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My Recollections Of The Early Days Of Radar.
By Derek Hall
In 1950 at the age of eighteen I joined the Royal Air Force. Like all young boys who had lived through the Second World War, I wanted to become a Spitfire Pilot. I failed the medical. In those days in order to become aircrew you had to have 20-20 vision and I didn't. As a sort of consolation and because I was prepared to sign on for 5yrs, I was offered the trade of Ground Radar Technician. Being a keen student of the Second World War, I knew the part that Radar had played in winning the Battle of |Britain, which was only 9yrs before, so I accepted. After eight weeks of basic training I found myself at the RAF's No2 Radio School, Yatesbury in Wiltshire. Here I spent the next few months training as a Ground Radar Technician, at the end of which came the greatest disappointment of my 5yrs in the Royal Air Force. It was the custom in those days, that towards the end of the training period, to put a notice on the school notice board, asking the trainees to express a preference as to what type of posting they would like upon completion of the course. The result of which was duly posted. The intake that I was in consisted of two 5yr regulars, myself and another airman, who had both requested an overseas posting. The other 30 airmen, all being 18 month National Servicemen had all requested Home Postings. Some officer, at RAF records, with a perverse sense of humor, decided that the two regulars should stay at Yatesbury and the 30 National Servicemen should all go to the Far East! Early Radar, "Chain Home" with it's 360ft towers could only give a rough direction and range of up to 60 miles. The second generation of radar "Chain Home Low" with it's stacked bays of center fed half wave dipoles was the real workhorse of early radar. These units with their revolving antenna gantries were able to send and received signals in any direction on a continual basis. However, with less than 5yrs from the end of WW2 even this equipment was now obsolete. Meter Search had now progressed to Centimeter Search. Both terms referring to the wavelength of the Radio Frequency. These new versions of radar had a longer range and where smaller and thus more portable. My first job at Yatesbury, upon completion of my course, was to take part in what was laughingly called a quarterly overhaul of the stations two Chain Home Low installations. Each consisting of a transmitter, receiver and two display units. Over the next 18months these two installations were completely stripped down and rebuilt from scratch, including new wiring looms for each piece of equipment. I learnt more about practical electronics during this time than I ever learnt on my initial Ground Radar Training Course. In my last few months of service, I found myself in charge of these two installations, firing them up daily and occasionally demonstrating to visiting NATO air force officers, how radar had won the Battle of Britain. Today, the only sign that more than 5000 men were once stationed at RAF Yatesbury, is one solitary building, the gymnasium. The rest has reverted back to farmland. |
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Your account reminded me of one of Arthur C Clarke's less well-known books, Glide Path. One takes radar for granted these days, like many technologies, without realising what a hellishly complicated setup it requires. Quite amazing that you managed to put it all together after breaking it up!
 | | nick Apr 21, 2009 10:01 | |
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