
How a Gift from Schoolchildren Let the Soviets Spy on the U.S. For 7 Years - Cozumel
http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/how-a-gift-from-schoolchildren-let-the-soviets-spy-on-the-us-for-7-years
======
srean
The book spycatcher
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spycatcher](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spycatcher)
is an engaging read that has many interesting bits about bugging capabilities.
Its author, Peter Wright played a significant role in figuring out how the
device worked.

    
    
        Wright determined that the bugging device, dubbed The
        Thing, was actually a tiny capacitive membrane (a
        condenser microphone) that became active only when 330
        MHz microwaves were beamed to it from a remote
        transmitter. A remote receiver could then have been used
        to decode the modulated microwave signal and permit
        sounds picked up by the microphone to be overheard. The
        device was eventually attributed to Soviet inventor,
        Léon Theremin." -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Wright
    

Those who are more informed about these things than the layman don't like the
book as much.

~~~
pcl
Léon Theremin also invented the musical instrument bearing his name:
[https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theremin)

It's best known for its otherworldly sounds. But the control mechanism is
relevant here: two antennas are positioned to create a 2D field, and the
motion of the musician's hands within that field controls tone and amplitude.
Clearly, the guy was a talented radio researcher.

He invented it in 1920 in Russia, emigrated to the US in the late 20s, and
ended up back in Russia in the late 30s. Sounds like a fascinating guy. Does
anyone have any recommendations for biographies of him?

~~~
Theodores
So it is just a Theremin machine in disguise!

Thanks to your explanation I now imagine the 'Thing' to be a bit like Theremin
player Dorit Chrysler in this live performance by Trentemøller: Silver Surfer,
Ghost Rider Go!!!:

[https://youtu.be/_0gTZ6A0waE?t=3m10s](https://youtu.be/_0gTZ6A0waE?t=3m10s)

[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorit_Chrysler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorit_Chrysler)

~~~
tim333
See also Theremin playing a Theremin. Seems he was quite musical as well as a
techie

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5qf9O6c20o](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5qf9O6c20o)

------
tim333
Diagram of its internals: [https://alchemi.st/files/2012/10/Great-Seal-
schematic.jpeg](https://alchemi.st/files/2012/10/Great-Seal-schematic.jpeg)

It seems basically a tuned circuit connected to an aerial where the frequency
of the tuned circuit varied as the diaphragm moved. I guess in the same way
that if you shout at a tuning fork it will vibrate at its usual frequency, the
circuit would oscillate at a frequency corresponding to the diaphragm
position. I wonder if this could be used for an IoT device.

------
bramd
Related longread[0] on how the west tried to build a similar device after
discovering "The Thing".

[0]: [https://thecorrespondent.com/3789/operation-easy-chair-or-
ho...](https://thecorrespondent.com/3789/operation-easy-chair-or-how-a-little-
company-in-holland-helped-the-cia-bug-the-russians/637628140413-840b49ad)

------
lordnacho
A friend of mine told me that when he was a baby, his parents were US
diplomats stationed in East Berlin. Knowing that the East Germans would be
assigning someone to go through their garbage, they made sure to put bits of
paper in the kids' diapers.

~~~
caseysoftware
For years I've mixed the used kitty litter in with our shredding. If they want
to sort through all that, they're welcome to it.

~~~
draw_down
Oh, do you live in east Berlin too?

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userbinator
Basically the RF version of
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_microphone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laser_microphone)

~~~
huac
which Termin invented as well!

------
df3
>As he did this, the signal cut out. Bezjian realized that the bug wasn’t in
the wall but in the seal, and took his hammer to the Soviets’ gift.

I wonder if it would have made more sense to leave the device unharmed and
take advantage of it to plant false intelligence on the Soviets?

~~~
hga
I'm pretty sure the signal cut out because the Soviets feeding it energy
realized we were on to it, the guys weren't hammer the seal with the device
when it cut out. Unlikely we'd not finish the job in discovering it, but that
was the least worst thing they could do at that point.

------
sirtimbly
I first learned about this in the excellent and thought provoking book "Code
Warriors" which covers all the ways that US intelligence efforts relied on
code breaking after the end of WWII, but were often trumped by the Soviet's
superior spy-craft.

------
sparrish
I just saw this on Wednesday along with many other historical spy devices at
the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC, USA. Definitely worth a visit
- figure on spending at least 2-3 hours. There's so much to see.

------
ptaipale
The headline should perhaps be "NKVD GIft purporting to be from schoolchildren
..."

------
dorfsmay
I wish there were more technical information, like how was it powered, for 7
years!

~~~
alex-
> Soviet agents stationed across the street from Spaso House would turn the
> device “on” by focusing a radio signal on it, which then bounced back to
> their radio receiver. When the ambassador or anyone else in the study spoke,
> the sound waves caused the membrane to resonate and alter the signal that
> returned to the Soviets, allowing them to hear the conversation.

It could contain more detail but sounds like it was altering a radio signal
that was completely external to the device and therefore had no battery at
all.

~~~
mturmon
FTA:

“It had no power pack of its own, no wires that could be discovered, no
batteries to wear out...”

