As it is well known secret services are a very well diffused practise, especially useful during war, or more generally in periods of international tension.. In the link below you can find an interesting collection of photos of devices used by various agencies in the world during the 20th century, such as chiper machines, spy equipement, radio, telegraph machines etc...
http://ciphermachines.com/photos/index.php
The argument of this post is related to the ones contained in Secret Services & Spy Sets, Secret Services & Patents: The Enigma Machine, Secret Services & The Enigma Machine, Secret Services & Radio, Secret Services & Cracking Enigma: The Bombe, Secret Services & Bombe 2.0, Telegraph & Morse Code, Minicameras 2.0 and in Minicameras...micro optics at the service of the spies
Showing posts with label Tools. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tools. Show all posts
May 30, 2013
May 20, 2013
Secret Services & Radio
Then at the fall of Paris, a radio transmitting station was set up on the cliff, antennas aimed at the Continent, themselves heavily guarded and their landlines back mysteriously over the downs to the house patrolled night and day by dogs specially betrayed, belted, starved into reflex leaps to kill, at any human approach.
With funding available for all manner of radars, magic
"Tides, radio interference, damned little else. There is no way for changes out there to produce changes here."
On the other side of the arch is a Russian jeep with a couple officers, one talking earnestly into the mike of his radio set, and the air between quickens with spoken Russian at the speed of light weaving a net to catch Slothrop.
At first he helped out in the propulsion group. No one was specializing yet. That came later, when the bureaus and paranoias moved in, and the organization charts became plan-views of prison cells. Kurt Mondaugen, whose field was radio electronics, could come up with solutions to cooling problems.
The Russians even had a guard posted on board for a while, till the Anubian ladies vamped them off long enough to single up all lines—and so the last long reprise of Polish homeland was on, across these water-meadows of the north, radio messages following them in clear one day and code the next, an early and shapeless situation, dithering between executioner's silence and the Big Time.
Russian transmissions come crackling out of ship's radio, and the static blows like sheets of rain.
The idea was always to carry along a fixed quantity, A. Sometimes you'd use a Wìen bridge, tuned to a certain frequency A{, whistling, heavy with omen, inside the electric corridors while outside, according to the tradition in these matters, somewhere a quantity B would be gathering, building, as the Rocket gathered speed. So, up till assigned Brennschluss velocity, "v ," electric shocked as any rat into following this very narrow mazeway of clear space—yes, radio signals from the ground would enter the Rocket body, and by reflex—literally by electric signal traveling a reflex arc—the control surfaces twitch, to steer you back on course the instant you'd begin to wander off.
But the blacks don't know what else Närrisch knew:
(a) there was a radio link from the ground to the S-Gerät but not the other way round,
(b) there was an interference problem between a servo-actuator and a special oxygen line running aft to the device from the main tank,
(c) Weissmann not only coordinated the S-Gerät project at Nordhausen, but also commanded the battery that fired Rocket 00000.
Total espionage. Bit by bit this mosaic is growing. Tchitcherine, bureauless, carries it around in his brain. Every chip and scrap belongs. More precious than Ravenna, something goes erecting against this starch-colored sky. . . .
Radio link + oxygen = afterburner of some kind.
The tail-section group has been on the radio all morning, trying to get a position fix, if the skies will only clear. So the assembly of the 00001 is occurring also in a geographical way.
[Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon]
Werner had been only fourteen years old then, but he was now eighteen, he worked at the Air Ministry, he hated the Nazis even more, and he had a powerful radio transmitter and a code book. He was resourceful and courageous, taking dreadful risks and gathering priceless information. And Volodya was his contact.
On his desk was a decrypt from the radio section, the German words pencilled letter by letter under the code groups. The message was from Werner.
Anticipating the outbreak of war, Volodya had long ago equipped his Berlin spies with clandestine radios and code books. Now it was more vital than ever that the handful of brave anti-Nazis should continue to pass information to the Soviets. Before leaving he had destroyed all records of their names and addresses, which now existed only in his head.
At home, Chuck had not said much about the navy, no doubt because their parents were still angry with him for not going to Harvard. But alone with Woody he opened up a bit. ‘Hawaii is great, but I’m really disappointed to have a shore job,’ he said. ‘I joined the navy to go to sea.’
‘What are you doing, exactly?’
‘I’m part of the Signal Intelligence Unit. We listen to radio messages, mainly from the Imperial Japanese Navy.’
‘Aren’t they in code?’
