International Conference On Cryptologic History

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Friedrichshafen / 2024

June 28rd — 30th

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Crypto Tour

Friedrichshafen 2024

The annual ICCH Enigma Forum and Flea Market at the Friedrichshafen HAM Radio Fest 2022 will be held on June 28 -- 30, 2024.

Although this meet is not specifically listed as a crypto collectors meet, it has gradually become the major annual European selling and meeting place of people with crypto interests and you will find constant and fascinating action at our tables and others throughout the duration of the show. Last year many thousands of Euros in crypto-machines changed hands and the Enigma Forum was very well attended.

Eight tables have been reserved for crypto artefacts. The location of these tables is to be announced, but we are usually located in Hall A3. You can find us by looking up above all of the other tables and searching for the large 'Enigma' signs.

These tables will be filled with at least 2 German Enigma machines and many other interesting cipher machines and many other artefacts brought by many of the collectors and historians of ICCH.
Paul Reuvers and Mark Simons will be displaying their Enigma-E kits and other gear and Klaus Kopacz will be showing and demonstrating his exact Enigma replica, his exact replica Enigma battery and other gear that usually includes some wonderful old recovered relic Enigmas and/or parts.

Please consider joining us and bringing a favourite piece of crypto gear for our show-and-tell at the Enigma Forum ...or just hanging around our tables and talking all things 'Crypto'. There will be some room to display a few crypto-items that you may have to show or to sell.

Reports of the ICCH Enigma Forum and Flea Market at Friedrichshafen from previous years are available
here.

ICCH Enigma Forum and Flea Market at HAM Radio Fest Friedrichshafen will be held on June 25 -- 27, 2021. More information to be announced closer to the date. Find out more about the Friedrichshafen event here.

The flea market will take place in halls B1-B2. Download map here for details.

Slide show images: Images taken at Friedrichshafen HAM Radio Fest 2014. Images courtesy of Crypto Museum.

Event Overview

The Friedrichshafen set-up day is Thursday, June 27, 2024. It is usually a slow day with many dealers and collectors drifting in later in the day but not a great deal of equipment on display or offer. However, it is the day when many of the vendors run around and pick up some bargains.

On Friday the action starts early as literally tons of radio and electronic equipment ranging from the spark era through WWII and Russian Cold War spy radios to the most modern sets begin to sprout up and glow on the hundreds of nicely weather-protected electrified indoor tables. Starting at 4:00pm, there will be the Eighth Annual Enigma Forum, taking place in the Osterreich Room in Hall A2. More information can be found below.

Recordings of previous Enigma Forums can be accessed
here.

Along with all of the radio gear, spy radios and computer equipment, bits and pieces of crypto gear lie in hiding, waiting to be found by the quickest and luckiest crypto collectors. Previous examples have included an original Enigma K power supply in its wooden box discovered by
Tom Perera in excellent condition for a mere five euros! The unexpected appearance of two never-before-seen three-rotor Enigmas in 2019 caused a 'feeding frenzy' as crypto collectors from all over the show ran to the table to buy them. They were sold in minutes.

You can always tell by the huge grin on their faces when crypto collectors have found an exciting buy. Our tables serve as a great place to show off your new purchases and to get help in identifying them and learning about how they operate from other collectors.

Saturday is like a fresh tide coming in from the ocean as people who had to work on Friday set up new tables and Friday's dealers refresh their offerings with new and tempting items.

By Sunday, most people are exhausted from the non-stop excitement of the hunt (and perhaps a few too many beers). But with a sharp eye it is still possible to uncover treasures or to go through the main commercial exhibit area looking for last-minute markdowns or enjoy a look at the latest ham radio sets and antennas, fine German tool sets, robots, drones, and 3D printers and Steam Punk in the Makers Fair in Hall A5.

The Tenth Annual Enigma Forum

June 28, 2024 4:00 - 6:00 PM, Hall A2: The Osterreich Room.

The Annual Enigma Forum extends and expands our presence at the Friedrichshafen as a welcome addition to our usual eight flea market tables filled with crypto artefacts and staffed by enthusiastic crypto collectors and crypto historians.

The following presentation shall be given:

Presentation:

The Enigma and other Famous Cipher Machines X

Speakers:
Date & time (UTC/GMT):
June 28, 2024 4:00 PM
Description:
Description:

There has always been a need for keeping communications secret. This forum will describe and demonstrate some of the historic machines and techniques that have been used to encipher and decipher messages and report on new discoveries in the history of cryptology. 'Introduction to the Enigma. History, Technology and Hunting for Relic Enigmas Deciphering' - Tom Perera. 'New Discoveries in Enigma and Cipher Machine History' - Paul Reuvers and Marc Simmons. Demonstrations of Cipher Machines, questions and discussions - Klaus Kopacz. Please note that this is an in-person presentation as part of the Tenth Annual Enigma Forum at the Friedrichshafen HAM Radio Fest on June 28, 2024.

Slide show images: Images taken at Friedrichshafen HAM Radio Fest 2013 and 2014. Images courtesy of Crypto Museum.

ICCH Enigma Forum and Flea Market at HAM Radio Fest Friedrichshafen will be held on June 25 -- 27, 2021. More information to be announced closer to the date. Find out more about the Friedrichshafen event here.

The flea market will take place in halls B1-B2. Download map here for details.

Tips for Visiting Friedrichshafen

Transport

Trains run from Zurich and Munich and flights land in Friedrichshafen from many places around Europe. Cars can also be rented in Zurich, Munich and Friedrichshafen. Both the trains and bus go to the same station in Friedrichshafen, which is the station that also has the free shuttle to the Ham radio event. Taxis from central Friedrichshafen to the Ibis Airport Hotel or to The Messe should be around 14 Euros.

Hotels

There are many hotels but we suggest finding some of the few air conditioned ones. We suggest finding a hotel relatively near the centre of town since proximity to the lakefront restaurants is helpful. It is also possible to rent a hotel room at the airport hotel.

Language

Most, but not all dealers speak some English. Bring a pencil and pad to write your offer in digits. This is the universal communications strategy. The dealer will then write his/her counter-offer on your pad. Smiles or frowns will signal acceptance or rejection of your offer.

Currency

The Euro is the standard currency. Some but not all dealers accept US dollars. There is a cash machine on the site. For large purchases you will need large amounts of Euros since no vendors take credit cards. The maximum amount of cash that an individual can bring from America is $10,000 US dollars or Euro equivalent.  

Timing

The Messe opens at 9AM for the public and 7AM for vendors. If you buy a vendor's pass or get one from someone who is a vendor you can get in early.

Thursday - Setup day, starts getting busy by 9AM and closes at 6PM. This is the day to make early and often best purchases.
Friday - The first day and opens to the public at 9AM. Vendors may set up at 7AM. Lots of new dealers set up early on Friday.
Saturday - The biggest crowds and a few new dealers.
Sunday - Many dealers have gone home but there is still plenty to see and perhaps a Maker Fair will be run in an adjacent hall.

Shipping

If you can not carry your purchases on the plane they can be shipped by the post office. The post office closes on Saturday so you must ship them then or on Monday. International postage economy rates are reasonable and insurance is possible.

Location Map

Crypto tables (look for the 'Enigma' signs)
Hall A3 (table numbers TBA)
June 28 - 30, 2024.

Tenth Annual Enigma Forum
Hall A2: The Osterreich Room
Details TBA

A downloadable PDF version of the map is available
here.

Register for ICCH

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Welcome to the home page of the International Conference on Cryptologic History (ICCH).