RDF to Radar - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ITAM805 · 5th Jan 2023, 4:18 pm

An interesting documentary from 1946 - here

HamishBoxer · 5th Jan 2023, 5:03 pm

Excellent, I have that on tape.

trh01uk · 5th Jan 2023, 5:40 pm

Thanks for sharing that. I wasn't aware of this film before.

Richard

chriswood1900 · 5th Jan 2023, 6:19 pm

What a fascinating piece of film, thank you bringing it to our attention.

Nymrod121 · 5th Jan 2023, 6:29 pm

Looks very interesting, thank you; I shall 'smartview' it on the telly later on ... once SWMBO has finished watching Midsomer Murders etc. etc. etc.
Best wishes
Guy

Radio Wrangler · 5th Jan 2023, 7:35 pm

Excellent indeed, and refreshingly free of needless dramatisation.

David

The Philpott · 5th Jan 2023, 9:06 pm

Thanks, I knew about some of this but not Moonshine, the enlarger of returns. Monica was a treacherous woman that tail gunners soon learnt to switch off. Some curious coastal village names came up on this which almost sounded like codes in themselves - Orby and Stenigot.

Dave

Nymrod121 · 28th Jan 2023, 10:30 pm

Dave (The Philpott): Stenigot still has one CH tower left - albeit missing the top cantilever platform:

https://earth.app.goo.gl/?apn=com.go...e_IeRZXlC-EADA

Arguably the next best example after the one at Marconi Research Laboratories - er, sorry, BAe Systems - at Great Baddow

Best wishes
Guy

Andrewausfa · 29th Jan 2023, 9:02 am

It wasn't that soon Dave, Monica was in service from 1943 and it wasn't until the Germans introduced the Siemens designed FuG 277 Flensburg in 1944 which homed in on Monica (and Mandrel) transmissions they realised there was an issue. There was a development of Monica to make it frequency hopping but evidently that was unsuccessful.

Andrew

The Philpott · 29th Jan 2023, 10:59 am

Thanks Andrew. I had also heard anecdotes of Monica being switched off by the gunner due to constant signals created by other allied bombers in the stream- (then presumably switched back on on the return journey)

Looks like there's a couple of (almost) subterranean control rooms in that google image Guy, i hope it's all listed (as is the Baddow tower)

Dave

PaulM · 29th Jan 2023, 1:23 pm

A very good - not dumbed down - account of the history. Excellent.

With regards to the Stenigot CH tower, yes, it's listed along with the transmitter block.

See: https://historicengland.org.uk/listi...-entry/1259301

Best regards,

Paul M

robinshack · 29th Jan 2023, 1:38 pm

Around 2011 we had a service visit to a NATS site at Trimingham on the East Coast of Norfolk. There was a very old, well maintained and impressive wooden tower supporting the aerials. I was told it dated back to WW2 radar days.
Google just states that the 200ft Chain Home tower was demolished years ago.
Rob

peter_scott · 30th Jan 2023, 2:53 pm

Very good! Thanks for posting. How I regret dismantling the H2S display I bought as a teenager.

Peter

5th Jan 2023, 4:18 pm	#1
ITAM805 Nonode Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Folkestone, Kent, UK. Posts: 2,109	RDF to Radar An interesting documentary from 1946 - here

5th Jan 2023, 5:03 pm	#2
HamishBoxer Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: W.Butterwick, near Doncaster UK. Posts: 8,714	Re: RDF to Radar Excellent, I have that on tape. __________________ G8JET BVWS Archivist and Member V.M.A.R.S

5th Jan 2023, 5:40 pm	#3
trh01uk Octode Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Ross-on-Wye, Herefordshire, UK. Posts: 1,468	Re: RDF to Radar Thanks for sharing that. I wasn't aware of this film before. Richard

5th Jan 2023, 6:19 pm	#4
chriswood1900 Octode Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Dorridge, West Midlands, UK. Posts: 1,328	Re: RDF to Radar What a fascinating piece of film, thank you bringing it to our attention. __________________ Chris Wood BVWS Member

