Speedbird London - End of an era..
Not long after I joined BOAC in 1970 as Second Officer, Speedbird London got SSB.
We were sat on the ground at Trinidad one night and I asked the Captain if it was OK to try the system and give Speedbird London a call. We got the propagation charts out, dialled up the frequency and gave them a call. Strength 5 - absolute magic! Remember these were the days before SatCom.
It was always very comforting to be able to talk to Speedbird London when we were halfway round the world plying through a pitch black night trying to stay awake. Guys thanks for the excellent service!
We were sat on the ground at Trinidad one night and I asked the Captain if it was OK to try the system and give Speedbird London a call. We got the propagation charts out, dialled up the frequency and gave them a call. Strength 5 - absolute magic! Remember these were the days before SatCom.
It was always very comforting to be able to talk to Speedbird London when we were halfway round the world plying through a pitch black night trying to stay awake. Guys thanks for the excellent service!
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Thanks for your Replies.
Hello everyone. Many thanks for your replies. I’ll try to address most of the responses in this reply, if there are any more questions I’d be happy to answer them.
Interestingly, a lot, possibly the majority of calls were from flights in or over Africa – A few passengers didn’t think a credit card could be checked for validity at F/L 350 over the Sahara J - O yes they can!
Interestingly, in this era of Satcomms, HF has been thought of as largely redundant, it remains however a necessary back-up system - satellites don’t always do what is expected of them as I’m sure many of you long-haul folk could attest.
As for retirement, I haven’t and unfortunately I’m not. Not old enough or rich enough, our departure from SL was not optional.. The HF service is still required and this side of the Atlantic, Stockholm Radio is now the main provider, presumably for reasons of cost. They haven’t offered me a job yet - I’m not holding my breath……..
This for “FANTOM” in particular; you were not told? Mmm, interesting, I don’t know the terminology but in your orders of the day or NOTAMS or something, do you not get this sort of data as a routine? Maybe only certain routes? Don’t know. As for the special “white noise” your suspicions are correct; we would monitor the six HF freq’s simultaneously which at night with no extraneous noise was not too difficult, in TBA @ LHR during the day the engineers would often be testing engines – very trying even with double glazing, during in the summer however it was a little trying sometimes especially with static crashes from distant and local thunderstorms. I did campaign for DSP, (Digital Speech Processing), an inexpensive add-on which would have made a HUGE difference – (I’m a radio amateur, I know these things, see: http://www.bhi-ltd.co.uk/ ) all of my representations fell on conservative, deaf ears, “we’ve always done without it before” Apparently a squelch system is available for HF SSB, it opens based on syllable recognition, I’ve never seen or heard it in operation.
Stockholm Radio HF frequencies: 3494, 5541, 8930, 11345, 13342, 17916 and 23210Khz
The 3494Khz freq is qualified, “at night” and in this period of low sunspot activity you’d be hard pressed to get a reply on 17’s or 23’s even in the middle of the day.
I am moved and gratified that your replies indicate how much the service was appreciated, I can only hope that BA change their mind and ask us back – not likely - and/or that you will all receive the same level of service from the guys ‘n gals at Stockholm Radio.
Very best Regards to you all.
Interestingly, a lot, possibly the majority of calls were from flights in or over Africa – A few passengers didn’t think a credit card could be checked for validity at F/L 350 over the Sahara J - O yes they can!
Interestingly, in this era of Satcomms, HF has been thought of as largely redundant, it remains however a necessary back-up system - satellites don’t always do what is expected of them as I’m sure many of you long-haul folk could attest.
As for retirement, I haven’t and unfortunately I’m not. Not old enough or rich enough, our departure from SL was not optional.. The HF service is still required and this side of the Atlantic, Stockholm Radio is now the main provider, presumably for reasons of cost. They haven’t offered me a job yet - I’m not holding my breath……..
This for “FANTOM” in particular; you were not told? Mmm, interesting, I don’t know the terminology but in your orders of the day or NOTAMS or something, do you not get this sort of data as a routine? Maybe only certain routes? Don’t know. As for the special “white noise” your suspicions are correct; we would monitor the six HF freq’s simultaneously which at night with no extraneous noise was not too difficult, in TBA @ LHR during the day the engineers would often be testing engines – very trying even with double glazing, during in the summer however it was a little trying sometimes especially with static crashes from distant and local thunderstorms. I did campaign for DSP, (Digital Speech Processing), an inexpensive add-on which would have made a HUGE difference – (I’m a radio amateur, I know these things, see: http://www.bhi-ltd.co.uk/ ) all of my representations fell on conservative, deaf ears, “we’ve always done without it before” Apparently a squelch system is available for HF SSB, it opens based on syllable recognition, I’ve never seen or heard it in operation.
Stockholm Radio HF frequencies: 3494, 5541, 8930, 11345, 13342, 17916 and 23210Khz
The 3494Khz freq is qualified, “at night” and in this period of low sunspot activity you’d be hard pressed to get a reply on 17’s or 23’s even in the middle of the day.
I am moved and gratified that your replies indicate how much the service was appreciated, I can only hope that BA change their mind and ask us back – not likely - and/or that you will all receive the same level of service from the guys ‘n gals at Stockholm Radio.
Very best Regards to you all.
Last edited by Aerial-Bender; 9th Sep 2006 at 13:34. Reason: missing data - "Khz" after the numbers
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The wonderful "cut costs" ay!! Even us opposition ( in those good old days ) enjoyed the sense of "home" from those far flung lands once the speedbird london response came through. Thankyou all.
From the other end so to speak, I am a Maintrol Engineer and routinely take patches from ARINC JFK and SFO as well as Stockholm and until recently Speedbird.