‘Yes, but you can learn a lot even without breaking the codes. It’s called traffic analysis. A sudden increase in the number of messages indicates that some action is imminent. And you learn to recognize patterns in the traffic. An amphibious landing has a distinctive configuration of signals, for example.’
We can also figure out where the signal originated, by triangulation. Given locations and the call signs, we can build up a pretty good picture of where most of the ships of the Japanese navy are, even if we can’t read the messages.’
‘So we know where they are, and what direction they’re taking, but not what their orders are,’ said Gus.
‘Frequently, yes.’
‘But if they wanted to hide from us, all they would have to do is impose radio silence.’
‘True,’ said Vandermeier. ‘If they go quiet, this whole operation becomes useless, and we are well and truly fucked up the ass.’
[...]
Gus frowned. ‘Radio silence. Has that ever happened before?’
‘Yes. Aircraft carriers go quiet when they return to home waters. So we assume that’s the explanation this time.’
Chuck was assigned to the radio room, a sensible posting that made use of his experience in
handling signals.
[Winter of the World, Ken Follet]
As it appears from the quotes extracted from the books radio had a great importance during World War II under multiple aspects, like checking enemies position (triangulation and radar) and actions (traffic analysis and signal configurations), controling the coasts, comunicating with other meber of the army or with a Soviet spy in Berlin and to control a missile and keep it on the route. There where though few problems about interferences and the fact that it can be easily tracked down.
If you wanna know more about history and functioning of Marconi's creature check the links below:
http://s194214.blogspot.it/2013/05/la-radio.html (italian version by Alessia Rosace, 'Tecnologia e Comunicazione' blog)
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio (english version - Wikipedia page on the radio as a technology feature)
About triangulation...in the link below you can find a video about triangulation method and its aplications in time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYBbVNpMlUU
The image presents the general idea if this tracking technique
In the links below you can find more info regarding the Traffic Analysis:
http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/tech_journals/intro_traffic_analysis.pdf (NSA introduction document)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_analysis (Wikipedia presentation of its applications in the military field during WWI and WWII)
With funding available for all manner of radars, magic
torpedoes, aircraft and missiles, where was Pointsman in the scheme of things?
"Tides, radio interference, damned little else. There is no way for changes out there to produce changes here."
On the other side of the arch is a Russian jeep with a couple officers, one talking earnestly into the mike of his radio set, and the air between quickens with spoken Russian at the speed of light weaving a net to catch Slothrop.
At first he helped out in the propulsion group. No one was specializing yet. That came later, when the bureaus and paranoias moved in, and the organization charts became plan-views of prison cells. Kurt Mondaugen, whose field was radio electronics, could come up with solutions to cooling problems.
The Russians even had a guard posted on board for a while, till the Anubian ladies vamped them off long enough to single up all lines—and so the last long reprise of Polish homeland was on, across these water-meadows of the north, radio messages following them in clear one day and code the next, an early and shapeless situation, dithering between executioner's silence and the Big Time.
Russian transmissions come crackling out of ship's radio, and the static blows like sheets of rain.
The idea was always to carry along a fixed quantity, A. Sometimes you'd use a Wìen bridge, tuned to a certain frequency A{, whistling, heavy with omen, inside the electric corridors while outside, according to the tradition in these matters, somewhere a quantity B would be gathering, building, as the Rocket gathered speed. So, up till assigned Brennschluss velocity, "v ," electric shocked as any rat into following this very narrow mazeway of clear space—yes, radio signals from the ground would enter the Rocket body, and by reflex—literally by electric signal traveling a reflex arc—the control surfaces twitch, to steer you back on course the instant you'd begin to wander off.
But the blacks don't know what else Närrisch knew:
(a) there was a radio link from the ground to the S-Gerät but not the other way round,
(b) there was an interference problem between a servo-actuator and a special oxygen line running aft to the device from the main tank,
(c) Weissmann not only coordinated the S-Gerät project at Nordhausen, but also commanded the battery that fired Rocket 00000.
Total espionage. Bit by bit this mosaic is growing. Tchitcherine, bureauless, carries it around in his brain. Every chip and scrap belongs. More precious than Ravenna, something goes erecting against this starch-colored sky. . . .
Radio link + oxygen = afterburner of some kind.
The tail-section group has been on the radio all morning, trying to get a position fix, if the skies will only clear. So the assembly of the 00001 is occurring also in a geographical way.
[Gravity's Rainbow, Thomas Pynchon]
Werner had been only fourteen years old then, but he was now eighteen, he worked at the Air Ministry, he hated the Nazis even more, and he had a powerful radio transmitter and a code book. He was resourceful and courageous, taking dreadful risks and gathering priceless information. And Volodya was his contact.
