The Basement Bugger's Bible : The Professional's Guide to [Paperback]

Shifty Bugman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999 | ISBN-10: 1581600224 | ISBN-13: 978-1581600223

This sordid covert odyssey offers an inside look at how a pro works, throwing open a Pandora's box of bugs, mics, phone taps and more. The most comprehensive book ever on audio surveillance, it contains everything you ever wanted to know about the underground business of bugging. For academic study only.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Shifty Bugman has war stories that often delve deeper than bug buffs are used to reading, and yet his past is shrouded in mystery. He keeps such a low profile that even his editor cannot contact him except by mail - via a drop box, of course.

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Paladin Press (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581600224
• ISBN-13: 978-1581600223
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,028,303 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Comprehensive treatment of analog audio survelliance, June 24, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Basement Bugger's Bible : The Professional's Guide to (Paperback)

Very good, very impressive (and I don't impress easily) Most books on "covert" or "restricted" subjects are hogwash because those that know, don't tell, those that don't, do. This book offers a comprehensive, focused "build from scratch" treatment of analog audio within the skills of the mid to advanced electronic hobbyist.

The section on microphones and balanced transmission lines is by itself worth the price of admission.

Along with microphones, the book covers amplifiers, gain control, filters and compression; IR, ultrasonic and RF transmission. Unique to this book is the section on stereo bugging - rent a copy of "The Conversation" and you can see this in action in the opening scene.

As the previous reviewer mentioned, the book also contains appendixes which cover basic theory, components, design and electronic construction techniques - very hard to do well and missing from most books.

Best of all, it's fun to read (in the style of Lee Lapin) with many anecdotes of fieldcraft, even if you're just curious. If the author ever decides to do a companion book on digital/data bugging as good as this one, this truly would be the "bible" (in the literal sense of the word) of electronic survelliance.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A text for the serious student of the art, September 30, 2003

By 

John A. Faulkner "signalsnatcher" (Sydney, NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Basement Bugger's Bible : The Professional's Guide to (Paperback)

This is the best book in this genre that you will read - not that there's much competition. The title sells the book a bit short because it actually covers a wide range of eavesdropping technology, not just small radio transmitters.

Despite the title there is nothing in this book that you could not find in any good text on electronics design or acoustic engineering; indeed that's what the professionals would be using. But for students who are bright but directionless "design a bug for the principal's office" is always a better motivator than "read chapter six and attempt the odd-numbered questions". For security professionals it defines the lower end of the threat spectrum - not what government agencies are using.

This book has many strong points. The author claims to have provided equipment for numerous police forces and his experience shows in his concentration on collecting good audio, so important for courtroom use. Unlike other texts in covering this topic the author has a good grounding in basic physics (eg: circuit noise) which puts this book streets ahead of any others.

Points well covered include: microphones including placement, reflectors and resonators; EQ curves; filtering; limiting; dynamic range and analogue techniques to dig out or improve weak audio. There are more advanced techniques in amplifier design and stabilization of high gain blocks than other texts cover.

Reflecting standard professional operating procedures where audio is often sent by carrier current, ultrasonics and infrared - all of which are well treated - there is little mention of RF bugs with only a few narrow band FM circuits shown. "Shifty" also mentions repeaters (something you don't read much about) and hardwire, techniques heavily used by government agencies. Some simple but well-tried wiretapping techniques are covered. Counter bugging gets coverage with some interesting circuits, such as a time domain reflectometer. The References should be titled Further Reading.

There are some disappointments: all these techniques are old - in fact they are standard procedures from the 1930s updated with modern components. That does not mean they are bad techniques, they are well-proven, but technology has moved on. There is nothing about tapping coax, Cat5 cable or optical fibre. The RF bug section mentions sub-carriers, double sideband, wideband FM and spread spectrum but gives no circuits. There is no mention of microwaves, digital modulation or scrambling, all standard 1960s techniques. There is nothing about video. "Shifty" even dismisses as laboratory curiosities technologies in use since the 1940s. The author's writing style is too idiosyncratic by half. I had to read it twice. Not good for someone who claims to be a journalist. His war stories, though, are entertaining.

Still, if you want a Further Eavesdropping 201 textbook, this is it. This book is not for beginners, even though "Shifty" provides some good tutorials (eg: circuit board design). If you have a background in electronics and want to be able to offer professional advice on privacy and security, read this. But for stalkers and wannabe spies - this is out of your league.

A word of caution here. Most governments have made illegal the construction, possession, distribution (by sale or otherwise), use or use of material obtained from eavesdropping devices except in special circumstances so you are advised to check your local laws if you want to do more than read this book.

On the other hand, successful prosecutions are rare and similar devices are openly advertised for sale. Detection of these devices is difficult. Any competent hobbyist could produce this equipment from readily available components or by disassembly of consumer items.

But before you go into business consider Shifty's advice. Whether your clients are cops, spies or gangsters, they are eavesdroppers and conspirators - they are inherently untrustworthy. They don't regard you as an electronic genius - you're just the hired help, some geek who is useful but expendable. Look after number one! The smartest player is often the one who does not join the game.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic!. THE best Electronic Reference manual I have read, January 8, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Basement Bugger's Bible : The Professional's Guide to (Paperback)

Without doubt, this book is definitely THE best Electronic surveillance Reference manual available, and is just about the most informative book I have ever had the pleasure to read. I say "Reference" because that is how I would define its contents - as a true reference, both theoretical & practical. From cover to cover, this book is packed with information regarding all aspects of analogue electronic surveillance, and includes detailed circuit diagrams (yes, with component values too!) of working examples throughout. Also included are sections on actual surveillance operations, along with a detailed "How to build bugs" section covering necessary construction techniques. Many of the circuits & techniques described can be applied in areas other than surveillance, but if it's surveillance information you're after, this book cuts through the chaff to give "hands-on" specific details which would be difficult, if not impossible to find elsewhere.

The text is written in a truly interesting style, and is a refreshing change from the usual monotonous reading of electronic textbooks. The author knows his stuff, and has obviously had many years of experience in constructing & implementing bugs & taps, the level of detail proving this beyond any doubt. A word of caution, it is aimed at the competent to advanced electronic hobbyist, and/or Electronic Engineer. Some sections may prove too in-depth for the novice, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone with no electronic knowledge at all. Far from being a criticism, this is a complement to the technical detail contained throughout - well worth the money!