1. Introduction
Grisha Class ASW Corvette "Muromec"
Fleet HQs regularly broadcast plain Russian Morse messages with weather forecasts and navigational Warnings. Knowing the target area of these notifications may give an idea about the waters, in which the units operate. With a little patience we can read the messages at least partially - unless you are happy enough to speak Russian. To get started please consult Downloads with some often used words.
In the Fleet Broadcasts the normal CIS preambles are used, see: Standard Format for Morse Messages . All traffic is hand-sent, even the repeats of long weather forecasts.
The following formats can be observed:
2. Message Formats
| 1. NAWAREA | These messages are edited by the stations of the worldwide NAVAREA network used for merchant shipping. |
| 2. NAWIP | "NAWIgaciä Preduprevdenie", Navigational Warnings edited by the CIS Navy. There is always a reference made to the appropriate map, "karta", of the region. |
| 3. Prognoz or Prognoz Pogody | Forecast or Weather Forecast |
| 4. Chtormowoe Preduprevdenie | Storm Warning |
3. Sample Messages
Rocket Cruiser Mockba Black Sea Fleet
RBE86 de RCV QTC 733 32 6 0450 733 = NAWIP 038 2320 karty 32311 93240 italiä uönia podwodnyh lodok 06 0700 do 08 0600 dek plawanie zapreqeno rajone s 731 centrom 40/09 s 017/00 w otm étot nr 08 0700 dek +
RBE86 de RCV QTC 733 32 6 0450 733 = Navigational Warning region 038 nr 2320 maps 32311 93240 Italy underwater (works?) at day 06 0700 until day 08 0600 December. Cruising forbidden in area s 731 centered at 40/09 N 017/00 E. Cancellation at 08 0700 +
Remarks: Be careful: Coordinates "S" (sewero) means "N" (north) and "W" (wostok) means "E" (east). The number of NAWAREA and NAWIP messages is reset on December 31. RCV is the Black Sea Fleet HQ in Sevastopol (UKR), RBE86 is a Navy collective callsign.
RBE86 de RCV QTC 519 39 5 1430 519 = NAWIP 038 2318 karta 32213 italiä strelxby torpednye 06 09 i 10 dek 0700 do 1600 rajone 37/00 s 015/25 w 37/11 s 015/25 w 37/11 s 015/38 w 37/00 s 015/38 w otm étot nr 10 1700 dek +
RBE86 de RCV QTC 519 39 5 1430 519 = Navigational Warning region 038 nr 2318 map 32213 Italy torpedo firing on December 6 9 and 10 0700 until 1600 in the area 37/00 N 015/25 E 37/11 N 015/25 E 37/11 N 015/38 E 37/00 N 015/38 E. Cancellation at 10 1700 +
RKZ de RCV QTC 403 20 15 1210 403 = chtormowoe preduprevdenie nr 838 14/17 öasom 15 dekabrä bejrute ovidaetsä sewero wostoönyj weter 12/15 porywy 18 more 3/4 +
RKZ de RCV QTC 403 20 15 1210 403 = Storm Warning nr 838 for 14/17 hours on December 15. Region Beirut easterly winds expected 12/15 in gusts 18, sea 3/4 +
Remarks: Windspeed seems to be in m/s, waveheight in m. RKZ is a Navy collective callsign.
RKZ de RCV QTC 863 17 7 1050 863 = prognoz ot 1800 7 do 1800 9 noäbrä sedizemnoe more wostok tartus wostoönyj üvnyj 6/9 more 2 +
RKZ de RCV QTC 863 17 7 1050 863 = Forecast from 1800 7 until 1800 9 November Mediterranean Sea east of Tartous southeasterly winds 6/9 sea 2 +
Remark: Tartous = Tartus (SYR)
RKZ de RCV QTC 769 35 19 1649 769 = prognoz pogody 1800 19 do 1800 20 dekabrä sredizemnoe more wostok tartus wostoönyj ügo wostoönyj 7/10 noöxü utrom 10/13 more 2/3 noöxü utrom 3/4 utrom dnem 8 ovidx gau 1020 0010 1088 0020 1075 0030 1066 +
RKZ de RCV QTC 769 35 19 1649 769 = weather forecast 1800 19 until 1800 20 December. Mediterranean Sea east of Tartous east/south/easterly (wind) 7/10 in the night/morning 10/13 sea 2/3 in the night/morning 3/4 in the morning/afternoon 8 expected ??? 1020 0010 1088 0020 1075 0030 1066 +
Some frequencies to monitor:
4. Frequencies
| kHz | Station |
| 10543 | RCV HQ Black Sea Fleet Sevastopol UKR |
| 3192, 4079 and 6873. | RMP HQ Baltic Fleet Kaliningrad RUS |
| 6827 and 11155. | RIT HQ Northern Fleet Severomorsk RUS |