"Radio Astronomy and Satellite

Communication, two N.J. first

Whenever we touches history, events of the past belong to the present
Electrical Engineer Luis A. Riesco, IEEE Life Senior Member
Consulted:
1. IRE Proceedings, yrs. 1932 & 1935 KG Jansky
2. My Brother KG Jansky an his discoveryyr. 1936 CM Jansky 94th meeting A.A.Soc.
3. NASA Science educational publications
4. INFOAGE Museum and Partners Ocean Monmouth Radio Club OMARC and IEEE
5. The Evolution of RADIO ASTRONOMY , J.S. Hey 1973 Science History Publications
6. IEEE CENTENIAL JOURNAL, NJ Coast Section , 9 March 1984
7. THE INVISIBLE UNIVERSE, The Story of Radio Astronomy, Gerrit L. Verschuur
8. HIGHER FREQUENCY TECHNIQUES, Departments of the Army and Air Force, 1952
9. IEEE AEROSPACE and ELECTRONIC SYSTEM MAGAZINE Vol.3 No.12, DEC. 1988
Copyrights by respective organizations and Ideas Unlimited, Corp. 10/7/2010
All copy rights reserved
1
Radiation from deep space detection PART 1
Radiation through space and back PART 2

We will recreate these New Jersey first into

the present in such a way that you will
understand how these science pioneers
handled basic communication and space
principles with hard work, determination and
ingenuity.
We will use decimal units as used in common practice.

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2
 RADIO and RADAR Radio Detection And Ranging
Basic foundation originated in Europe
Michael Faraday (1791-1867) Electric magnetic field around a conductor
James Clerk Maxwell (1831-1879) Mathematical model for electromagnetic waves propagation
Heinrich Hertz ( 1857-1894) Demonstrated the existence of electromagnetic waves
Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937) Built wireless apparatus and Patented in England
US patents for elementary wireless apparatus has been granted to a number of researchers
such as: Thomas A. Edison (1891) ; Oliver Joseph Lodge (1894); Nikola Tesla (1897) Worked at Edison Power
Station then Joined Westinghouse and then started his own company .
US Supreme Court overturned Marconis patent and in 1943 credited Tesla with the invention of Radio.
However Marconi excel as businessman and soon became a world radio communication monopoly with Marconis
Wireless Telegraph Company. Made demonstration to the British and US Navy and Transoceanic communication.

Initial wireless technology used the spark gap principle before Hertz to Tesla,
Marconi and others.
The history of radio shows that the spark gap transmitter was the product of many people,
often working in competition. Battery energy was transferred to a coil and a capacitor as a spark
jumped the space oscillates and discharged into an antenna that irradiates a radio signal.

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3
 The Circle as a Sine Wave Generator

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a5/ComplexSinInATimeAxe.gif
Circle radius r=1
Axes x,y and z=time
The 360 degree circle
Wavelength Lambda, measured between any two repetitive points, such as crests,
or repetitive zero crossing.
Propagation through free space occurs at a velocity of nearly 300,000
km/sec.
f is the frequency of oscillation in Hz/sec.
c the velocity of propagation of electromagnetic radiation in m/sec.
Then we have: c= f or m)=300/f(MHz)

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4
Electric and magnetic fields in an
Electromagnetic wave

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5
Electromagnetic Spectrum

Microwave Bands f (GHz) (cm)

L 30 15 12
S 15 - 7.5 2-4
C 7.5 - 3.75 4-8
X 3.75 - 2.4 8 - 12
K 2.4 - 0.75 12 - 40
These are ballpark values