There is no comparison, you guys were simply the best ! Thank you.
Hard not to say 73 at the end of the patch however !
There is no comparison, you guys were simply the best ! Thank you.
Hard not to say 73 at the end of the patch however !
Last edited by Wodrick; 9th Sep 2006 at 21:21. Reason: punctuation
I used Speedbird London whilst in the military. Always a solid backup for weather info when 'Architect' wasn't answering - which seemed like lot of the time.
Speedbirdbird sounded like they were next door while mil radio sounded like he was in the ****ter, head in the bowl, on the other side of the world, with WW3 going on in the background.
Speedbirdbird sounded like they were next door while mil radio sounded like he was in the ****ter, head in the bowl, on the other side of the world, with WW3 going on in the background.
I agree with MrB - mil HF was often appalling and, even when you did get through, you spoke to an idiot who had to get permission from a grown up to do anything useful. It was often easier to speak to the dead than it was to speak with Cyprus Flightwatch, for example. As for Artichoke, often I could see Bampton Castle sooner than I could get the buggers to answer......
Countless times I have battled with static and idiot military wireless answerers (I wouldn't call them controllers) - then given up and tried Speedbird London. An almost immediate answer and a superbly efficient service - thank you and your colleagues for such excellence over the years.
Why oh why are those Waterworld idiots doing away with the only good point there was about ba since Skippy killed Concorde?
Countless times I have battled with static and idiot military wireless answerers (I wouldn't call them controllers) - then given up and tried Speedbird London. An almost immediate answer and a superbly efficient service - thank you and your colleagues for such excellence over the years.
Why oh why are those Waterworld idiots doing away with the only good point there was about ba since Skippy killed Concorde?
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Speedbird London, RIP.
All those years ago in East African and BOAC/BA, "SPEEDBIRD LONDON" could always be relied on in the dead of night or heat of the day when you were stuck in some god forsaken place with a broken airplane. Crank up the GPU/APU and get patched through to almost anyone. Great service by great people, sorry to see you go.
Once got stuck in Khartoum in a coup and managed to get to the airport where a cooperative local army major let us crank up a GPU and use a Sudan Airways F27's HF to tell "SPEEDBIRD" where we were, and all was OK. This was after the W**k**S in the embassy refused to make a call for us?? And as usual the 'phone didn't work.
Thanks guys. We never met but always knew you were there when we were in need.
Speedbird 48.
Once got stuck in Khartoum in a coup and managed to get to the airport where a cooperative local army major let us crank up a GPU and use a Sudan Airways F27's HF to tell "SPEEDBIRD" where we were, and all was OK. This was after the W**k**S in the embassy refused to make a call for us?? And as usual the 'phone didn't work.
Thanks guys. We never met but always knew you were there when we were in need.
Speedbird 48.
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Had the pleasure of using Speedbird on the odd occassion from my ops at LGW, regretable that it wasnt the companies first option.
There was one lass at Speedbird who had a very recognisable voice, very clear and she was always helpful.
There was one lass at Speedbird who had a very recognisable voice, very clear and she was always helpful.
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Dog Tired
Thank you for the replies. Sorry to be late; just goddin from far-away Canada (and not having to use my HF much...).
Well, so you hear the noise as well. I presume you are all mad in that case; I can't stand it for more than five minutes.
We have all used Speedbird for important operational reasons. I had cause to use it for a far more important reason. Moving to the Middle East after the (first) Gulf war the 'phones in our apartments were not working and I was desperate to talk to my wife. On the way to somewhere-or-other, brilliant idea. Speedbird. It probably cost me a fortune (and the whole world heard it) but it was worth every penny.
Thank you all and good luck.
Well, so you hear the noise as well. I presume you are all mad in that case; I can't stand it for more than five minutes.
We have all used Speedbird for important operational reasons. I had cause to use it for a far more important reason. Moving to the Middle East after the (first) Gulf war the 'phones in our apartments were not working and I was desperate to talk to my wife. On the way to somewhere-or-other, brilliant idea. Speedbird. It probably cost me a fortune (and the whole world heard it) but it was worth every penny.
Thank you all and good luck.
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Just another number
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All the Best
A-B
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Aerial-Bender
I have enjoyed talking to you over the last 38 years. It was always comforting to hear your professional voice when sitting at a diversion airfield in some dark corner of the world. Your service during the first night of GW1 was invaluable. However the advent of reliable satcom is gradually making HF redundant. It is much easier to push a button and speak directly to ops, maintrol or medlink. We don't even speak to our Irish and Canadian friends over the Atlantic any more, just log on and the datalink does it all.
Thank you for all your help over the years. It was always nice to know that you were there for us. If you ever get round to writing that book, could I please be the first to buy one?
Airclues
I have enjoyed talking to you over the last 38 years. It was always comforting to hear your professional voice when sitting at a diversion airfield in some dark corner of the world. Your service during the first night of GW1 was invaluable. However the advent of reliable satcom is gradually making HF redundant. It is much easier to push a button and speak directly to ops, maintrol or medlink. We don't even speak to our Irish and Canadian friends over the Atlantic any more, just log on and the datalink does it all.
Thank you for all your help over the years. It was always nice to know that you were there for us. If you ever get round to writing that book, could I please be the first to buy one?
Airclues
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Cunning Artificer
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Originally Posted by Captain Airclues
Probably because most aircraft now have Satcom.
Probably because most aircraft now have Satcom.
As a maintenance man I also had the pleasure of using Speedbird on a few occasions. Thanks for all the help from you and your colleagues, Aerial-Bender and good luck to you all for the future.
