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NTFZh

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Revision as of 16:23, 16 September 2026 by JUDAS (talk | contribs)
NTFZh T-like marker on 4774 kHz (04/08/2026)

NTFZh is a Russian military communications station identified by its distinctive channel marker and associated message traffic.

Goliaf VLF antenna (270th Communications Center) used by NTFZh (not this actual antenna on the picture but other antenna inside the base) - (picture from Google Maps)
NTFZh Summary
Country Russia
Location 270th Communications Center (Military Unit 36203 - Goliaf Transmitter), Nizhny Novgorod (Нижний Новгород)
Callsigns NTFZh (official station recipient)
NTFV (used in morse and digital)
Proverky24 (station ID, heard in a leaked phone call "Ya Proverky24")
Prymka61 (heard in voice test counts on 12005 kHz)

OZhBI (Possibly new callsign, unofficial info, this is a rumor)

Airdate July 2026
Frequencies 6916 kHz (Primary Daytime)

4617 kHz (Primary Nighttime)
See detailed list below

CW freqs 4862 kHz
Power 300 W – 300 kW (estimated, varies by transmission state / high-power low-quality backup setup)
Antennas VGDSh Dipole
Status Active (irregular schedules, typically between 10:00 and 02:00 UTC - Does not transmit 24/7 but by schedules for few hours, concluding with formal sign-off announcements)

Overview & Location History

The station was initially suspected to be operating from the Leningrad Oblast, with early direction-finding estimates placing the transmitter somewhere between Saint Petersburg and Kirov. Further TDoA investigations later suggested a possible location near Lodeynoye Pole (Лодейное Поле), potentially associated with the 334th Radio-Technical Regiment (Military Unit 96848). This attribution remained unconfirmed.

As of 01/09/2026, the suspected transmitter location and associated personnel have been revised. The station is now believed to be operated from the 270th Communications Center (Military Unit 36203) in Nizhny Novgorod (Нижний Новгород), Russia, along with updated personnel and organizational attributions. This new attribution remains a working assessment rather than a definitively confirmed identification.

Since relocating, the station has exhibited unusual activity, including propaganda broadcasts, parallel CW dispatches, and digital modes such as CIS-12, CIS-20, and various modems. Furthermore, its overall behavior and activity patterns show strong similarities to the Russian military station FGKT.

Double NTFZh marker on 4770 and 4774 kHz

Message Structure & Format Examples

All branches of the Russian Armed Forces use standardized formats for voice and Morse code radio messages. Depending on the traffic type, messages follow structured preambles and specific tactical formats (such as Monolit or Uzor).

1. Standard Preamble & Urgency Levels

Non-ordinary messages are typically preceded by an urgency level identifier (*Samolet*, *Raketa*, *Vozdukh*, or *Monolit*) and a strict preamble structure:

  • Preamble Components: Serial number -> Group count -> Day of the month -> Moscow time -> Serial number confirmation.
  • Routing Prefixes: Origin callsigns are preceded by ot (voice) / FM (Morse), and destination callsigns by dlya (voice) / FOR (Morse). If the field following DLYA is left blank, it indicates a broadcast message intended for all stations on the network (or currently uncertain).

2. Monolit Format Specification

Monolit messages take the following strict format:

  • Structure: [Recipient Callsign] + [5-digit group] + [Code word] + [Two 4-digit groups] ...
  • 5-digit group: Connected to the recipient(s), configured either as a single recipient followed by a single/multiple 5-digit groups, or multiple recipients followed by an equivalent amount of 5-digit groups.
  • Content: The code word usually addresses an envelope with instructions, with the accompanying pairs of 4-digit groups forming the core message to be decoded using that given envelope.
  • Zone-covering messages (Зоны): Messages using this exact Monolit format but carrying no actual operational meaning (often logged as background or dummy traffic).

