Telecom/1996-04-telecom-walnutcreek.iso/reports/monitor.soviet.xmissions

Text File | 1991-08-10 | 29.3 KB | 739 lines

Newsgroups: rec.radio.shortwave
From: [e-mail] (Tom Roach)
Subject: How to Monitor Soviet Communications
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Date: Sat, 10 Aug 91 22:40:44 GMT
Organization: Netcom - Online Communication Services {408 241-9760 guest}


A fascinating facet but not widely publicized portion of the SWL hobby
is the monitoring of Soviet radioteletype (RTTY) and continuous wave
(CW) i.e. Morse code, transmissions.  Many fascinating insights can be
gained from pursuing this relatively untraveled path of the SWL hobby.
First you may get an insight into the Soviet Space program by
monitoring the messages sent to and from the Soviet Academy of Science
Event Support Ships (SESS).  Sometimes the Soviets send messages in
what at first appears to be "code".  After some careful study the
"code" soon reveals itself as azimuth and elevation angles for the
tracking ship's antennas to use while tracking the MIR space craft.


Other times you may see the cargo manifest of a Soviet freighter that
may be carrying anything from pipes to weapons.  You may find out more
about the Soviet fishing industry then you ever cared to know!  There
is the adventure of at sea emergencies.  Here are some messages, with
translations, of signals I picked up quite recently:


RTMS MALAYA ZEMLYA NVR MRKH 111 94 20/7 0000=

2 ADRESA
NOVOROSSIYSK VODZDRAV GBZDRAV USOVSKOMU
                        EZDRAV RAMZANOVU=


PRODOLZHENIE NASHEY 135/07
2/ GARIFULIN EDUARD {DELETED FOR PRIVACY} 1945 G ELEKTRIK OBRATILSYA
070791 G ZHALOBY NA SLABOST' GOLOVNUYU BOL' VYSOKUYU TEMPERATURU
39.7  T4K ZEV 4ISTYY V LEGKIKH ZHESTKOE DYKHANIE KHRIPOV NET
PERKUTORNO LEGO4NYY ZVUKH GOLOSOVOE DROZHZHANIE USILENNO T4K
POLU4IL OKSATSILIN 1.0 =50SLOV= 2 RAZA SUTKI V/M  GENTOMITSIN
0.08  2 RAZA SUTKI V/M RASTVOR ANAL'GINA 50 PROTSENTNYY 2 .0
V/5. 048 0926SHENII TEMPERATURY DO 39 GRADUSOV POLIVITAMINY T4K
120791 G GOSPITALIZIROVAN GOSPITAL' PORTA MONTEVIDEO DIAGNOZOM
PRAVOSTORONNYAYA PNEVMONIYA RENTGENOLOGI4ESKI DIAGNOZ PODTVERZHDEN

T4K FMED FEDOROV=


136/07  KMD PUKHAL'SKIY

NNNN

   [from ship to two "zdrav"s.  "zdrav" is a medical treatment point,
   probably like a naval hospital is this case.  T4K=tochka]

Two addresses

Novorossiysk, Usovskiy

     Ramzanov


Continuation of our [message] 135/07


7/7/91, Electrician Eduard XXXX ([born] 1945) complained
of weakness, head pain, a high temperature of 39.7 [C].  His mouth was
clean, in his lungs breathing was tough, no wheezing, [?] pulmonary sound,
vocal trembling increased.  He received Oxatcilin 1.0 =50 words= 2 times a
day V/M Gentomicin 0.08 2 times a day v/m a 50% [analgesic?] solution.
[Lowered? -looks garbled] his temperature to 39 degrees [with?]
polyvitamins.  7/12/91 Hospitalized in the Montevideo port hospital with a
diagnosis of right-side pneumonia.  An x-ray diagnosis corroborated.


