[QCWA] Enigma Machine To Be Reactivated After 60 Yrs

[Croft B Taylor]

Hi Joe,

The heavy enigma machine activity was in WW2 in 1939 - some time before
the USA became involved in the war. A close friend of mine was iinvolved
in this secret project based in the UK and in Canada near Toronto. I have
seen a couple of interesting documentaries of this project on PBS.. 

73,  Croft Taylor - VE3CT
L Col (Rtd) Royal Canadian Signals
QCWA Past President


On Mon, 25 Apr 2005 12:44:13 -1000 (HST) Joseph Fenn <jfenn at lava.net>
writes:
> I did'nt know about that at all.  I do remember something though 
> that
> occurred during that time period that many might have forgotten 
> about.
> QST magazine was still being distributed at that time, and had a 
> reather
> extensive article that dealt with detailed info that came very 
> close
> to the mark on the "Chicago" production scheme that eventually 
> ended
> with the A-Bomb theory.   Some of those QST's got into delivery 
> system
> before the distribution was halted by unknown sources.   I know 
> because
> I was one that got my copy and I read with great interest the 
> article
> since nothing like that had appeared before or since.    I was also
> in the Army Signal Corps in 1943 (I think that was the year) that
> the Govt had scouts out in places like Monmouth, and Camp Crowder
> actually canvassing for people with electronics background.  I
> later figured out after that war that they were canvassing for 
> people
> that would or could be used in the "Chicago" program!
>             anybody in QCWA rember the above events???
>                         Joe/KH6JF/ABM6JF
> 
> 
> ****************************************************
> * Ham KH6JF AARS/MARS ABM6JF QCWA WW2 VET WD RADIO *
> * Army MARS State Coordinator for Hawaii           *
> ****************************************************
> 
> 
> On Mon, 25 Apr 2005, W1EOF wrote:
> 
> >
> >> From FISTS reflector via OH/PA dx bulletin # 707 ...
> >
> > SPECIAL EVENT (Enigma Machine To Be Reactivated After 60 
> Yrs)......
> > In September 1939, the radio receivers of all radio amateurs were 
> ordered
> > to be confiscated, but many amateurs volunteered to become 
> "Voluntary
> > Interceptors" (V.I.'s) in their own homes. These V.I.'s 
> intercepted
> > encrypted Enigma messages transmitted in Morse Code which were 
> passed
> > to the code breakers at Bletchley Park. Accuracy was crucial in 
> order
> > to assist decoding of the message, but many of the intercepted 
> signals
> > were weak or fading and atmospheric conditions were often poor 
> with QRM
> > from loud local stations. Searching through the bands was very 
> painstaking,
> > but it was a task that was carried out with great skill and 
> dedication,
> > providing a most valuable service to the Allies. As a tribute to 
> the work
> > of the V.I.'s sixty years ago, the Scarborough Special Events 
> Group (SSEG)
> > will be on the air as GB2HQ from GCHQ Scarborough over the weekend 
> of
> > May 7-8th. A souvenir QSL card showing an Enigma cipher machine 
> and an
> > HRO receiver will be issued to commemorate the occasion. GCHQ have 
> provided
> > a working Enigma machine for use by the SSEG and Ofcom and have 
> given
> > permission for transmission of an enciphered Enigma message to be 
> sent
> > in Morse Code on the amateur radio bands for this event only. The 
> group
> > will be active on SSB, PSK and CW. The CW station will operate 
> around
> > 7015 or 3515 KHz and the Enigma message will be transmitted in 
> Morse
> > Code at 1100z on Saturday, May 7th, at a speed of 15 wpm. The 
> message
> > will consist of a few five letter groups which will be repeated at 
> 1300
> > and 1900z. GCHQ invites all licenced amateurs and listeners to 
> submit a
> > copy of this Enigma message and will award a certificate for a 
> 100%
> > accurate intercept. A copy of this message should be sent via club 
> call
> > G0OOO (Scarborough Special Events Group, 9 Green Island, Irton, 
> Scarborough
> > YO12 4RN) and can be enclosed with a QSL card. The cost of the 
> certificate
> > is =C2=A33.00 sterling, 5 Euro's, 5 USD, or 6 IRCs. (UK cheques 
> should
> > be made out to "SSEG"). All profits will be donated to GCHQ 
> Scarborough
> > Charities Fund. Full details will be published on their Web site 
> at:
> > http://www.sseg.co.uk
> >
> > Depending on your location, conditions may not be favorable for 
> reception
> > on the day. However, in this respect, listeners will be 
> experiencing the
> > same problems faced by the V.I.'s some sixty years ago. FISTS 
> members are
> > invited to take part in a practical demonstration of history 
> brought to
> > life through amateur radio.
> >
> > For more information about the Enigma machine, please visit the 
> following
> > Web pages:
> > http://www.codesandciphers.org.uk/enigma/
> > http://www.enigmahistory.org/enigma.html
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > QCWA mailing list
> > QCWA at mailman.qth.net
> > http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/qcwa
> >
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> 
> 


73,  Croft Taylor, VE3CT
QCWA Past President