3. Recorded Examples of All Observed Message Types

  • Standard Monolit Voice Messages:
    • 05/08/2026 (4774 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `НТФЖ 52156 НАТИЖ 0100 4638`
      • Latin: `NTFZh 52156 NATIZh 0100 4638`
      • Structure Analysis: Station ID (*НТФЖ*), recipient callsign/5-digit group pairing (*52156*), followed by the recipient/code section (*НАТИЖ*) and operational groups (*0100 4638*).
    • 22/08/2026 (4844 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `НТФЖ ТОД3 86106 БИМБАЛОКЗ 0870 3256 Приём`
      • Latin: `NTFZh TOD3 86106 BIMBALOKZ 0870 3256 Priyom`
      • Structure Analysis: Monolit format starting with station ID, recipient callsign (*ТОД3*), connected 5-digit group (*86106*), code word (*БИМБАЛОКЗ*), and two coordinate/content 4-digit groups (*0870 3256*).
    • 07/09/2026 (4844 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `НТФЖ 54805 ПОВКЛАМА 8075 9089`
      • Latin: `NTFZh 54805 POVKLAMA 8075 9089`
      • Structure Analysis: Slow operator voice Monolit delivery with minor execution errors, followed by an open-mic room acknowledgment leak.
  • Special / Anomalous Voice Message:
    • 16/08/2026 (4774 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `НТФЖ 50261 4774 КТШЦ 5206 0824` *(Note: contained internal timestamp/date contradictions)*
      • Latin: `NTFZh 50261 4774 KTShTs 5206 0824`
      • Structure Analysis: Station ID (*NTFZh*), unit/recipient pairing (*50261*), frequency reference (*4774*), code word (*KTShTs*), and anomalous parameter groups (*5206 0824*).
    • 07/09/2026 Sign-off Broadcast (4844 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `Я НТФЖ, сообщение для всех станций мониторинга: передатчик отключается менее чем через минуту, повторяю, передатчик отключается менее чем через минуту, завершаем сегодняшние передачи. Прием.`
      • Translation: Explicit closing announcement notifying monitoring stations of an imminent transmission shutdown.
  • Voice Test Counts (Proverka Mikrofona):
    • 04/08/2026 & 22/08/2026 (4774 / 4844 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `НТФЖ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Проверка Микрофона Приём`
      • Translation: Station ID — Numerical test sequence (1 to 10) — Microphone Check — Over.
    • 02/09/2026 (4844 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `НТФЖ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 0 Проверка Микрофона Приём`
      • Translation: Station ID — Extended numerical sequence (1 to 10, ending in 0) — Microphone Check — Over.
    • 07/09/2026 (12005 kHz):
      • Cyrillic: `Prymka61, проверка микрофона, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10, Как слышно? Свяжись со мной по телефону. Прием.`
      • Translation: Callsign Prymka61 — Microphone check — Numerical sequence (1 to 10) — How do you copy? Contact me by phone — Over.
  • Morse / DLYA Telegraphy & CW Messages:
    • 22/08/2026 (4844 kHz):
      • Cyrillic / Morse text: `XXX XXX DLYA DE NTFV == 54987 MOMBALKH MONTU MOBUTU KONTO AORIS == 5640 8975 K`
      • Latin transcription: `XXX XXX DLYA DE NTFV == 54987 MOMBALKH MONTU MOBUTU KONTO AORIS == 5640 8975 K`
      • Structure Analysis: Attention signal (*XXX XXX*), blank destination field following *DLYA* indicating a general broadcast to all stations (or uncertain recipient), origin separator (*DE*), variant callsign (*NTFV*), separated by double signs containing encrypted code groups, closing parameters, and invitation to transmit (*K*).
    • 07/09/2026 (4862 kHz CW):
      • Morse text: `XXX XXX NTFV 54805 POVKLAMA 8075 9089 K TTT TTT`
      • Structure Analysis: Parallel Morse dispatch matching the voice Monolit message broadcasted simultaneously on 4844 kHz.
  • Digital Modes & Telemetry Transmissions:
    • RDFT & RTTY Encrypted Data: Automated teleprinter bursts logged during scheduled broadcast windows (e.g., 24/08/2026 on 4844 kHz).
    • CIS-12 (T-230) Encrypted Traffic: High-grade multi-tone tactical digital data streams observed following the Nizhny Novgorod relocation (e.g., 01/09/2026), dual-frequency deployments (4844 & 12005 kHz on 06–07/09/2026), and used dynamically as anti-pirate self-defense jamming on 07/09/2026.
    • CIS-20 Encrypted Traffic: Complex digital data packets deployed during unstable propagation and hardware tuning tests (e.g., recorded on 02/09/2026).

