Debugging The Turing-Welchmann Bombe

RE: Debugging The Turing-Welchmann Bombe

dang74 — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 20:42:47 GMT

Very interesting blog. The drums on the Bombe look beautiful. I just love the general aesthetic and build quality of old tech. Also very interesting solution. I imagine you will learn so much more with this new revision of the board. You will be able to see a lot of things that didn't meet the 'threshold' of the previous board.

RE: Debugging The Turing-Welchmann Bombe

DAB — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 19:45:09 GMT

Great post.

I have read about the bombe.

They were cutting edge electronics in their day.

RE: Debugging The Turing-Welchmann Bombe

shabaz — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 18:21:44 GMT

Hi Andrew,

Interesting project! Also, it was a good explanation, as you say, the detail regarding how it reduces the number of combinations of Enigma settings isn't important for the purpose of the blog.

I think your system is pretty effective since it is revealing the detail that you need,, but it also got me thinking, I have an old chart recorder, (old Hioki Hicorder) that if you would like, you're more than welcome to it, and I'll figure a way to get it to you, either posting it or dropping it off. It is only 4-channel (each channel is isolated from the other channels), and has a bit of a flaw, in that the backlight on the LCD screen is flaky, it operates, but if you shut the backlight then it doesn't turn on again until the entire recorder is power-cycled. I had hoped to replace the backlight (it is electroluminescent I think) with an LED one, but I don't think it is too easy to do that : ( It also accepts thermal paper.

Anyway, the rest of it functions. If you are interested I'll take a photo of it. If the interface was known, then the channels could perhaps be used outside of the recorder, but I don't know if that is feasible (I've never seen a service manual for them). Each channel plugs into the chassis basically.

RE: Debugging The Turing-Welchmann Bombe

dougw — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 18:05:41 GMT

Interesting project.

Would an analog isolation amp work for this application? Like an AMC1351.

RE: Debugging The Turing-Welchmann Bombe

kmikemoo — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 17:50:53 GMT

Fascinating! The case and cover should be leather or wood. While it's modern, it could look period. [emoticon:fbd079a1c4f748c5a234faee215de9cc] Absolutely brilliant. I can't imagine trying to troubleshoot this in its day.