This listing is for the External Lamp Field attachment for the Arduino Enigma Machine Simulator (simulator sold separately). When connected, it disables the Enigma Machine Simulator built in lamp field and decoded letters are instead displayed only in the external lamp field.

This device allows a second person to view a message privately without the radio operator seeing what is the decoded version of the encrypted message being typed on the machine.

To use this lamp field, simply connect it to power using the supplied battery and power plug, connect one end of the supplied USB cable to the Arduino Enigma Machine Simulator and the other end to the Lamp Field. The connections can be done in any order. This device is very simple to use, it just works.

Ensure the enigma simulator is set to verbose mode, to do that, touch the enigma logo in the main screen to open the machine, if the Serial Mode is not set to verbose (Serial: V), touch the word Serial until the mode changes to V.

After that, touch the keys at the bottom of the simulator and the decoded letter will light up only in the external lamp field. The lamp will stay lit for as long as the key is pressed, release the key and the lamp will turn off.

If your simulator has an older software version (1.7 or less), the built in lamp field will not be disabled and the letters in the external lamp field will be lit for a fixed amount of time, then turn off automatically, regardless of whether a key is still pressed. Version 1.8 is available at the usual download link, contact us for details if assistance is needed.

It is possible to change the brightness of the lamps in the lamp field. To do that, the Lamp Field Brightness Adjustment tool needs to be uploaded to the enigma simulator, then the brightness can be adjusted up or down. This tool also allows to check that all the letters illuminate properly. Once the brightness is adjusted, it is saved automatically and stays until changed again with the adjustment tool. The enigma software then needs to be re-loaded in the simulator.

To stop using the device, unplug all wires. There is no on/off switch, to save batteries, unplug the power. The lamp field supplies power to the enigma simulator. It is possible, but not necessary to also connect the simulator to 9V power.

It is also possible to power the lamp field with a 9V DC wall adapter. Ensure it has a 5.5mm x 2.1mm center positive plug.

This listing includes the External Lamp Field, a USB cable, a power plug and a 9V battery. The assembled Arduino Enigma Machine Simulator shown is NOT included, an unassembled kit can be added as an option.

For more information on the Arduino Enigma Simulator.

This Lamp Field ships worldwide and will be ready to go out of the box.

If you have another enigma simulator, this device can probably work with yours, provided you can modify your simulator source code. The lamp field has a USB A receptacle and acts as a USB Host to an Arduino. It talks to the Arduino using the USB Communications Device Class (CDC) protocol. The Arduino needs to start communication by doing Serial.begin(9600); and send data with Serial.println(""); and Serial.print("");

• To light up the letter X in the lamp field, send er>er>X
• Upon receiving a sequence to light up a letter, the lamp field will respond with the character ~ to indicate the simulator should suppress visualization of the encoded character in its built-in lamp field. If this character is not received, the external lamp field is not connected and the decoded letter needs to be shown in the built-in lamp field.
• To turn off the letter, do Serial.println("");
• To adjust the brightness, send:
• er=+ // increments PWM brightness value by 1
• er=- // decrements PWM brightness value by 1
• er=} // increments PWM brightness value by 10
• er={ // decrements PWM brightness value by 10
• er=? // ? and any other character not listed above, returns the current PWM brightness value to the slave device as three digits ie: 025. Values range from 001 to 255.

The shape of this device was inspired by the Extra Lamp Panel for the Swiss Enigma K.

Thanks to @VirtualColossus for inspiring me to make this product.