Silent communications

[urbanprep]

So the silent communications is really an encrypted way of leaving messages for each other.

I like the braille idea (I don't know anyone who knows it --- reminds me of the Book of Eli) but it does require a specialized typewriter, or as CW pointed out a rolled pin punch could work. I would think that it may take a while to craft a message.

Woody's groups bible verse is just as secure, given you don't know the verse.


When developing codes/ciphers for communication there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

Your information only has to be secure enough for the time it is useful. For instance, you have encoded "we leave at 1200 on Wednesday" (using your groups scheme) and the encoded message
falls into the wrong hands who then set about decrypting it. 2 Weeks later they figure it out, but the VALUE of the information is no longer there. Of course if they have other messages they can then figure them out also at this point.

Your system has to be secure enough to protect the information, but easy enough to use. (both Woodyz and CWs systems appear to meet this, but you need tools of some type - besides pen/paper to use CW's -no offense CW)

I am willing to bet almost no one has a decoder ring (think little orphan annie) or a cypher disk (http://www.kidsmakestuff.com/articles/show/18hm)
Even using these simple tools will secure your communications. Of course there is always the risk of someone either figuring out your system (there are no perfect systems) or getting your tools.

Personally I like one time pads, the most secure means for sending messages provided you NEVER reuse one. The drawbacks are everyone has to have the pads, and there have to be enough sheets to cover the number of messages you want to send. But for now, I will stick to a simpler system.

[ColcordMama]

Short messages using a common book are a good and safe encryption technique. Every person/group has to have one of the books, and they all have to be the same printing. You pick out the words you need and note the line, position and page number of each word. This is even more secure if you know without specifying whether the line is counted from the top of the page down or the bottom of the page up and whether from the right or left end of the line. So take the KJV Bible as an example: "166 (1) 5, 176 (14) 7, 436 (6) 5, 2 (15) 11, 453 (23) 8" says "depart hastily secretly over mountains," using a pocket New Testament with The Psalms, Spirit Press, 2004. I composed this message in about six minutes using a concordance, which lots of standard size Bibles have now. Doesn't have to be a Bible. Could be a National Geographic magazine or a copy of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass." Almost anything, provided each separate group or person has a copy of the very same edition. Who, searching for contraband, would suspect a pocket New Testament is actually a code key?

[urbanprep]

Oct 12, 2012 17:06:12 GMT -7 ColcordMama said:

Short messages using a common book are a good and safe encryption technique. Every person/group has to have one of the books, and they all have to be the same printing. You pick out the words you need and note the line, position and page number of each word. This is even more secure if you know without specifying whether the line is counted from the top of the page down or the bottom of the page up and whether from the right or left end of the line. So take the KJV Bible as an example: "166 (1) 5, 176 (14) 7, 436 (6) 5, 2 (15) 11, 453 (23) 8" says "depart hastily secretly over mountains," using a pocket New Testament with The Psalms, Spirit Press, 2004. I composed this message in about six minutes using a concordance, which lots of standard size Bibles have now. Doesn't have to be a Bible. Could be a National Geographic magazine or a copy of Walt Whitman's "Leaves of Grass." Almost anything, provided each separate group or person has a copy of the very same edition. Who, searching for contraband, would suspect a pocket New Testament is actually a code key?

+1

Thanks for taking the time to actually craft an example!

[Cwi555]

No offense taken. Our system is working for us. It is only one of many viable solutions.

Oct 11, 2012 7:52:22 GMT -7 urbanprep said:

So the silent communications is really an encrypted way of leaving messages for each other.

I like the braille idea (I don't know anyone who knows it --- reminds me of the Book of Eli) but it does require a specialized typewriter, or as CW pointed out a rolled pin punch could work. I would think that it may take a while to craft a message.

Woody's groups bible verse is just as secure, given you don't know the verse.


When developing codes/ciphers for communication there are a couple of things to keep in mind:

Your information only has to be secure enough for the time it is useful. For instance, you have encoded "we leave at 1200 on Wednesday" (using your groups scheme) and the encoded message
falls into the wrong hands who then set about decrypting it. 2 Weeks later they figure it out, but the VALUE of the information is no longer there. Of course if they have other messages they can then figure them out also at this point.

Your system has to be secure enough to protect the information, but easy enough to use. (both Woodyz and CWs systems appear to meet this, but you need tools of some type - besides pen/paper to use CW's -no offense CW)

I am willing to bet almost no one has a decoder ring (think little orphan annie) or a cypher disk (http://www.kidsmakestuff.com/articles/show/18hm)
Even using these simple tools will secure your communications. Of course there is always the risk of someone either figuring out your system (there are no perfect systems) or getting your tools.

Personally I like one time pads, the most secure means for sending messages provided you NEVER reuse one. The drawbacks are everyone has to have the pads, and there have to be enough sheets to cover the number of messages you want to send. But for now, I will stick to a simpler system.

[Deleted]

Not sure if I mentioned this before...but what about pigeons?

I have a couple friends who live several hours away from each other. They race homing pigeons. Every few weeks, they swap a few reliable birds. For practice, they tie tiny messages in design and number code to them and send them back home. To which the other will reply.

Granted they would hav e to have a way to swap birds after the fact, at least this way, they have a few on hand to at least be able to keep initial contact after SHTF...as long as someone doesn't shoot the birds for food!

I know its not the same as messenger pigeons, but since they are no longer available...this is a way they keep in touch just for fun. They are both mediocre preppers, adn this was their way of trying to come up with some meanas of emergency communication. At least it is a way to say, hey, we made it through the first few weeks, are you alive, we can meet at X location, etc, etc.

Friend A said he has released a couple of young birds with the older experienced birds and about 75% of the time, they follow the older birds to Friend B's house. The only problem is gettting them to go in the trap door of the pigeon coop. They are working on a catch method for these birds. They are wondering if they feed and work these young birds equal amounts of time from both locations, if they can be taught to go back and forth from these 2 set locations. I am interested in seeing if this works for them. If it does, I know a few others who will be giving it a try as well!!