On his desk was a decrypt from the radio section, the German words pencilled letter by letter under the code groups. The message was from Werner.
Anticipating the outbreak of war, Volodya had long ago equipped his Berlin spies with clandestine radios and code books. Now it was more vital than ever that the handful of brave anti-Nazis should continue to pass information to the Soviets. Before leaving he had destroyed all records of their names and addresses, which now existed only in his head.
At home, Chuck had not said much about the navy, no doubt because their parents were still angry with him for not going to Harvard. But alone with Woody he opened up a bit. ‘Hawaii is great, but I’m really disappointed to have a shore job,’ he said. ‘I joined the navy to go to sea.’
‘What are you doing, exactly?’
‘I’m part of the Signal Intelligence Unit. We listen to radio messages, mainly from the Imperial Japanese Navy.’
‘Aren’t they in code?’
‘Yes, but you can learn a lot even without breaking the codes. It’s called traffic analysis. A sudden increase in the number of messages indicates that some action is imminent. And you learn to recognize patterns in the traffic. An amphibious landing has a distinctive configuration of signals, for example.’
We can also figure out where the signal originated, by triangulation. Given locations and the call signs, we can build up a pretty good picture of where most of the ships of the Japanese navy are, even if we can’t read the messages.’
‘So we know where they are, and what direction they’re taking, but not what their orders are,’ said Gus.
‘Frequently, yes.’
‘But if they wanted to hide from us, all they would have to do is impose radio silence.’
‘True,’ said Vandermeier. ‘If they go quiet, this whole operation becomes useless, and we are well and truly fucked up the ass.’
[...]
Gus frowned. ‘Radio silence. Has that ever happened before?’
‘Yes. Aircraft carriers go quiet when they return to home waters. So we assume that’s the explanation this time.’
Chuck was assigned to the radio room, a sensible posting that made use of his experience in
handling signals.
[Winter of the World, Ken Follet]
As it appears from the quotes extracted from the books radio had a great importance during World War II under multiple aspects, like checking enemies position (triangulation and radar) and actions (traffic analysis and signal configurations), controling the coasts, comunicating with other meber of the army or with a Soviet spy in Berlin and to control a missile and keep it on the route. There where though few problems about interferences and the fact that it can be easily tracked down.
If you wanna know more about history and functioning of Marconi's creature check the links below:
http://s194214.blogspot.it/2013/05/la-radio.html (italian version by Alessia Rosace, 'Tecnologia e Comunicazione' blog)
http://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radio (english version - Wikipedia page on the radio as a technology feature)
About triangulation...in the link below you can find a video about triangulation method and its aplications in time:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GYBbVNpMlUU
The image presents the general idea if this tracking technique
In the links below you can find more info regarding the Traffic Analysis:
http://www.nsa.gov/public_info/_files/tech_journals/intro_traffic_analysis.pdf (NSA introduction document)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_analysis (Wikipedia presentation of its applications in the military field during WWI and WWII)
Woman radio Operator during war times
May 14, 2013
Spy Stories about Silk
If anyone thought industrial espionage was only for the recent times, since industry actually started in the 18th century, heed the story of John and Thomas Lombe, two english men, an engineer, John, and his half brother Thomas, an apprentice weaver, capable of turning their life upside-down by stealing ideas for their silk mill from the Sardinia Kingdom, the biggest and stongest italian realm, economically flourishing at the time, mostly thanks to the silky production.
.jpg)
Also the proto-industrial story of the Piedmontese silk is a great tale. It all starts in the 1662 in Bologna, where the production of silk was already quite advanced and blooming; it is just Bologna that the kingdom sent its emissaries to to convince someone to bring his technological knowledge to Turin to help start a new industry based on hydraulic energy. The mission was completed with succes with the arrive of a "master spinner": Gian Francesco Gall
eani.
.jpg)
Between the 1664 and the 1665, Galleani Organize and direct the building of the first hydrauilic spinner in Piedmont, and five years later the constsuction of the second one, creating new machines more evoluted with respect to their bolognese correspondant, since these were improved with some features thanks also to Leonardo Da Vinci sketches.
For the Sardinia Realm the silky production was really a form of industry given that a census from 30 years later documents 27 active spinner in the city for a total of 2525 workers, and hal of a century later 33 spinner and 4000 workers and a record production at European level.
