QRA question
Thread Starter
QRA question
It looks like Ivan decided to have another saunter up the English Channel again today, before turning back their Tu-160s the way they came.
I understand this journey up the Channel and back isn't all that uncommon, but I am genuinely curious to know if they've ever completed an entire circuit around the UK before? I cannot remember this happening in recent memory, perhaps some of the former Cold War warriors on here may have some tales to share?
I understand this journey up the Channel and back isn't all that uncommon, but I am genuinely curious to know if they've ever completed an entire circuit around the UK before? I cannot remember this happening in recent memory, perhaps some of the former Cold War warriors on here may have some tales to share?
The subject was brought up the last time the Russians ventured up the English Channel.
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...n-invaded.html
http://www.pprune.org/military-aviat...n-invaded.html
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Usually we shoot them down when they do that, although the Media aren't allowed to report it. However, with Pres. Putin helping us out in Iraq, we are letting them do it for training purposes. "No Brits were at risk," said a MoD spokesperson ... all of our missiles were drill rounds."
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Now you've given the game away MPN11 
Stu ...
If your Russian is up to it ... Don't wait for news of such events to hit the BBC ... There appear to be a group of 'enthusiasts' who monitor the Russian HF Bear Net who like to track these little jaunts by Ivan.
Further reading (scroll down to 'Bear Hunting')...
Russian Air Force HF Bear Net
And you don't need a specialist HF Receiver ... Just use the following online WebSDR Application.
WebSDR QTH Netherlands
.
Stu ...
If your Russian is up to it ... Don't wait for news of such events to hit the BBC ... There appear to be a group of 'enthusiasts' who monitor the Russian HF Bear Net who like to track these little jaunts by Ivan.
Further reading (scroll down to 'Bear Hunting')...
Russian Air Force HF Bear Net
And you don't need a specialist HF Receiver ... Just use the following online WebSDR Application.
WebSDR QTH Netherlands
.
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 18th Feb 2016 at 07:48.
See following for HF voice recordings of the Tu-160 mission yesterday. Recorded by a Ukrainian radio enthusiast. Tu-160s passing three figure messages to ground control
??-160 ? ?????? ??????????????. 17-02-2016: galandeczp
Bombers and or tankers are back up again this morning using the same frequency as yesterday 8131 Kilohertz USB.
As already posted by CoffmanStarter you can type in the frequency on the following on-line receiver.
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl
901/
??-160 ? ?????? ??????????????. 17-02-2016: galandeczp
Bombers and or tankers are back up again this morning using the same frequency as yesterday 8131 Kilohertz USB.
As already posted by CoffmanStarter you can type in the frequency on the following on-line receiver.
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl
901/
Last edited by TEEEJ; 18th Feb 2016 at 06:30.
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TEEEJ ...
Based on the generally held assumption that these missions frequently transmit unencrypted LAT/LONG Position Reports, as part of encrypted Code Groups, then the starting 12 numerics in the first 3 Message Groups in your link when plotted suggest the following Way Points.
All Credits for Map Data and Plotting Tool as shown.
Which has some validity as all three WP's (which are in close proximity to each other) are just north of Volgograd and close to the Engels Air Base, where TU160's are based. However, without knowing the time of the recordings it's difficult to know if these were outbound or inbound PR's.
I'm sure some kind soul will correct me if I've screwed-up the plotting
.
Based on the generally held assumption that these missions frequently transmit unencrypted LAT/LONG Position Reports, as part of encrypted Code Groups, then the starting 12 numerics in the first 3 Message Groups in your link when plotted suggest the following Way Points.
All Credits for Map Data and Plotting Tool as shown.
Which has some validity as all three WP's (which are in close proximity to each other) are just north of Volgograd and close to the Engels Air Base, where TU160's are based. However, without knowing the time of the recordings it's difficult to know if these were outbound or inbound PR's.
I'm sure some kind soul will correct me if I've screwed-up the plotting
.
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 18th Feb 2016 at 17:29.
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Unfortunately, most of the three letter numbers don't equate to anything near the Lat/Longs that the "Bear" flights would be at
I've found only a couple that could be Lat/Longs in the hundreds of messages that I've monitored, let alone the thousands I've gone through from previous years - and they were as noted in the link you gave to my blog
I may put up stuff from this on my blog next week. I haven't decided yet
I've found only a couple that could be Lat/Longs in the hundreds of messages that I've monitored, let alone the thousands I've gone through from previous years - and they were as noted in the link you gave to my blog
I may put up stuff from this on my blog next week. I haven't decided yet
I did crack the IL-76 coded messages for Syria a couple of years ago - don't know if you saw that blog??
Maybe you could help these chaps out...