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Electrical wave generation

The capacitor is fully charged and there is no current passing through the coil.
This situation is unstable and the capacitor spontaneously discharges via the
coil, creating a current in it which is linked with a magnetic field. The energy
stored in the capacitor (potential energy) is exchanged for the energy
associated with the magnetic field and flowing current (kinetic energy) in the
coil. In other words, the capacitor is the generator, and the coil is the load.
The current flowing in the coil is at a maximum and so is the associated
magnetic field. The capacitor is fully discharged. Unfortunately, because of this,
at this very moment the power supply fails. The situation is unstable. The
current flow ceases momentarily, the magnetic field gradually collapses, and a
current is induced in the coil, passes out of the coil and charges up the
capacitor. Kinetic energy is exchanged for potential energy, the above formula is
effectively written the other way around,
now the coil has become the generator and the capacitor has become the load.
Since the impedances of coil and capacitor are conjugate, the maximum power
is transferred from (transferred from, not consumed by!) one to the other at the
condition of resonance.
If there was no resistance in the circuit, this exchange or oscillation would
continue indefinitely because the current and voltage are out of phase in each
branch of the circuit and no power is consumed; the damping and decrement
would be zero and the Q infinite. Some how this circuit deliver the oscillation
and a Power Supply sustain the oscillation.

If the resistance in a tuned circuit is negligible, then the

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resonant frequency is given by the well-known formula: f=1/2Pi 7
RADAR Astronomy active observation
Radar astronomy is a technique of observing nearby
astronomical objects by reflecting microwaves off target
objects and analyzing the echoes. This research has been
conducted for four decades. Radar astronomy differs from
radio astronomy in that the latter is a passive observation and
the former an active one. Radar systems have been used for
a wide range of solar system studies. The radar transmission
may either be pulsed or continuous.
The strength of the radar return signal is proportional to the
inverse fourth-power of the distance. Upgraded facilities,
increased transceiver power, and improved apparatus have
increased observational opportunities.

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 Radar detection principles and uses
The speed of an object is measured by applying the Doppler
principle.
Object approaching the radar antenna, the frequency returned
signal
is greater than the frequency of the transmitted signal.
Object is receding from the radar antenna, the returned
frequency is less.
Primary uses is in air traffic control, where airports use radar
toObject is not moving
track airplanes relative
and for to the antenna,
navigational the return signal
and weather
will have the same
determination frequency as the transmitted signal.
purposes.
Military radar
Scientific detects
study of thethe enemy
solar and Used
system. guidefor
defense
basic orbit
weapons.
determinations measuring distance and speed versus time.
Rendering data into a radar image. These techniques can also
be applied from a spacecraft radar, flying past a solar system
object or in orbit, around the object. With this new area of
astronomy, hundreds of special bodies in the solar system have
been studied by radar to map out their surface, measure their
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distance from earth, and to follow their orbits that allows 9
present and future space travel landing and return
Lt. Col. John H. DeWitt, Signal
Corps Evans Signal Laboratory
Director. W4ERI
Born in Nashville, attended Vanderbilt
University Engineering School for two years.
Vanderbilt did not offer electrical
engineering, so DeWitt dropped out in order
to satisfy his interest in broadcasting and
amateur radio.
After building Nashville's first broadcasting
station, in 1929 DeWitt joined the Bell Labs
NY City, designing radio broadcasting
transmitters.He returned to Nashville in 1932
as Chief Engineer of radio station WSM.
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 State of the art and Project
On the night of 20 May 1940, using the receiver and 80-watt
transmitter configured for radio station WSM, DeWitt tried to
reflect 138-MHz (2-meter) radio waves off the Moon, but he
failed due to insufficient receiver sensitivity.
Intrigued by Karl Jansky's discovery of "cosmic noise," DeWitt
built a radio telescope and searched for radio signals from the
Milky Way.
190-120 BC Hipparchus from Alexandria trigonometry developer, made estimates of the solar system geometry.
He new earths radius was about 4000 miles and found the Moon distance to be about 60 radii.
240000 miles or 386,160 Km. Today depending of position of Moon orbit, between 360,000 and 405,000 Km
NASA. Taking the average 382,500 Km, for an earth diameter of 12 756.2/2= radius 6378.1 Km.
or 59.97 earth radii, a tolerable approximation for that time.

