated Morse was heard]

The 09.15z TX’s on 7317kHz had very good sigs in Jan

Jan 25^th

11486kHz

07.38z

sent a series of LONG dashes, 07.39z “vvvvv”, into TX 07.45z.

From JoA

Feb 2^nd

8088kHz

06.58-57z

Unusually early tune up :- TTT VVVVV but no TX at 07.00z then at 07.27z the usual VVVVV and at 07.30z into TX “508 + mssg)

This was found by accident as the RX was tuned to the previous days’ E11 sked

(but it’s another one into the bag , Ed)

Freqs heard :-
4181, 4504, 4840, 4909, 4958, 5358, 6480, 7317, 7377, 8088, 9339, 9443, 9610, 10210, 10384, 11486

M03c

Jan 12^th	9610kHz	09.00z	clg “211 / 34 77777 77777 89489” etc
Jan 13^th	9950kHz	10.30z	repeat of 12^th.
Jan 27^th	10384kHz	10.00z	clg “971 / 36 77777 77777 67233” etc
Feb 14^th	10218kHz	09.00z	clg “976 / 34 77777 77777 + “etc

M08’s

MS reports the continued random, and mixed, use of the M08a & M08c formats although in early Jan the incidence of “C’s” dropped markedly. Last heard Jan 20^th.

(Wonder if they’ve decided at last to dump the “crappy tape”, and we’re back to normal until the next cock-up. Ed)

The late starts and increasing number of wrong skeds, also affecting V2’s, leads MS to speculate that taking all these mistakes together it is likely that M08a/M08c/V02c and possibly V02a are being TX’d from the same location, and by the same personnel, although the operators may also have changed to a new team for 2005.

MS had not noticed this until recently so is it also an indication that this Cuban operation has been “rationalised/relocated”?, also during Jan/Feb there were X’mitter ,or antenna, problems disrupting the sig. (still setting up ?. Ed)

Also noted was another new development where upon reaching the 9^th transmission of a message they then continue the skeds to the 9^th addressee until there is new traffic.

MS also speculates “maybe this whole Cuban operation is just a training exercise, I can’t imagine a professional being satisfied with the quality of this product”

M08a ICW

Jan 6^th	8009kHz	23.00z	started on the wrong freq, changed to correct 8135kHz at 23.05z. DURING the TX, this is happening often, new conscripts ?. Well spotted MS
Jan 10^th	7320kHz	13.00z	TX should have been a repeat of the 6796kHz 12.00z TX but a different mssg was sent to a different addr.
Jan 20^th	7890kHz	13.00z	Should have been rpt of 12.00z sked, totally different mssg sent and in the wrong format (M08c), all other traffic on 20^th in M08a format.

Freqs heard :-
3025, 3244, 3926, 4027, 4173, 4478, 6797, 6826, 6854, 6933, 7320, 7519, 7526, 7555, 7580, 7890, 8009, 8096, 8136, 9062, 9153, 9237, 9323, 9328, 10126, 10344, 10445, 11432

M08c

ICW, small variations in TX freqs.

Jan 12^th	7519kHz	23.00z	started on wrong freq, changed to correct 8009 at 23.06z
Jan 15^th	8136kHz	12.00z	started & stayed on wrong freq, the 11.00z sked one, correct for this sked is 6933kHz.

Freqs heard :-
3926, 4027, 4478, 6797, 6854, 6866, 6933, 7320, 7519, 7526, 7890, 8009, 8136, 8186, 9062, 9238, 9330, 10119, 10125, 10446, 11432, 11566, 13374,

M10 ICW/MCW, some CW

Jan 2^nd	3631//5471kHz	18.00z	TX had a sporadic 680Hz tone, little longer than a dash, during TX – kit glitch ?.
Jan 4^th	3522//4007kHz	04.30z	weak with fades and a Boo-Boo, only sent 2 0’s at end not 3, here’s the spectogram

The M10 transmission, 3522//4007kHz 0430z 04/01 suffered from weak signals and fades leading to reception difficulties with PLondon on his SW55. Luckily PLondon was recording the signal on his Digital Voice Recorder [Sanyo ICR-B20 for those of you who enquired last time] because although he was able to copy the message run up as 555 443 89 19 he did lose the rest in the mush. However towards the ending the signal perked up for the last 10 or so groups. The conclusion , at 0440z surprised Paul, given the usual efficiency of the M10 station, = = 89 89 19 19 0 0 The last shortened zero [sent as a ‘t’] was missing. Paul thought that the conditions may have altered but on running the sending through spectrogram he saw this:

©PLondonJan2005

The spectrogram shows 19 19 0 0; the last 0 was never sent. On its repeat on 5076kHz 0700z 08/01 PLondon noted the ending was correctly sent as t t t, or in shortened form, 0 0 0.

