ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 35

July 2006
Articles, newsreports and Items of interest :enigma2000-owner@yahoogroups.com

Voice stations | Oddities | Polytones
German branch | Numbers predictions
E03 & E03a prediction charts | E06 & S06 schedules
Cubans schedules | Cuban traffic analysis
G06 schedules over a year | Family III chart
If it had not been for 15 minutes (4/6) | Numerals | Jimmy | WWII Czechoslovak military radio stations
HJH's watch | News Items | Web sites | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home

Polytones

The XPA2 Story

Before we go to the logs RNGB sent this in:

Found new unid polytone on 13439 this morning [03/05] at 0840z. Nothing found at 0900, so could be a 0800/20/40z sending?

The bandwidth is fairly narrow. The signal was poor so I will have to do some work on this later. There were 276 groups of 5, continuous, no

funny tones separating blocks. Out of the first few groups I can't see anything that looks like 00276 etc

I did some further investigation on the poor recording I had and have come up with the following:

Measured in USB, tones were 995 (space), 1070 1085 1100 1112 1136 1150 1165 1180 1195 1210 1225Hz

I can’t make any sense as to what figures the tones represent. The only definite is the space tone and if 1225Hz was a repeat, it came immediately after a space tone (unlikely?), the same for the 1070 tone. There were no gaps in transmission and total groups was 279

[RNGB]

Then we received from Jochen the following [Msg 9781 E2k Group 1022 16/05 refers]

"At 0840z I found an XP variation on 12158 kHz. It's a repeat of 0800/0820z At 0820 I could find it also on a freq in the 10 MHz range. This XP variation is scheduled and remembers me a little bit to XPH, but here the "space" tone is the lowest."

Tnx Kopf.

This was followed by RNGB's observation,

"I see there was a posting on E2K about polytone at 0840z today [16/05] on 12158kHz and note I found one on Tuesday 3rd at 0840z on 13439kHz. Maybe they’re the same?"

Mndbs took up the challenge to find the 0800, 0820 and the 0840z sendings of this UNID Polytone on Friday 19/05. Not finding the 0800z offering he intercepted the 0820z sending on 10642kHz. Using the file saved by Mndbs PLondon examined the final part of the null message:

Looking at the above spectrogram which has post reception FFT filtering applied the tone progression is not unlike that of XPA.

The 0840z sending was better quality and again Mndbs posted a sound sample. The better quality allowed measurement of the nominal tones. PLondon notes that Mndbs used USB to demodulate the tones and mention that subsequent receptions would need to be standardised using the space tone [nominally 1005 Hz] as a basis for setting the correct input to any spectrographic display.

The message on both transmissions recorded by Mndbs were the same as can be seen by comparing the above spectrograms..

XPA in comparison:

Those who have followed XPA will notice a similarity with the UNID Poly message and XPA below [0600z 19/05]:

Although the tones differ the construction here is the same:
Separator [or a seven tone group], Synch tones, long space prior to first group, Serial or decode key, then group count, repetitive numerals, and specific end group.

In the XPA message shown above the actual numeral groups show tones as

The space tone was between each group but not shown for sake of simplicity.
Which gives:
00468 00001 00000 10140

Back to the XPA2 Story:

Analysis of Kopf’s signal/ Mndbs’ soundfiles:

On 19/05 PLondon measured all the tones seen in the full sample of the UNID Polytone and found fifteen tones to which he allotted functional values:

The above suggested values were applied to the tones measured from the 0840z sample:

The space tone was between each group but not shown for sake of simplicity.

Although we anticipated more tones, values and functions on the reception of a full message RNGB kindly sent his orginal sound file to PLondon for further analysis. This file was recorded on on 13439kHz on Wednesday 03/05 at 0840z. RNGB’s original spectrogram is shown at the opening of this piece but PLondon has converted the sound file to his favoured spectrographic image:

It can be seen the preamble to this full message transmission consists of two toggled tones as you would see with XPA; the difference immediately obvious is the inversion of the M/S or rather the length is opposite. Above the high tone is 1240Hz whilst the low is measured at 1005Hz and is also the space.

Unlike other Polytone transmissions this does not have a ‘cyclic’ section where the ID, usually formed from the 100kHz value of the frequency is displayed along with the message indicator; instead it goes into a 7 tone separator [6262626 – same as XPA], then synch tones [1035Hz] along with the repeat tone [1080Hz] followed by the characteristic long space [1005Hz]. Proceeding into the dk and gc the tones run straight through to the end tones [1050Hz and repeats] and transmission ceases.