DeWitt then received a directive from the Chief Signal

Officer, the head of the Signal Corps, to develop radars
capable of detecting missiles coming from the Soviet Union.
No test missiles were available, so the Moon experiment
stood in their place DIANA was born. Abundant radar
surplus equipment and funds to achieve a goal he had 10/7/2010
long 11
cherished.
 Radar was developed by men who were familiar with the
ionospheric work.
using widely-known scientific technique, which explains why
the development of radar--took place simultaneously in
several different countries."
In September 1945, DeWitt assembled his team:
Dr. Harold D. Webb, Herbert P. Kauffman,
E. King Stodola, and Jack Mofenson.
Dr. Walter S. McAfee, in the Laboratory's
Theoretical Studies Group, calculated the
reflectivity coefficient of the Moon.
Members of the Antenna and Mechanical Design,
Research Section, and other Laboratory groups.

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 Basic equipment selection criteria
No attempt was made to design major components
specifically for the experiment. The selection of the
receiver, transmitter, and antenna was made from
equipment already on hand, including a special crystal-
controlled receiver and transmitter designed for the
Signal Corps by radio pioneer Edwin H. Armstrong.
Crystal control provided frequency stability, and the
apparatus provided the power and bandwidth needed.
The relative velocities of the Earth and the Moon caused
the return signal to differ from the transmitted signal by
as much as 300 Hz, a phenomenon known as Doppler
shift. The narrow-band receiver permitted tuning to the
exact radio frequency of the returning echo.

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 Anticipating receiver design criteria

As DeWitt later recalled:

"We realized that the moon echoes would
be very weak so we had to use a very
narrow receiver bandwidth to reduce
thermal noise to tolerable levels.
We had to tune the receiver each time for
a slightly different frequency from that
sent out because of the Doppler shift due
to the earth's rotation and the radial
velocity of the moon at the time."
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Shortly after V-J Day, Lt. Col. DeWitt issued instructions
to modify certain standard radar equipment for the moon
investigation.
Changes to allow us to send out a long pulse. The
transmitter was driven as hard as possible so we
could get considerably more power from it, and an
ordinary telegraph key was connected in the circuit
to turn it on and off.
It was decided that a one-second pulse every four
seconds would be satisfactory, so about ten minutes
before moonrise I started to key the transmitter, for
thirty minutes with no observable results.
After operating for about ten days, it became evident
that the TR system was not working satisfactorily
The TR tubes were not protecting the receiver from
the strong transmitted pulse.

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15
 Engineers from the Antenna
Design Section were called in.
J. Ruze, head of the section, and A. Kampinsky designed a
system using quarter-wave step-up transformers on the
250-ohm line with open spark gaps on the ends of the
quarter-wave TR and ATR.
But the gaps would not last because of the unusually bang
pulses, although normally they work very well on
conventional radar sets where the pulses are very short and
the average power is low.
The next step was to design a mechanical TR system using
an electro-mechanical keyer which bars on the transmission
line, the keying being arranged that the shorting bars would
have to be closed before the transmitter would go on.
But still we did not succeed in getting a response from the
moon.
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 Part of the solution
The head of the Research section of the Laboratory, E.
K. Stodola, W3IYF, Dr. Harold Webb and J. Mofensen,
now part of the moon-radar group, decided that:
If two antennas could be mounted side by side on the
same tower the additional 6 db. gain that, could be
realized in the two-way system would be an
advantage.
Engineers from the Mechanical Design Section were
consulted. Under the able direction of J. Zorowritz this
rather difficult feat was accomplished.
According to the reciprocity theorem, the transmitting and receiving
patterns of an antenna are identical at a given wavelength

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Now instead of 32 dipoles we had 64. The phasing
of the dipoles was done by F. Haacke, P. Hartman
and F. Elacker, ex. W2DMD.
During the time that the new antenna was being
assembled and installed it was decided to utilize the
narrowest band-pass possible in the receiver, to design
an electronic keyer and sweep generator in order to
operate a nine-inch cathode ray oscilloscope, and to
measure the receiver sensitivity.
Test results found that 0.04 micro volts would equal
the receiver noise, showing that the receiver was
many times more sensitive than our previous ham
receivers - although it should be noted that the band-
width used (about 50 cycles) is much too narrow for
voice communication (20 to 20,000 Hz)
At 2.7 m (111 Mhz) wavelength the antenna utilized
ground reflection in order to increase the gain of the
aerial beam, which was fixed at low elevation.

