Decca 424 Airfield Radar
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It will be interesting to see how the non-NATS units get on when their legacy radar equipment is replaced by the likes of the ASR10...
I know I've been out of it for a while but it's just another primary radar. I worked a number of different radars throughout my operational days, most of which were spent with ANSPs other than NATS - each was different and had it's own strengths and weaknesses.
And, BTW, at one unit I was using far more capable kit than the nearest NATS-operated unit.
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Originally Posted by Mooncrest
Is anybody out there still using one of these ? Doubtful, I know, given the vintage technology.
Last edited by Talkdownman; 18th Feb 2016 at 08:04.
424
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Hello Gordon. Hope you're well.
Whilst I was never a member of your Leeds ATC squad, I am reasonably confident that SRAs weren't available for RW10. Yes for RW14 and 28 and when the 32 ILS was unserviceable.
The Watchman can manage 2 mile SRAs. I don't know about the capabilities of the newer offerings from Raytheon et al.
Whilst I was never a member of your Leeds ATC squad, I am reasonably confident that SRAs weren't available for RW10. Yes for RW14 and 28 and when the 32 ILS was unserviceable.
The Watchman can manage 2 mile SRAs. I don't know about the capabilities of the newer offerings from Raytheon et al.
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Decca 424 at Castle Donington
Interested to hear the old 424 radar at EMA is still around. I (and Peter Bentley from Decca) installed and calibrated it back in the early 60s. Happy memories of lots of glowing valves and the whine of the 400c/s (or Hz, as they would say nowadays!) generator.
Last edited by Ampex; 17th Feb 2016 at 13:20.
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(M) = Maris (U K) Ltd, ie. the company which refurbished the head and turning gear, and installed solid state electronics and flat screen daylight-viewing displays.
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How old IS the 424M at Lasham ? Must be at least fifty. The Watchman at LBA is now into its 26th year and has had the 4G proofing treatment. I l'll be amazed if it's still around in another 25 years though.
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It started life as a Decca 424, and dates from the early to mid-fifties, so it is around 60 years old. Story goes that Dan-Air procured in the early seventies from an ex-Navy source. Sadly the long and short range tubes gave up the ghost in 2013, and were disposed of along with the control panel, but the the head and turning gear remain. I understand that the head was tidied up and re-coated.
It gets the jets in...when it's not raining...
It gets the jets in...when it's not raining...
It started life as a Decca 424, and dates from the early to mid-fifties, so it is around 60 years old. Story goes that Dan-Air procured in the early seventies from an ex-Navy source. Sadly the long and short range tubes gave up the ghost in 2013, and were disposed of along with the control panel, but the the head and turning gear remain. I understand that the head was tidied up and re-coated.
It gets the jets in...when it's not raining...
It gets the jets in...when it's not raining...
A retired Farnborough controller (the late Byron Jones) actually did join Dan Air, (must've been about '81 'cos I remember him trying to cope with Farnborough's new SSR equipped displays and they weren't installed until '81), and operated the ARAA, along with LATCC retiree Des Middleton.