Deployed from 38 Group (Tangmere) to RAF El Adem in late 1968 we had a 1 kilowatt transmitter to be used on the RAF Transport Command HF network. Initially we put up a whip aerial (long, vertical bit of wire) and managed to work Upavon, Cyprus, Nairobi, Gan and (just) Singapore. 24 hours later when the aerial riggers had erected an allegedly super-efficient Grainger aerial (several 30 ft masts and LOTS of wire) it replaced the whip aerial. We could raise Cyprus but that was it. Lots of tweaking and twiddling went on but for the next few weeks of the detachment we used the long, vertical bit of wire whilst the aerial riggers & techs played with the Grainger aerial.
Whilst erecting the Grainger aerial the aerial riggers had to excavate many, many holes for the posts that supported the many 30 ft masts. The newly issued Kango hammers (250V mains-driven, heavy industrial jobs) burnt out within a couple of hours and the old-style pickaxes were brought into play.