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Tentative wiring configuration as per site description. Ing Luis A. Riesco
NOTE: In 1971 the Army destroyed documentation and Camp Evans history went up in smoke InfoAge

Evidently a quick draft based on multiple dipoles

amateur radio antennas configuration
To my surprise one panel wired in the same fashion
HIGHER FREQUENCY TECHNIQUES, Page 117
Departments of the Army and Air Force, 1952
open

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19
 Antenna Pattern and Considerations
The fundamental characteristics of an antenna are its Gain and the half power
beamwidth (HPBW) angular separation between the half power points on the
antenna radiation pattern, where the gain is one half the maximum value.
For this antenna the beam width of the array is approximately 15 deg at the
half power point, with the first three lobes spaced approximately 3 deg in
elevation.
9. The SCR-270 in Japan page 11 Fig 85, shows the Expected vertical
coverage diagram For the 100 Kw Pk Pwr radar with a Westinghouse water
cooled WL-530 tube. The antenna pattern for the Final experimental version
was 500 KW Pk Pwr with two air cooled Triodes JAN6C21 using the same
antenna the only difference is the distance in miles. It was concluded that:
Since the diameter of the moon subtends roughly one half degree of arc, most
of the power transmitted does not illuminate the target, a serious waste of
power. The transmitter was driven as hard as possible to get considerably
more power from it, and reach the moon with the first lobe as instructed.

The rate of rise of the moon along its ecliptic is 1 degree of arc every 4
minutes, which allowed roughly 40 minutes of observation as the moon
intercepted the first three lobes of the antenna.
Bending effects path through the ionosphere exist, but no precise
measurement of this effect has yet been made.
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 How to reach the moon and detect a back signal
Free space radar equation #1
Basic formula for maximum distance at which a radar
set can detect targets as function of peak transmitter
power, radio frequency of the transmitted signal,
duration of the signal, receiver noise figure, and
target echoing area.
These constants, among others, are concisely
summarized in the:
Form #1

r is the radar range at which a signal may

be detected,
Pt is the transmitter power during the
pulse,
Go, the transmitting antenna power gain,
Ao the absorption area of the receiving
antenna,
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o the effective echoing area of the target, 21
 Theoretical Considerations
On the same basis as Pt. The power gain due to ground
reflections (not considered in the free space
equation)increases the range of the system by a factor of
2.
This is equivalent to a power gain of 12 db. In the case of
a target as large as the moon (2160 miles diameter),
calculations showed that in order to receive an echo from
the whole hemisphere of the moon at once, a pulse width
greater than 0.02 seconds was required.
This set a lower limit on the transmitter pulse width
which corresponds to an optimum bandwidth of 50 Hz for
the receiver.
Propagation studies indicated that electromagnetic
waves at a frequency of 110 Mz were capable of
penetrating the ionosphere, and because of availability of
equipment, a radar set operating at 111.5 Mz was chosen
http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/education/educ/radio/tran-rec/exerc/iono.htm
for the experiment.
The effect of Earths Upper Atmosphere on Radio Signal
Atmospheric Windows of EM radiations
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22
 Pr Minimum perceptible receiver power #2 and Noise Figure #3

Due to the relative velocities of the earth and the moon, the
returned signal may differ from the transmitted signal by 300 Hz
Doppler frequency shift.
In using a highly selective receiver whose final mixer is tuned
to receive the pre calculated frequency of an echo return from
the moon, the receiver rejects any signal returned at any other
frequency.
To reduce the noise contribution of the receiver, a high gain,
low noise figure preamplifier was connected between the
antenna and the receiver.
The minimum perceptible received power Pr #2
calculating NF
Form. #2 Form.
#3
E2/4R maximum available signal power at the receiver input
terminals in watts E is the signal voltage at the antenna
terminals. R is the effective impedance in ohms.
KTB is the maximum available noise power at the receiver input
K is Boltzman's constant, 1.37 X 10-23
joules per degree Kelvin. T 10/7/2010
temperature in degrees Kelvin, chosen, at 300 degrees
23
Antenna effective gain
For a one to one ratio Form # 3 gives signal power to noise
power of 1.48 X 10-18 watts, taking the effective noise figure
(NF)of the receiver as 7 db.