FMED Fedorov



                      ==================================


BATM 6124 LNG/MRKH  4 102 2/7 0600=

2 ADRESA=

LENINGRAD RYBRADIO PRPG SAMTSOVU KOPIYA PRFL KOVALENKO=


DOKOVANIE BATM 6124 BYLO OPREDELENO ADMINISTRATSIEY ABSA 290791 TCHK
ODNAKO NA SUDNE POSTAVLENNOM DOK DO 6124 OBNARUZHENY RAZRYVY OBSHIVKI
PODVODNOR CHASTI KORPUSA ZPT SVYAZI ETIM POSTANOVKA 6124 DOK BUDET
PROIZVEDENA TOL'KO POSLE 150891 TCHK NAMI NAPRAVLENO PIS'MO ADMINISTRA
TSII ABSA PREDUPREZHDENIEM O TOM CHTO POTERI PRIBYLI ZA PROSTOY SUDNA
100891 BUDUT OTNESENY ZA SCHET ABSA TCHK SUDNO PO VSEM CHASTYAM
ZA ISKLYUCHENIEM PODVODNOY CHASTI BUDET PRED'YAVLENO REGINTRU SSSR
150891 TCHK PROSHU VASHEGO RAZRESHENIYA NA ZADERZHKU VYLETA NA RODINU
DO OKONCHANIYA PRED'YAVLENIYA REGISTRU PODVODNOY CHASTI INZHENERA REGISTRA
OMILAEVA V V I MONTAZHNIKA KOZLOVA V V=


37/08 KM CHUMAK

               ==================================


Docking of BATM 6124 was set for 7/29/91 by the administration of ABSA.
However, tears were discovered in the plating of the underwater part of the
on the supply ship.  In connection with this, docking will be carried out
only after 8/15/91.  We were sent a letter from the ABSA administration
warning about losses.  The ships will be [?] on 8/10/91 owing to ABSA.  All
parts of the ship, with the exception of the underwater part, will be shown
to the USSR Register on 8/15/91.  We ask your permission to delay flying to
the Motherland until the conclusion of showing the underwater part to the
register.  Register Engineer V.V. Omilayev and Fitter V.V. Kozlov.

                                 -----




RTMKS-0901 TLN/MRKH 12 24 2/8 0500=

TALLINN NARVA MANTE 2 KV 20 FEDOROVOY=

LYUBIMAYA POZVONYU 4 AVGUSTA 07 40 UTRA VYLETAYU MOSKVY 15 AVGUSTA
16 05 REYS 2117 TSELUYU=SLAVA



Tallinn, Narva.  Mante 2, Apt. 20.  [to Ms.] Federova

Beloved, I will call you Aug. 4 at 7:40 in the morning.  I'll be flying into
Moscow Aug. 15 at 16:05, Flight 2117.  Love, Slava.

                                 -----


As you can see you can never be sure of what you will come across.

The following is based on my personal exposure to this facet of the
SWL world.  I have tried to provide the names of vendors for
specialized books or equipment as necessary.  My opinions on equipment
are just that.  In the end whatever works for you is what's best.  I
only hope that you will share the fruits of your experience with
others, on Compuserve or INTERNET.  Please read the following in the
spirit it is given: a desire to share what knowledge I have picked up
since concentrating on this part of the SWL hobby.  I expect some of
what I am about to say is in error. I welcome any corrections or
comments.

                            Soviet CW

In theory this will be the least expensive of two paths of the hobby
since the receiver requirements are less critical, and therefore less
costly.  To really keep expenses low you need only to be able to copy
Morse code.  Technology opens the door for those with the budget who
can not copy Morse code.  Even if you can copy Morse, you better be
able to copy at least 20 WPM and that is at the slow end of the
spectrum for most Soviet CW transmissions.  Also the Soviets use
special Morse characters for some characters peculiar to the Cyrillic
alphabet.  When you are ripping along at 20 WPM a "new" or unfamiliar
character can throw you for a loop.  For example "di di dah dah" is
the Morse symbol for the Russian "YA".  Not especially difficult but
it will take you a while to add new characters to those you already
know and still copy at 20 WPM.  A complete table of Morse code
characters for Russian, Japanese, Arabic and other languages can be
found on page 19-3 of the big yellow 1988 ARRL Handbook (appx $20).
This book, and I presume the more recent editions also has a lot of
other useful technical information and should be in every serious
SWL'rs library.


