Would somebody experienced in military comms take a look at this?

[DocColorado]

A former K9 ham friend lives in France now and has sent me several articles in French covering stories about ham radio
interception of Russian Military. Here is an example and I used google translate it and shortened the url with a shortner.

Guerre en Ukraine : « Nous reculons », des centaines d’heures de communications de l’armée russe interceptées

Des radioamateurs ukrainiens ont intercepté les communications stratégiques de l’armée russe. Ces enregistrements témoignent du manque de moyen et du désarroi des soldats

bit.ly

 

[mfn002]

I read a news report somewhere that said that the Russian Military's secure, LTE-based ERA network (which relied on cell towers) was rendered inoperable due to limited coverage, and thus all communications were forced on to non-secure, analog FM and HF systems. Most communications back to headquarters are now done on HF, primarily because Ukrainian counterattacks have forced the command posts so far back from the front that VHF FM can no longer reach them. The shift to HF-based communications has allowed hams in surrounding countries to start jamming Russian comms.

I also recall reading a story in the AP a few years ago that was talking about the Ukrainian offensive against the separatists in the Donetsk region that said that the Russian tanks that the Ukrainian soldiers were encountering were equipped with vacuum-tube radios.

Touching on another topic that is being discussed in this post (about the R-107T), I actually have in my collection a more advanced version called the R-107T Digi. It features ICs and a digital frequency readout as opposed to the analog dial.

 

[TDR-94]

Tubes where used during the "Cold War" by the Russians as a thwart against EMP.

 

[KN4EHX]

Not much information in regards to their current issued radios. I realize not everyone will actually have these.

In my experience not every Merican truck had a radio either, but that has changed a lot since then. I know comms were definitely an issue for some of my family in the early parts of OEF and OIF.

Being a not so good Russian speaker I have heard some very convincing accents on various captured SDR recordings from YouTube. They have been in some very desperate situations. The Siberian accent is very distinct (like British English) and Western accents from Moscow are also very unique. I’ve picked up on Siberian accents in many the radio clips. (For a good time, find an audio clip of how someone young from Moscow says Moscow - think California valley girl accent but in Russian. Mosskwavvv).

The Azart radios have some very distinctive tones to them. Very Si-Fi 80’s sounding.

AZART-P1 Digital Radios Delivered to Russia’s Western Military District - MOENCH PUBLISHING GROUP

SDR Provides Secure Communications and Command Process Automation

monch.com

 

[KN4EHX]

Azart radio in action.

 

[AM909]

Azart radio in action.

Kind of disappointing that YouTube generates speech-to-text CC in Russian, but doesn't translate to English for us. It could be fun (think of the game "telephone"). Maybe a Russian-speaker can translate the voice and screen please?

I saw these freqs:

• 2.920
• 14.074
• 164.100
• 436.600
• 439.600
• 3.775
• 7.175
• 7.055
• 439.8875
• 27.135
• 27.305
• 255.260
• 2.130
• 2.150
• 432.8625
• 4.350 ?
• 5.568 ?
• 15.024 ?
• 3.555 ?
• 7.083
• 14.280
• 3.640
• 3.625
• 145.800
• 143.625
• 145.500
• 27.290
• 27.200
• 27.150
• 10.460
• 145.590

The '?' channels might not have been freqs. They're all "labels", but unless they bother to encrypt the labels (i.e. "27.290" means 388.9875 MHz), they're probably correct. There are several other alpha-only entries. Maybe someone with a Cyrillic keyboard can enter those and the complete labels for the others and maybe translate what they might mean?

 

[KN4EHX]

Kind of disappointing that YouTube generates speech-to-text CC in Russian, but doesn't translate to English for us. It could be fun (think of the game "telephone"). Maybe a Russian-speaker can translate the voice and screen please?

I saw these freqs:

• 2.920
• 14.074
• 164.100
• 436.600
• 439.600
• 3.775
• 7.175
• 7.055
• 439.8875
• 27.135
• 27.305
• 255.260
• 2.130
• 2.150
• 432.8625
• 4.350 ?
• 5.568 ?
• 15.024 ?
• 3.555 ?
• 7.083
• 14.280
• 3.640
• 3.625
• 145.800
• 143.625
• 145.500
• 27.290
• 27.200
• 27.150
• 10.460
• 145.590

The '?' channels might not have been freqs. They're all "labels", but unless they bother to encrypt the labels (i.e. "27.290" means 388.9875 MHz), they're probably correct. There are several other alpha-only entries. Maybe someone with a Cyrillic keyboard can enter those and the complete labels for the others and maybe translate what they might mean?

