BEEHIVE RADAR
 

For years I have watched the radar head by the Beehive at Gatwick going round and round, what does it do? I believe the Gatwick radar head is at Peaspottage.

Sorry, I am only a poor ignorant Pilot.

[ 22 December 2001: Message edited by: Only A Few More Seasons ]</p>

Only a few.. (same as me!)... the words "poor" and "pilot" are incorrect syntax!!!!

I'm sure that someone more knowledgeable than me will answer but I'd guess it's the Gatwick 10cm radar.. There are two at Heathrow as well - the 23cm on the tower just outside the tunnel and the 10cm which is on the airfield (although my dead brain won't bring up the exact location!!!) We can select either from the various operating positions at West Drayton Open Prison.

Have a good Crimble

[ 22 December 2001: Message edited by: HEATHROW DIRECTOR ]</p>

My understanding was that the "Beehive" radar was a 23cm head similar to those around the country. It was placed there for use by tels for training purposes early in the radar replacement programme, because the Telecommunications Engineering Establishment (TEE) is based adjacent to the Beehive.

btw, is it still called TEE? The way names change in NATS these days I'm never sure!!!

The radar at the Beehive, as far as I'm aware, is used by those Tels chaps for test and evaluation purposes, and has no link with LGW ops. (You'll often see the Beehive radar stationary)

We use the trusty Watchman (located southside opposite the old tower) or when thats out of service, the Peaspottage one.

Have a nice one.


<img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

Its the test/training/evaluation system at the engineering base. Now called Central Maintenance Unit, based at Spectrum House.

Yes, as noted the 23cm is used for test and maintenance purposes. There is also a Mode S radar at the back of the car park. Wonder where they will all end up when the site is relocated to the new NATS technical centre.... <img src="confused.gif" border="0">

Oh, and TEE vanished around 1996. The sites now called Spectrum House and houses a number of bits of NATS engineering including maintainance and the design authorities for all of NATS comms, surveillance and nav aid equipments <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

[ 24 December 2001: Message edited by: Never Lost ]</p>

There is a POEMS (Pre Operational Evaluation of Mode-S) radar that is located in the car park at Spectrum House. This radar is used, in conjunction with one at DERA, for the various Mode S trials that have been going on for the last 5+ years.

Not sure if this is near the 'Beehive' or not!

what kind of results are you getting from the Mode S trials? Does it work?

Yes, for those aircraft that are carrying and using the appropriate transponders, the Mode-S trials have been useful.

The UK is not going to be introducing Elementary Mode-S in 2003 as per the remainder of the Eurocontrol states, but is going straight to Enhanced Mode S in 2005. Mode S will be introduced into the Terminal Control environment initially. The prime driver to do so is a safety one, namely to use the Selected Altitude parameter to reduce the number of Level Busts that occur. Additionally Mode-S will provide 25ft height reporting intervals which will enable the STCA to be further refined. Not that TC needs STCA :)