Project 572
&
VE8GY
William Barrie
VE3AAS
February, 2008
Doomsdqy Clock
Doomsday Clock
Doomsday Clock Chart
Created by atomic scientists to indicate the minutes
before we incur catastrophic destruction (midnight”)
- At 2 minutes to “midnight” in 1953 through 1960.
The Threat
• Russian long
range bombers
had been flying
over northern
Canada at will
The 1952 Summer Study
• A Summer Study group was assembled at
Lincoln Labs of MIT to consider
measures required for a defense against
the Soviet bomber threat.
• The existing Pine Tree Line could not
provide the six hour warning needed to
launch air defensive forces.
Project 572
ATT, Western Electric and the Bell System were
assigned the task. Project work began in 1952.
(At that time, Bell System included Bell Telephone
Company of Canada and Northern Electric)
This led to the largest and most difficult construction
project in history – what became known later as the
Distant Early Warning Line
The DEW Line would supplement the existing Pine
Tree Line, and the planned Mid-Canada Line
The Radar Lines as of 1953
• DEW Line (Lat 70 N) very early in planning
– would grow to 43 stations
• Mid Canada Line (Lat 55 N) early in planning
– would grow to 98 stations
• Pine Tree Line (Lat 50 N) partially completed
- would grow to 50 stations
Project 572 Objectives
 Construct an accessible prototype site at Streator, Ill for
equipment evaluation / training.
 Construct three Arctic radar sites - at Pt. Barrow,
Barter Island and Komakuk to form a 200 mile
prototype “Test Line” section of the future DEW Line.
 As part of the ongoing development process, evaluate
the Search Radar, Doppler Radar, lateral and rearward
VHF and UHF communication systems for future DEW
Line deployment.
 Evaluate the Sno Shu tracked vehicle and Otter
amphibious vehicle for future DEW line use
 Assess staff selection, level and training problems.
The “Test Line” Arctic Sites
Pt Barrow
Barter Island
Komakuk
VE3AAS in 1953
 I had spent World War II studying, teaching, and
working on Radar in the UK and the Far East
 By 1953 I had graduated from UWO in Radio
Physics and was working with Northern Electric in
Belleville under Bud Punchard VE3UD.
 Though I was working for a Bell System company, I
was unaware of the highly secure Project 572
activities at top levels in the Bell System and
Western Electric.
Come Into My Office Please
Wow!
Canadian Project 572 Contingent
 Several engineers chosen from Northern
Electric
 Several engineers chosen from various
Canadian telephone companies
 Some would not survive the rigorous
evaluation and training ahead
My “Briefing”
• More an interview to determine the
capability of the “volunteer” to survive a
year of Arctic isolation.
• The interviewer did not reveal much
about the project since security level
high.
Major Project 572 Challenges
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Harsh environment
Remote locations
Staffing
Radar
Rear and lateral communications
Cost
Security
These only became apparent to me over
time as the training program progressed.
Psychological Evaluation
• Shrink team from Northwest University Chicago
• Aptitude tests, ink blots
• Ability to survive alone
• Political - follow on from McCarthy era
• Some curiosity about Canadians
Several initial candidates did not make it
through this evaluation process and
training
Diesel Power Plant Training
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Key place of the electric power
Maintenance and repair
Fuel supply lines in frigid weather
Synchronization switching of main to
standby generator
Firefighting Training
 Practice sessions at Western Electric
Hawthorne plant, Chicago.
 Remember, an Arctic building fire leaves
you completely without shelter.
 Use of extinguishers and other
equipment.
First Aid Training
 First Aid as per American Red Cross
 No doctors or nurses at hand so --How to remove an appendix !!
 Frost bite treatment.
 Extreme care.
Arctic Survival Training
 Kit of blanket, shotgun (miniature),
water tablets, hardtack
 Beware weather, wind, blackout, ice
 Eskimo guide
 Never alone
Getting There
Yukon Alaska Tundra
Alaska Mountains
Welcome to Arctic Alaska
 Flew commercial into Fairbanks
 Flew charter into Barter Island, the more
advanced of the three “Test Line” sites as it had
sea-lift access and supplies went out from there.
