Enigma Machine to be activated for ham event

[Frank Gentges]

This was put on the RX320 News group with thanks to 
gi3obo for the info.  I suspect some Tacoistas would like to make this contact.

Frank K0BRA

ENIGMA MACHINE TO BE REACTIVATED AFTER 60 YEARS
In September 1939 the radio receivers of all radio amateurs were ordered 
to be confiscated, but many amateurs volunteered to became 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 will be on the air as GB2HQ from GCHQ Scarborough 
over the weekend of 7-8th May. A souvenir QSL card showing an Enigma 
cipher machine and an HRO receiver will be issued to commemorate the 
occasion.
Depending on your location, conditions may not be favourable 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. 
You are invited to take part in a practical demonstration of history 
brought to life through amateur radio.
GCHQ have provided a working Enigma machine for use by the SSEG and 
Ofcom have, exceptionally, 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 1100 UTC on Saturday 7th May, at a speed of 15 wpm. The 
message will consist of a few five letter groups, which will be repeated 
at 1300 and 1900 UTC.
GCHQ invite 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 £3.00 
sterling. 5 Euro's, US $5, or 6 IRC's. (UK cheques should be made out to 
"SSEG"). All profits will be donated to GCHQ Scarborough Charities Fund. Tks
OH3GZ 4/23/2005


--
George Shaw MI3GTO / 2I0GTO

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