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Radio Intercept DESYS GA-082 →
HF Telegraphy Analyzer
- this page is a stub
- wanted item
DESYS 1 is an analyzer for
telegraphy signals,
developed in 1982 by Dr. Hermann Schäfer of DESYS GmbH
in Wachtberg (Germany). At the request of the German Army (Bundeswehr),
Schäfer sold his development to the German multinational
Rohde & Schwarz (R&S)
in München, which was better equipped for mass production.
It was re-released in late 1982 by R&S as the GA-082 [1].
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The image on the right shows one of the very few surviving production models
of the DESYS 1 with S/N 82015, as shown in a Bench Squeaky Tech
blog [3]. The red LED displays at the front panel are nearly identical to
those on the later Rohde & Schwarz GA-082, but there are some remarkable
differences between the two units.
First, the 12 large push buttons are divided over the left and right
side of the front panel, whilst on the GA-082 they are smaller and grouped as
a keypad at the right side of the front panel, which is more in line with the
R&S house style.
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Another difference is the separate Frequency and Shift readouts at the bottom
left of the front panel, which are combined into a single display (selectable
with a button on the keypad) on the GA-082. Furthermore, the buttons at
the bottom edge are different. Further differences are listed below.
Production of the DESYS 1 continued in small quantities until late 1982,
after which the device was succeeded by the GA-082 and
sales were taken over by Rohde & Schwarz.
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Differences with the GA-082
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When the successor of the DESYS 1 was released in late 1982 by R&S
as the GA-082, it had the following features
which are not present on the DESYS 1:
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- Different enclosure and front panel design
- Expansion port for external software modules (DC37 connector)
- Two isolated FSK inputs (f1/f2, CHAN 1/2) 1
- Clock and Regenerated output 1
- IEEE 488 (IEC625) control bus
- Time display
- FREQ display shared with SHIFT display
- Firmware version 2.0
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Available on 7-pin Tuchel connector
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Development of the DESYS 1 started around 1979, soon after Dr. Hermann
Schäfer had left the prestigious Fraunhofer Institute and founded his own
company: DESYS GmbH. As Schäfer had good contacts
within the German Army (Bundeswehr), he was asked to develop a device for the
analysis of alien telegraphy signals which were broadcast on the HF radio
bands (3-30 MHz).
Foreign governments and armies, often used increasingly complex
(secret) data formats for their diplomatic and military radio traffic,
with complicated error correction systems (FEC), automatic link
establishment (ALE) and automatic repeat request (ARQ).
In particular for the telegraphy systems used by the Eastern Bloc countries,
the Bundeswehr urgently needed equipment for analysis.
In 1982, the design was complete and the first prototypes of the DESYS 1
were delivered to the Bundeswehr [2]. They were well-received, but the Bundeswehr
feared that a single-person enterprise like
DESYS GmbH could not be relied upon for mass production.
Schäfer then teamed up with Rohde & Schwarz (R&S) in
München, which was a multinational with production and service facilities in
major parts of the world. For R&S it was a welcome addition to its product
portfolio.
R&S subsequently redesigned the hardware, mainly to fit its house style,
and added a few extra features to the design, whilst Schäfer (DESYS) remained
involved in further software development.
in late 1982, the product was re-released by R&S as the
GA-082 FSK Analyzer. At the same time, the firware version
number was increased to 2.0. In 1988, GA-082
received a mid-life upgrade by adding a
B1 expansion unit to the device
and raising the firmware version number to 3.0.
Schäfer had not only been responsible for the development of firmware 3.0,
but also for the development of a range of plug-in modules with highly
secret data formats (called
modes or code programs).
Some modules were classified as 'SECRET' and were given a codename to
emphasize their classified nature. Examples of such codenames
are IKONE,
BAUCHLADEN
and BIERABEND.
Although the GA-082 was released publicly in early 1983,
some customers – in particular the Bundeswehr and also selected foreign
customers – had access to it in late 1982.
One example is the Dutch Naval Intelligence Service [4].
Nevertheless, it is likely that DESYS offered the DESYS 1 until the
end of 1982 – possibly in parallel with the GA-082 – as shown by
the serial numbers [3].
➤ More about the GA-082
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04 Private collector, Germany (prototype) [2] 09 Private collector, Germany (prototype) [2] 82015 Private collector [3]
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- Technik der Fernschreib-Erfassung in der Fernmeldeaufklärung der Bundeswehr
Rudolf Grabau, Funkgeschichte 27 (2004), Nr. 153, pp. 35-36.
- Anonymous, Photographs of DESYS 1 devices
Received October 2025.
- 'ottpossum', HF-Telegraphy Analyzer DESYS1
Bench Squeaky Tech (Blog), 12-9-2024.
- S.W. van Idsinga, Order for GA-082 and EPSON printer 1
Royal Dutch Navy Intelligence Service (MARID), WKC.
HWKC, 22 October 1982 — 29 November 1982.
Nationaal Archief, 2.13.166 1109 0306-0310.
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Monday 17 November 2025. Last changed: Monday, 17 November 2025 - 21:05 CET.
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![Front panel of the DESYS 1. Photograph kindly provided by 'ottpossum' [3].](img/desys1_82015.jpg)