North Atlantic Radio System
Encyclopedia
The North Atlantic Radio System (NARS) was a chain of five tropospheric scatter
communication sites that stretched from Iceland
to RAF Fylingdales
, forming an extension of the Distant Early Warning Line
(DEW Line).
(USAF) during the early 1960s by Western Electric
(AT&T
), the sites were maintained under contract by ITT Federal Electric Corporation (now ITT Federal Services Corp.).
The NARS network relayed Air-Defence radar data from co-located radars at each site, sending and receiving data via large fixed billboard style antennae, which bounced their signals off the bottom of the Troposphere
, hence tropospheric scatter.
Although not a part of the (DEW Line), the NARS connected with the North American network at the common DYE-5/NARS 41 Site in Iceland
. It also provided connectivity for the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System
(BMEWS) site at RAF Fylingdales
.
Site 41 – Keflavik, Iceland
Site 42 – Höfn, Iceland
Site 43 – Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
Site 44 – RAF Mormond Hill
Site 46 – RAF Fylingdales
The NARS used AN/FRC-39A(V) transmitting and receiving equipment, manufactured by Radio Engineering Laboratories, which could be configured for 1kW, 10kW or 50kW power output depending on the range and/or quality of signal required. NARS sites were configured for 10kW output, with the exception of site 41 in both directions and site 42's connection to site 41. Each set consisted of two transmitters and four receivers, for redundancy and to boost signal to noise ratios, using vacuum tube technology which proved time consuming to maintain at high levels of efficiency.
Levels of service proved extremely variable with the effects of weather and finicky equipment frequently causing loss of connection. Improvements were gained through improved maintenance procedures but did not change significantly until the introduction of solid state technology, with the system able to transmit at 9.6kbps, (a very fast internet connection for that time), by the time the system was closed down in 1992 after 30 years of service.
With the advent of satellite communications the days of the Troposcatter networks were over, but NARS was closed down early due to the loss of the DYE-2 DEW Line station in 1988, severing the networks connection with the rest of the DEW line. Site 46 also had to close to make way for the new BMEWS Phased Array Radar at RAF Fylingdales
.
Tropospheric scatter
Tropospheric scatter is a method of transmitting and receiving microwave radio signals over considerable distances – often up to 300 km...
communication sites that stretched from Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
to RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales is a Royal Air Force station on Snod Hill in the North York Moors, England. Its motto is "Vigilamus" . It is a radar base and part of the United States-controlled Ballistic Missile Early Warning System...
, forming an extension of the Distant Early Warning Line
Distant Early Warning Line
The Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the North Coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska, in addition to the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland...
(DEW Line).
Development
Built for the United States Air ForceUnited States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) during the early 1960s by Western Electric
Western Electric
Western Electric Company was an American electrical engineering company, the manufacturing arm of AT&T from 1881 to 1995. It was the scene of a number of technological innovations and also some seminal developments in industrial management...
(AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
), the sites were maintained under contract by ITT Federal Electric Corporation (now ITT Federal Services Corp.).
The NARS network relayed Air-Defence radar data from co-located radars at each site, sending and receiving data via large fixed billboard style antennae, which bounced their signals off the bottom of the Troposphere
Troposphere
The troposphere is the lowest portion of Earth's atmosphere. It contains approximately 80% of the atmosphere's mass and 99% of its water vapor and aerosols....
, hence tropospheric scatter.
Although not a part of the (DEW Line), the NARS connected with the North American network at the common DYE-5/NARS 41 Site in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
. It also provided connectivity for the Ballistic Missile Early Warning System
Ballistic Missile Early Warning System
The United States Air Force Ballistic Missile Early Warning System was the first operational ballistic missile detection radar. The original system was built in 1959 and could provide long-range warning of a ballistic missile attack over the polar region of the Northern Hemisphere. They also...
(BMEWS) site at RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales is a Royal Air Force station on Snod Hill in the North York Moors, England. Its motto is "Vigilamus" . It is a radar base and part of the United States-controlled Ballistic Missile Early Warning System...
.
NARS sites
From 1960 the troposcatter sites were built as:-Site 41 – Keflavik, Iceland
- Co-located with DYE-5. Technically, western half of site was DYE-5, eastern half was NARS 41. Connecting with co-located USAF radar site H-1 at Rockville AS.
Site 42 – Höfn, Iceland
- Connecting with co-located USAF radar H-3 at Hofn ASHofn Air StationHofn Air Station is a closed United States Air Force General Surveillance Radar station. It is located east of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland. It was closed on 30 June 1992.-History:...
.
