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Czechoslovakian FM radio bug
Štěnice 1 was an
FM radio bug, developed around 1968 in
Czechoslovakia,
by Správa 6 2 for use by the
secret intelligence agency (StB)
and by Správa 1 (espionage). The device was constructed from the highly
modular and customizable TI-574A transmitter and operated at 74-88 MHz,
just below the regular FM broadcast band. They were used for domestic as
well as foreign espionage.
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The transmitter consists of 6 individual modules that were developed for
a variety of applications. In combination with the TI-574B receiver,
it can be part of a transceiver, a remote control unit, a homing beacon
or even a remote controlled bug.
In the configuration shown here, the transmitter measures 150 x 20 x 15 mm,
but smaller ones, with less output power, were also conceivable.
Although the device is rather large for a bug, such devices were commonly
used in permanent installations, for example in a car, behind a wall panel
or inside some piece of wooden furniture.
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The oscillator is crystal-operated, which guarantees a stable and trouble-free
transmission. As the modules were also used for hand-held police radios and
body wearable covert radios, the VHF-L band (74-88 MHz) was used, which lies just
below the regular FM broadcast band. By choosing a frequency at the lower end of
this band (close to 74 MHz) the bug can not be received on a domestic radio and
will hardly be noticed. The transmitter is powered by a 9-12V DC source.
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The name Štěnice might be incorrect as the devices in our
collection are unmarked. As Štěnice is the Czech word for
Bug we've chosen this as a nickname. The actual device's project
number is TI-574A.
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Správa 6 refers to Government Department 6: Communication Technology.
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The diagram below shows the layout of the 500 mW transmitter.
The same modules were used in the
Přístroj intercept receiver,
used for monitoring the French counter-espionage,
and in the body-wearable
Hvězda 5A radio,
that was used by the StB
for surveillance and covert operations.
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As an example to illustrate how Štěnice might have
been used, consider the drawing below. The transmitter could be
hidden, together with a large number of batteries, inside a piece
of timber with the correct size and colour to fit under an existing
table, acting as a fake piece of supporting wood. It is held in
place with pieces of sticky tape and could work for weeks or
even months.
The bug could be installed in, say, an embassador's office by someone
with frequent access to the premises, such as the cleaning lady.
On one visit, she could take the exact dimensions and colour of the
wood and on the next visit, hidden in the garbage bin, she could bring
it into the room and install it under the table. The pin-hole
microphone would pick up any conversation in the room without ever
being noticed. The above example is a real-life eavesdropping case.
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- Anonymous, Štěnice - TI-574A transmitter - THANKS!
Transmitter kindly donated by anonymous former user. July 2015.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Sunday 09 August 2015. Last changed: Tuesday, 13 June 2017 - 07:29 CET.
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