The best antenna available at this frequency was a 32

horizontal dipole array utilized by the SCR-271 early warning
radar.
Two of these arrays 64 dipoles were secured side by side and
mounted on a 30m (100 ft) tower.

Calculations show that the array had now a power gain of 152
times that of a single half wave dipole antenna.

Since the effective gain of a single dipole is 1.64 times that of

an isotropic radiator, the value of G is given as 1.64 X 152 or
power gain 250 times a single half wave dipole 10/7/2010
24
Receiving effective range

The absorption area A, of the receiving antenna is

calculated from substituting the value of G, previously
given, Ao = 522.1 X 10-7 square miles.

Substitution of these values in the free space radar

equation gave a maximum range of 573,500 miles

The effective range of the equipment was more than

twice that needed to receive echoes from the moon.

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25
Efective area of the target #3 Summarizing

The remaining constant to be determined before solving Eq.

1 is o
Calculations of the reflectivity coefficient made by Walter
McAfee of the Theoretical Studies Group, assuming zero
conductivity and a dielectric constant of six for the moon,
resulted in the figure 0.1766.
The effective echoing area is this figure multiplied by the
projected area of the moon, Pi d2/4 where d is the lunar
diameter. Thisrange
r is the radar gaveatan effective
which echoing
a signal may be area of 0.1766
detected 573,500 Mi
(2160) 2
(3.1416)/4
or 922716 Km or 647,000 square miles
Pt is the transmitter power during the pulse..30 Kw
Go, the transmitting antenna power gain 250

Ao the absorption area of the receiving antenna 522.1 X 10-7

square miles.
o the effective echoing area of the target. 647,000 square
miles
10/7/2010
Pr the power of a barely discernible signal..20 dB above thermal
noise
26
Maximum receiving range considerations

This calculation of the signal strength of the

returned echo checked closely with observations and
indicated that no appreciable attenuation occurs in
free space. 2

By adding the power gain due to ground reflection,

a further excess of power of 12 db or a range of
1,140,000 mi or1,843,460 Km.

Which meant that according to calculations, the

received signal should be about 20 db above
thermal noise.
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27
 When radio wave reaches the ionosphere

The electric field in the wave forces the electrons in the ionosphere
into
oscillation at the same frequency as the radio wave.

Some of the radio-frequency energy is given up to this resonant

oscillation.
The oscillating electrons will then either be lost to recombination or will
re-radiate the original wave energy.

Total refraction can occur when the collision frequency of the

ionosphere is less than the radio frequency, and if the electron density
in the ionosphere is great enough.

Critical frequency is the limiting frequency at or below which a radio

wave is reflected by an ionospheric layer at vertical incidence.

If the transmitted frequency is higher than the plasma frequency of the

ionosphere, then the electrons cannot respond fast enough, and they
are not able to re-radiate the signal. It is calculated as shown below:
where N = electron density per cm3 and fcritical is in MHz. 10/7/2010
28
 Frequency and angle considerations

The Maximum Usable Frequency (muf ) is defined as the

upper frequency limit that can be used for transmission
between two points at a specified time. where =
angle of attack, the angle of the wave relative to the horizon,
and sin is the sine function.

The cutoff frequency is the frequency below which a radio

wave fails to penetrate a layer of the ionosphere at the
incidence angle required for transmission between two
specified points by refraction from the layer.