Whilst intercepting the 0535z MCW sending on 12/02 PLondon heard what he thought was a train of zeros in the 26 group message sent for 275. At 1630z when the message repeated PLondon applied the output of his rx to his pc to generate a spectrogram.

©PLondon12February2005

That above shows two groups of the T T T group used at the conclusion of M10 sendings. This time they are separated by two figures, 61. That they are the normal slow zeros, albeit abbreviated characters is obvious. So what is the purpose? Message separator for two messages? Possible with the 61being a decode key or something akin.[TnxPLondon].

On Sunday 20/02 PLondon was monitoring the alternate 1610z 4485//6758kHz sending:

555 374 50 41
783 42 30
ENDS: 1627z

Towards the end of the transmission of the second message’s thirty groups transmission suddenly ceased. There was no indication of transmission failure and it sounded as though the ‘plug’ had been pulled. [PLondon was monitoring 4485kHz, but the effect was the same although the 6758kHz freq was also host to a troublesome data transmission].

©PLondon200205

The above spectrograph illustrates the shutdown. Does this indicate the message to be a blank, or will agent 783 be running about, hands clasped nervously over his ears worrying what is to come…………………………

Bear in mind that the next scheduled sending for M10 on this day was to be the 1630z MCW sending on the paralleled freqs of 4030//6763kHz. The 6MHz freq is within 5kHz of the alternate 1610z and one must wonder if the same transmitter was to be used.

The message sent was

555 571 23 25
275 04 32
049 36 37
435 82 21
0 0 0 1657z

[Tnx PLondon].

Jan 8^th	4030//6763kHz	16.30z.	Both freqs v poor, read as CW but sent in MCW. It took the combined logs of two monitors to identify the first group of “555 571 98 24” but their reading was confirmed on Jan 9^th repeat TX with a fair sig on 6763kHz MCW
Jan 10^th	3522kHz	04.50z	TX was degraded by a variable tone carrier of unknown origin, while its repeat TX on 13^th appeared to be at a faster speed than normal.
Jan 24^th	3522kHz	18.20z	P London had an interesting intercept of at &, skeds where the QRM was provided by two females on cordless phones using 3524kHz AM, there was no corresponding sig in the 1684 – 1785kHz area. What did they find to talk about for all that time ?
Jan 24^th	3522kHz	21.00z
Jan 31^st	4835kHz	22.00z	sked recd with very strong sig in London even producing the characteristic “echo” of combined long / short path elements.
Feb 1^st	3522//5076kHz	04.50z	sked, strong sig on both freqs, however at the intended start time only a series of dots were TX’d – the mssg proper started 46secs late.

Freqs heard :-
3522//3810, 3522//4007, 3522//5027, 3522//5076, 3522//5301,3631//5471, 3810//5861, 4030//6763, 4485//6758, 4836, 4958//7745, 5027, 5076, 5301, 5945//9445, 9385, 12295, 14563//15897, 14978

M12

Some late logs Issue 26 included:-

Dec 18^th	4678kHz	19.21z	i/p is this a new sked ?. The 20.00/20.20/20.40z sendings all S9.
Dec 29^th	5308kHz	20.20z	appears to be another sked – noted active on previous Weds – and sending long mssgs, clg “480 480 480 1, DK/GC 7219 245” could be 3^rd TX, rpt not found.
Jan 9^th	5308kHz	20.20z	another long “480”, clg 480 480 480 1, DK/GC 1484 209” this TX appeared to be rather fast and ended “000 000”. Rptd on 12^th 20.20z
Jan 11^th(Tue)	5788kHz	20.40z	clg “462 462 462 1, DK/GC 4617 142” PoSW thinks this may be the “462” sked that in 2004 ran on Sat/Wed 18.00z 8084/6856/5788kHz and now moved to 20.00z Tue + other.
Feb 8^th	7412kHz	18.00z	clg “212 1 549 201 46113 etc”
Feb 10^th	13446kHz	06.50z	weak clg “146 146 146 1, DK/GC 180 93 ?. this Mon/Thu sked appeared using 2004 freqs and this was confirmed on :-
Feb 14^th	12146kHz	06.30z	clg “146” etc different mssg.
	13446kHz	06.50z	clg “146” etc different mssg.

