BID 310

BID 310 was a speech crypto unit and was used to take a signal from a microphone, turn it into digital data and then encrypt it. It was half analogue and half digital and the resulting decrypted speech was practically unintelligible. Needless to say it didn't last long.

BID 860

BID 860 was a small crypto unit that was used in British tanks. It operated from a 28v d.c. power source  and was one of the first cryptos to have BITE (Built In Test Equipment).

BID 950

It was great little machine apart from the interface which was always falling over due to static hits.
This machine could handle ITA5, ITA7 and data up to a specified rate of 48 kbits/sec but the best we ever did  was 47.999 kbps. ITA5 and ITA7 are International Telegraph Alphabets which are a way of formatting data to be sent. ITA5 consists of one start bit, five data bits and either one or one and a half stop bits, otherwise known as Baudot Code. ITA7 is an eight level code otherwise similar to ASCII plus a few other characters.

This crypto machine could be used in simplex or duplex mode and was completely self contained. Fill was available via a tape reader or a separate "gun" that could store about half a dozen daily fills. By using a socket at the back of the machine,  one could fill it from a computer.

BID 1100

This was a teleprinter with a built in crypto box. Siemens made the teleprinter and Philips the crypto.

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Contributor:  Mark Corder
E-mail: mark.corder@btinternet.com
 

Dec 23/01