As already noted, the receiver requirements for CW are less stringent
than for RTTY.  Among relatively low cost alternatives, I find the
Sony ICF-2010, an already excellent ISWBC receiver, generally quite
adequate for CW.  I recently made a side by side comparison of my NRD-
525 and the Sony.  I connected them both to the same 100 foot longwire
and tuned to a weak CW signal.  Using this highly scientific
comparison <grin> I found that the weak signal was completly audible
on both receivers.  In a crowded environment the Sony's lower quality
"narrow" filter will not perform in the same league as a NRD-525
equipped with a 500 Hz filter.  When I first tried to compare the NRD
and the Sony on the same signal (see comments on "COL" in Havana, Cuba
which is discussed later), I wrote the Sony off as a total loss.  I
couldn't hear the signal at all on the Sony while it was loud and
clear on the NRD.  Then it dawned on me.  I tuned the Sony 800 Hz
BELOW the actual RF (in this case the NRD was on 15024 kHz and the
Sony was retuned to 15023.2 kHz) and my initial disgust turned to
satisfaction.  Don't forget to subtract the 800 Hz when tuning based
on "exact" frequencies listed by the Confidential Frequency List (CFL)
{also to be discussed further below} or similar publications.

No matter the speed of the CW, I have found a technique that helps me
copy CW too fast for me to copy "live".  I record the receiver output
onto an open reel tape recorder at 7.5 ips and play it back at 3.75
ips.  If you have a cassette recorder you could then use it to record
the slowed down output, then re-record the cassette back onto the open
reel at 7.5 ips and then play the open reel back at 3.75 ips.  Now we
have our 20 WPM down to 5 wpm!  Make sure the pitch of the initial
recording is high.  For those that have the money you could buy an
M6000 or M7000 and read the CW on a VDT or computer monitor.  My
attempts at doing this indicate that the signal better be near perfect
quality if you expect good results.  The best automatic CW demodulator
is a poor second to a practised human.

Assuming you are able to copy Soviet CW, what can you expect to find
in this traffic?  Soviet CW often sends messages that appear identical
to those you will see if you copy Soviet RTTY.  That means lots of
telegrams to lonely sailors aboard the Soviet fish factories or
trawlers.  Look for CELEUM at the end of this personal messages.  This
roughly translates to "love and kisses".  If you have a "code 3" Morse
decoder this will come out as TSELEUM (more on code 2 and code 3
later).  There is also CW aeradio traffic between "COL" in Havana,
Cuba (15024 kHz) and RFNV in Moscow.  Even on the West coast I have no
trouble picking up these station day or night.  It is almost 11 PM
(Pacific Daylight Time) local and I am listening to "COL" as I write
this.  I assume that this link serves much the same purpose as that
provided by the ICAO HF aeradio USB voice links most UTE listeners are
familiar with.  The "COL" traffic contains the destination, speed, and
times of arrival of Soviet Aeroflot flights.  This channel also sends
CW messages to planes in flight.  It may even be used by Soviet Bear
A/C flying reconnaisance off the East coast of the USA while enroute
to Cuba.  It features bizarre "Q" signals, which can be found in
Klingenfuss's RTTY book (available for appx $30 from Universal
Shortwave).  The CW speeds used by "COL" are probably closer to 13
WPM, which makes it easier for those who know some Morse.

The Soviets also use CW to transmit weather and naval area closures.
I found one message notifying of a closure in the East China Sea.  A
search of the Compuserve "GO NEWSGRID" feature using the keyword
MILITARY revealed the Chinese were holding a simulated nuclear attack
war game in this area.  I have only been copying Soviet CW for a
couple of weeks, so have just scratched the surface of what is there.
>From personal experience I can recommend the Gilfer's (201-391-7887)
Confidential Frequency List (7th edition) as a source of exact
frequencies to tune to for either CW or RTTY.  In many cases the CFL
will tell you the exact UTC time at which Naval weather or Naval
warnings will be broadcast.  In all instances where I have attempted
to verify these listings, they appeared correct as the signals
appeared right on time.


To pursue RTTY you will need a good short wave receiver, an RTTY
"decoder" device, and a computer or video monitor.  This could cost
you quite a few dollars.

First, the receiver.  The requirement for RTTY is that your receiver
is "stable" and selective.  The stability is required because if your
receiver drifts, then the signal you send to the decoder device will
eventually be unusable.  The Soviets seem to use very stable
transmitters so any drift you deal with is likely to be due to your
receiver.  The selectivity requirement is to keep other nearby signals
from interfering with you.  I find the "narrow" 500 Hz bandwidth
filter works perfectly with "standard" 170 Hz frequency shift signals
which still comprise the major proportion of Soviet RTTY signals you
will most likely receive.