The above illustration was taken from the actual spectrographic display PLondon used to measure the tones and found the dk/gc to be: 03871 00277. A futher measurement proved 279 actual groups sent and subtracting the dk/gc produced 277 as originally derived from the soundfile.

The last twelve groups and the end tones can be seen in the image below. We had analysed a null message and a full message by 20^th May and knew exactly how the UNID Poly functioned. The difficult part J was the allocation of the ENIGMA Ident.

The sendings occur Tuesday to Friday, the first group can be seen to reflect the date, the second the group count. The decode key, if ther is one, is hidden in the message groups and could well be the third group.

The list of tones was found to be redundant on Tuesday 30^th May as the tones were seen to change from that used for the previous round of sendings.

The tones isolated by hand by PLondon were:

Thanks to all those who assisted in the determination of this new polytone, now designated XPA2

XPA 2 has not been heard since 2^nd June. PLondon predicted a change on 6^th June and he was correct – 3 seasoned monitors [JoA, Mndbs and RNGB] searched independently but heard nothing. This leads credence to the suggestion the sendings were of a ‘test’ nature. However, if the station is a live transmission it is likely to be of a diplomatic nature rather than intended for a spy – ask yourself “which spy needs a 990+ group message send on several different freqs with changing tones?

Message details received by DoK, JoA, Kopf, Mndbs, PLondon and RNGB can be found in the log section as can the initial full message decoded by Jakub Hruska.

PLEASE DO NOT USE NON-ENIGMA IDENTS! IT DOESN’T HELP ANYONE – AND IS A RETROGRADE STEP TO THE OLD DAYS WHEN DESCRIPTION WERE THE ONLY IDENTS WHICH LED TO CONFUSION AMONGST MONITORS.

Despite a plea not to do this on Group some members continued to do so. We even received this email: ‘Despite you saying in capital letters not to refer to the UNID as XDB, I see they are still doing so. Suggest you increase the font size and print in red.’ Thanks to that member.

We would really like to see a Group of team players but realise such a luxury is impossible in this day and age.

There appeared to be some confusion generated by the use of allotting personal idents – mndbs suggested the UNID POLYTONE sounded like a doorbell and referred to it as XDB. He also stated twice this was his ID, not from ENIGMA 2000 and that a proper one would be forthcoming.

In Group message 9867 the title reads ‘XDB analysis’ and states, “XDB is RUSSIAN INTEL MFSK, listed on: http://rover.wiesbaden.netsurf.de/~signals/TABLES/MFSK.HTML as multitone 1+12. XPA is also here, along with other russian multitiones."

That misinformation was written by a reasonably new member [January 2006] who immediately became a polytone expert as soon as he heard XPA 2.

For those of you who might visit this site please be aware:

[IF you want to know more about the way in which we classify polytones read the ENIGMA Control List for the appraisal].

Then we have the Russian Intel Multitone System 12+1, the tones of which can be seen below:

The 12+1 system has yet to be received by ENIGMA 2000. The tones measured from the sample on the above site fall in the range 1307 to 1826Hz with a 40Hz separation and are not those as discovered by RNGB and sampled by mndbs.

The listed Multitone systems from the above stated website have been discounted as being our UNID Polytone. Of the four available three are known systems to E2k whilst the fourth can be discounted by nature of tonal values and their separation.

If the above derived spectrogram shows the transmission end then we have three firm pointers as to this not being the UNID. 12+1 tones are stated with UNID tones in parenthesis:

Space is 1307Hz [1005Hz], End Tone is 1347Hz[1050Hz] and Repeat Tone 1826Hz [1080Hz]. Compare it with spectrogram of the ending of the UNID Poly where the end tones are 1050Hz and repeat tone 1080Hz.

The Russian Intel Multitone System 1+12 is wrongly claimed in Group message 9867 as the UNID Poly because it is the existing XPA – as we have been stating in the NL for many past issues.

At the time of writing we were unable to find the UNID Polytone [XPA 2] on the named site.

XPA Daily Log May/June 2006

May 06

May morning schedule

The frequencies for this month were excellent The first sending brought comment from JoA on signal strength and confirmation of the expected freqs. RNGB noted that the message was as should be [see last entry for AM schedule in NL34] and PLondon also mentioned the same -- the correct position for the space * and no space ^ can be seen in the diagram below taken from the 0620z sending.

The Group count was 64+16=80-2= 78 gc+1.

