Coldblow Ace High Project ex MOD Relay Station - Kent- February 2012

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combat

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Coldblow Lane Kent Visited with wastelandwanderer recently, We believe that the WW2 left hand part of the building ( has a later RH extention/ addition in our photos) and existing wooden mast date from WW2, but are unsure of the WW2 usage for the building and mast( thanks to subbrit for the 1984 photo and historical information)
ACE HIGH is a tropospheric scatter/microwave link system which dates back to 1956, when SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe) developed a plan for an exclusive communications system which would comprise the minimum essential circuits of early warning and alert and implementation of the 'tripwire' retaliation strike plan. The network, comprised 49 tropospheric scatter links and 40 line-of-sight microwave links, extending from northern Norway and through central Europe to eastern Turkey. The system had 570 voice, 260 telegraph and 60 data circuits.

The principle of the tropospheric forward scatter system was to beam high-frequency signals against the troposphere (5 to 10 miles above the earth), pick up part of the reflected signal with highly sensitive receivers and beam it onward by the same means. This communications technique has many advantages. Its efficiency was not marred by atmospheric conditions; it had a computed circuit reliability of 99.9 per cent and signals could be transmitted in stages of from 50 to 250 miles. Reduction of the number of required relay stations through these longer stages also meant reduced operation and maintenance costs and personnel requirements.
With the development of new microwave at satellite communications technology in the 1980's, tropospheric scatter systems became redundant and the Ace High network was abandoned in the early 1990's
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Current MOD mast in background, foreground WW2 mast
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looking at the historical photo (last one in post) we believe this is the LH part of the building with the RH part a later addition.
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This is the foreground building , has some HV stuff as indicated by the various distribution boxes on the rear wall
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Int of main building , a repair room of some sort as indicated on the door marked 'service'
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A number of Telecoms 'marked test' boxes.
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The standby generator set house is behind , and out of reach was previously converted to a studio and believe this planning application outside refers to this area.
coldblowacehigh.jpg

The original phot0thanks to subbrit which weve made some conclusions from.
 
thats interesting its weird seeing them modern bt boxes with all that old junk - looks like you mooch for a while amongst that stuff!
 

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