For RTTY your receiver should be tuneable in frequency increments of
100 Hz or better.  It also would be nice if the receiver was actually
tuned to exactly the frequency it indicates.  An error whether from
drift, mistuning, or poor calibration of as little as 40 Hz can result
in a garbled signal.  Receivers of adequate technical means to monitor
RTTY include (but are not limited to) the Kenwood R-5000, JRC NRD-525,
and the ICOM R-71A.  Top notch receivers will cost somewhere between
$800 to $1300 including taxes and desirable modifications.  It is also
assumed that you have a reasonably good antenna and not overly noisy
(RFI) location.  By reasonably good, a "longwire" at least 25 feet or
more in length is desirable.

The next component in the system is the RTTY decoder.  For once, one
of the "best" is not the most expensive!  See the excellent article
by Jack Albert in the August 1991 Monitoring Times magazine which
compares the performance of the M-7000, M-1000, PK-232 and KAM
decoders.  These devices can be purchased from Universal Radio (800-
431-3939).  Their mailing address is:

Universal Shortwave
1280 Aida Drve
Reynoldsburg, Ohio  43068

If you phone, ask for Fred Osterman.

I like to be able to store intercepted data in a computer file for
subsequent analysis, not just read it off a monitor or print it out.
The M-1000 is excellent for IBM compatible PC's as is the M-7000 when
properly connected (watch the special wiring on the RS-232 cable!). I
started out with the PK-232 and eventually purchased an M7000.  I use
this setup with Procomm Plus software (I set it for 1200,N,8,2,COM1)
and start reading files with an "ALT 030" command (use the numeric
keypad).  I also suggest that you use the ALT F3 command to ensure
that the data doesn't write on top of itself if the line feed command
is missed or garbled.  You don't need a computer to just read
messages.  You can buy the M-7000 with a composite monitor. I prefer
the M-7000 for its Cyrillic output onto a "standard" monitor.  It also
has an excellent autotune button, but there certainly is a difference
in price!

The Soviets use one of the least complex RTTY transmission schemes to
transmit the majority of their RTTY.  Most of the signals you will
want to copy use a 170 Hz, 66 wpm (50 baud), frequency shift to
transmit data.  I also often pick up Soviet ships in ARQ or SITORA.

For the optimal subsequent analysis of your data you are best served
if you have a microcomputer.  It needs word processing software
capable of handling an ASCII file.  On my IBM compatible I use PC-LITE
(Quicksoft/206-282-0452) since it handles both English and Cyrillic
with equal aplomb.  I wrote a program in Quickbasic (V4.5) to convert
the M-7000 generated files into both ASCII transliterated English and
in the native Cyrillic for use with PC-LITE.



               MONITORING AND ANALYZING SOVIET DATA

First you have to find a Russian signal to monitor.  I live on the
West coast of the United States so I find it particularly easy to
monitor transmissions from Vladivostok and Petropavlovsk.  Both of
these Russian cities are renowned military and civilian maritime
hotbeds.  Another Russian city close to Vladivostok which also
generates maritime traffic of interest is Nakhodka.  It is very
helpful to have some good reference material.  A good place to look
for frequencies to monitor is the CFL or Confidential Frequency List
(7th edition) available from Gilfer for about $17.  For RTTY look in
the CFL for anything that says 170/50 in the modulation type column.
In general look for a call sign starting with a "U" or and "R".  If
you don't have this book get yourself  started try searching in any
of the following bands:

{Note: Unfortunately the CFL does not list the new ranges below which

6300.5 to 6311.5 kHz

8396.5 to 8414.5 kHz

12560.0 to 12576.5 kHz

16785 to 16804.0 kHz

For my location (San Jose, CA) I find the 12 and 16 Mhz segments the
best during early to mid-evening.  Set your decoder for 170 Hz, 50
baud.  {Note: What I find to be reverse my friend demodulates
as "normal".  This is a function of your receiver, not the signal).
Select whichever (normal or reverse) works, as once you have found
which it is ALMOST all signals on your receiver will use that
"polarity".  Tune in 500 Hz increments between the signal RF limits
listed above.  I have discovered four other frequencies (they are all
coastal stations) that are generally strong and almost certain to be
active nightly on the West coast.  The East coast is also a good place
to pick up the TASS news service in an RTTY broadcast in English.  For
those in the midwest, well in theory you live in the best of both
worlds.  For some real left wing slant on the news monitor Havana's
Prensa Latina on 8140 kHz at 0900Z till about 0950Z. {This station
varies slightly in RF and often seems garbled}.


