ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 27

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

Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities | Polytones
Chirpsounders | Overall view | German branch | Numbers predictions
Jamming | Recycled AGI
Poor conditions | The Smokey Dragon (4/4)
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Polytones

Before we proceed to the logs etc. we recently received a communication from Gert who tried his hand at XP on 18^th January at 0700z. He reported:

This morning I tried XP this morning and guess what, it works! The ID is frequency related, just like E07 (you know that of course, but now I see it with my own eyes, hi).

The complete message was:

261 261 261 1 261 261 261 1 (repeated 2 minutes)
>>>>>>>>>> 05638 00229 34024 65809 55290 55649
64220 33494 79981 38582 74944 46889 57940 88025 92527 45683 90137 82836
15778 33955 72888 42369 58400 35986 05388 20322 57299 16386 43039 66680
53146 75437 90697 36130 75806 32990 44437 34085 36774 12125 11773 53448
02270 53440 80895 22717 15592 57211 40900 32246 23322 39673 76295 86749
28656 08703 71201 54752 03612 46992 77439 24832 38684 98220 79214 49961
33880 39335 28594 57054 66904 48931 23383 63012 09972 63286 44118 29708
30911 87723 32022 99537 21925 17226 11194 49944 22680 19986 68712 92096
37790 71737 07311 23000 05557 93712 34083 34966 60071 11329 48069 95909
82163 20565 15100 01931 87717 11013 09536 17630 75762 18291 78868 73261
16582 68760 11835 54494 71656 11292 92603 27083 24203 67918 85487 19249
74990 80489 99809 75433 33085 14572 26098 82832 81971 81702 29592 54511
83371 81228 18256 30381 74881 29869 04431 84884 58497 21749 39125 79850
37678 38850 32661 41111 60453 38890 31856 95831 56606 09869 95751 61004
04601 08076 89290 64629 17284 39840 51870 91869 27627 21115 51646 48963
49692 65742 87591 87900 20380 18047 58315 29576 29963 75805 20250 47074
48563 28246 98933 91440 09752 09507 08838 96894 72967 82360 34478 16993
70224 09157 93161 28853 60587 25521 98119 49667 29231 97999 01097 91971
28147 30983 26615 60294 13807 55701 60342 65949 25182 09837 77657 88488
70517 57678 79157 74260 20309 97425 50826 98825 54841 >>>>>>>>

[Thanks Gert]

Following our mention that XP may have been on a decline it appeared to be enjoying something of a revival in the month of January 2005.

Comparing December 2004 records with these shown here it would appear there was an initial rise in message content and a reduction in the use of null message formats. Also not yet seen again was the use of the tally mark as used on 21st December.

With a new interest in the Polytone sendings evident it would be a pity to see them disappear. In comment PLondon stated that there must be other polytone sendings. He has intercepted weak early morning transmissions in the past, at 0500z, on an archived frequency, and as he remarked then, ‘Just because we do not hear them does not mean they do not exist.’ Obviously if polytones are your thing and you reside in other time zones than give the bands a search.

Now onto the logs:

XP

XP Daily Log MONTH: January 2005

The first sending of 2005 was predicted accurately and produced a 207 group message at good strength. PLondon’s spectrogram of the 0700z sending:

©PLondonJan2005

On 21/01 the XP intercept produced a two message format sending.

©PLondon21Jan2005

The above image shews the cyclic nature of the ident and message indicator.
[In this case 261 261 261 2 261 from the first character sending, as illustrated on the message below, in blue].

Note the tones in use in XP are as follows[Hz]:

A tally mark was also seen immediately after the 57^th group [07310] of the first sending, leading into the 00000 00000 separator then onto the next message dk/gc. In this case 05638 00229, a repeat of the message sent on 18/01.

[Such repeats were common in the XP2 schedules, now sadly gone].

