ENIGMA 2000 Newsletter - Issue 36

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

Voice stations | Polytones
German branch | Numbers predictions | Note from DanielE2Kde
E03 & E03a prediction charts | E06 & S06 schedules | E11 schedules over a year
Cubans schedules | G06 schedules over a year
If it had not been for 15 minutes (5/6) | Plonker's progress | Numerals
News Items | Web sites | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home

Polytones

Before we actually move into the logs we would like to show what is wrong with assumption and familiarity.

On 21/07 for the 2000/2020/2040z sending we recorded the following message parameters:

We have written at length on Polytone systems but it would appear that the information is either not read or is too difficult for certain persons to read, understand and/or form an accurate idea of how the systems work.

This was posted to Group on 27/07 by Jakub Hruska on XPA, he writes:

“I used my XPA decoder and here is result:

00813 00103 84553 04894 06758 78521 29020 24067 03987 10900
51439 49097 12901 65561 74654 43234 71339 39171 94745 04984
78842 77232 62628 24620 78136 87431 47926 31507 79183 08128
15331 08703 75645 95851 75737 86179 86076 67365 04121 36343
20231 65848 30215 27083 35158 12560 79148 12631 26861 45324
53325 20975 07735 65584 23149 46748 65561 11749 01035 23512
20995 27014 53398 62509
66832 98612 91236 04033 15553 19801 69456 25407 53338 63406
65713 28124 77774 29231 45776 38562 81959 71364 08122 80319
15058 12598 78856 60117 81122 45157 81921 93766 80236 75629
72235 12552 09733 99115 74748 00257 54557 81174 06501 96793
03578
End of message

So, it's message nr. 8013, total 103 encrypted words.

New line in message was send, this may be message splitter and this message consists two messages.”

What a load of misleading twaddle! The 103 groups – if they are correct – refer to one message only. Jakub has left the header off, which is a pity.

We explain:

• The ID 426 is derived from the hundred kHz figure of the frequencies used: 2000z : 10416kHz 2. 2020z: 9252kHz 3. 2040z: 7654kHz.
• The next figure is the number of messages within each sending, 1, 2 or for the null message 000. More about the two [2] message format later.
• Then a five figure group appears. It is thought to be a generated Serial Number for the message in which it appears and possibly descends in order of magnitude.
• The second five figure group is the Group Count, the figure stated is always [includes null messages] three groups less than those actually sent. That can also be seen in the null message format which sends the ID, 000, s/n, g/c, 00000, and the final group 10140. The g/c sits at 00001 but 4 are sent.
• Then we have what we have termed FG but which is probably the message decode key [and which is set to zero in the Null Msg format].
• We include the last group to indicate we have seen the entire sending. Full message formats end with a tone set at 715Hz which, when combined with the 1200Hz repeat tone is sent 20 times.[In a null message the last group is always 10140 and this may well be an instruction to reset the receiving apparatus].
• Groups are sent in batches of 64, each separated by a peculiar seven character tone which uses the tones 840 and 1000 in a variety of duration.

Numerically it takes the form 6262626.

	Looking at Jakub’s offering we see a gap that he explains away as “New line in message was send, this may be message splitter and this message consists two messages.” That is totally incorrect. If the reader would care to count the groups Jakub has presented they will find that carriage return [CR] occurs at the same time the 64 group separator [shown left] would appear
64 Group separator 6 2 6 2 6 2 6 – note varying lengths

Taking the sent tones to produce the numerals seen in Jakub’s sample the groups would read ‘53398 62509 6262626 66832 98612’ with no CR and a continuation of groups until the end tones start.

Onto the two [2] message format: Had Jakub ever followed the Polytone saga in these columns he would have discovered the two message format sendings have two groups of zeros to separate each message, such as this sent in the morning schedule of Friday 26^th May 2006

364 2 00124 00165 FG 95779 LG 14205 00000 00000 05896 00107 FG 95792 LG 65726

Note the ID and Message Count appears once and note that each message is complete, both have 3 more groups than the group count..

