John will be available after the presentation to display and answer questions about his Enigma replica.
CW sent via HF radio played a major role in World War II. However, intercepted messages were of little use unless they could be decoded. To understand that process, we must look beyond the radio itself and look at what happened after those signals were captured from the airwaves. This presentation focuses on the German military Enigma cipher machine and the critical network used to compromise them. Topics include the design and mechanics of the machine, an overview of how the German military utilized them, and an overview of the Allied interception and cryptanalysis efforts. We will touch on at the historic work done by Bletchley Park and the Y Service (or Y Stations)—the top-secret network of wireless intercept operators who spent hours scanning the HF bands to log every single click of enemy Morse code, providing the vital raw data that the Cryptanalysts needed to crack the Enigma.. An electronic, kit-built replica Enigma machine will be on display. At the conclusion of the presentation, attendees will receive a challenge to decode a simulated Enigma message at home using online resources. Successful decoders will be awarded a Certificate of Cryptographic Achievement.