M13

A few monitors have remarked that some of the TX’s are weaker than would be expected, and others NRH.

This poss new freq for the sked caught by MS on his first day back after a short time “off air” nice one!

Feb 2^nd	5783kHz	22.45z	clg “757 (R5) BT 270 20 BT”
	6352kHz	22.00z	This is another odd contribution from the logs of JoA for the Feb 2^nd 6352kHz, 22.00z sked tune-up.
			“Unusual tune-up :- pip every min @ nn.nn :14, for several mins except for pip @ 21.58:17, then last pip @ 21.59:14 then into expected TX at 22.00z “254 = 255 22 = 09123”
			No other reports of this strange behaviour received.
Feb 14^th	8112kHz	23.00z	clg “458 (R5) BT 245 23 BT” This is the “missing” 458 23.00z freq. Nice one MS
An odd pair (GD please note)
Jan 10^th	5273kHz	21.09z	i/p clg “735 735 735 000” then = 252 22 =, 5F’s in very slow morse which appeared to be MCW CC – high pitched tones
Jan 14^th	6934kHz	18.02z	clg “915” normal speed MCW CC high pitch.

Freqs heard :-
3493, 4042, 5062, 5247, 5377, 5735, 5766, 5783, 6352, 6377, 6382, 6532, 6574, 6885, 6993, 7524, 7534/5, 7567, 7927, 8080, 8107, 8112, 9264, 9878,

M13a

Another rare visitor to our pages, this special schedule 2^nd/4^th Mon Tue of month variant pulled from the ether under difficult QRN conditions by MS.

Feb 15^th

6455kHz

21.00z

clg “463 x 3, 0 0 0” (R5) To add extra interest MS was expecting a “436” call.

M14 ICW / MCW / MCW CC

The 1^st/3^rd Fri MCW sked continues into 2005 with a change of call to “491”, will remain for rest of year, and true to form the 2^nd sending (winter) at a higher freq :-

Jan 7^th	4040kHz		20.00z	clg “491 491 00000” null mssg
	4470kHz		21.00z	Repeat of above
Jan 21^st	confirmation of above freqs/times.
Jan 22^nd	5745kHz	CW	07.01z	clg “425 425 425 00000” this early morning CW stopped in mid flow just after 07.04z ??
Jan 22^nd	4470kHz	MCW	21.00z	clg “491 236 40 70775” etc confirms the “next day repeat” still running.
Feb 4^th	4830kHz		20.00z
	4470kHz		21.00z	“491” now returned to the 2^nd sending lower, until end of year.

M23 ICW

Still as elusive as ever but nicely caught by LW, sending a mssg !

Jan 20^th

5540kHz

12.50z

i/p, probable 12.30z start

M24

Feb 12^th

8150kHz

18.02z

clg “512” at 18.04z “868 868 144 144 = =” 5F’s, weak, v fast CW.

M55

hand, erratic

Another JoA catch of this somewhat rare station, but for the moment it’s being predictable on this freq.

Feb 4^th	12150kHz	13.00z	clg “698 000” R, poor, fading, indistinct ending but presumed null.
Feb 11^th	above repeated.
Feb 18^th	above repeated, poor sig
Feb 22^nd	above repeated , JoA remarks he noticed a variation prior to 0 0 0 and wonders if a short mssg was sent, This would certainly be a “first”, but probably just the sloppy sending.

M89 per IB

Jan 5^th	5304kHz // 7741kHz	13.05z	clg “yav8 yav8 yav8 de otuv otuv otuv v” ( R )
Jan 25^th	5278 // 6668kHz	01.40z / 02.06z	with an odd
Jan 25^th			“v gkv gkv gkv de q~w q~w” (R) the symbol ~ sent as `--…-.`

**AB later commented, via a posting on the WUN site, that this is possibly a defective sending of :-
V GKVZ GKVZ DE Q7NW Q7NW heard on 3297 / 5278kHz caused by the “Z” missing in GKVZ and the misread of --… -. (7N) **

Thanks for the input on this one, Ed

Thanks to: AB, AF, Hfd, IB, JoA, LW, ML, MoK, MS, PoL, PoSW, RNGB, Anon2 UK, Anon EU.