Technical Specifications

Operating Frequencies

The station has been observed operating on a wide array of frequencies, adapting to propagation and different transmission sites:

  • Primary active frequency: 6916 kHz on Daytime and 4617 kHz on Nighttime
  • Frequently active (Non-primary):
    • 5368, 7134, 12005 kHz
  • Historical / Periodic / Alternate frequencies: 4804, 4862 (CW), 4937, 4955 kHz
  • Inactive frequencies: 3862, 4316, 4584, 4744, 4761, 4770, 4774, 4781, 4844, 5071 kHz

Signal Characteristics

  • Modulation: Normally transmitted in USB, occasionally with the carrier suppressed, or featuring a residual/full carrier characteristic similar to H3E.
  • Bandwidth: Approximately 200 × 3500 Hz, combined with a very high AGC level.
  • Markers: Utilizes multiple channel-marker configurations, including standard pips, kerro-pip variants, 800 Hz tones, and historical 2024-style buzzer transitions. Recent telemetry shows tuning tests shifting standard marker configurations dynamically during high-interference events.

Recent Notable Activity & Anomalies

Based on recent observations (July – September 2026), the station has exhibited highly unusual behavior and operational instability:

  • Music & Anti-Pirate Jamming: Following pirate attacks (such as the intense interference on 07/09/2026), the station utilized high-power jamming featuring iconic Russian songs (e.g., "Red Army is The Strongest" by LYUBE), alongside tactical CIS-12 self-defense jamming and aggressive high-power transmitter switching.
  • Unusual Callsigns & Phone-Patch Requests: The station has logged alternative callsigns like *Prymka61* on 12005 kHz featuring direct phone-patch coordination prompts (*"Свяжись со мной по телефону"*), alongside *Proverky24* and radiogram callsigns like *DDDDD*.
  • Digital Modes & Telemetry: Deployment of complex digital data modes including RDFT, RTTY, CIS-12 (T-230) across multi-frequency networks, and CIS-20.
  • Parallel CW / Voice Dispatches: Recent operations on 07/09 demonstrated synchronized message delivery across distinct modes, transmitting identical Monolit texts via voice on 4844 kHz and via CW on 4862 kHz.
  • Inter-Station Activity & ROJY: The station frequently interacts with or is observed alongside other military stations—most notably ROJY, which has been logged operating directly over NTFZh frequencies.
  • Equipment Malfunctions: Frequent technical issues including severe 50 Hz ground loops, marker instabilities, rapid dropouts, and unintentional open-microphone room audio leaks.
  • Explicit Station Sign-Offs: Notable shift toward transparent closing routines, featuring formal voice broadcasts addressed directly to monitoring stations before powering down operations.

For detailed, daily logs of these events, see NTFZh:Activity.

Possibly linked stations:

Connections with NZhTI (The Buzzer)

NTFZh has periodically displayed links to NZhTI (The Buzzer, operating on 4625 kHz). July and August 2026 saw several notable interactions, including two-way communications and network checks:

NZhTI Connection Event Description
NTFZh microphone leak
 Microphone Leak: NTFZh leaked audio (possibly via phone line) requesting Komanda from NZhTI under the callsign Vulkan for 4625 kHz.
UVB-76 old marker usage
 Legacy Marker: NTFZh utilizing a historical UVB-76 marker format exactly on the hour (HH:59).
NTFZh Calling TOD3
 TOD3 Transmission: NTFZh specifically calling out TOD3 traffic in a Monolith message.

Page Metadata

  • Last Updated: 07/09/2026 - 19:15 UTC+2
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