Given the above reference to good frequencies PLondon’s phone rang whilst he was waiting for the 0600z 05/05 sending to rise with the customary blank carrier. It was JoA – stating that he hadn’t heard the carrier and suggested a punt about to see if another freq could be located – which it soon was. Reason for change is unknown but the three freqs chosen were not as good as those they replaced. PLondon immediately contacted joA to let him know the ident – 364.

All sendings produced good quality traces.

Three splendid sendings again on 09/05; the dk was a little different – 07772. A total of 294 groups were sent with spaces in the right place at the last separator. gc+1 was proved, the hidden group being 33868.

Decent sendings on 12/05 save for a slight fade on that at 0640z. gc+1 proved with 64*4+8-2 = 262

Above we see the last 64 group separator and the following groups and can note the space tones are in the correct place.

This was taken from 0600z 12/05/06

16/05 saw a null message will all good strengths and audio quality.

23/05 good sendins throughout, 64+46-2=108 gc+1 satisfied; HG 86034

26/05 saw the first recording of a two message format by PLondon. The message separation was much like any other Polytone we have received with the format and used 00000 00000 followed by the next gc/dk and so on. The second message was a repeat of that sent on 23/05 but the HG had changed to 64726 – probably due to the position of the 64grp separators. Still gc+1.

The first message was new but the HG was seen to exist; 30972 gc+1. The three scheduled transmissions were strong.

Look at thye FG [actually the third group and compare it with the second message [a repeat of 23/05]. Does the third group have a function – say serial number or decode key?

Saturday 27/05 POLY heard by Mndbs at 0640z 13427kHz – no further detail.

The last morning sending of May 06 was good, 20-40dBs being the range of signal strength. gc+1 proven.

May evening schedule

The evening frequencies were as the morning ones in their selection. All sendings were strong and useable. For the second time in this schedule the only group in the null message format is seen to be the same as the ident. This previously occurred on the last sending of the evening April schedule on 28/04 when we saw: 197 000 00197 00001 00000 10140.

The next scheduled sending, again very strong was a null message, the dk/serial number returning back to something other than the ID.

The use of a serial number, or whatever it is, was carried on for the null message received on the evening schedule of 09/05. Whilst the first sending was the best the others were also good quality signals.

12/05 also saw strong sendings, albeit a null sending.

The transmissions of Tuesday 16/05 were strong and appeared to be a standard null message.

The spectrographic trace above shows the error [if that is what it is] after the usual last group 10140. This is followed by 00000 00000, not usually seen. This extended end was repeated on the evening sendings of 19^th and 23^rd May, 2006.

Big surprise on 26/05 as monitors intercepted a 93 group message with another short message on 30/05, all received at good strength for the final sendings in May.

June 06

June morning schedule

The first sendings of June06 were reported by RNGB and PLondon and were good quality. Another 2 message format was received, the messages separated by 00000 00000 as expected.

Second sendings06/06 were splendid with a 105 group message and gc+1 as ever. The 13/06 was a repeat of 09/06 and good quality. 16/06 were like quality.

The 20^th June rewarded us with a 2 message format with the repeat message being that sent on the morning of 16/06. However there was something a little strange about the first message. When the gc+1 is calculated we generally subtract the gc and dk to produce proof that gc+1 exists. The 20/06 first message actually had 44 groups sent, giving gc+2. The extra group appeared after group 25 and had the value 01010. Why? It has not been seen in the other 2 message format sendings – PLondon checked that against recordings of previous messages.

Perusal of the above spectrogram illustrates that group ‘Space 0 1 0 1 0 Space’. As stated this had not been seen in our 2 message formats before. With the extra group accounted for the gc+1 can be proven.

The second message in no way differed from the original sending 16/06 with the only exception being the position of the 64 group separators. They are cumulative for the entire sending, rather than dedicated to each message.

23/06 drew very good signal reports from JoA, RNGB and PLondon. gc+1 again proven with 64x3+36-2= 290.

The final morning sending in this schedule was extremely strong and good quality.

June evening schedule

An unexpected change to higher frequencies along with poor reception for the first two sendings on 02/06 as received at PLondon’s QTH. 58 groups were sent and confirmed gc+1.

The same message was sent under the same conditions on 06/06. The problem appears to be a poorly set up transmitting apparatus, strong signal with poor audio. It would appear the Russian Intel 6V6 op bottles have either gone soft or Igor has been at the Vladivar. Either way, could we please have something with more bite to work with. Set your 2000 and 2020 z Tx’s up the same as the last sending of this schedule – strong RF [10dBs in Crystal Palace] and excellent audio. Of course you could employ someone with a grounding in RF rather than an ex Radio Rental valve changer/screw twiddler!

