Recent Updates:
2008-Jun-01 (Keith Melton’s new book “Spycraft” reviewed - click here. I’m still reading the book - I’ll update the review again later.)
2008-Mar-08 (Added SRR-4 in “Surveillance” section.)
2008-Feb-24 (In Joan-Eleanor section, added links to pictures from patents filed on the Joan design.)
2007-Dec-29 (new e-mail address for Pete)
Written/compiled by Peter McCollum
I can be reached at:
(c) 1998, 2008 Peter McCollum
This site is graciously hosted by Don Reaves W5OR
A great book is available! It is Volume 4 of the “Wireless
for the Warrior” series by Louis Meulstee and Rudolf Staritz, and it is
an encyclopedia of clandestine radios from all over the world. Over 230 sets are
covered, with 850 pictures – 692 pages in all. I contributed much of the info
for the
NOTE: I do NOT have a financial interest in sales of the book, although I certainly feel it is a great reference, and by far the biggest/best book ever published on this topic.
To order online go to the following link, Click the "Search" button on the left, and then enter 'clandestine': http://www.epemag.wimborne.co.uk/acatalog/ .
Louis’ web site has info about the content, and a phone # to contact the publisher: http://home.wxs.nl/~meuls003/progress4.html .
Contents
The SSTR-1 Strategic Services Transmitter-Receiver
The RT-1-B and URT-11 Transmitters
The GRA-71 Coder - Burst Transmission Unit
The Delco 5300 Series HF Transceiver
Training, Tradecraft and Technology
Surveillance and Bugging Devices
References/Bibliography, Miscellaneous, and Notes
This document is dedicated to the men and women who
served our country as the designers and users of
clandestine communications equipment.
Since before the time of Sun Tzu, communications has played an important role in the collection of intelligence. With the advent of effective portable radio technology in the 1930’s, it became feasible for an operative to send and receive information quickly and independently from within enemy territory.
The purpose of this research paper is to document facts,
observations, anecdotes, and stories about clandestine radio equipment as used
by the
Wherever possible, this document goes into technical detail on the equipment, and some conclusions are drawn regarding the intended purpose for certain features. Some comments are made of a practical nature, for those people that own one of these sets and would like to restore it or use it for Amateur Radio communications.
Is it real “Spy Equipment”?
While researching the equipment described on these pages,
sometimes it is not entirely clear if an item is really qualified to be called “spy
equipment”. I believe that there are many possible criteria for labeling an item as being “
1. The item was designed (in whole or in part) by CIA personnel. Example: The RS-1 set.
2. The item was designed by a contractor, but to CIA specifications. Possible examples include many of the later Cold War sets.
3. The item was a commercial item, but was bought under a specific CIA contract. Example: Certain SP-600 receivers.
4. The item was actually constructed by CIA personnel. This criterion probably applies mostly to prototypes.
5. The item has a CIA-specific designation - typically RS-x, RR-x or RT-x.
6. The item was “standard issue” to a number of CIA employees. Example: The Minox model “B” camera.
7. The item was adopted from a different intelligence organization, including foreign (such as SOE or MI-6), but widely used by CIA personnel.
8. The item was adopted from the military, but widely used by CIA personnel. Example: The GN-58 hand-crank generator often used with the RS-1 set.
9. The item was adopted by the military from an existing CIA item. Examples: The AN/GRC-109 and RS-6 sets.
10.The item was carried/used by a CIA employee.
11.The item was carried/used by a famous CIA employee.
12.The item is known to have been used in a specific spy operation.
13.Etc.
Discussing some specific cases:
The early Minox cameras are often called “spy cameras”.
They were bought in large numbers by intelligence organizations all over the
world, and used in many real spy operations. However, the exact same models and
accessories were also bought by tourists traveling in
The AN/GRC-109 radio set is essentially identical to the CIA’s
RS-1 set - both were very likely made with the same parts in the same factory.
Only the markings are really different. Some GRC-109 sets were likely operated
by CIA personnel in
The RS-6 set is a CIA design with a CIA designation, but it appears that the military procured the majority of the sets that were made, and they did not assign a military designation to it. Is the typical SAC-surplus RS-6 set a “spy radio”? If more information were available regarding serial numbers and contracts, then we could be more accurate with the terminology.
Perhaps the conclusion is that whenever possible the facts and origins of an item should be spelled out, and each collector or researcher should describe his/her criteria for labeling something as a “spy item”. It is partly inaccurate to say that an RS-6 set is a “SAC survival radio”, or that a Minox camera is a “spy camera”.
In Remembrance of Veterans
“Trapper” Drum
Following is an excerpt from the obituary of James H. “Trapper” Drum, who died December 15, 2002:
“During World War II
he served with the 84th Infantry Division, 334th Battalion (the Railsplitters)
as a company commander. After suffering severe wounds in
Bob Olsen
I learned in 2002 that Bob Olsen had died a couple of years
previous. Mr. Olsen was the first CIA communicator that I had met back in about
1996, at a reunion of former
A Brief Chronology of
To provide a background for the equipment presented here, the
following is a chronology of some major events in the history of
- July 11th, 1941. The Office of the Coordinator of Information (COI) was formed by Executive Order 8826, with William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan as the Coordinator of Information. It is unknown what, if any, specialized clandestine radio equipment was in use at this time. It is possible that existing military and commercial equipment was used.
- June
13th, 1942. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS) was formed
under the leadership of William Donovan, by a Military Order from
President Roosevelt. The equipment used by the
- September
22nd, 1942. The Communications Branch of the
- September
20th, 1945. The
- January
1946. The Central Intelligence Group (CIG) was formed, with Rear Admiral
Sidney W. Souers as the first Director of Central Intelligence (DCI). CIG
included the Strategic Services Unit (SSU), which managed the assets of
the former
- July 1947. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) was formed by the National Security Act of 1947, with Rear Admiral Roscoe H. Hillenkoetter as DCI. The development of the RS-1 and other early CIA radios began at this time, or shortly thereafter. Most equipment developed by the CIA tends to be designated like "RS-x" for a radio set, "RT-x" for a transmitter, and "RR-x" for a receiver. Some sets were known by their manufacturers’ designations.
- June 1948. The Office of Policy Coordination (OPC) was formed to be the "direct action" arm of the CIA under Frank Wisner. The OPC turned out to be an awkward arrangement because it received its funding and personnel from CIA, but it reported directly to the Secretaries of State and Defense, bypassing the DCI. The OPC is known to have inherited some existing communications equipment projects. The OPC included many ex-OSS personnel, and there was competition with the Office of Special Operations (OSO). The OSO personnel were formerly the SSU within the CIG.
- August 1952. To resolve the conflicts, the OPC and OSO were merged to form the Directorate of Plans, under the leadership of Allen Dulles. By this time, the RS-1, RS-6, and other sets were in use in the field.
- December 17th, 2004. President George W. Bush signs legislation creating the National Intelligence Director, which has certain powers to oversee the CIA and other intelligence agencies.