Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Decode (Not Decrypt) of Cuban PSK31 Numbers Message

Note the format, which is different from M8a and V2a. It has a date stamp and repeats the message.

[111]11 28/12/2006 11111 28/12/2006 11111 28/12/2006 11111
50243 50243 50243 50243 50243 55382 48612 00640 24267 24845
51614 30063 43610 02482 60566 72540 52116 86043 22252 73082
57167 84370 87754 61884 00771 44486 16407 36583 34861 82130
33277 06236 26402 44864 52731 01556 06414 03318 23254 88217
38101 26360 53635 66443 57122 00331 38057 56732 05111 70613
52354 08535 67380 67578 23836 64731 63336 82745 02237 83875
86244 55566 76248 24765 44434 88523 47743 38301 04874 33015
14660 17023 54050 75828 66880 11110 63854 46211 01128 86381
61307 57251 18082 35115 12125 25561 40724 23441 22373 82888
84715 86311 42277 80846 63500 78347 00232 32578 64112 57315
05805 27615 14644 48835 37533 16671 35056 85134 47543 51788
76516 45144 03107 54325 83762 44181 07617 67360 03857 86202
65716 03213 10888 08631 58184 52211 51575 64736 60022 18607
62231 60124 81184 51302 64013 70334 78528 62346 41628 31267
67763 58047 67071 38647 70853 67567 67600 31008 75603 25764
05548 81014 68577 77543 71268 + + + 50243 50243 50243 50243
50243 55382 48612 00640 24267 24845 51614 30063 43610 02482
60566 72540 52116 86043 22252 73082 57167 84370 87754 61884
00771 44486 16407 36583 34861 82130 33277 06236 26402 44864
52731 01556 06414 03318 23254 88217 38101 26360 53635 66443
57122 00331 38057 56732 05111 70613 52354 08535 67380 67578
23836 64731 63336 82745 02237 83875 86244 55566 76248 24765
44434 88523 47743 38301 04874 33015 14660 17023 54050 75828
66880 11110 63854 46

-recording ends early-

Thanks to Ary Boender for posting this sound file at his web site.

FCC No-Code Takes Effect February 23

The FCC has published its rule change to eliminate amateur Morse code exams in the Federal Register. It will take effect after the usual 30 days.

Summary:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

47 CFR Part 97

[WT Docket No. 04-140, WT Docket No. 05-235; FCC 06-178]


Amateur Service Rules

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Final rule.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In this document, the Commission amends
its Amateur Radio Service rules to remove the
requirement that an individual must pass a Morse
code telegraphy examination to qualify for a
General Class or an Amateur Extra Class amateur
radio service operator license. The Commission also
revises the frequency segment of the 80 meter amateur
service High Frequency (HF) band on which amateur
stations are authorized to be automatically
controlled when transmitting RTTY and data emission
types, and it make other conforming amendments to
the amateur service rules.

DATES: Effective February 23, 2007.


Full Text

Friday, January 19, 2007

Addition to Enigma Control List #22

The PSK31/BPSK transmissions from the Cuban family responsble for V2x and M8x have been assigned their own designator.

From ENIGMA2000:

Hello Group

With reference to the Cuban BPSK transmissions associated with M08a /
V02a the designator will be :-
SK01,(SK Zero One) effective from 00.01z, 20 Jan 07

Please add to your copies of ENIGMA Control List No 22

73

Paul, MikeL and the Moderators

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Current PC-HFDL Data File for System Table 30

A working pchfdl.dat file has been uploaded to the Utility World web site. It is the one being used here.

If you haven't done so already, copy it to the "configs" subdirectory under the one containing the commercial version of PC-HFDL. Restart the program, and the squitters should once again show frequencies instead of numbers.

Don't worry if the file looks like gibberish in a text editor, because it's supposed to.

We thank the HFDL group on Yahoo! for this file.

Monday, January 08, 2007

Cuban PSK31?

Several recent M8 schedules have been replaced by transmissions in a phase-shift-keying mode known as PSK31. This mode is popular with hams, and can be heard daily on 14070 kHz. Many computer programs decode it. Digipan does a good job, and it's free.

If you hear a funny warble instead of the usual Morse in CW or MCW, this is what you have.

It is not known whether this signals a switch away from Morse code. Anything is possible with Cuban intelligence communications.