Signal square

Just read through this interesting thread. Yes, PNK, pilots have been known to use a mobile after radio failure. A couple of years ago, a Cherokee that had recently taken off from Liverpool failed to reply when I transferred him to approach. Moments later he rang the tower and I was able to get him back in the circuit and clear him to land. Fortunately there was a gap in the usual easyJet and Ryanair movements so nobody got delayed to enable the Cherokee to get in. There are ways of establishing whether a pilot can receive but not transmit, SSR being one of them, but they weren't necessary that time.

The runway numbers are called QDM boards, only place I ever saw that used them was Gutersloh, it was on the grass by the visiting aircraft dispersal. And I dont really know why we used it to be honest.

QDM is the reciprocal of QTE plus or minus magnetic variation.

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RAF Lubeck's signal square.

I am going through all my old mags and found this picture in FlyPast, Feb 2004.

Thruxton. 25th July 2010.

All,

I am glad that I discovered this site and forum on the net. I would also like to say Hello to Brothmark and that we are trying to keep up the tradition of helping maintain Rougham airfield/tower. Me and a group of my workmates from RAF Mildenhall have been helping out at Rougham for a couple of years now. And I came upon this site in research on what to do with the signal square there. I am putting together different options for the tower group to choose from. I am posting up a picture of the current square taken from the tower, it is in a sad state but we are working to restore it. Thanks for all the information.

Bury St. Edmunds Rougham Aug 2010

Hello KiteDex,

welcome to the forum and hope you find the information you need on here, best wishes to yourself and your colleagues and many thanks for all your efforts.

Pete

Hi KiteDex,

I had a good look at the Rougham signals square at the weekend.
The square itself, other than a few patches of repair required around the brick edge capping, is in fair condition only needing a fresh coat of paint; black for the square and white on the edging.
The windsock staff appears to be where a centre pivot for the Landing T once was, there are a number of holes arranged around it which presumably correspond with the original runway headings.
The Red Signal square is intact and just needs repainting and the yellow diagonals making up and fitting.
I had a close look for any traces of the Dumbell, if it was a painted one it's possible it was in the left-hand panel in your photo above.

I'm afraid didn't have time to closely examine the adjacent recessed concrete plinth, especially as it was full of water, but that may be the base of the signals mast.

All the best,
PB

PB,

Thanks for the insights into the square. I think the plan, barring we come up with some money or source the bricks is to redo the edge capping, as the bricks underneath are totally shot from many years of weathering and frost, basically they just fall apart in your hand. As far as the plinth on the left, I have been told that was where the flares were stored.

Jeff