Typical Soviet traffic can be heard from Soviet station UKA in
Vladivostok.  It often consists of the Soviet equivalent of MARSGRAMS.
That is to say relatively brief messages from the families and loved
ones of Russian men and women working at sea, often on a huge fishing
vessel.  If you know  just a few words of Russian you can tell these
messages from the rest.  As I noted in my comments on Soviet CW, look
for the Russian word  TSELEUM.  With the knowledge of just a few such
words you can usually get the drift of most messages.  I have included
some of the most commonly used terms at the end of this article.  The
PK-232, and probably other RTTY or CW decoders feature a mode which
outputs text in what is known as "transliterated Cyrillic" or "code
3".  This means you get Russian words that read most like English.
For example code 2 "Wladiwostok" is the more familiar "Vladivostok" in
code 3.  The manual that comes with the PK-232 deals with the
differences between "code 2" and "code 3" Cyrillic, in greater depth
and should be read.  If you are used to manually copying Soviet CW,
then you have been using "code 2".  Another type of message which
abounds is official messages that list the types and amounts of cargo.
One I message I saw kept using the word TONNE preceded by some numbers
and followed by TRESKA.  A Russian dictionary reveals their cargo as
cod fish.  Another category of message that you will be almost certain
to see are the KRIPTOGRAMMA series of messages.  These are encrypted
messages of a secret or private nature.  Here is an example of the
call up and the subsequent KRIPTOGRAMMA:

UPTZH UPTZH DE UKA K

"UPTZH" (code 3) equates to a call sign in English (code 2) of "UPTV"
which the ITU listing reveals as belonging to the Severo'uralsk.  She
is being called by "UKA", a Vladivostok coastal station that sends
traffic to Soviet fishing vessels.  This might be followed by:

I

SR VLADIVOSTOK 7093/1895 245 9/6 1400=

{This header reveals the message as coming from Vladivostok.  It is
numbered "7093/1895" has 245 groups and was transmitted on "9/6" or
the 9th of June at 1400 (Moscow Time).

SRO:NAYA KRIPTOGRAMMA

3 PUNKTA

PB SUZDAL'
PB SEVEROURALSK
PB SUKHONA

OT MALAKHITA 108 =

The above is the address list and goes to three Soviet fishing
vessels: Suzdal', Severouralsk, and Sukhona.  I don't know what the
"OT MALAKHITA 108= " means, except that OT is "from" and MALAKHITA is
probably a meaningless name like Sky King in our SAC messages.  Then
the message which might start something like this:

DDDDD AAAAA AAAYAYA YAKKKR RREEE EEESHCHSHCH SHCHSHSHSHTS
TSTSDDJ IUTKP LJNKHG FNFASH SHCHSHSHKHY OEKEYU GNNKYA PEVSH4
YUINJK ILIKHY YAKNPT ZHSGMTS BTSRTOIFG4Z

etc., which is encrypted.  I have noted at least three distinct types
of KRIPTOGRAMMA messages.  The "NA PERFOLENTE" header always appears
to be followed a five letter group (if you are in code 2 mode).  My
reading of Kahn's The Codebreakers makes me think this may be a rotor
setting of the sort used by the Nazi Enigma or Japanese Purple code
machines.  These are variants of the old Hagelin type machines.
Aegean Park Press (Box 2837, Laguna Hills, California  92654) sells
software for the IBM PC which can be used to break simple rotor
machines.  In any event who knows what luck you might have trying to
decrypt them.  Good luck trying to decipher Soviet Kriptogrammas!