The extraordinary evolution and efficiency of the mill was so incredible that Diderot and D'Alembert couldn't help but include it in their Encyclopédie.
But before that, the echoes of the incredible Piedmontese silk mill had already reached the coasts of England, and John Lombe, which knew that the only way to keep up with them an to smite the competition was to get the projects of that mill, decided to travelled to Piedmont in Italy. He arrived to Racconigi, got hired, studied how the Italians managed to make exquisite silkand, secretly made drawings of their machines and then smuggled them back to Derby.
Silk mill of the Lobe's brothers in Derby
Based on the drawings, machines were set up throughout Derby and half-brother Thomas applied for a patent on the machines, ensuring they could only used at a factory in Derby that was set up where the present day Silk Mill stands and houses Derby's industrial museum.
The original mill took three years and £30,000 to build and stood five storeys high, making it the first factory in the world with a complete process on one site. It was rebuilt following a fire in 1910.
John Lombe remained in Derby and died in 1722, it is rumoured as a the result of a slow poison administered by the Italians he stole the plans from originally.
A bas relief sculpture may be found of John Lombe on Exeter Bridge in Derwent Street.
This is actually a case of industrial espionage...but since Thomas Lombe received public akwnoledgement for his brother robbery (lord title, money for the patents and the production and state recognition for the employement created )...it kinda becomes a state and international matter
If you wanna dig deeper into the silky world you can check these links
http://stec-172318.blogspot.it/ (italian version)
Here you can fnd a very peculiar way to produce paintings...by sewing silk...
http://www.artofsilk.com/
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/some-silk-machine-patents.html
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/the-silk-encyclopedie.html
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/the-silkworm-life-cycle.html
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/silk-natural-industry.html
Sources:
http://www.visitderby.co.uk/things-to-do/wayfinding/stories/the-lombe-brothers
http://www.cis.unibo.it/bslc/tesori/canali/home.html
http://www.visitterredeisavoia.it/it/guida/?IDR=1719
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lombe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombe%27s_Mill
.jpg)
Also the proto-industrial story of the Piedmontese silk is a great tale. It all starts in the 1662 in Bologna, where the production of silk was already quite advanced and blooming; it is just Bologna that the kingdom sent its emissaries to to convince someone to bring his technological knowledge to Turin to help start a new industry based on hydraulic energy. The mission was completed with succes with the arrive of a "master spinner": Gian Francesco Galleani.
Central element of the Bolognese Spinner
.jpg)
For the Sardinia Realm the silky production was really a form of industry given that a census from 30 years later documents 27 active spinner in the city for a total of 2525 workers, and hal of a century later 33 spinner and 4000 workers and a record production at European level.
Piedmontese silk spinner building
in Racconigi
The extraordinary evolution and efficiency of the mill was so incredible that Diderot and D'Alembert couldn't help but include it in their Encyclopédie.But before that, the echoes of the incredible Piedmontese silk mill had already reached the coasts of England, and John Lombe, which knew that the only way to keep up with them an to smite the competition was to get the projects of that mill, decided to travelled to Piedmont in Italy. He arrived to Racconigi, got hired, studied how the Italians managed to make exquisite silkand, secretly made drawings of their machines and then smuggled them back to Derby.
Silk mill of the Lobe's brothers in Derby
The original mill took three years and £30,000 to build and stood five storeys high, making it the first factory in the world with a complete process on one site. It was rebuilt following a fire in 1910.
John Lombe remained in Derby and died in 1722, it is rumoured as a the result of a slow poison administered by the Italians he stole the plans from originally.
A bas relief sculpture may be found of John Lombe on Exeter Bridge in Derwent Street.
This is actually a case of industrial espionage...but since Thomas Lombe received public akwnoledgement for his brother robbery (lord title, money for the patents and the production and state recognition for the employement created )...it kinda becomes a state and international matter
If you wanna dig deeper into the silky world you can check these links
http://stec-172318.blogspot.it/ (italian version)
Here you can fnd a very peculiar way to produce paintings...by sewing silk...
