|
Setting Up Enigma
Setting
up the Enigma machine ready to send a message was quite a
complex operation which involved quite a few steps.
A code
book was used to predefine the settings to be used. Each day
had a different set of settings. The reason for this is that
for Enigma to encode/decode a message it had to be set up
the same. If this was to be done on different machines, the
two machines had to start at identical settings. So a code
book ensured that each Enigma operator knew the settings for
the day.
Listed
in the code book was the date, Ring Setting, Plug
configuration and in the last column a 3 letter code.
Therefore an entry might look like :
|
1/6/42 |
III,V,
II
|
05
11 15 |
OM
AJ EZ YD KT VW BG PI UF RS |
TXM |
On this
date the operator would choose rotors III, V and II from the
rotors box.
Next
he would set the rings on those rotors to be in positions 05
for rotor III, 11 for rotor V and 15 for rotor II
Next,
the plugs need to be wired up, they are listed in pairs so a
patch wire would be used to connect plug O to plug M, plug A
to plug J, E to Z, Y-D,KT VW.....
The
last column is a 3 letter code sent as part of the message
to ensure synchronisation.
The
Enigma machine was now set up and ready to send
|