 Lots of contractor people still building that site
 Joined a dozen or so on the electrical team - two
of us to focus on the Search Radar, others to
focus on VHF, UHF and Doppler
 Spent two months at Barter Island before going
on to Komakuk, Yukon to start over again there.
Our Objectives
The radar and telecommunications equipment,
antennas and towers had been unpacked and
installed by contractor people before our arrival,
under factory supervision.
 To calibrate and evaluate the equipment features
and suitability for future DEW Line deployment
 To use and report observations on other
equipment in use at our sites, including diesel
power plant, Sno Shu and Otter vehicles.
Site Functions
Reporting and Decisions
 Instead of formal reports there were
daily TTY exchanges in the form of
questions from Western Electric at West
Street, NYC and our answers
 Often questions came from Bell Labs and
the Western Electric Company plants
Environment
10 Months+ Winter
Very bitter cold
Drifting snow
Violent wind
2 Months Summer
Clouds of mosquitoes
Temporary Shelter
Sleeping Wannigan
Engineer Drowns at Komakuk
That tragic drowning left me alone on Search
Radar for the duration.
L Band Search Radar
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AN/TPS-1D (Tipsy One Dog)
Built by Western Electric
1220 – 1350 MHz, 500 KW, 4o H, 12o V
Used selected 5J26 magnetrons
Movable automatic alarm range rings.
Frequent Minimum Discernable Signal tests
Frequent VSWR tests
Frequent frost problems on feedlines
L Band Search Radar
VHF Equipment
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Lateral – FM 250W
Vertical – 100 KW Ionsospheric Scatter
Air/Ground – HF, VHF, UHF
LF Beacon – for non-precision
approaches to runway.
VHF
UHF & Doppler “Radar”
 Air/Ground
 AN/FRC-23 Doppler / McGill Fence
 “Intruders” detected by doppler shift of
received signal (not to be confused with
doppler search radar as used for weather)
UHF and Doppler
Vehicles
SNOW SHU
OTTER
Sno Shu and Otter
Completed Komakuk Site
Project 572 Test Results
• Extensive tests for future DEW Line
suitability had been done on the AN/TPS-1D
L-Band Search Radar using USAF aircraft
• High level of security prevented access to my
own test results
• TPS-1D L Band Search Radar: successful;
special features performed well
• Doppler Radar: much false triggering by
vehicles, animals, birds and vibration
• VHF and UHF Telecom: Some fading
Project 572 Test Results (cont’d)
 Otter Amphibious Vehicle: irrelevant for
DEW Line
 Snow Shu Vehicle: no suspension meant
much rider discomfort and significant
vehicle damage
 Ongoing improvements on various pieces of
radar and telecoms gear would be made
throughout the DEW Line operations phase
 AN/TPS-1D evolved into AN/FPS-19
Amenities
We had all the amenities of an isolated US
military base, provided by Uncle Sam
•Hunting equipment
•Model railroad
•Heathkits
•Music library, movie projector, games
•Photographic darkroom to develop & print
•Ham radio station
Amateur Radio VE8GY
Komakuk, Yukon
Transmitter: Collins KW-1
Receiver: Hammarlund SP-600
Antennas: Dipoles, V-Beam
Bands: 10, 11, 15, 20, 40, 80
Modes: Phone, CW, RTTY
VE8GY HIGH CLASS OPERATORS
VE8GY V-beam directed south
DX QSLs
Polar Net 14.195 6.30 pm
Field Day 1954 - Top Score for VE8
(See QST)
Unusual Events
Working Ice Island T3 on 80M
Prince Phillip on Polar Net in 1954
QSO with Aklavik on broadcast band
Herschel Island QSOs
The Great Globemaster Incident
MIDNIGHT SUN
Midnight Sun
Guide, Photographer,
Weatherman
Radio Inspector
Haircut
Sea Water Bath
Home Sweet Home