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29
 Temperature profile a high altitudes

http://chemistry.about.com/library/weekly/bltempconvert.htm
Above 100 km is the thermosphere and ionosphere where the temperature increases from 200 K at 100 km to
500 K at 300 km.
Basically at the bottom it is 200K. At the top it is 500K. K is in Kelvin.
Celsius it would be -73 C to 227 C. K..Substract 273.15=Centigrade
Fahrenheit it would be -99.4 F to 440.6 FK
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30
 Summarizing all calculations
r is the radar range at which a signal may be detected 573,500 Mi or
922716 Km
Pt is the transmitter power during the pulse..30 Kw
Go, the transmitting antenna power gain 250
Ao the absorption area of the receiving antenna522.1 X 10-7
square miles.
o the effective echoing area of the target.647,000
square miles
Pr the power of a barely discernible signal..20 dB above
http://www.daycounter.com/Calculators/Decibels-Calculator.phtml
thermal noise

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31
 The "bedspring" mast antenna
The two antennas from SCR-271
stationary radars were
positioned side by side to form
a 64-dipole array aerial,
mounted on a 30m (100-ft)
tower.

Originally RCA design,

remarkable for BW and absence
of secondary lobes.

The antenna had only azimuth

control
It was impractical an equatorial
mechanism. No prevision has
been made to incline the
antenna in elevation.
Hence, experiments were
limited to the rising and setting
of the Moon.

This condition of observation

is the worst possible (due to 10/7/2010
the long path through the 32
 The Transmitter, Receiver, Keyer and Indicator
Transmitter Conventional: At 516.2 KHz x24x9= 111,5 MHz (MC)
Receiver Non conventional. Designed by Major E. H. Armstrong for another purpose selected, as met the
requirements of power and BW.
All the receiver is frequency controlled, with four mixer stages which heterodyne the radio frequency signal to of 180
cps. The first three injection frequency and the final radio frequency are derived from multiples common crystal
oscillator, a high degree of frequency stability is achieved in the system essential to permit tuning the highly selective
receiver to the frequency of the echo signal accomplished in the final heterodyne stage.

Keying: A low level multiplier stage conduct by driving its cathode negative for the duration of the
transmitted pulse .25 sec on every 4 sec Initially keying performed mechanically by a relay, but been
replaced by an electronic keyer controllable between 0.02 to 0.2 seconds

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33
Jack Mofenson, adjusts the position on the
transmission line of the waveform monitoring stub

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34
Equipment adjustment

10/7/2010
35
Lt. Col. John H. De Witt at the Power Transmitter Stage.

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36
Triode JAN6C21 Power Transmitter Stage

10/7/2010
37
Year New Moon First Quarter Full Moon Last Quarter

1946 Jan 3 12:30 P Jan 10 20:27 Jan 17 14:46 Jan 25 05:00

10/7/2010
http://www.moonconnection.com/moon_phases_calendar.phtml 38
The first echoes from the moon were received at moonrise on
January 10, 1946
11:48 A.M. they aimed the antenna at the horizon and began
transmitting. The first signals were detected at 11:58 A.M., and
the experiment was concluded at 12:09 P.M., when the Moon
moved out of the radar's range.

The modified radio receiver was an audible 180 cycle beat note
occurring 2.5 seconds after transmission. Although numerous
observations have been made, both at moonrise and moonset,
echo returns do not occur after every transmission.

The radio waves had taken about 2.5 seconds to travel from
Hearth to the Moon and back, a distance of over 800,000 km.

Camp Evans Audio, scroll down to Project Diana - Radar Makes Round
Trip to the Moon
http://njarcsite.sicaproductions.com/streamin
g/

10/7/2010
39
 Sociology in Diana Experiment 2
History on High officer to Subordinate relationship shows some cases that low level military in some
countries are not authorize to give directives to superior officers.

Pearl Harbor wrong data interpretation and faliure to verification shows:

The first wave of Japanese planes numbered more than 180. Although U.S. radar operators saw the
massive formation nearly a full hour before the attack began, they raised no alarm, because they mistook
the planes for a group of U.S. bombers expected to arrive from California around the same time.
This mistake happened in spite of the fact that the planes seen on the radar were coming from the wrong
direction and were much more numerous than the expected bomber fleet.