Jakub did not include the header, if he had he would have known there was only one message, however the absence of the two groups of zeroes also proves futher the prescence on one message only.

Finally there are the wild claims, “So, it's message nr. 8013, total 103 encrypted words.”

The Message Number or Serial Number is, in this case. 00813 – nothing else. There are 103 Groups. How can anyone except the recipients state 103 words? Whatever the method of encryption there is no suggestion of each number reducing to any particular character. Each group might be a ten or twenty word phrase or question s- and this has been done [PLondon has a book of such coded phrase, passed to him by MalcF].

We have had some questions concerning Xperta as a decode tool for XPA. Again, this will not work with XPA, the tones and timings are different.

I had asked Jakub to write a short piece for the newsletter to let us know how he assembled his ‘reader’ but it is obvious such a piece will not be forthcoming. He did say that he was going to make the decoder public but that , not surprisingly, seems to have passed us by too.

For further information on XPA 2 Issue 35 of the Newsletter adequately covers this and may well allay some of the misinformation that appeared on Group concerning group functions.

Now onto the logs, all maintained thanks to help from a variety of sources, DoK, JoA, Jochen, PLondon’s Budapest intercept and his auto receivers, RNGB.

Jochens immediate logs read

“The following transmissions can be confirmed by Kopf: For July: All 3 morning skeds at 0600/0620/0640 UTC on 10327/11627/13427 kHz (June freqs) in progress on July 7th (msg) and only the 3rd morning sked on July 11th (0-msg); also the first 2 evening skeds at 2000/2020 on 10614/9252 kHz on July 25th (msg). For August: All 3 morning skeds at 0600/0620/0640 UTC on 10118/11118/12118 kHz on August 11th (msg), only the 3rd morning sked on August 1st in progress (msg) and 15th (msg); the 2nd evening sked can also be confirmed on August 1st (0-msg).”

XPA Daily Log July/August 2006

July 06

July Morning Schedule

July started with a null message, again on a set of schedules frequencies that have been used for three months so far.

The second morning transmissions in July started well, good strength and audio throughout the three sendings. PLondon reported slight QSB and JoA mentioned some QRN. There was also a some data heard on and during the 0600 and 0620z transmissions.

At the end there was an anomaly. The 64 group separator appeared at the end of the message in close proximity to the end tones. Never been seen before.

However on closer inspection it was noticed the separator was inserted between the 3^rd and 4^th characters of the last group, no doubt a total cock-up.

Following this 11/07 and 14/07were repeats of the null message sent 0600z 04/07.

The second full message of July was sent 21/07 with good strength for all sendings.. 64x3+36-2 proved gc+1 with 226 groups.

The 25^th saw a null message and the July sendings finished with a full message, all good quality with gc+1 again proven with 298 grps after correction.

July Evening Schedule

The frequencies were as expected prior to the change of June and a short 45 group message was sent with gc+1 proven. The situation reverted to the ‘normal’ null message transmission for 07/07, the second sending. All were of good quality and also reported on by JoA and RNGB.

As seems to be the norm 11/07 also boasted a null message.

On 18/07 there was a 137 group message sent and as always an additional Group could be found: 64x2+12-2=138.

There was an anomaly though, the second separator was placed between the 4^th and fifth characters of the 128^th group as\can be seen in this diagram [below]:

However, signal quality was good as can be seen.

The evening sendings of 21/07 presented a full message; again of good strength and which also displayed gc+1, the product of 64+42-2+104.

The sending on 21/07 was repeated on 25/07. The first sending at 2000z started with weak audio but around 61s into the sending the carrier dropped for a short period before a blank carrier rose leading to a continuation of the sending. The bonus was signals that reached 20dBs on the Rx and better, stronger audio.

The spectrogram above, of the entire sending, illustrates the break in the 2000z sending.

