From: System Operator <mimsy!anagld!decode!system@uunet.UU.NET>
Date: Tue, 15 Mar 94 14:43:55 PST
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: spyproofing your house/work building
Message-ID: <3Vy9ic1w165w@decode.UUCP>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


"Perry E. Metzger" <anagld!lehman.com!pmetzger> writes:

> > Make sure the drapes block IR.  There are instances of even local
> > police forces flooding the front of a house with IR light,
> 
> You mean heat? What did they do, exactly? Erect giant heat lamps in
> front of the house? No one inside noticed either?
 
This is getting rather far afield, but I'll answer:

Light sources to generate usable IR aren't any larger than visible
systems, and do not generate the amounts of heat you're imagining.
These aren't Kentucky Fried Chicken food warmers.  Pick any of several
security industry magazines and you'll find many advertisements for
"undetectable" (in the sense of being visible to the naked eye) IR
surveillance systems.  Even the FLIR systems mounted on police observation
helicopters (Ft. Worth being the most notable user) are easily mounted
inside a van or delivery truck.

From the literature I have, the British SAS have long used this
observation method immediately prior to initiating hostage rescue.

It will be interesting to see if any "peeping tom" cases come out of
the large amount of Soviet night vision gear now available,
relatively cheaply, to civilians.  Due to it's low price, it has
also become popular with local police departments.  Even the town
I went to high school in, population 10,000, has some night vision gear.

Dan


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