What do you do with the messages you intercept?  I study them, and
find I slowly understand more and more of what they have to say.  You
might soon become an expert in knowing how many fish the Soviet
fishing fleet catches.  You can look in your Polmar's Guide to the
Soviet Navy (Naval Institute Press) and search for ships associated
with Soviet space launch activity.  On line information is available
through the USNI Military Database (1745 S. Jefferson Davis Hwy.,
Arlington, VA 22202).  The names of Soviet ships associated with the
Soviet Academy of Sciences are preceeded by "NIS" in the address
portion of the message.  If you own an IBM compatible, among the
software tools you get with either the Microsoft or IBM operating
system is a jewel called "FIND".  It will search a huge text file in a
jiffy and reveal to you every line where a given word was used.  My
personal favorite is a text search file program called "TS" for text
search which comes as part of the Norton Utilities software.

One Pacific fleet ship that I was told is almost certain to become
active when the Soviets engage in a shuttle launch is a ship called
the NEDELIN.  Just tell the FIND or TS utility to look for any
occurrence of "NEDELIN" in the data files you have collected.  Let's
assume you found it almost daily in your files of last summer's
intercepts and then it wasn't heard from again after September.  If
TASS says there is going to be a shuttle launch sometime in months
ahead and after months of no mention of its name you get gobs of
"MARSGRAMS" to members of her crew, you may suspect she has just
embarked for participation in the planned launch.  You also might keep
a data base of information related to a specific ship.  Who are the
crew members who send messages?  What is the ship Captain's name
(usually prefaced by "KMD")?  Is there a sudden increase in
KRIPTOGRAMMA messages?  As you examine the traffic day after day you
will come up with ideas of your own.

There are numerous books available that you might find valuable if you
are seriously considering monitoring the Soviets or any other military
communications system.  Among them are: "The American Black Chamber"
by Herbert Yardley, and "The Codebreakers" by Herman Kahn.  If you are
going to seriously monitor Soviet maritime and Naval activity, then
either purchase Jane's Warsaw Pact Merchant Ships (paperback $17) or
go to a good local public library and see if they have a copy of the
larger hardbound edition.  Another extremely useful tool is the I.T.U.
list of coastal stations and call signs. That can be gotten from the
ITU in Switzerland for about $100.  Jason Berri (21240 South Western
Avenue, #18, Torrance, CA 90501) has managed to come up with an
excellent subset of the most commonly observed Soviet ships and their
callsigns.  These are available, with instructions on how to read
Soviet traffic.  A real bargain, it sells for about $6.  Perhaps the
best buy of all is the Janes paperback (about $17) titled Warsaw Pact
Merchant Ships Recognition Handbook.  There you will find a lot of
details about the ships whose names you will find in the traffic.
Post questions to Compuserve or INTERNET.  You may be surprised at the
some of the "off line" responses you get.

As promised here are some commonly found Russian words in
transliterated Cyrillic:

