[ARC5] NAA Cutler, ME

[Glen Zook]

The TACAMO VLF radio systems that Collins Radio made for airborne communications with U.S. Navy submarines, had a "trailing wire antenna" several miles long!  Many times, before the system was really operational, there would be "snags" when reeling in the antenna so that the aircraft could land.  At that point, the antenna would have to be cut from the reel.  There are several hundred miles of this antenna wire at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico!

In the late 1960s, Collins had a 35 mm slide presentation on the TACAMO system.  One slide showed a disheveled "Heckle and Jeckle" (cartoon crows of the era) lamenting "there goes that damned wire again" (referring, of course, to the trailing wire TACAMO antenna).

The C-130 aircraft, with the TACAMO equipment aboard, would fly in circles approaching the end of the trailing wire antenna.
 
Glen, K9STH


Website:  http://k9sth.com



On Tuesday, November 26, 2013 10:03 PM, mac <w7qho at aol.com> wrote:
 
So, of course, full-size anenna elements not feasible.  The "modified"  
Goliath antenna at NSS used a 1200 ft central tower and a huge top  
loading array supported by adjacent towers.  This "top-hat" was  
reputed to weigh as much as a destroyer.

Dennis D.  W7QHO
Glendale, CA

**********
On Nov 26, 2013, at 5:55 PM, Kenneth G. Gordon wrote:

> It is particularly interesting that a 1/4 wave antenna at those VLF
> frequencies is about 2.5 KM tall. That is about 1.5 miles. Some
> antenna!

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