De Witt developed a team work in a Management by Design Objective environment.

Motivated his staff. In some cases they made test run experimentation with not failure report.
However he always was in control of the project. His instructions shows that driving hard the
equipment was able to considerably exceed the return radar pulse requirements. Calculations and
measurement trusted and verified. The signal transmission and moon eco reception met the project
objectives. After celebration, pictures, films and PR activity the team work continue until,
Some time later the Army, concluded however, that nothing of military use would come of this work
and ended the experiments.

At the Naval Research Laboratory, Mr. James H. Trexler saw that the moon reflections
might be useful in relaying military communications and got his project funded.

10/7/2010
40
Lt. Col. De Witts Experiment were of great influence on the later
development of Earth Moon Earth (EME) communications
Mr. Trexler's idea for a communications relay capability using the moon
Project Pamor (Passive Moon Relay) was funded by the Naval Security Group.

With NAVSECGRU funding, Trexler's development teams built a 60-foot-diameter

antenna (actually a reflector-shaped hole in the ground), at Stump Neck, Maryland,
and with NRL in-house funding proceeded to experiment with T&R of signals off the
moon.

1951- The feasibility study of using moon reflections communications was

successful

1954- On July 25th, using a 100-watt 220-megahertz communications transmitter,

NRL transmitted the first voice messages via the EME path.

1955- On November Transcontinental communications were demonstrated

teletyping messages from Washington DC to San Diego; two months later NRL
conducted transoceanic communications EME between Washington DC and Hawaii.

1956-The Chief of Naval Operations directed the establishment of the

Communication Moon Relay (CMR) system for transmission of teletype and
facsimile messages between Washington DC and Hawaii.Using 84-foot-diameter
dish antennas-one for transmitting, the other for receiving.

Transmitter at the U.S. Naval Radio Station, Annapolis, Maryland,

Receiver at Cheltenham, Maryland.
The Hawaiian facilities at Opana and Wahiawa on the island of Oahu.

10/7/2010
41
 Test results verification and predictions
1946 January 10th The experiment was daily repeated three days and eight days by
the end of the month.
1946 January 24-Until then The War Department withheld announcement of the
success. A press release explained:
"The Signal Corps was certain beyond doubt that the experiment was
successful and that the results achieved were pain-stakingly [sic] verified."
As DeWitt recounted years later: "We had trouble with General Van Deusen our head of
R&D in Washington. When my C.O. Col. Victor Conrad told him about it over the
telephone the General did not want the story released until it was confirmed by
outsiders for fear it would embarrass the Sig[nal]. C[orps].
Two outsiders from the Radiation Laboratory, George E. Valley, Jr. and Donald G. Fink,
arrived and, with Gen. Van Deusen, observed a moonrise test of the system carried out
under the direction of King Stodola. Nothing happened. DeWitt explained: "You can
imagine that at this point I was dying. Shortly a big truck passed by on the road next to
the equipment and immediately the echoes popped up.
Several years later, the Signal Corps erected a new 50-ft (15 meters) Diana antenna
I will always
108-MHz believefor
transmitter that one of theresearch,
ionospheric crystals was
lunarnot oscillating
echo studies until it was
and the shaken
tracking ofup
the
or there was
Apollo launches.a loose connection which fixed itself. Everyone cheered except the General
who tried to look pleased."
The implications of the Signal Corps experiment were grasped by the War Department,
although Newsweek cynically cast doubt on the War Department's predictions by calling
them worthy of Jules Verne.
Time reported that Diana might provide a test of Albert Einstein's Theory of Relativity.
In contrast to the typically up-beat mood of Life, both magazines were skeptical, and
END
rightly PART 10/7/2010
2 of the predictions made by the War Department, including the relativity
so; yet all
test, have come true in the manner of a Jules Verne novel. 42