©PLondon21Jan2005

The image shows the spectrograph of groups 40 to 57 of the first message, the space [marked with asterisk] that produces the tally mark that leads into the two separator groups. Beyond the separators the dk and gc groups then lead into grps 1 to 15 of the second message as can see in the full message reproduced below. Note that the two message format is indicated by the use of the figure 2 after the ‘216’ ident

• XP 12148kHz 0740z 21/01/05 ID261 21/01/05

261 261 261 2 261 261 261 2 261 261 261 2 261 261 261 2
261 261 261 2 261 261 261 2 261 261 261 2 261 261 261 2
261 261 261 2

R>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _________00896 00057 61361 21657 09501
56177 89692 66338 93649 59842 51401 28379 94889 30167 57439
92111 34385 46689 71233 22871 13513 21028 43641 17978 63518
09086 97910 21303 56377 02729 01585 27477 10593 74364 87980
07299 47312 96392 18765 55964 42113 44949 46782 22211 67917
83037 78382 26405 63481 86539 83231 65699 96974 80599 99397
96210 59794 30505 07310 _00000 00000 05638 00229 34024 65809
55290 55649 64220 33494 79981 38582 74944 46889 57940 88025
92527 45683 90137 82836 15778 33955 72888 42369 58400 35986
05388 20322 57299 16386 43039 66680 53146 75437 90697 36130
75806 32990 44437 34085 36774 12125 11773 53448 02270 53440
80895 22717 15592 57211 40900 32246 23322 39673 76295 86749
28656 08703 71201 54752 03612 46992 77439 24832 38684 98220
79214 49961 33880 39335 28594 57054 66904 48931 23383 63012
09972 63286 44118 29708 30911 87723 32022 99537 21925 17226
11194 49944 22680 19986 68712 92096 37790 71737 07311 23000
05557 93712 34083 34966 60071 11329 48069 95909 82163 20565
15100 01931 87717 11013 09536 17630 75762 18291 78868 73261
16582 68760 11853 54494 71656 11292 92603 27083 24203 67918
85487 19249 74990 80489 99809 75433 33085 14572 26098 82832
81971 81702 29592 54511 83371 81228 18256 30381 74881 29869
04431 84884 58497 21749 39125 79850 37678 38850 32661 41111
60453 38890 31856 95831 56606 09869 95751 61004 04601 08076
89290 64629 17284 39840 51870 91869 27627 21115 51646 48963
49692 65742 87591 87900 20380 18047 58315 29576 29963 75805
20250 47074 48563 28246 98933 91440 09752 09507 08838 96894
72967 82360 34478 16993 70224 09157 93161 28853 60587 25521
98119 49667 29231 97999 01097 91971 28147 30983 26615 60294
13807 55701 60342 65949 25182 09837 77657 88488 70517 57678
79157 74260 20309 97425 50826 98825 54841 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Groups that are subject of the spectrographic analysis are shown in red.

Given the use of a tally produces an offset Is it possible the machinery used by the recipients of the XP message actually starts a new line or flags the change? If that is the case why did the XP2 and XP3 messages use a 50^th group tally mark?

PLondon’s work QTH is of such complexity that his antenna cannot be well sited. The signal strength for the sendings he intercepted were fraught with deep fades, although that could be due to on-site generation of RF. He noted the previous CME 18/01 as a possible culprit for the poor noisy sigs at 0700z.

The good run of messages in January was interrupted by the null sending on 25/01.

• XP 9248kHz 0700z 25/01/05 ID261 000

261 261 261 000 261 261 261 000 261 261 261 000 261 261 261 000
261 261 261 000 261 261 261 000 261 261 261 000 261 261 261 000
R>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _________<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Much like the early morning noisy signals heard for the 0400, 0430 and 0450z 3522kHz M10 sendings that day the 0700z 9248kHz was only marginally better through the noise. Note that for the null messages the intro runs for only eight repetitions [96 characters + 30 spaces] whilst for a full sending the intro is sent nine times [90 characters + 34 spaces].