Site 43 – Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
- Connecting a co-located Royal Danish Air forceRoyal Danish Air ForceThe Royal Danish Air Force is the air force of Denmark with the capability to undertake homeland defense and homeland security roles as well international operations.-History:...
radar.
Site 44 – RAF Mormond Hill
- Near FraserburghFraserburghFraserburgh is a town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland with a population recorded in the 2001 Census at 12,454 and estimated at 12,630 in 2006. It lies at the extreme northeast corner of Aberdeenshire, around north of Aberdeen, and north of Peterhead...
, connecting the radar at RAF BuchanRAF BuchanRAF Buchan is a Royal Air Force station near Peterhead in Aberdeenshire. It has been there since 1952, although the domestic site in Boddam is now closed. Until 2005 it was also home of one of the two Control and Reporting Centres for the United Kingdom in the form of an impressive two story...
, co-located with an ACE HighACE HighACE High was a NATO communications system which dates back to 1956. The system was decommissioned in the late 1980s, and its frequencies reallocated for commercial radiotelephone service. The system was designed to be an L-band troposcatter radio system, which was meant to provide long-range...
troposcatter station as well as LOS micrwave links.
Site 46 – RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales is a Royal Air Force station on Snod Hill in the North York Moors, England. Its motto is "Vigilamus" . It is a radar base and part of the United States-controlled Ballistic Missile Early Warning System...
- Connecting the BMEWS radar.
The NARS used AN/FRC-39A(V) transmitting and receiving equipment, manufactured by Radio Engineering Laboratories, which could be configured for 1kW, 10kW or 50kW power output depending on the range and/or quality of signal required. NARS sites were configured for 10kW output, with the exception of site 41 in both directions and site 42's connection to site 41. Each set consisted of two transmitters and four receivers, for redundancy and to boost signal to noise ratios, using vacuum tube technology which proved time consuming to maintain at high levels of efficiency.
Levels of service proved extremely variable with the effects of weather and finicky equipment frequently causing loss of connection. Improvements were gained through improved maintenance procedures but did not change significantly until the introduction of solid state technology, with the system able to transmit at 9.6kbps, (a very fast internet connection for that time), by the time the system was closed down in 1992 after 30 years of service.
With the advent of satellite communications the days of the Troposcatter networks were over, but NARS was closed down early due to the loss of the DYE-2 DEW Line station in 1988, severing the networks connection with the rest of the DEW line. Site 46 also had to close to make way for the new BMEWS Phased Array Radar at RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales
RAF Fylingdales is a Royal Air Force station on Snod Hill in the North York Moors, England. Its motto is "Vigilamus" . It is a radar base and part of the United States-controlled Ballistic Missile Early Warning System...
.
See Also
- Radio propagationRadio propagationRadio propagation is the behavior of radio waves when they are transmitted, or propagated from one point on the Earth to another, or into various parts of the atmosphere...
- MicrowaveMicrowaveMicrowaves, a subset of radio waves, have wavelengths ranging from as long as one meter to as short as one millimeter, or equivalently, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz. This broad definition includes both UHF and EHF , and various sources use different boundaries...
- ACE HighACE HighACE High was a NATO communications system which dates back to 1956. The system was decommissioned in the late 1980s, and its frequencies reallocated for commercial radiotelephone service. The system was designed to be an L-band troposcatter radio system, which was meant to provide long-range...
- Cold war era NATO European troposcatter network - White Alice Communications SystemWhite Alice Communications SystemThe White Alice Communications System was a United States Air Force telecommunication link system constructed in Alaska during the cold war. It featured tropospheric scatter links and line-of-sight microwave radio links...
- Cold war era Alaskan tropospheric communications link - List of White Alice Communications System sites
- TV-FM DXTV-FM DXTV DX and FM DX is the active search for distant radio or television stations received during unusual atmospheric conditions. The term DX is an old telegraphic term meaning "long distance."...
- List of DEW Line Sites
- Distant Early Warning LineDistant Early Warning LineThe Distant Early Warning Line, also known as the DEW Line or Early Warning Line, was a system of radar stations in the far northern Arctic region of Canada, with additional stations along the North Coast and Aleutian Islands of Alaska, in addition to the Faroe Islands, Greenland, and Iceland...
External links
- http://www.northatlanticradiosystem.com/abtnars.htm
- http://www.northatlanticradiosystem.com/dic.htm
- http://www.northatlanticradiosystem.com/htr.htm
- http://www.northatlanticradiosystem.com/nat.htm
- http://www.northatlanticradiosystem.com/moh.htm
- http://www.northatlanticradiosystem.com/fyl.htm
- http://www.lswilson.ca/dewline.htm#H