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From: hal-k@burdvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: sci.electronics,sci.physics
Subject: Re: Laser eavesdropping
Message-ID: <3275@burdvax.PRC.Unisys.COM>
Date: Thu, 16-Apr-87 09:23:33 EST
Article-I.D.: burdvax.3275
Posted: Thu Apr 16 09:23:33 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 18-Apr-87 04:44:12 EST
References: <503@sw1e.UUCP> <704@brl-sem.ARPA> <16143@sun.uucp> <2632@phri.UUCP>
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Organization: Unisys/Paoli Research Center, Paoli, PA
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Keywords: modulation
Xref: utgpu sci.electronics:496 sci.physics:1124
Summary: Russian gift to the American Embassy was a resonant cavity.

> ... the Russians presented the American embassy folks with some sort of
> carved wood plaque of an american bald eagle, or something like that, as a
> gift...
> It never occured to them that the sheet metal plate on the back of it might
> actually be a microwave reflector...  
>
> Roy Smith, {allegra,cmcl2,philabs}!phri!roy

I remember reading about the same event.  As I recall it was a desk ornament
that was a resonant microwave cavity.  When the microwave energy was sent to
it the response was a sound modulated signal of the sounds within the room.
These signals were picked up by a ham radio operator in England who reported
it to the authorities, eventually leading to the discovery of the device.

This goes back 20 or more years ago so don't count on all the details being
entirely accurate.

Hal Koskela	Unisys Corp.	Paoli, Pa.