XP Daily Log MONTH: February 2005:

February kicked off on predicted frequencies with a null message:

• XP 12131kHz 0720z 01/02/05 ID833 000

833 833 833 000 833 833 833 000 833 833 833 000 833 833 833 000
833 833 833 000 833 833 833 000 833 833 833 000 833 833 833 000
R>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _________<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

The spectrogram of which looked like this:

©PLondon010205

Note; the tones for the ID were measured as 465 384 512 303 by PLondon as they appeared on his screen. PLondon was expecting, 468 351 468 303 corresponding to 818. What he actually produced from that mentioned above was 833.

The same frequencies were used in 2004 and the same ID was used, 833. The table below shows the results for February 2004:

Note 2 repeated messages and the one Null sending of 2004. [Records taken from ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter Issue 21, page 20].

• XP 10831kHz 0700z 27/02/04 ID833 dk/gc 01017/00193

833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1
833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1
833 833 833 1

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _________ 01017 00193 22202 98090 57890
97747 00701 53720 57197 00117 87760 29391 44262 46230 82836
22926 29310 57976 75348 77978 42208 33498 12607 16739 84441
93778 40597 22630 85302 63638 58432 68787 50541 34529 55943
01204 05071 36466 41915 66902 69964 86706 57406 32563 79488
56267 50554 82878 88367 97921 36417 82253 64446 25997 69208
52246 70216 00918 42135 95761 32234 85933 11464 18040 98650
64054 77817 97528 82287 40742 99048 53025 64874 18364 92330
24518 53430 51022 03528 93049 66582 05389 98243 63161 88951
13512 80396 00505 91877 23135 10627 80482 01740 50794 86673
21017 40402 68333 48950 83654 66530 52351 55893 44462 48244
71735 60454 98180 80148 98789 86952 96403 23265 93871 45926
43192 58889 44475 70138 39375 05332 95471 88305 14883 76451
49136 28529 17294 55575 94599 19202 87395 38871 81012 97992
56649 56599 23052 26228 26853 26226 49969 29867 96167 42428
35812 23083 53838 63055 34442 20605 42181 36985 00593 65597
08838 05092 04282 46185 41703 75114 46279 97660 64772 08293
36124 95424 26243 79977 46544 05816 62946 13459 90459 53497
12660 47774 72301 14698 06610 97335 67309 45229 64237 57879
79681 78096 89451 45765 34726 02347 46366 09643 88817 25870
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Above is the message sent 0700z 27/02/04 illustrating the apparently incorrect ID of 833.

Further analysis was carried out on 08/02 concerning these ID tones. Below we see the entire message in spectrographic form in the lower section of the display.

©PLondon8th February2005

The top section is the tone analysis screen, the four peaks, just right of centre, correspond to the measurement taken in the light section. The accurately measured tones are [numerical values below]:

It can be seen that all the elements for the ID [833] as used for the February transmissions exist Quite why this ID has been used is not known, is there is a technical, or other valid reason for not using 818, or just a cock-up that has been used for a second sitting?

On 08/02 a two message format was received and the following spectrogram again depicts the point where the messages are separated.

Groups are _00000 00000 before moving on to the dk/gc of the second message 00266 00171 [a repeat of the previous sending on 04/02].

©PLondon08February2005

As before a asterisk marks the extended 303Hz tone used to proved the tally mark seen in the resultant message at the separator groups. [Grps in spectrogram seen in red in message].

• XP 13831kHz 0740z 08/02/05 ID833 dk/gc 00514/00107 & 00266/00171

833 833 833 2 833 833 833 2 833 833 833 2 833 833 833 2
833 833 833 2 833 833 833 2 833 833 833 2 833 833 833 2
833 833 833 2

