[Milsurplus] Setchell-Carlson 591, AN/CRR-1, SCR-578 Rescue Radio

[C Whitaker]

de WB2CPN                          2005.11.30.1345Z

Somewhere in that time frame, 50's and 60's, the USAF
doctrine on recovering downed crews who had just bombed
the enemy to rubble changed from going up on to the ice cap
and picking them up, to leaving them there until the war was
over.  The idea was that we would destroy the enemy, and
the enemy would destroy us.  No need to go find the crews
because there wouldn't be anything for them to do now that
everything was gone.  The word to the crews was to dig in
and wait it out.  The "Doomsday" concept included a nationwide
network of high power AM transmitters in the LF band.  These
were to spread the word to anyone who had a LF receiver.  
Some of you ex-military types may know, on every significant
Air Base, (maybe every defense facility), there was a 2' diameter
concrete ball mounted on a small pedestal.  There was sensor
in that ball that was connected to Cheyenne Mountain via land
lines and related facilities.  If Cheyenne lost the signal, it was
assumed that the concrete ball had been destroyed by big blast.
Unclassified now, I suppose, but it sure wasn't when I did some
time in USAF Plans & Programs.  What I'm saying is that the
military I knew didn't always have to have a logical reason for
doing some of the things it did.  And some things must never
get into the newspapers.

Final gasp,  back then control towers had to actually monitor
the LF facilities, (Ranges and Beacons), (have a speaker on
and turned up),when an aircraft was actually on an approach.
Three of the little LF receivers could be stuck in a small panel
which would fit into a 19 1/2 rack.  Tower always had 28V.

73  Clete