Sixteenth edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: Tue, 03 Aug 1999 20:50:38 GMT)

Overview of the Russian military HF channel marker voice stations

Rimantas Pleikys supplied an overview of the three known standard voice message formats of the Russian military HF channel marker stations (Enigma XX - The Pip, XB - The Buzzer, "R") - all live, non-computerized, mostly male voices, repeated twice, in Russian language, real examples:

XX (The Pip)

3757//5448 kHz, Rostov-Volgograd area (?), at different times.

In Russian	English translation
`"Dlia 854 032 471 331 629 008 Kak slyshno? Priyom."`	`"For 854 032 471 331 629 008 How can you read me? Reception."`

XX is now known as S30 because of these scarce voice broadcasts.
See also the voice stations page in this same newsletter.

"R"

Izhevsk, Navy, 3194//3321//4325 kHz, usually on the hour, regular schedules.

In Russian	English translation
`"Rotor-35, ya - Plavets-41. Reskript: 22 80 39 90 Moskovskoye vremia 0 chasov, 2 minuty. Priyom."`	`"Rotor-35, I am Plavets-41. Rescript: 22 80 39 90 Moscow time 0 hours, 2 minutes. Reception."`

XB (The Buzzer)

4625 kHz, Moscow area, extremely rare:

In Russian	English translation
`"Ya - UVB-76. 18008 Bromal: Boris, Roman, Olga (...) 742 799 14"`	`"I am UVB-76. 18008 Bromal: Boris, Roman, Olga (...) 742 799 14"`

XB is now known as S28 because of these scarce voice broadcasts.

The purpose of the control messages is to check a readiness of operators at the receiving (network) stations. The received message content, or a special answering message, must be repeated back on the return link - HF, terrestrial MWL, telephone line and/or satellite link. In the cases of XX (The Pip) and "R", the final message word "Priyom" ("Reception") means that the station is waiting for the quick answer.