Eighteenth edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: Sat, 02 Oct 1999 16:04:00 +0200)

Various modes

XPH

Bruce Allen analysed two XPH transmissions. Here is what he found:

Tones: 305, 321, 337, 355, 371, 387, 403, 436, 452, 468, 484, 499, 512.

321 and 499 are used with 305 and 512 to provide synch before Hi Speed Data (HSD). 305 is used as a break character in HSD.

My arbitrary assignments are

305 = Break
321 = break' (break prime)
337 = 0
355 = 1
371 = 2
387 = 3
403 = 4
419 = 5
436 = 6
452 = 7
468 = 8
484 = 9
499 = a'
512 = A

Using this schema with 'Break' symbolized by the - sign Spooky.ra breaks out like this:

Low Speed Data
1-149-149-149-1-

synch for HSD = a'A a'A a'A a'A a'A a'A a'A a'A a' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break' Break break'

High Speed Data = 03814-1A2A4-08491-13854-06101-96529-8A2A2-9A657-857A5-51292-07675-6

I suspect that the clip ends before the actual end of TX

The XPH file sent to me by Ary breaks out:

Low Speed Data:
645-0A0
645-645-645-0A0
645-645-645-0A0
645-645-645-0A0
645-645-645-0A0
645-645-645-0A0
645-645-645-0A0
645-645-645-0A0

Synch for HSD"
10 a'A pairs
10 Breaks sent in a row
10 Break break pairs

HSD:
1A1A1A1A1A1A1A1A1A1A

TX ends.

I would be interested to see if other XPH recordings vary.

FAPSI intercepts [M42]

Freq.	UTC	c/s	to	link
11460	1621		URO	60047
15943	1256		NOB	70004
16257	0835	URS	RJA	90051
16295	0820		DZR	00149
18172	0835	RJA	URS	90051
22917	0740		RPR	10042

note c/s RPA as mentioned in a previous N&O is a typo and should read RJA.

On 12 September, Geoff Halligey copied two unid stations, one of them was using callsign DPU. The callup was in CW followed by a 75bd RTTY message. This looks like a FAPSI station although I am not sure about it. Anyone?

11412 kHz	1056 UTC	CW	clg DPU DPU hand sent, then QSY 12157 QSA5
12157 kHz	1058 UTC	CW	"QSA4 QTC1", "K" fm DPU, then msg in 5-number groups Baudot 75 bd, but frequently reverting to QWERTYUIOP letters. <this also regularly happens when I copy FAPSI stations - Ary>. Then "R OK VA" fm DPU.

Jim Dunnett provided a sample of a FAPSI message. Those of you who are not familiar with these RTTY stations and want to learn more about them may want to download the N&O #00 files from the N&O home page.

Or click here.

Example:

The callup sequence is either in RTTY '4646464646 NOB NOB' etc, or in morse.

11177 70004 08556 17156 02889 culyo itmrw ujjoj lujgy jypyx bddih keufd vaews hwmhe qprug hmaqv sfjjt yomvx aahvx nlybk amnuk iwuar .....[287 groups]

11177 70004 31561 17157 02439 dbqck lkjpp lxymx fphyx hvflq tugpf griye suvsh wvfuz tnzuj xgiit iwuto .....
[242 groups]

after qso wrk qpp cfm? after qso wrk qpp asm
[Morse]

QHN ASM AS CFM NOT OK OK AS SEE QOB

[back to rtty]

op qpp sa after qso wrk qpp pse as hr sa op1 not ok as see ryryryryryry qru om u will work qpp? Ok ih asm qru tks gb sk