The guy using the radio is actually a ham in Russia but I can assume he’s in some level of government. Many of those frequencies are CB and 10 meters.

The HF stuff might be where the money is. UHF and 255 is probably aircraft and general communications.

Last I’m aware the Russian popo uses VHF even in the large metro areas. If I was a guessin’ man I’d take a swing and say this guy is probably emergency response for a large area.

Maybe he has a QRZ. I haven’t looked. Might be an OPSEC blunder on their behalf. I’m sure plenty of these have been recovered from KIA OPFOR but if they get turned over to NATO is another question. Even this video is pretty useful for SIGINT if that is actually the radio he uses for work although it is a little dated.

 

[EricCottrell]

I do wonder if some money for Russian military communication upgrades got diverted into someone's pocket. I found this older article interesting. It does mention updated radio equipment on a captured Russian paratrooper. Russian Comms in Ukraine: A World of Hertz

 

[KN4EHX]

I do wonder if some money for Russian military communication upgrades got diverted into someone's pocket. I found this older article interesting. It does mention updated radio equipment on a captured Russian paratrooper. Russian Comms in Ukraine: A World of Hertz

The article was clearly written by someone with some radio knowledge.

I think the important part is to not underestimate their communications systems. They do indeed have some very skilled operators and reliable systems. HF as most know can be either spotty or clear as a bell. The US also opts to use around 6 meters for infantry units for the fact it works relatively well without a repeater.

I’m assuming some of the aircraft have some advanced communications systems that work with their fancy Azart radios. A lot of data getting passed as those guys fly around - almost like an APRS type thing my observations.

There is no doubt they are using Baofengs. I’ve seen a ton of pictures of both Russian and Ukrainians with UV-82s and some DMR radios in limited use. I did hear the Motorola encrypted PTT tone in a few videos.

Considering if the guys with the fancy pants Azart radios are in the equation they either have to opt to carry two radios (one Azart and one Baofeng) or switch off encryption on their Azart so they can talk with others carrying Baofeng. Motorola could make a fortune selling “Interoperability” to Russia after this is all said and done.

Frequency hopping spread spectrum is great if everything cooperates but that is a little outside of a Baofeng’s capabilities. Likely some very accomplished fox hunters out there with their measuring tapes and PVC.

NATO is providing real-time EW assistance from Poland and Romania. Safe to assume there has been some donations of directional finding equipment.

Azart is a neat concept. I’d like to get my hands on one just to play around with it. Having a ultra modern SDR HF/VHF/UHF radio would be very nice. Maybe they will come up on the market in the next year or so provided the conflict has subsided by then. Nice radio only minor scuffs from being dropped once.

 

[Token]

The main discord channel was on it from the beginning when it all started being posted on the Twente sdr site chat. It's to large a set of signals over too much time with too many geographic and correlating events to be fake in my opinion. I suppose anything is possible but the failures track with the rest of their logistical and tactical deficiencies.

I monitored many of those audio tracks in that video myself live when they happened.

Which "main discord channel" was that? There were at least 4 or 5 active on the subject, so I don't know which you mean as "main".

Day one of the fight I heard several of these signals myself, and was skeptical. Later it became clear that if they were hoaxes (and yes, I did hear some that clearly were hoaxes) then there were many people involved in the scams. But after a short while it became clear that the probability of these being real was quite high. Particularly true when you looked at the number of hours a day some of these stations were on the air.

It also became apparent that the jammers were probably not all state sponsored groups. I suspect that many / several of the jammers were of the type similar to the pirates that haunt the Buzzer. I particularly like the "pig farm" that chased Russian comms around to multiple frequencies for a few days, and the "KILL PUTIN" Morse that hit the 8131 kHz net.

One of the reasons I was skeptical at first was the frequencies being used. Most of the really interesting freqs that I heard were in the 4000 - 10000 kHz range, and in SSB. I honestly was a bit surprised the Russian mil used those as actively as they did, going in I fully expected HF and VHF-Lo traffic, but I thought most of the comms would be above 20 MHz and in FM. I still think most was, but those comms just did not make it to as many good receiver sites to hear.

T!

 

[MUTNAV]

And the AN/PRC-77 had all of two watts and a 14 lb backpack weight. The Vietnam era field radio used on VHF low band. And people wonder why soldiers carry inexpensive Baofeng radios for intrasquad comms.

