When I was a kid, the Spy Tech toys from Tyco came out in 1989.

And this collection of items gave kids the power to collect fingerprints, use walkie talkies. take pictures with a camera hidden in a candy box, observe around corners with a periscope, listen in conversations with a long range of microphones, observe events from afar unnoticed through a pair of binoculars, and so much more.

These toys- if you can call them that as they were pretty sophisticated and actually worked- were designed to invoke the classic yet updated items spies used for surveillance and intelligence gathering throughout the Cold War.

This line of toys inspired a whole generation, including me, and introduced us to the world of tradecraft, espionage, and intelligence at a very young age.

You see, it wasn't just that these toys came with things like working fingerprint kits, long range microphones, or walkie -talkies...these toys  also came with their own instruction manual.

In addition to the instructions on how to operate and use the device it came with, the topics covered in each booklet also delved into what reads like spying 101 at the CIA spy college.

And this instruction manual was printed out in a small booklet with some holes pre -punched along the spine to place into a binder.

Every toy also came with a Manila Folder style booklet that was really just an advertisement for all of these products featured together in one collection.

However, at the very back of this little booklet you could cut out a coupon and mail it in along with a check or money order for $3 and receive your official Spy Tech Training Binder and Manual.

This additional binder allowed one to collect, organize, and place all of their instruction booklets in one in one convenient location.

I found this booklet recently going through some old stuff in my parents garage.

Not only did it bring back some memories, but it also made me think about just how powerful and expansive these intelligence agencies are in today's world.

I juxtaposed the information in these little books and the mission these gadgets allowed kids to do with what we know these days about how the world's intelligence agencies are able to collect data on our lives through our phones and communications.

I thought it would be fun to start a series based on these little booklets, going through each one, sharing the information they taught.

And so we are introducing the Spy Tech series.

A series dedicated to teaching the basics of espionage, intelligence and covert operations in urban environments through these toys and their instruction manuals.

We hope you enjoy the nostalgia and thought-provoking nature of this content.

The Spy Tech Binder

Knowledge is power.

That is the essence of spying.

With each piece of SpyTech equipment you get a manual full of information about the art and science of spying.

Put them together in your SpyTech Binder and learn the lessons in them.

That knowledge will give you power.

What is a spy?

It is said a spy lives to know not to be known.

The purpose of a spy is to gather information and to do that he must keep his identity secret.

A spy may operate alone or as part of a group or spy ring.

The spy who operates alone has the advantage of secrecy but the spy ring can handle more difficult assignments.

It can also take advantage of the different skills of its members.

Some of whom may be better at certain types of mission than others.

What kind of spy are you?

Whatever your size, personality and talents you can be a good spy.

You just have to learn to use your natural abilities.

Here are some different personality types.

See if one or more fits you.

List your abilities in your personal dossier file included in this manual.

• Actor: able to play a role, expert in disguise, can imitate voices.
• Artist: can draw maps and sketch likenesses of suspects.
• Athlete: good runner, swimmer, climber, and jumper.
• Big guy: useful in situations where strength is needed.
• Bilingual: speaks another language besides English, may be vital on certain missions.
• Brain: likes to study and read books, knows a lot about a lot of things, good memory.
• Diplomat: gets along with everybody, can get people to open up and reveal information.
• Hobbyist: has a useful hobby, for example, magic, ventriloquism, ham radio, photography, knot-tying, word games, codes.
• Invisible man: no one seems to notice this guy. He can sit in the corner of a room and watch everything unnoticed.
• Leader: people look to him for authority. Cool in a crisis. Has good judgment and is decisive. Fair in a treatment of others. Does not play favorites or hold grudges. Knows how to get the most out of his team members.
• Scientist: knows how to operate computers. Good with electronic devices. Keen observation and attention to detail.
• Small guy: can get into areas no one else could. Can hide in places no one else would believe.
• Tracker: expert woodsman. Can track quarry through the woods. Move silently and blends into the background.

Code names.

For security purposes, members of the spy range should call each other by code names when on a mission.

Sample code names:

• Hawk.
• Eagle eye.
• Iceman.
• Grizzly.
• Rock.
• Tiger.
• Hammer.
• Rapper.
• Shadow one.
• Hightop.
• Dragon.
• Ghost.
• Goblin.
• Ace.
• Seeker.

