Old PPI radar at Lossiemouth?

I know a little about radar (the imaging kind), but next to nothing about PPI radar used by ATC ... so can anyone help me identify this PPI radar that used to be at Lossiemouth (centre of photo)? The date is 1970. I assume it was painted red and white?

Many thanks in advance.

Andy

Hello Airtrooper,

the radar in question was the S264, mainly found on FAA airfields. When I was there (86-88) it was green, probably repainted late 70s early 80s. The thing I recall most about it was having to get to the access hatch, unlock it and climb in between sweeps!!

Pete

I can just picture the scene now!

Many, many thanks Pete.

So, this is what we're looking at (below). Quite a monster! Does anyone know where I can find drawings/plans, so I can model it?

Thats the one, as you say bit of a monster!! The image in the hunter photo doesnt do its size justice.

Just had peek on GE, think the hunter is on the secondary runway looking NW, to what was the Jaguar OCU (226?) hanger.

Dont know whether the FAA museum at Yeovilton would keep records of ground radars, otherwise you could try Lossies station library.

Pete

From Flight 4 December 1959:

"Marconi's 50 cm radar sets combine all the features of the 10 and 25 cm types with outstanding reliability and freedom from the effects of weather and permanent echoes. The latest Type S264A is a 500 kW system developed from the equipment which has been used for some years at London Airport. Crystal-controlled, it can be used simultaneously for long-range surveillance for close control of aircraft within the terminal area, with either fixed-coil or moving-coil P.P.I, displays and video mapping if required. Display units developed for use with these installations offer the latest facilities for target marking, tracking and handover between consoles."

Photo from the same article:



Elsewhere on the web I found this Marconi S264H at Heathrow in the 60s:

You know, its been bugging me for ages... I knew I used to see on of these radars all the time... somewhere. When I saw the Heathrow one I thought that was it, but then I found this shot from Filton. This is the one!

Hi Andy,

I'd never seen or even heard of this type of radar until I was posted (exiled) to Lossiemouth! I remember it being a temperamental beastie so only the old sweats were trusted to work on it, us lowly sacs' did the fetching and carrying!!

Any joy getting hold of the plans for it?

Pete

Hi Pete,

Still no plans/drawings here, unfortunately.

Does anyone know of any kind of Marconi museum/archive?? I think I may need to find and contact such an organisation if I'm to find the details I'm looking for.

Here are links to more 264 pictures. The latter two are from Hack Green, where they are/were restoring one... which could be another source of info?!

Happy weekend

Andy

Airtrooper;37927 wrote:

... then I found this shot from Filton.

I think it's gone now - couldn't spot it in Bing Maps . Was certainly there a few years ago and could easily be seen from the B4056 - the hill which leads up to the airfield from Southmead.

It did about 8 rpm. I (and many other people) knew that as it produced a line and an accompanying buzz on your TV every 7.5 seconds-ish. This happened with every VCR which was in ground range of the radar. ( I was 3.5 miles away)

Solution was to retune the VCR from its default output channel 37. I guess about once every few hours some TV dealer in north Bristol (inc. Currys and Comet) would say to a customer, "Ah Sir - Filton Radar is the culprit".

Graham