The third June sendings 9^th June were all excellent transmissions with gc+1 proven. As were those of 16/06.

Finally after three repeats of the null message first received 13/06 we had a full message. At PLondon and JoA the conditions were such that recepetion was good. PLondon left his equipment on auto as he watch BBC2’s ‘Coup’, the story of the bungled take over of oil state of Equatorial New Guinea – not a general holiday resort by any means J

Again the gc+1 was proven with 86 groups present against a gc of 85. All sendings were of good quality albeit with a little BC QRM on the second.

XPA 2

May

*These transmissions used for assessment of this mode.

No transmissions 27,28,29 May.

June

Notes:

The mode has been checked as is confirmed as USB. The discovery of the additional frequencies was difficult – ‘fiddly’ as Mndbs put it. It was never thought that a four time schedule [if that is what it is] existed. RNGB’s skills discovered the schedules to be the expected 3 frequency schedules and constructed in the normal manner.

With this level of sending it has been suggested this is a test. However this could well be a general diplomatic broadcast, hence the wide range of frequencies and the same messages [all ten] being.sent across all frequemcies.

[Thanks to all those who have contributed sound file, text, personal logs and decode detail]

Jakub Hruska reduced the full message to numerical values [sent on Tuesday: 23/05]:

02305 00178 91143 13877 61151 17646 25286 02590 08345 96787
34497 16018 89159 72050 49562 82801 34788 17386 74022 28211
74773 50042 27784 02727 87288 17104 66425 90305 30396 65884
51545 01533 52855 83661 45447 51311 58674 79932 36440 50448
59595 60589 22330 32770 08811 85331 94763 62194 42938 70974
00041 74601 67219 67039 47748 48395 68401 06258 86720 78985
64050 39692 29620 81262 61996 47004 44528 80130 98747 65461
30584 43475 27860 02016 35519 70623 69614 93470 11258 78962
05951 74570 28811 85882 66496 61195 31113 84138 21698 35130
26964 80012 84152 22476 22149 93332 45676 81020 90787 56641
49020 14942 69776 16741 40821 26290 41352 92830 12361 54350
52949 79926 50766 13335 58842 74992 64509 53595 54864 25883
49098 24220 30555 49920 04338 56713 94410 68629 64529 58688
92200 14542 91713 10061 78332 86398 29663 97326 92346 01198
97289 41717 74386 84856 75540 46545 38908 63930 27360 89230
82543 84049 42568 32172 59360 46987 63515 22514 11881 18877
98872 24991 64554 07993 70403 76473 24735 13626 47770 95233
98858 61604 19931 36176 40592 04782 69147 71013 46729 79348
36601

The transmission on Friday 26/05 was a long one but a ten message format – never seen before. In addition to that another active frequency was discovered by RNGB:

^Mndbs found another frequency too:

Note the message counter function on first group: 2/3^rd numerals reflect date.

Sendings 30/05 All times sent same message but tones changed. [See XPA 2 description for detail]. First Group was a date, also seen 26/05 too.

02/06 Friday sendings again reflected multiple messages except 0820/0830/0840 on 10643/11431/12158 which sent a null message

As PLondon wrote to Group: I expect changes to occur 6^th June. Well they certainly did – JoA, RNGB and mndbs had hunted the XPA 2 frequencies without success. This failure to find anything led RNGB to send, “No XPA2 found today or yesterday.Judging by the amount of rubbish it was sending, I think it may have been some sort of testing of a back-up system.”

Previously on the telephone PLondon and I had discussed XPA 2 and recognized the pattern we are seeing mirrors that after the initial discovery of XPA by RNGB. Then, after a few short messages XPA was the format. So, this may well be a test or it could be diplo messages.

What spy would need a 938 or 996 group message? What spy would use specialist machinery to decode those messages?

We rather think this will be a case of watch this space!

Incidentally – nothing further heard of XPA 2 in June.

Thanks to all those who have sent in their immediate logs for XPA & XPA 2 and to those who have used those intercepts for their own research of which some results have been shared.

Voice stations | Oddities | Polytones
German branch | Numbers predictions
E03 & E03a prediction charts | E06 & S06 schedules
Cubans schedules | Cuban traffic analysis
G06 schedules over a year | Family III chart
If it had not been for 15 minutes (4/6) | Numerals | Jimmy | WWII Czechoslovak military radio stations
HJH's watch | News Items | Web sites | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home