http://www.artofsilk.com/
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/some-silk-machine-patents.html
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/the-silk-encyclopedie.html
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/the-silkworm-life-cycle.html
http://machine-history.blogspot.it/2013/05/silk-natural-industry.html
Sources:
http://www.visitderby.co.uk/things-to-do/wayfinding/stories/the-lombe-brothers
http://www.cis.unibo.it/bslc/tesori/canali/home.html
http://www.visitterredeisavoia.it/it/guida/?IDR=1719
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Lombe
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lombe%27s_Mill
April 15, 2013
Minicameras 2.0
This argument is related to the topic of a previous post (Minicameras...micro optic at the service of the spies)
Just wanted to indulge you with some photos about these incredibly developed device
two images of the minox camera
Rolleflex mini cameras
Just wanted to indulge you with some photos about these incredibly developed device
two images of the minox camera
Rolleflex mini cameras
Comparison between the two minox models: M3 and A
Comparinson between 3 different models: from left Rolleflex TRL, Minox M3 and Minox A
Tessina miniature camera also in the watch band version (below)
Wristwatch camera by Steineck Abc
Minox Film
Minicameras with lighters or cigarette pocket shape
Tessina miniature camera also in the watch band version (below)
Wristwatch camera by Steineck Abc
Minox Film
Minicameras with lighters or cigarette pocket shape
April 13, 2013
Minicameras...micro optics at the service of the spies
Teddy Bloat's [...] packing inside his stylish kangaroohide musette bag and threaded
around the odd necessities— midget spy-camera
Tacked to the wall next to Slothrop's desk is a map of London, which Bloat is now busy
photographing with his tiny camera [...] It takes him four exposures, click zippety
click, my how very efficient at this he's become
He has access to the entire battle plan for Case Blue. We know something about it, but Moscow
needs the details.’
Frieda was making a bewildering set of assumptions, but Carla went along with it. ‘I can ask him .
. .’
‘No. You have to make him bring you the battle plan.’
‘I’m not sure that’s possible. He’s not completely stupid. Don’t you think—’
Frieda was not even listening. ‘Then you have to photograph it,’ she interrupted. She produced
from the pocket of her uniform a stainless-steel box about Infthe size of a pack of cigarettes, but longer
and narrower. ‘This is a miniature camera specially designed for photographing documents.’ Carla
noticed the name ‘Minox’ on the side. ‘You’ll get eleven pictures on one film. Here are three films.’
She brought out three cassettes, the shape of dumbbells but small enough to fit into the little camera.
‘This is how you load the film.’ Frieda demonstrated. ‘To take a picture, you look through this
window. If you’re not sure, read this manual.’
around the odd necessities— midget spy-camera
Tacked to the wall next to Slothrop's desk is a map of London, which Bloat is now busy
photographing with his tiny camera [...] It takes him four exposures, click zippety
click, my how very efficient at this he's become
Quotes from Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
He has access to the entire battle plan for Case Blue. We know something about it, but Moscow
needs the details.’
Frieda was making a bewildering set of assumptions, but Carla went along with it. ‘I can ask him .
. .’
‘No. You have to make him bring you the battle plan.’
‘I’m not sure that’s possible. He’s not completely stupid. Don’t you think—’
Frieda was not even listening. ‘Then you have to photograph it,’ she interrupted. She produced
from the pocket of her uniform a stainless-steel box about Infthe size of a pack of cigarettes, but longer
and narrower. ‘This is a miniature camera specially designed for photographing documents.’ Carla
noticed the name ‘Minox’ on the side. ‘You’ll get eleven pictures on one film. Here are three films.’
She brought out three cassettes, the shape of dumbbells but small enough to fit into the little camera.
‘This is how you load the film.’ Frieda demonstrated. ‘To take a picture, you look through this
window. If you’re not sure, read this manual.’
Quote from Winter of the World by Ken Follet
Miniature cameras have revolutionized the world of espionage making some missions much faster to accomplish, but equally dangerous, and the data obtained from them more reliable and accurate.
If you're interested in miniature cameras, into their evolution, their structure and their application on the espionage field go ahead and check the link below:
http://www.faqs.org/espionage/Bl-Ch/Cameras-Miniature.html
P.S. In this blog as you can see I added a quote coming from another book which plot is set more or less in the same historical period of Gravity's Rainbow.
It is Winter of the World by Ken Follet, second chapter of the Century Trilogy, preceded by Fall of Giants. They are both historical thriller ad I found them amazing and really catching. Their dimension exceed the 800 pages, but the narration is fluent, so I haven't really felt the weight, except for the physical one!
Continues...
P.S. In this blog as you can see I added a quote coming from another book which plot is set more or less in the same historical period of Gravity's Rainbow.
It is Winter of the World by Ken Follet, second chapter of the Century Trilogy, preceded by Fall of Giants. They are both historical thriller ad I found them amazing and really catching. Their dimension exceed the 800 pages, but the narration is fluent, so I haven't really felt the weight, except for the physical one!
Continues...
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