8/10/2005: IED remote control
 

http://cellar.org/2005/iedremote.jpg

Michael Yon is my hero. Unlike most "journalists" sent to Iraq, Yon has repeatedly embedded himself with the hardest of hardass units in the very worst areas. Getting deep respect and honesty from the grunts because he is really there, really telling their stories, seeing the action live and documenting it as it happens.

Three months ago he shot one of the most remarkable images on IotD ever, the soldier comforting a dying Iraqi girl. Almost every dispatch since then has been positively edge-of-your-seat stuff, the true stories of military life in Iraq.

It's kind of politically neutral, because all Yon does is tell the full story. All sides will find points for their schools of thought. There are remarkable stories of heroism and remarkable stories of pain.

In his latest dispatch (warning, pretty long), called "Jungle Law" for what appears to be in effect in Mosul, he comes within mere seconds of being blown up. The guerillas' tactic: bury a massive bomb in the middle of the road, wait for forces to drive over it, and then blow it up via remote control. The above is such a control, clearly jury-rigged with whatever is available. And here's how you use it:

1) Re-install the AA batteries in the back, 2) Connect the 9-volt battery on the side. 3) Flip the black switch on the side. 4) Press #1 on the weird keypad. 5) Press #7.

When you press 7, the bomb explodes.

Read the full story to find out how they got those instructions.

Michael Yon's blog entry is so vivid and well written. It's worth the 5 minutes to read it all. I can't imagine being a reporter volunteering to be in that situation.

Hope he's around for more entries but you never know.

This guy has already gained my upmost respect!

That keypad is off of one of those little phones you can wear around the house on your belt. Pretty smart and simple way to make a remote.. not to say that I approve of its intended purpose

I don't understand why the 9 volt and extra key pad are added to the phone. Especially if they are close to the recieving phone. I could see the reciever needing extra power to detonate but why the sender? :confused:
edit= Yon is a damn fool....I'll send him a check.

Remote control what? How does it .. .. Oh wait, IED. Boy, I was way off.

Anyway, the 9V is for the dialer. They run off phone line voltage; I don't know what that is, but the 3V in radio probly isn't enough.

Awferchrisake. :smack: I thought it was a cell phone....Doh.
It's a Walkie-Talkie with a phone dialer added.
Hmmmm, wonder why they don't use a phone?
Afraid of wrong numbers?

probly too expensive to buy a new cell phone for each bomb. all they need for this setup is a cheap lil 2 way radio

2 walkie talkies or phones needed for each IED (can't type that without thinking of a uterus). phones are sold separately and are more expensive, need towers, service, etc. walkie talkies are sold in pairs, are cheap, and are relatively foolproof over short distances.


a scary fact of what is going on over there right now is that they are finally getting good at shaped charges. they are turning our reactive armor into a weapon against us at it blows inward.

OK, that makes sense, but why do the need a key pad? Send and recieve a code number for safety? :confused:
One more question and homeland security will be dropping by, I suppose.

IED is Chilling in its relative simplicity - even more so from perspective of recent/current events in London. The downside payment for readily/easily available technology.

I would hazard a quess at the keypad is nothing more than a tone generator. Which somehow triggers the device via the walkie-talkie at the bomb site. One could probably use voice but that would mean anyone talking on the same frquency could.. well you get the picture.

the set of radios I have have 22 different freqs to chose from. As few of these that are scattered about, sometimes someone keys up on the freq that I have chosen. (what are the odds of that?) Obviously pretty good. I guess the keypad gives the bomber the little something the other radio owners don't have. Otherwise he may become his own victim. Now THAT WOULD BE COOL.

According to the dispatch, these particular bombers did become their own victim.

Wretchard at Belmont Club speculates that wasn't just by chance:

Sorry to expose my military ignorance, but what does IED stand for?
(Snarky Cellar-type comments on my lack of knowledge are welcome.)

Improvised Explosive Device.. pretty much a cheap crude bomb made from whatever explosive materials these guys can find. Old artillery shells, land mines, RPG's, etc.

Ah - so the whole Iraqi / terrorist / Islamic / Afghani / Oklahoma City arsenal, basically.

Improvised Explosive Device as someone else said

Another one you will see is

VBIED - Vehicle Borne IED - aka "car bomb"

And yeah, I'm quite sure the Michael is seeing thing he is NOT talking about - it's called Operational Security, and if he does talk about them he 1)Puts his own life at risk, and 2)He won't be invited to a lot of the places he goes. You have to me amazed at what he does - he basically runs around AS a soldier, without being one, and exposes himself to the very same risks as the guys on the "cutting edge" :mg:

Yeah, the guy def. has my utmost respect

Motorola can't be happy about this.

He reminds me of the WW II and Viet Nam combat photographers. Shame there were no Blogs back the but they have written books. Somehow books don't have the almost realtime intimacy that a blog does. I'm betting on Scan Eagle or one of it's kin. I've seen footage of what they can see from the air at night and it's amazing.
The people on the ground have no idea it's up there watching everything they do while they think they are under the cover of darkness...everything. :mg:
Hello, young lovers, where ever you are...... :blush:

bruce, ever read "We were solders once and young?" by Joe Galloway and Lt. Gen. (ret.) Hal Moore? I saw the movie first then read the book. the movie and the book shook hands very well only with a few exceptions. A very good read. I highly recommend it.

Yes. :thumb:

I like seeing my tax dollars put to good use.

improvised explosive device,
In the millatary you shorten every thing ,
ever hear the word ASAP , as soon as possible

I got a nice "thank you" card from Michael Yon today. :)

Well done! All around!

I just read Michael's latest report from Mosul and WOW, is it amazing...

it's long, but worth every minute you spend:

http://michaelyon.blogspot.com/

Another trigger
 

Note the message on the screen.

From here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alx/9947474/