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HF on Airfields
04 Jan 2012 19:59 #2
by 698
I'm certain you are correct about the T17.
Looking at an old photo, taken at Alconbury, there is a T17 that has a wire running from the fin along the fuselage to the nose (almost)
There was a big thing in the HAM radio world, back in the days when Rory Underwood was a celeb and based at Wyton, when they flew a T17 and operated on the HF amateur bands while airborne.
"Aeronautical Mobile" as it was called , at that time anyway, was a rare thing.
I think the in their day, the V force had to always monitor HF when in the air but I think there was a specific site, or maybe sites, for them where the transmitters and receivers were located and I guess these were 'connected' to High Wycombe or some such.
Transmitter and receiver sites are usually well away from one another especially if the transmitters are using high power.
I understand that those used in the 80's were 10 kilowatt.
I know the Herc's used to use HF to call Architect and I have just noticed on GE what may be old HF antenna bases on the western edge of Abingdon, perhaps these date back to it's days as a transport base.
Looking that the present antennas at Waddington they are quite close to buildings, some with quite exotic looking aerials on them, but they do look to be of quite light construction so perhaps are only for low power transmission or just reception ?
I can't believe they are man enough for anything else.
Its a fascinating subject anyway, and I will accept that HF at Rayneham was for the Canberra, until someone comes up who knows better
Replied by 698 on topic HF on Airfields
And back on the subject of HF on airfields! The only airfields I was at with HF in ops were Deci and Goose Bay. Some of the ex comms techs may be able to confirm this, but AFAIK because HF is so powerful the aerials have to be kept well away from people and also from RADARS and radio tranmitters. This may explain why even in wwii HF wasnt used on airfields.
And having had a think about thew Canberra the only mark I can think of that had may have had HF fitted was the T17 for its jamming role.
I'm certain you are correct about the T17.
Looking at an old photo, taken at Alconbury, there is a T17 that has a wire running from the fin along the fuselage to the nose (almost)
There was a big thing in the HAM radio world, back in the days when Rory Underwood was a celeb and based at Wyton, when they flew a T17 and operated on the HF amateur bands while airborne.
"Aeronautical Mobile" as it was called , at that time anyway, was a rare thing.
I think the in their day, the V force had to always monitor HF when in the air but I think there was a specific site, or maybe sites, for them where the transmitters and receivers were located and I guess these were 'connected' to High Wycombe or some such.
Transmitter and receiver sites are usually well away from one another especially if the transmitters are using high power.
I understand that those used in the 80's were 10 kilowatt.
I know the Herc's used to use HF to call Architect and I have just noticed on GE what may be old HF antenna bases on the western edge of Abingdon, perhaps these date back to it's days as a transport base.
Looking that the present antennas at Waddington they are quite close to buildings, some with quite exotic looking aerials on them, but they do look to be of quite light construction so perhaps are only for low power transmission or just reception ?
I can't believe they are man enough for anything else.
Its a fascinating subject anyway, and I will accept that HF at Rayneham was for the Canberra, until someone comes up who knows better
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