Metz, France

1966 – Annex F to Historical Record
National Archives of Canada


ANNEX F TO HISTORICAL RECORD
1 AIR DIVISION HQ
For the period 1 Jan 66 to 31 Dec 66

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

PART I - PERSONNEL

Jan 66

Promotions

F/L RO Burns
F/L RA Stadel

Transfers In

W/C RH Carver to SOComm position Aug 66
F/O J Boyle to Comm 3 position Jul 66
Cpl P Hutchman to Comm 2, Oct 66

Transfers Out

W/C C Brunger to CFHQ eff Aug 66
F/O R Dossett to AAFCE eff Jun 66
Sgt H Bastock to Greenwood eff Sept 66
Cpl H Ritter to Winnipeg eff Jun 66

PART II - INSTALLATIONS

Jun 66

Transmitter Site. Negotiations with the French authorities for the use of Rocroi as a TX site continued for nearly two years without success. The project was dropped however with the planned move out of France. It is now planned to locate the high power transmitter in Germany at 4 Wing or Lahr after our move.

Jul 66

Grostenquin Beacon. Arrangements were made with the French to continue the use of the 2 Wing Beacon until the French installed a civil beacon adjacent to this one at the 2 Wing Site. It has been maintained by 601 Sqn and will be removed by 1 Apr 67.

Oct 66

Beacons at 3 & 4 Wings. Arrangements were made to replace the Lorenz Infrastructure beacons at 3 and 4 Wings. This was completed in Oct 66.

May - Dec 66

RAPCON. The 3 Wing RAPCON plagued the Division as a continuing problem throughout 1966. A team of experts from Canada assessed the problem and came up with a solution, which, in effect, is a replacement Radar in a better location. Interim sites were recommended which would provide slight improvements. It is now proposed to provide a replacement Radar that would operate from a remote site and cover the Air Division control area.

Jul 66

Microwave. The microwave system was reduced by several remote sites during the early part of the year. The sites at all the DOBs plus the relay at Sedan, Vilessart and Tiercolet were removed by the end of Jul thus reducing the system from 13 sites to 7, with a corresponding reduction in manpower and equipment requirements.

Oct 66

MSC 503 Convoy. The mobile communication convoys for each of the Wings were considered for disposal with the deletion of our DOBs. However, part of the total equipment has been kept for use at our new location in Germany until permanent communications facilities are available.

Jan 66

R&O VHF/FM Portable Radios. 3 Wing was made the R&O agency on 1 Jan 66 for all portables in the Air Division. An establishment increase of 1 Cpl was necessary to meet the new requirement.

Oct 66

Holdings of VHF/FM Portable Radios. An increase of 30 PRC503 portable radios for the Security nets at 3 and 4 Wings was approved and delivery made in the fall of 1966. Each Wing now has about 65 sets.

Sep 66

VHF/FM Mobile Radios. Each of 3 and 4 Wings received an increase of DT65 mobile radios which brought their holdings to 54 sets each.

1966

VHF/FM Fixed Radios. A programme to increase the number of DJ96 fixed radios within the Air Division was initiated in 1966 but remained unsettled at year's end.

Jul 66

VHF/AM Radios. All holdings of Pye AM radios were concentrated at 1 Wing during the year for eventual replacement by FM when the future of 1 Wing was decided.

PART III - ADMINISTRATION

Nov 66

Staff Designations. The old designation of Staff Officer Telecommunications gave way to the new designation of "Staff Officer Communications". Tel Main became Comm-2 and TelOps became Comm-3.

Apr 66

Distributing Authority. The DA Vault and office were moved from D'Ars Bunker to the basement of the Chateau.

Allied Communications Security Agency. SOComm attended the three meetings of ACSA held during the year as the Canadian representative.