Secret signals.

Your spy group should have secret signals to use in emergencies.

They can be used without arousing the suspicions of outsiders.

Invent more if you need them.

Hand signs of the hearing impaired.

Deaf and hearing impaired people use an alphabet.

A bit of hand signs to spell out words and sentences.

It is a very useful. a language for agents to know as it allows them to communicate silently.

Morse code.

Morse code can be used in many different ways.

You can send it with light, with a flashlight or a signal mirror, or by turning on and off the lights in a room.

You can send it with sound by whistling or with a horn or buzzer.

You can even send a message by blinking your eyes in Morse code.

You can communicate with someone in the next room by tapping on the wall in Morse code.

In Morse code, a dot stands for a short signal and a dash for a long one.

A dot should be held for a count of one, a dash for a count of three.

Be careful not to run your words or sentences together.

Allow a count of three between separate letters and a count of five between separate words.

A chart of Morse Code.

Surveillance reports.

When you're playing spy games, you may want to fill out a report of your surveillance.

Here's what an official surveillance report looks like:

Surveillance report.

Agent's name, Red Dog.

Target, Spider HQ.

Date, May 2nd.

Surveillance began at 7 .30 a .m.

Surveillance ended at 9 .14 a .m.

Type of surveillance. Fixed.

Report.

7:30 a .m. I arrived in the area of Spider headquarters. This is a tool shed at the end of Smith's backyard. Located at 321 Maple Street. I took up a concealed position about 50 feet from the headquarters and observed through my spy tech periscope.

7:50. Bob Smith, leader of Spider, walked out of his back door and entered Spider headquarters.

8:12, Jennifer Smith, younger sister of Bob, left house and knocked on headquarters door. Was the night entry.

8:20. Boy approached the headquarters and was admitted. Identified him through my spy tech binoculars as Jack Wilson, a known Spider agent.

8:25. Two unidentified boys approached the headquarters. Boy one was of average height and build with short brown hair. He wore red and blue sweatshirt, blue jeans and running shoes. He carried a yellow shopping bag. Boy number two was short. And heavy with curly black hair. They wore blue t -shirt, gray sweatpants, and high top sneakers. I secretly photographed them with my spy tech camera. They were admitted to the spider headquarters.

8:47 heard suspicious noise in nearby bush using my spy tech long range microphone identified it as a squirrel rustling in dry leaves.

9:07. The four agents left the headquarters. Bob Smith held a spy tech intruder alert and spy tech fingerprint kit. All were wearing spy tech walkie talkies. They walked north on Maple Street.

9:14 AM. No further activity observed at spider headquarters, so I entered surveillance.

Comments: It appears that spider is planning an operation. All agents are advised to exercise extra caution.

Surveillance report form.

Here's a sample surveillance form for you to use.

Be sure to list the date.

Be sure to list the time of day along with your description of activities you have observed.

Save any conclusions for the comments section.

SpyTech Equipment Checklist

• Fingerprint Kit
• Binoculars
• Periscope
• Long Range Microphone
• Intruder Alert
• Camera
• Vest
• Walkie Talkies

Dossier.

Each member of aspiring should have the dossier, a file that lists important personal information about him.

You will also want to fill out a dossier on targets and places.

SpyTech Language

This time we focus on the alphabet soup of World Intelligence Agencies.

CIA: Central Intelligence Agency, America's Agency for Gathering and Studying Information about Foreign Countries and Conducting Secret Operations Outside of the United States. Also known as the Company.

FBI: the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI investigates foreign spies operating in the United States in addition to its crime fighting function.

KGB: Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti, the Soviet Committee for the State Security. It is the world's largest spy organization. It was both inside outside of the USSR.

MI6: the British Secret Service, home of James Bond, the world's most famous secret agent.

Mossad: the Israeli Intelligence Agency. It is considered one of the world's most effective.

NSA: the National Security Agency. It specializes in code -breaking and in intercepting and analyzing radio communications. It is America's largest and most secret intelligence service. The joke is that the NSA stands for Never Say Anything.

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