R>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _________00514 00107 33035 26447 35550
96982 48029 25222 67235 66146 10915 58651 41511 86831 37612
21184 24659 07425 89393 21885 77947 82969 98762 76484 47354
41698 64130 21234 88755 37558 61060 81351 42408 99422 07546
56552 60980 46622 03170 24505 99344 74239 54040 05028 26409
08980 30527 79990 49656 94976 14078 27807 68790 49774 15764
13447 91364 86613 66501 65523 36733 97526 05353 91202 91469
96878 96302 53407 42440 16607 78589 57114 17222 61678 25627
10838 34040 34014 86048 35418 04894 09057 10434 16383 11261
72243 34816 28651 08964 47006 07097 93341 82219 08139 57465
16948 34457 17588 34332 71349 25736 97743 87637 93853 89304
62116 93754 66513 74515 _00000 00000 00266 00171 73172 94127
50328 98771 26937 00647 90213 13937 64186 48077 04958 64986
38322 60459 15459 72392 97664 65939 18201 75117 37132 86198
13286 47544 59053 73444 62847 72093 91960 79134 69814 67950
36682 75928 18165 90433 58003 30614 86288 75974 43622 64032
50050 25767 31774 32958 67022 58811 25152 44048 69757 53742
54230 93009 89490 81388 15929 12892 44936 44736 19403 79566
10744 14795 34070 60680 25871 96099 07230 06120 53018 87837
86148 42546 79884 81205 05343 59223 50266 83534 25697 64421
10781 66518 73237 17943 98315 89527 43161 52098 18796 44722
50524 86418 17552 96892 00264 13279 30333 60857 79292 89109
87748 25865 67030 08933 02219 77935 96275 31539 13620 28821
99474 70024 65728 78156 68939 10396 06706 47469 87934 58394
05997 87354 43941 73146 65528 86118 38307 28308 85041 50518
61473 35461 41245 39990 20770 38312 94098 92259 97846 47880
70895 74994 60305 27994 20379 20584 59099 17986 33314 90982
61006 32792 95800 76798 30257 32411 01401 16381 19533 76672
08977 67994 01019 01397 76925 77782 54793 05954 29331 <<<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Spectrogram of XP sending 10831kHz 0700z 15/02 [833 1 04558 00131].

©PLondon15Feb2005

Note the band of noise occluding almost half of the intro and the same after the end of the transmission. Time span is just over 4m

Actual message reads:

833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1
833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1 833 833 833 1
833 833 833 1

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> _________04558 00131 26721 91651
08205 52373 77613 14799 67007 86518 71729 16855 29863 83729
76467 81381 95943 42835 93054 05948 46165 23887 99282 02442
08585 60468 10073 63786 57586 23231 47120 21253 31013 66061
94329 20649 41930 76907 22540 88366 13810 04129 61548 51624
21543 30439 78932 12140 59807 75560 15054 09455 57589 31218
56351 47343 61184 88957 94448 10211 19356 68392 10355 71770
42580 69601 60622 39001 45411 25661 29955 85059 65674 12729
84114 08853 27096 70316 29960 11509 35052 96716 55678 57236
50317 96912 74437 68911 23381 65646 47137 12280 71317 82235
57795 10983 71027 95796 27438 18574 03789 21528 09147 61088
90039 81323 36998 94800 51315 13948 84670 69667 48042 58515
72834 82925 57832 69451 23986 72580 65731 13721 51306 39978
26147 84746 44824 22215 85031 32635 91578 64853 29537 <<<<
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

Note that the noise had no effect on the final resolution of the message. This particular transmission was intercepted on a well modified Realistic [Radio Shack to the Yanks] DX 394 with a 3m random wire. The message was demodulated using Valerio Martin’s XPERTA.

The high noise level is thought to be from a local source as the same noise is not present on the auto recording at my home QTH.

Thanks to Gert, HFD, JoA and PoSW for their support and XP logs and also to another interested party, ‘mikendbs’ who posted an interesting descriptive tome of his first XP observation..

XPH

Nil Reports

XPL

Nil Reports

Morse stations | Voice stations | Oddities | Polytones
Chirpsounders | Overall view | German branch | Numbers predictions
Jamming | Recycled AGI
Poor conditions | The Smokey Dragon (4/4)
News Items | Web sites | Stop press | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home