AKVATORIYA = AREA OF WATER (ON GLOBE)
ANALIZ = ANALYSIS
APPARATURNOGO BOKSA = "BLACK BOX" AS IN ELECTRONICS
AVIAPOCHTA = AIR MAIL
BEZOPASTNOSTI = SECURITY
BEZZAKKUMULTYATORNOM = BATTERYLESS
BOLEE = MORE
BRUTTO = GROSS
BUDET = WILL BE
BUDO = I WILL BE
BYSTREE = FASTER
CHASTU = OFTEN
CHEREZ = THROUGH
CHTO = WHAT
DAJ OTVET = GIVE ME AN ANSWER
DAVNO = FOR A LONG TIME
DBTCHK = COLON (PUNCTUATION)
DEN'GI = MONEY
DESYAT' = TENTH
DESYATOGO = TENTH DAY
DEVYAT' = NINE
DEVYATOGO = NINTH DAY
DEYSTVIYA = ACTIVITY
DIZTOPLIVO = DIESEL FUEL
DNEM = DURING THE DAY
DO = UNTIL; TO ; UP TO
DOBROGO = GOOD DAY?
DOLGOTA = LONGITUDE
DOLZHNY = DEBT
DOMA = AT HOME
DOMOJ = HOMEWARD
DOSKI = BOARDS, BLACKBOARDS, PLAQUES
DVA = TWO
EKHOLOT = SONIC DEPTH FINDER
EKIPAZH = CREW (AS IN SHIP'S CREW)
ESHCH = STILL, YET
ESLI = WHEN
FORELX = TROUT
FOTOPROFILIROVANIYA = "OCEAN BOTTOM PICTURE"
GLAVBUKHU = (INDICATES FORWARD TO "CHIEF" OF SHIP)
GLUBOKY = DEEP
GODA = REFERS TO YEAR (IN DATES RUSSIANS ALWAYS PUT DAY FIRST)
GORAZDO = MUCH
GRADUSNIK = THERMOMETER
GRADUSOV = DEGREES
GROZA = STORM
GRUZ = CARGO, FREIGHT
I = AND
IDEM = WE GO
IZ = FROM
KAK = HOW  (KAK VASHE IMYA? = WHAT IS YOUR NAME?)
KAMBALA = FLOUNDER
KARP = CARP
KETA = SIBERIAN SALMON
KHLOPOK = COTTON
KHOROSHO = WELL (AS IN "MENYA VSE KHOROSHO" - I AM WELL)
KIPAKH = BALES
KITAJ = CHINA
KOGDA = WHEN
KRAB = CRAB
KREPKO = RARELY
KREPKOGO = WARM, STRONG
KTO = WHO
KUDA = WHERE (DIRECTION)
KVARTAL = QUARTER (AS IN 2ND QTR FISCAL YEAR)
LESHCH = BREAM
LICHNO = PERSONALLY
MAKREL = MACKEREL
MALO = LITTLE
MASLO = OIL, GREASE
MATROS = SAILOR
MAZUT = FUEL OIL
MEST = PIECES
MINOGA = LAMPREY
MOJ = MY
MOLCHISH' = SILENT
MOREPLAVANIYA = NAVIGATION
MOZHNO = CAN, IS PERMITTED
NA = UPON
NACHALOM = BEGINNING
NAILUCHSHEGO = THE VERY BEST
NAM = US (TO US)
NAPOLNYAT' = FILL(ED) UP
NASTROJKA = TUNING
NAVERNO = PROBABLY
NEOTLOVNO = URGENT
NET = NO
NOSIT' = CARRY
O = ABOUT
OBESPECHENIYU = PROVIDE
OBLADAYA = WE HAVE
OBYCHNO = USUALLY
OCHEN' SKUCHAYU = STURGEON
OSVOIT' = OPEN UP, DEVELOP (AS IN TERRITORY)
OT = FROM
OTDEL = DEPARTMENT
OTDYKHAEM = TO TAKE A BREAK
OTETS = FATHER
OTGULY = COMPENSATORY LEAVE
OTLICHNO = EXCELLENT
OTMENYAETSYA = CANCELLATION (USED IN NAVAREA MESSAGES)
OTPRAVILA = SENT
OTPUSK = LEAVE, HOLIDAY, FURLOUGH
OTRYADA = TEAM
OTTSET = ACCOUNT
PALTUS = HALIBUT
PALUBA = DECK
PB = PLAVBAZA
PERENOSITSYA = SWITCH, TRANSFER
PEREVOD = TRIP
PIS'MO = LETTER
PISHI = WRITE
POCHEMU = WHY
POCHTA = POST OFFICE
PODKHOD = APPROACH, ENTRANCE (AS IN HARBOR ENTRANCE)
PODROBNO = IN DETAIL
POISK = SEARCH
POKA = IN THE MEANTIME
POLAGAEM = WE SUPPOSE (BELIEVE)
POLUCHIL = RECEIVED
PONEDEL'NIK = MONDAY
PONYALA = UNDERSTAND
POSESHCHAT' = VISIT
POSLE = AFTER
POZDNEE = LATE
POZDRAVYLAEM = CONGRATULATIONS
PRAZDNIKOM = ON THE HOLIDAY
PRIKHOD = ARRIVAL
PRILETAEM = ARRIVE (AS IN AIR PASSENGERS WILL ARRIVE)
PRISTUPILI = STARTED, BEGIN
PRIVET = HELLO, GREETINGS (USED WITH CLOSE ACQUAINTANCES ABOUT SAME AGE)
PROS'BA = REQUEST (FAVOR)
PROSHU = I ASK (AS IN ASK PERMISSION)
PYAT' = FIVE
RADOST' = HAPPINESS
RAJON = REGION, AREA