Inside the FBI's encryption battle with Apple | Technology | The Guardian
Hi CoffmanStarter,
The 502 series of recordings were made when the Blackjacks were in the vicinity of the UK. A quick right click "translate to English" provides the following.
"Channel put forward the theory that in the next few minutes the aircraft from the Russian Federation will leave "the British zone of interests", but it may be in this area of other partners of the United Kingdom on the block NATO Entries cryptograms for balance: board 44732 passed cipher: 727 board 44732 passed cipher: 502 411 447 132 196 010 565 564 978"
??-160 ? ?????? ??????????????. 17-02-2016: galandeczp
The 502 series of recordings were made when the Blackjacks were in the vicinity of the UK. A quick right click "translate to English" provides the following.
"Channel put forward the theory that in the next few minutes the aircraft from the Russian Federation will leave "the British zone of interests", but it may be in this area of other partners of the United Kingdom on the block NATO Entries cryptograms for balance: board 44732 passed cipher: 727 board 44732 passed cipher: 502 411 447 132 196 010 565 564 978"
??-160 ? ?????? ??????????????. 17-02-2016: galandeczp
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Cheers TEEEJ ... Intriguing .... Clearly I'm unlikely to get a job at a certain establishment in Cheltenham based on his brief exercise 
However ... It seems highly coincidental that those numerics I plotted above were so close to the TU160's Base.
Didn't get very far with the Cheltenham Christmas card puzzle either
Anyway ... I'm off to buy a new lawnmower this morning ... Back to the mundane !
.
However ... It seems highly coincidental that those numerics I plotted above were so close to the TU160's Base.
Didn't get very far with the Cheltenham Christmas card puzzle either
Anyway ... I'm off to buy a new lawnmower this morning ... Back to the mundane !
.
Last edited by CoffmanStarter; 19th Feb 2016 at 06:37.
Hi CoffmanStarter,
A radio enthusiast in the US using the Netherlands HF on-line receiver copied the following message at 1612Z.
1612Z Tu-160 callsign 44732 Message 502 411 447 132 196 010 565 564 978
This was also copied by the Ukrainian radio enthusiast and is the first recording at the following link.
??-160 ? ?????? ??????????????. 17-02-2016: galandeczp
The RAF Voyager tanker was at the following location when the Tu-160 Blackjack, callsign 44732, serial RF-94101 sent that first 502 message. I was listening in at the time and the Tu-160 signal strength was booming out.
The Flightradar24 playback should be available for the next few days.
Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!
The Voyager tanker then headed up to Scotland and was last noted on Flight Radar 24 heading towards the Western Isles.
It would appear that the Tu-160s had turned around in the English Channel and were heading back the same route west of Eire.
French QRA were also active. See following image released by UK Ministry of Defence showing Tu-160 with Rafale (Lower) and Mirage 2000 (upper).
Larger images at following link
https://www.facebook.com/theministry...53840407429034
http://theaviationist.com/2016/02/18...-raf-typhoons/
See following for timeline and other info.
QRA (North & South)
A radio enthusiast in the US using the Netherlands HF on-line receiver copied the following message at 1612Z.
1612Z Tu-160 callsign 44732 Message 502 411 447 132 196 010 565 564 978
This was also copied by the Ukrainian radio enthusiast and is the first recording at the following link.
??-160 ? ?????? ??????????????. 17-02-2016: galandeczp
The RAF Voyager tanker was at the following location when the Tu-160 Blackjack, callsign 44732, serial RF-94101 sent that first 502 message. I was listening in at the time and the Tu-160 signal strength was booming out.
The Flightradar24 playback should be available for the next few days.
Flightradar24.com - Live flight tracker!
The Voyager tanker then headed up to Scotland and was last noted on Flight Radar 24 heading towards the Western Isles.
It would appear that the Tu-160s had turned around in the English Channel and were heading back the same route west of Eire.
French QRA were also active. See following image released by UK Ministry of Defence showing Tu-160 with Rafale (Lower) and Mirage 2000 (upper).
Larger images at following link
https://www.facebook.com/theministry...53840407429034
http://theaviationist.com/2016/02/18...-raf-typhoons/
See following for timeline and other info.
QRA (North & South)
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Thanks TEEEJ ... All very interesting.
Perhaps the MOD should invest in a suitable HF Transmitter capable of pumping out a few GigaWatts on the known 38 Meter Band Frequencies ... to wish future visiting crews a speedy return flight home in flawless spoken Russian
Perhaps the MOD should invest in a suitable HF Transmitter capable of pumping out a few GigaWatts on the known 38 Meter Band Frequencies ... to wish future visiting crews a speedy return flight home in flawless spoken Russian
