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Brian Flynn GM8BJF. (Photos by Briain GM8PKL & Brian GM8BJF)
Brian Flynn GM8BJF and Briain Wilson GM8PKL made an expedition on Saturday 19th March 2016 to Telegraph Hill near Coldingham, Scottish Borders to check on reception there of the 3cm beacon GM8FFX/B which Brian had built and installed in May 2015 at the QTH of Graham Knight GM8FFX near Aberdeen. (Click for report). There is a completely clear 126km sea-path from Aberdeen and Brian was delighted but not surprised to find the beacon pounding in strongly at Telegraph Hill. He was also glad to find it was still bang on frequency!
Briain Wilson GM8PKL
Mind you, the path takes the 10GHz signal right over the top of the Torness nuclear power station
where maybe it is getting a little magical boost in signal strength?!
Telegraph Hill is also the location of a large wooden tower and a brick hut which look like the remains of a Chain Home radar station from WWII. (See below). The name Telegraph Hill is probably very old - dating from when it was used for a beacon (of the fire kind) in times of war.
Brian reported that the wooden parts of the tower were still in remarkably good condition,
but the steel bolts had rusted badly and some had snapped. He resisted the temptation
to set up his 10GHz listening station on the observation platform near the top of the 80ft tower.
This was among a number of broken bits found lying at the base of the tower.
Fortunately nothing more fell off while Briain was standing there!
Brian inside the hut - but no antique radio / radar 'goodies' found left there!
As to the origin of the wooden mast, Brian and Briain subsequently did a lot of on-line research which pointed to its likely use for CHL (Chain Home Low) or CHEL (Chain Home Extra Low) radar during WWII and the possibility that this might have continued into the 1950s with the threat from Russia during the Cold War.
Local amateur Jack McVicar GM8GEC contributed this description:
"Re the mast(s) down there, I seem to remember also that there were four of them, from WW2, and that eventually they were scheduled for demolition. However as TV appeared around the country on 405 lines from Kirk o' Shotts for Central Scotland, and as that area on the east coast got zero signal from Shotts, British Relay appeared on the scene. They had been 'relaying' sound radio, for a fee, around the houses, but obviously they realised the potential to do the same with the TV signal. They ran some tests and found they could get a signal from the TV Tx at Shotts with an aerial etc at the top of one of these masts. The masts were looked at, the best one selected and it was transferred to British Relay. They didn't have the choice from four because one had already collapsed; the one they chose was the 'best of three'. They used it for a good number of years until 625 line TV came along with a Tx at Craigkelly (across the Forth near Burntisland) plus various repeater stations, as required. British Relay then abandoned the site, which by this time had a local taxi firm's aerial on it, along with one of my Marconi farmer customers. I remember being there with George Burt GM3OXX et al when we were first running around with 10GHz gear; that must have been in the early / mid 70's. Anyway that's all I can add to info on the mast for now. Hope of some interest. I'm really surprised that the thing is still standing, I thought it would have collapsed from old age by now!"