Even in 1991 I used a PRC-77 (it was the only thing with the right connectors for a particular application...

http://www.survivalebooks.com/free%20manuals/1990%20US%20Army%20Communications%20in%20a%20Come%20as%20You%20Are%20War%20%2070p.pdf

Was written well before the gulf war as an effort to let people know (among other things) that you use what you have, whether its encrypted satcom, or flares, signal panels, and messengers.

As an example, during the gulf war, the Air Tasking Order (ATO) that describes the air plan for the next day (which is incredibly important), had to be burned onto a CD and FLOWN out to an aircraft carrier to get it into the navy system.

What I think people are seeing now is a closer look at the giant disaster of military activities. Even exercises are only a step or two away from a disaster.

Future plans are great, but in the end you use what you have.

Thanks
Joel

 

[krokus]

... during the gulf war, the Air Tasking Order (ATO) that describes the air plan for the next day (which is incredibly important), had to be burned onto a CD and FLOWN out to an aircraft carrier to get it into the navy system.

Luckily that issue was fixed, a couple years later. I used to maintain a USN system installed in a USAF facility, that was used to send the ATO/ITO to naval assets. (I presume/hope the integration has improved since then.)

Back to the Russians... I think it is safe to say that the Russians will improve their capabilities, in the near future.

 

[KC3ECJ]

Don't know but I assume it's a ham or even UA mil guys doing the jamming. They are using simple SSB USB so it wouldn't take much. They might not even be in country.

RU guys have been using some digital voice and audio scrambling as well.

Foot soldier comms probably aren't going to be that critical to encrypt. Going to be rather fast paced and outdated quickly.

Like with Kadyrovite Chechens, there's a video where two guys were both wearing a Motorola UHF or VHF that were probably DMR capable.
But they also both had a Chinese brand UHF/VHF radio that was probably FM only.

 

[TomLine]

It's legit. I'm surprised that for a radio forum there hadn't been more interest.

It's not a lack of interest. It's just that most videos of any news issue, are intentional propaganda or just misguided click bait these days. The ones with the scary music playing the whole time are the dumbest, but folks who have never been encouraged to have original thoughts still love sharing them.

 

[TomLine]

Here are some USSR radios from the Jane's 92/93 Communications Book:

R-107T, transistor, hf/vhf manpack, fm 20-52MHz, 1watt, 1,281ch/25k spacing, used at Co./Battalion levels.
R-111, hf/vhf vehicle use, 20-52MHz fm, 75watts, 1,281ch/25k spacing, used at Command level.
R-130, hf, 1.5-10.99MHz, 10-40watts, 950ch/10k spacing, used at Command level.
R-405, uhf fm relay, 320-420MHz fm, 2.5watts, used at Command/Admin & above level.
R-1125, hf/vhf fm, consists of R107T/R111/R130 radios, used in all services.
R-419A, fm relay, 160-645MHz, 10watts, voice/data.
R415-3A, fm, 80-120MHz, 800ch/50k spacing, 10watts; 390-430MHz, 200ch/200k spacing, 6watts.
R401/403, fm, 60-70MHz, 54ch, 2.5watts.
R-148, fm, light weight 80's manpack, 37-51.95MHz, 1-2watts, 300ch/50k spacing.

There are many more, mostly of freq groups in the 20-52MHz range, similar to the ones listed above.

Reds currently have all band, SDR, encrypted, frequency hopping systems. Links to them all end in R soemthing so I won't post the links.

 

[Token]

Reds currently have all band, SDR, encrypted, frequency hopping systems. Links to them all end in R soemthing so I won't post the links.

Except for the ones that don't. For example, the T-90K MBT has (among other radios) the R-163-50K, which is a continuation of the venerable R-123 / R-173 radios. They are not FH, they can be encrypted, but they can also be in the clear. The T-90SK (command version of the same tank) includes the R-168-100KBE, which also can be encrypted or in the clear.

Like many militaries, the Russians have some very new and cool stuff, and they often operate it right next radios older than the crews that use them.

T!

 

[trentbob]

So this Russian Ally Chechen Commander is holding his HT today.

Maybe somebody can make sense out of the radio, I don't recognize it but the antenna seems like a UHF to me.

 

[KC3ECJ]

Yeah, I don't know what this one is next to the Baofeng.

 

[trentbob]

Yeah, I don't know what this one is next to the Baofeng.


View attachment 118951

We are definitely not talking about anything sophisticated or long range, except the cell phone. Looks like they brought them with them from chechnya.

 

[nd5y]

The one on the lower left is a Sepura TETRA radio.