The final evening sending was a null message of good strength with the best sending being at 2040z/ PLondon was sculling about in Norfolk – in fact on a farm enjoying the unforgettable odour of sileage, grass and horses in the company of some rather special persons. Thanks to both DoK and JoA who kindly recorded the last evening schedule of July in case PLondon’s non-PC based auto system failed. [It actually performed excellently]. Thanks chaps.

August 06

August Morning Schedule

Tuesday 1^st August schedules were initially hard to determine thanks to the 30m Ham ICW sendings that blotted out a good part of the ident when viewed as a spectrogram. However the 0620 and 0640z sendings were both excellent and were measured by JoA to prove the frequencies stated above.

A shorter but full message was heard on what promised to be excellent sendings of good strength and like audio. The 0640z sending failed after the sending of the 68^th group [or 65^th grp of message] after 17ms of the space tone with a blank carrier lasting for just 266ms until it dropped never to return [at least not within the 20 mins that PLondon monitored after.

JoA also monitored the sending and reported, “12118kHz 0640:00-0642:00z Intro., 0642:00-0642:32z part msg.,transmission failed. Carrier off. Carrier on again 0643:41z. Carrier off 0646:00, Carrier on 0646:16z Carrier off 0646:29z. Operator apparently undecided as to whether to repeat transmission, or trying to find cause of fault.”

Illustrates break in sending at message group 65.

Quality sendings on 04/08 with very strong signals. At 1140z on 03/08 PLondon received a message that demanded his presence in Guyana [8R] and he flew out on 05/08. Prior to flying he asked DoK to stand in for him and intercept the sendings for 08/08 and 11/08 and analysis of Derek’s recordings revealed the repeated morning sendings of 08 and 11/08.

August Evening Schedule

Not surprisingly the frequencies remained the same and JoA and RNGB reported hearing the first transmission. The 2000z was a little noisy but copyable and the 2020 and 2040z sendings were both excellent with PLondon at 20 and 30dBs with very good audio. It would appear the selection of these frequencies is good, or they’ve sacked the buffoon operator.

Null Messages continued for the sendings intercepted by DoK whilst PLondon was away in Guyana .

NOTES’ RE LAST 4 SCHEDULES

PLondon made an interception in whilst in Budapest of the morning sendings. He did not hear the 0600z but signal strength was confirmed by DoK who recorded all sendings whilst PLondon was away in Guyana, Vienna, Budapest and Czech. The 0620 and 0640z sendings were heard at fair strength in Budapest via the ICF-SW100e rod antenna, so perhaps a hint of location for the transmitter.

PLondon would like to thanks all those who made the effort to support him whilst he was called away to Guyana and then whilst on his hols in Eastern Europe.

As a result the comments concerning the affected sendings are shown below without separation.:

From JoA:

Hello Paul. == Routine reception conditions & timings:

• F.18/08:
  10416  2000:01-2002:01 Intro., 2002:01-2002:15  0msg.,
  S9+25dB QRN.
  9252    2020    S9+30dB QRN.
• T.22/08:
  10118  0600:00-0602:00 Intro., 0602:00-0603:27  msg.,
  S9+25dB/5dB  QRN.
  11118  0620    S8 QRN.
  12118  0640    S9+5dB/S8 QRN.
  
  10416  2000:01-2002:01 Intro., 2002:01-2002:51  msg.,
  S8 QRN.
  9252   2020     S8 QRN.
  7654   2040     S9+5dB QRN.
• F.25/08:
  10118  0600:01-0602:01 Intro., 0602:01-0603:28  msg.,
  S9+35dB QRN.
  11118  0620    S9+30dB QRN.
  12118  0640    S9+5dB/S8 QRN.
  
  10416  2000:01-2002:01 Intro., 2002:01-2002:15  0msg.,
  S9+30dB QRN.
  9252   2020     S3/S7 QRN, QRM.
  7654   2040     S9  QRN.  