5th Jan 2023, 6:29 pm	#5
Nymrod121 Octode Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 1,997	Re: RDF to Radar Looks very interesting, thank you; I shall 'smartview' it on the telly later on ... once SWMBO has finished watching Midsomer Murders etc. etc. etc. Best wishes Guy __________________ "My very dear sir ... you can write your own cheque!" (The Titfield Thunderbolt: 1953)

5th Jan 2023, 7:35 pm	#6
Radio Wrangler Moderator Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Fife, Scotland, UK. Posts: 21,137	Re: RDF to Radar Excellent indeed, and refreshingly free of needless dramatisation. David __________________ Can't afford the volcanic island yet, but the plans for my monorail and the goons' uniforms are done

5th Jan 2023, 9:06 pm	#7
The Philpott Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Colchester, Essex, UK. Posts: 3,691	Re: RDF to Radar Thanks, I knew about some of this but not Moonshine, the enlarger of returns. Monica was a treacherous woman that tail gunners soon learnt to switch off. Some curious coastal village names came up on this which almost sounded like codes in themselves - Orby and Stenigot. Dave

28th Jan 2023, 10:30 pm	#8
Nymrod121 Octode Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Worcestershire, UK. Posts: 1,997	Re: RDF to Radar Dave (The Philpott): Stenigot still has one CH tower left - albeit missing the top cantilever platform: https://earth.app.goo.gl/?apn=com.go...e_IeRZXlC-EADA Arguably the next best example after the one at Marconi Research Laboratories - er, sorry, BAe Systems - at Great Baddow Best wishes Guy __________________ "My very dear sir ... you can write your own cheque!" (The Titfield Thunderbolt: 1953)

29th Jan 2023, 9:02 am	#9
Andrewausfa Octode Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: St Ives, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 1,160	Re: RDF to Radar It wasn't that soon Dave, Monica was in service from 1943 and it wasn't until the Germans introduced the Siemens designed FuG 277 Flensburg in 1944 which homed in on Monica (and Mandrel) transmissions they realised there was an issue. There was a development of Monica to make it frequency hopping but evidently that was unsuccessful. Andrew __________________ Invisible airwaves crackle with life. Or they should do. BVWS Member

29th Jan 2023, 10:59 am	#10
The Philpott Dekatron Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Colchester, Essex, UK. Posts: 3,691	Re: RDF to Radar Thanks Andrew. I had also heard anecdotes of Monica being switched off by the gunner due to constant signals created by other allied bombers in the stream- (then presumably switched back on on the return journey) Looks like there's a couple of (almost) subterranean control rooms in that google image Guy, i hope it's all listed (as is the Baddow tower) Dave

29th Jan 2023, 1:23 pm	#11
PaulM Hexode Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Near Lincoln, UK. Posts: 420	Re: RDF to Radar A very good - not dumbed down - account of the history. Excellent. With regards to the Stenigot CH tower, yes, it's listed along with the transmitter block. See: https://historicengland.org.uk/listi...-entry/1259301 Best regards, Paul M

29th Jan 2023, 1:38 pm	#12
robinshack Nonode Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Spalding, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, UK. Posts: 2,358	Re: RDF to Radar Around 2011 we had a service visit to a NATS site at Trimingham on the East Coast of Norfolk. There was a very old, well maintained and impressive wooden tower supporting the aerials. I was told it dated back to WW2 radar days. Google just states that the 200ft Chain Home tower was demolished years ago. Rob __________________ I am also interested in and collect 00 model railway. My avatar is Bruiser, he has cauliflower ears!

30th Jan 2023, 2:53 pm	#13
peter_scott Dekatron Join Date: May 2003 Location: Edinburgh, UK. Posts: 3,216	Re: RDF to Radar Very good! Thanks for posting. How I regret dismantling the H2S display I bought as a teenager. Peter __________________ http://www.nostalgiatech.co.uk https://www.youtube.com/c/PeterScott/videos