Happy 75th Anniversary to all RAF Fighter Controllers and ABMs
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
No idea when STANAG 1241 was first issued, but the first RAF radar to have synthetic track labeling on the PPI was the Radar Type 82 as used for Bloodhound Mark 1
Amazing what's on the t'internet...
The Decca Legacy - Chapter 12
Excellent link there ORAC, I’ve worked on a good wedge of the land based radars and display systems listed on the AD side. There are a few errors, like GL-161 in the 1980’s. GL-161 (aka Tinsmith) was operational with the RAF from the mid 1960s onwards with 1 ACC’s TPS-34 at Wattisham and was also installed at RAF Westen Hills in Malaysia around the same period. It was later installed at Cape Gata on Cyprus and also became the basis of the SLEWC at Neatishead in the early 1970's, using the same Elliot 920C computers (If memory serves, it also went in to Buchan, while Boulmer got something else that did the same thing). Project Konrad was for the German’s not the RAF and it most likely didn’t become operational until the Transistorized Radar Displays were in production which according to that page was in 1961. Thus The Type 82 would have been the first RAF radar with a synthetic labelled display (though the T82 data handling system was totally analogue). GL-161 was designed for deployable and overseas use as the planned system for UK use in the 1960's was to have been Linesman, which of course never became fully operational.
Last edited by MAINJAFAD; 12th Jun 2015 at 20:06.
Ecce Homo! Loquitur...
I was at Neatishead for my first tour in 75/76 and was later an FA at Buchan using the TPS-34. I remember looking in incredulity at the 64K ferrite core, and at how the system slowed when the track load got much above 70 and the track labels would visibly strobe as the update rate slowed. Oldest equipment I used was the T64 consoles at Bawdsey and later at Staxton Wold.
Can't remember the system name at Boulmer, but do remember the DPAVC* saga when it was found to be dropping plots due to buffer overflow - and the fight to change square aircraft responses to round.
Who needs a tracked display when you have a plotting table!! Just brief the Cpl to make sure every red plaque has a blue plaque with it regardless of the real world to keep the MC off your back. (And totally disbelieve the Saxa RAPDS plots positions when the QRA was bored holding waiting for Bear-Fs which were never going to penetrate and was "investigating" civil tracks)
* Digital plot to analogue video converter
ps. T64 on my tour at 280SU at Olympus as well of course, and on det at Magdalena in Malta. Ah, the days of Mullard sims...
Can't remember the system name at Boulmer, but do remember the DPAVC* saga when it was found to be dropping plots due to buffer overflow - and the fight to change square aircraft responses to round.
Who needs a tracked display when you have a plotting table!! Just brief the Cpl to make sure every red plaque has a blue plaque with it regardless of the real world to keep the MC off your back. (And totally disbelieve the Saxa RAPDS plots positions when the QRA was bored holding waiting for Bear-Fs which were never going to penetrate and was "investigating" civil tracks)
* Digital plot to analogue video converter
ps. T64 on my tour at 280SU at Olympus as well of course, and on det at Magdalena in Malta. Ah, the days of Mullard sims...
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CoffmanStarter ... Yeah, I can't remember what half of it was now! But by zooming on my original .jpg I can see ....
Top left was the electronic FL display, managed from the relevant console, giving Store #, FL, climb/descend/level. This enable you to see what your mate's aircraft was doing and hopefully avoid the need to coordinate with him! It also gave the Allocator a clear indication of how busy each console was, and whether more needed to be opened. Below that the Regional QNH and forecast winds at various FLs. Also a bit that currently says "Contrails At/Above FL 340
Centre panel was current USAF Base c/s, then LARS frequencies and active Danger Areas.
To the right, Initial Contact frequencies for a load of other Units and their SSR Codes, and Radar serviceability states. Airfield weather bottom right, for our Centralised Approach Control airfields.
All that managed by 2 Assistants [at the desk on the left], with their little ladder [on the right] and a large box of perspex numbers to be slotted into the rails on the Tote.
Legible .jpg available on request via PM
Top left was the electronic FL display, managed from the relevant console, giving Store #, FL, climb/descend/level. This enable you to see what your mate's aircraft was doing and hopefully avoid the need to coordinate with him! It also gave the Allocator a clear indication of how busy each console was, and whether more needed to be opened. Below that the Regional QNH and forecast winds at various FLs. Also a bit that currently says "Contrails At/Above FL 340
Centre panel was current USAF Base c/s, then LARS frequencies and active Danger Areas.
To the right, Initial Contact frequencies for a load of other Units and their SSR Codes, and Radar serviceability states. Airfield weather bottom right, for our Centralised Approach Control airfields.
All that managed by 2 Assistants [at the desk on the left], with their little ladder [on the right] and a large box of perspex numbers to be slotted into the rails on the Tote.
Legible .jpg available on request via PM