[Tnx JoA]

And further input from PoSW:

XPA Polytone;- I noted that the Tuesday + Friday evening XPA starting at 2000z was on 10,416 + 9,252 + 7,654 kHz in July - the second sending clashing with E03 on 9,251 - and the same frequencies are being used in August. XPA has been around for a full year now, or at least I first became aware of a new style of Polytone in August 2005 and these frequencies were used then.

And from Jochen whose findings I can confirm as correct.

Interestingly, DoK also wrote of hearing Radio Nederland prior to the 0640z sendings on 18/08 and mentions further transmissions as audible on each morning transmission for 25/08.. Thanks for all your help Derek.

No holiday is complete without a decent argument and one occurred on leaving the Quality Hotel Prague. [The word ‘Quality’ is a trademark and infers nothing else. Personally I think it’s a misnomer]. The main lifts were being used by Hotel staff to move luggage in deference to the service lift which they switched off to stop guests using. As a result persons aged 75 and over were lugging heavy cases down the stairs. I remonstrated with the desk staff about this and their attitude to ‘customer service’ left a lot to be desired. The Hotel Manager was conspicuous by his claimed absence.

PLondon was approached by a Courier who, by no fault of his own, was an American. He made the mistake of poking his nose in where it was not wanted [to explain to PLondon that as an inexperienced traveler he needed to understand the requirements of the Hotel beyond that of guests]. Well that was that; PLondon took no time in telling him to get his nose out from where it was not wanted and when our ‘instructing Yank continued unabaited PLondon gave him an instruction in good parade ground style where the last word was ‘Off’. Really upset the American big time; he said he wouldn’t be spoken to like that but was taken aback when asked, ‘Why not, no one asked you for your opinion.’ PLondon then amused himself ferrying cases of those OAPs struggling to their respective coaches only to be intercepted by the clipboard [and now cigarette puffing] American. ‘You really don’t understand international travel, friend’ was his opening gambit, ‘you need to loosen up a bit and go with the flow.’

PLondon saw red: ‘Call yourself an experienced traveler? I have been places you will actively avoid going. Take the Yemen for instance, where your USS Cole was damaged, that’s one of my old hunting grounds and you can add the Sudan to that for starters. I left Guyana ten days ago to come on my hols, and I have plenty more like that if you have 30 minutes to discuss.’ His reply was a shocked, ‘Oh, I didn’t realise.’ My reply was ‘Never judge a book by its cover, you’ll find Brits fight best with their backs against a wall and having stayed in this Hotel for one night the wall has been raised. Now put your clipboard and fag down and start lifting cases’ With that we parted company and on mounting the waiting coach Prague’s ‘Quality’ hotel quickly became a suppressed memory.

On Tuesday 29^th August a cold suffering PLondon settled down in his shack to intercept the last Morning schedule of August. It was very strong with +20 to 30dBs metered at PLondon’s QTH. Interestingly the first sending had a short break 3.125mins into the sending lasting 241ms and removing message group 195.:

The 0620 and 0640z sendings were without blemish.

The last Evening schedule for August was a like good signal 20 to 40dBs across the three sendings, the last being the best. No surprises that it was a null sending.

As regards interceptions of the evening schedules PLondon left his autosystem set to take the 9252kHz evening sendings at 2020z. Whilst the sendings intercepted were noisy they were not weak. JoA’s findings also suggest noise but certainly not to the level Derek has experienced – we note that the 2040z 22/08 sending was weak and noisy with Derek with JoA offering:

Derek uses horizontal polarization whilst JoA uses vertical. Likewise PLondon’s reception differed in the morning with vertical or horizontal.

In his travels PLondon has noticed other Russian Diplomatic facilities have vertical antennae.

Voice stations | Polytones
German branch | Numbers predictions | Note from DanielE2Kde
E03 & E03a prediction charts | E06 & S06 schedules | E11 schedules over a year
Cubans schedules | G06 schedules over a year
If it had not been for 15 minutes (5/6) | Plonker's progress | Numerals
News Items | Web sites | Contribution deadlines
Index | E2K NL Home