Hundredth edition of the N&O column / Spooks newsletter

(Date: Sun, 06 Nov 2005 19:22:07 +0100)

Morse stations

MX

Cluster beacons

D
7038.7, 8494.7, 10871.7, 13527.7, 16331.7 kHz
P
not heard
S
7038.9, 10871.9, 13527.9, 16331.9, 20047.9 kHz
C
4558, 5154, 7039, 8495, 10872, 13528, 16332, 20048 kHz
A
5154.1, 7039.1, 8495.1, 10872.1, 13528.1, 16332.1, 20048.1 kHz
F
7039.2, 8495.2, 10872.2, 13528.2 kHz
K
7039.3, 8495.3 kHz
M
8495.4, 10872.4, 16332.4 kHz

Cluster beacon "A" has been reactivated but from a different location.

In the past it was part of the Far Eastern cluster but it is now part of the European cluster. Thanks to a number of radio amateurs and professionals, we now know that the beacon is located in the Baku area in Azerbaidjan. It could be related to the Caspian Sea fleet.

Channel markers

L
3202.9 drifting to 3203.7 and often sending .-... instead of .-..
P
2330.9, 3291, 3699.5, 3837, 4043, 4828, 5982 kHz. Both coded messages and channel marker "P" on these frequencies.
Parallel frequencies 3291//3699.5//3837 kHz and 4043//4828 kHz
R
3685.8, 4325.8 and 5465.8 kHz

See also Newsletter 101.

M13

I received a bunch of logs from Fritz this month. As you can see M13 is active as ever.

SAT	1.10	0430	5413	411 278/20
SUN	2.10	0230	5876	767 299/30
		0300	5173	378 288/20
		0430	5413	411 278/20
		1900	8454	261 297/21
		2000	8454	261 297/21
		2030	5413	411 278/20
		2110	3721	427 756/20
MON	3.10	1900	9342	517 258/20
		2000	9342	517 258/20
		1900	9342	261 297/21
		2000	9342	261 297/21
		2100	4452	378 288/20
		2110	3721	427 756/20
		2120	8844	746 258/22
TUE	4.10	1900	9342	517 258/20
		2000	9342	517 258/20
WED	5.10	0600	9943	823 253/22
		0630	10283	474 253/22
		1230	10878	823 253/22
		2145	7978	757 278/22
THU	6.10	0630	10283	474 253/22
		2000	11524	253 256 QRM
		2100	6924	254 263 QRM
		2100	4222	899 255/21
FRI	7.10	2000	6724	284 253/23
		2000	11524	253 256/23
SAT	8.10	2000	6724	284 253/23
SUN	9.10	1900	6975	417 QRM
		2100	3657	473 000
		2115	8497	501 257/21
MON	10.10	0300	6445	284 000
		0330	8155	458 153/19
		1900	6975	417 253/22
		2000	6887	387 260/22
		2115	8497	501 257/21
		2230	6358	474 253/22
TUE	11.10	1300	6933	679 270/21
		2000	6887	387 000
THU	13.10	1500	7740	365 253/21
		1700	7740	365 253/21
		2000	11424	714 QRM
FRI	14.10	1500	7740	365 253/21
SUN	16.10	1900	8455	261 297/21
		2000	8455	261 297/21
		2030	5413	411 278/20
MON	17.10	1900	9342	517 258/20
		2000	9342	517 258/20
		1900	6306	261 297/21
		2000	6306	261 297/21
TUE	18.10	1900	9342	517 258/20
		2000	9342	517 258/20
WED	19.10	0600	6208	572 254/21
		0600	9943	823 253/22
		1230	10878	823 253/22

Both Igor and Mark supplied a complete M13 message:

7978 kHz, 2145 UTC, 5 Oct.

757 757 757
= 278 22 =
36698 26954 53263 41494 27t87 42t81 4987t 28467 17978 54732
36149 62t81 52391 57583 17983 t1999 48355 47656 29929 3t789
51t49 38857 =
757 757 757 757 757 757 757 757 757 757 757 757
= 278 22 =
36698 26954 53263 41494 27t87 42t81 4987t 28467 17978 54732
36149 62t81 52391 57583 17983 t1999 48355 47656 29929 3t789
51t49 38857 =
ttt

6358 kHz, 2230 UTC, 10 Oct.

474 (R5) BT 253 22 BT
58592 57091 49063 15442 44462
30793 63221 50218 29205 51620
25526 48907 47532 27440 43384
57501 14925 14449 49806 05257
57590 12644 BT
474 (R1) BT 253 22 BT
58592 57091 49063 15442 44462
30793 63221 50218 29205 51620
25526 48907 47532 27440 43384
57501 14925 14449 49806 05257
57590 12644 BT
BT
0 0 0

See also Newsletter 101.

M21

PVO used the following frequencies in October: 3228.5, 5201, 6881.5 kHz.

All with id "0". Also heard on 4542 and 5873 kHz with id "8".

See also Newsletter 101.

M22

2680//4331//6379 kHz with daily transmissions. No other frequencies found with morse transmissions.

M41

4959 kHz, 1900 UTC, 14-10:

vvv vvv WLSB wzd 7221959979389 abv 7221959979389..... WLSB WLSB WLSB +

Note: the Russian navy also uses "WZD" in its coded messages. This strengthens my idea that M41 is a Russian military station. Thanks for the logs, Fritz!

Sample:

7664 kHz, 1850 UTC, 4-10:

RCJG de RIW QTC 828 22 4 2240 828 = wzd = 5FG ....

See also Newsletter 101.

M51

Another one from Fritz. He has been on the lookout for M51 and found them on a number of frequencies.

Frequency	date	time	remarks
5885	3-10	0805 UTC	= nr 80 o 03 10:05:48 1983 = 5FGx100 =
8128//9110	3-10	1545 UTC
7436	4-10	1500 UTC
6787	6-10	1545 UTC
6787	11-10	1330 UTC
7436//6896	11-10	1410 UTC
5082	12-10	1435 UTC
6787	14-10	0941 UTC	= nr 08 o 14 11:41:32 1983 = 5FGx100 =
5885//5082	17-10	0738 UTC
8128//9110	17-10	1515 UTC

M51 is back after two months of silence. All messages show the year 1983.

A malfunctioning system or do they really use old tapes? The station now operates on Mon-Fri and uses the same frequencies for several weeks.

M62

3486 kHz	0600 UTC	17-10	:	IKWU IKWU IKWU +
3486 kHz	0712 UTC	17-10	:	I4U7 = 1 20 17 0912 045 = IKWU = 5LGx20 = for IKWU rpt QLN +

See also Newsletter 101.

M89

Only two strings were reported this month:

V T3AP T3AP T3AP de QF3k QF3K on 5727, 8437.8 and 8442 kHz
V CP17 CP17 CP17 DE L9CC L9CC on 7064, 7073.3 and 7077.8 kHz

See also Newsletter 101.