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G15

Enigma ID G15
Name Papa November
Frequencies 2707, 5015, 7404, 11108
Status Inactive
Voice Female, automated, the last digit in the groups was inflected (the same as G14 and G16)
Emission mode AM, USB
Location West Germany

German

Activity pages

G15 was a part of BND's extensive number station network. This one always transmitted on four frequencies simultaneously - 2707, 5015, 7404, 11108 kHz - eight times a day, every single day of the year, at 00:00, 00:30, 06:00, 06:30, 12:00, 12:30, 18:00 and 18:30 UTC. The :00 transmissions were the primary sendings done in AM mode, and the :30's - repeats done in USB mode.

The G15 designator refers to the newer format of this station, which involves automated voice and is essentially identical to G14 and G16. Refer to G15a for the old format.

Preamble Message
Papa November Random electronic melody Es folgen Mitteilungen für 824 824 4 gruppen Achtung 824 824 4 gruppen 123-34 123-34 898-56 898-56 299-64 299-64 132-77 132-77 Ende
Repeated 4 times   "Messages are following for" 3-figure recipient ID Amount of 5-figure groups in the message   3-figure recipient ID Amount of 5-figure groups in the message 5-figure paired groups, with a break after the third digit.  
Repeated for 5 minutes   Repeated as necessary with different data for multiple messages For each message

Unlike all the other G16 stations, G15 had a very large number of recipients, but all received very short messages. The messages sent were rotating throughout the week, as presented below: (the 3 digits are the ID, the one or two digits afterwards - the amount of groups)

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
997 11 717 12 233 17 622 10 117 11 697 9 335 12 477 12
524 8 997 11 717 12 233 17 622 10 117 11 697 9 335 12
543 11 524 8 997 11 717 12 233 17 622 10 117 11 697 9
771 22 543 11 524 8 997 11 717 12 233 17 622 10 117 11
825 7 771 22 543 11 524 8 997 11 717 12 233 17 622 10
372 16 825 7 771 22 543 11 524 8 997 11 717 12 233 17
543 11 543 11 543 11 543 11 543 11 543 11 543 11 543 11

G15 was generally very stable in operation, with transmissions always starting right on time with very few mistakes made during them. On one occasion, the sister station G14 was noted being sent on the four frequencies of G15, rather than on its own, instead of G15.

Details on encryption and decryption of G15 messages can be found in this declassified Polish counter-intelligence document.

List of ID's used by G15:

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
007 109 212 307 406 525 602 706 805 905
018 112 217 312 422 535 616 713 809 916
040 126 219 318 438 541 620 717 825 923
046 133 220 321 448 543 637 725 843 927
052 144 231 337 462 544 657 736 849 935
057 156 233 348 464 552 669 749 853 948
064 160 238 351 468 563 678 765 868 965
078 174 243 352 479 569 683 771 877 966
084 178 269 367 484 572 687 799 881 974
092 179 275 372 487 581 688   887 994
096 181 280 376 491 585 690   891 997
  197 293 383 494 587 695      
      399   595        

[Based on Simon Mason's 1991 book Secret Signals]

[ID's from Numbers & Oddities #58]