AN INSIDE LOOK AT HEAVY RADAR
by R.J.BARTON
AUGUST 1974
INTRODUCTION
The first three chapters of this history trace the Decca involvement in heavy radar from the very beginning. They describe how rapidly they expanded and how this expansion led to the building of a factory at Cowes in the early sixties.
The history then moves on to describe the growth and expansion of the Cowes site that followed upon the acquisition of the Decca Radar interests in 1965.
- Chapter One Early Days - the concept of Radar
- Chapter Two The 'Two Teds' - the beginning of the Decca Radar Company
- Chapter Three On to Cowes and the Decca Era
- Four After the takeover - the growth under Plessey
GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
- Tx/Rx Transmitter/Receiver
- M.T.I. Moving Target Indicator
- C.A.A. Civil Aviation Authority Prefixes
- LC Low Cover Radar
- MR Marine Radar
- ACR Airfield Control Radar
- AWS Air Warning Surveillance Radar
- AR Air Surveillance Radar
- WF Windfinding Radar
- HF Heightfinding Radar
Frequency Bandwidths
- L - band 1000 - 2000 MHz
- S - band 2000 - 4000 MHz
- C - band 4000 - 8000 MHz
- X - band 8 - 12.5 GHz
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This history results from considerable private research and a series of informal interviews held with various members of staff of the Cowes site. The enthusiastic help of the many staff involved cannot go unrecognised : but while it would be impossible to mention all of these it would be equally impossible to pass without mentioning the special contributions of a few.
Alphebetical order:
- Mr. P. Bradsell
- Mr. D. Brooks
- Mr. R. Fielder
- Mr. J. Godeck
- Mr. D. Morris
- Mr. F. Penfold
- Mr. H. Symons
- Mr. R. Wootton
- Miss D. Guard (Typist)
- The Photographic Department