RAKI = CRAYFISH
RANEE = EARLY
RASHKHOD = EXPENDITURE
REMONT = REPAIR
ROZHDENIYA = BIRTHDAY
RUDA = ORE
RUKOVODSTVA = "FROM THE TOP" {AS IN UPPER MANAGEMENT}
RYB = "RYB" AS A PREFIX - REFERS TO FISH OR FISHING
SAMOGO = YOUR OWN
SCHET = ACCOUNT, CALCULATION (OFTEN FOLLOWED BY ACCT #)
SDAN = TURN-OVER; DELIVERY
SELD = HERRING
SEREDINE = THE MIDDLE AS IN V SEREDINE OKEANA (IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN)
SEVERNAYA = NORTH
SHEST{} = SIX {SHESTOGO = SIXTH DAY)
SHIROTA = LATITUDE
SHUKA = PIKE
SIL'NO = STRONGLY, FIRMLY
SKOL'KO = HOW MANY, HOW MUCH
SKORO = SOON
SKOROST' = SPEED
SKUCHAYU = I MISS YOU, I'M BORED (USUALLY TO WIFE OR GIRLFRIEND)
SLEDUEM = BOUND FOR
SOGLASIYA = PERMISSION
SOGLASNO = IN ACCORDANCE WITH
SOKRATIT' = REDUCE, DECREASE
SOM = SHEATFISH (LARGE CATFISH)
SOOBSHCHU = ADVISE
SOSKUCHILAS' = BORED
SPASIBO = THANKS
SPRAVKI = CONFIRM RECEIPT (USED AT END OF TRANSMISSION "PSE SPRAVKI")
SPRUT = OCTOPUS
SROCHNO = URGENT
SROK = DATE, PERIOD
STREL'BA = FIRING (AS IN ARTILLERY FIRING)
SUDAK = PIKE PERCH
SVYAZ' = CONNECTION
SYEMGA = SALMON
TAK = SO, THUS
TCHK = PERIOD
TCHK = PERIOD
TEBYA = YOU (SINGULAR)
TOL'KO = ONLY
TOL'KO BEREG = EYES ONLY
TOM = VOLUME
TRESKA = COD
TRI = THREE
TSELEU IN A PROBLEM POPPED UP)
VSE = ALL
VSEGDA = ALWAYS
VSEGO = ALWAYS
VSTRECHAJ = MEET ME!
VTOROJ = SECOND
VYGRUZIT' = UNLOAD
VYKHOD = GOING OUT, COMING OUT
VYLETA' = FLYING OUT OF
VYPOLNENIE = CARRIED OUT; COMPLETED
VYSHLI = DEPARTED
YUZHNAYA = SOUTH {PROBABLY}
ZA = AT
ZAKAZ = ORDER
ZAKHOD = PORT CALL
ZAPADNAYA = WEST (PROBABLY)
ZAPISKA = NOTE, MESSAGE, DIRECTIVE
ZAPUSK = FIRING (AS IN "ZAPUSK RAKET" ROCKET FIRING
ZATRUDNENIE =  DIFFICULTY, PREDICAMENT
ZDRAVSTVUJ = HELLO
ZHDAT = WAIT
ZHDU = I WAIT
ZHELAEM = WISH
ZPT = COMMA


Here are some "code 3" to "code 2" conversions:
CODE 3  CODE 2
======  ======
TS        C
ZH        V
KH        H
SHCH      Q
V         W
'         X
[         YA
]         YU

Thus code 2 "UISHCHZH" is actually "UIQV" in the ITU call sign list.

You will also see many cases where the Soviets seem to send numbers as
characters which work out as follows:

QWERTYUIOP
1234567890

also "X" is equivalent to a slash / and often I see a V for an
"=".  See the ARRL Handbook for the Morse code Soviet characters.

I look forward to hearing from fellow hobbyists.  Don't hesitate to
ask for help.  I am available on both Compuserve (76347,1025) and
INTERNET ( [e-mail] ). I recommend you also read all the
files submitted by Sam Ricks (76367,2640) which also deal with reading
Soviet messages.  If I get Sam's OK I will post them on INTERNET.

In summary you will find out a lot more about the Soviets than you
might ever have believed possible by monitoring the shortwave bands.

Tom Roach


This is an updated version of the file originally posted on Compuserve
ages ago.  Feel free to post it on any relevant bulletin board(s). It
is copyrighted so please no commercial re-distribution!  The re-posting
results due to increased interest prompted by Compuserve magazine's
article on this hobby.

TBR