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Analog April 1969 |
(Cover Kelly Freas)
Letter in the Analog Brass Tacks Section
Dear John,
This will amuse you.
Rather too many years ago, when I was running to New York during the Second
World War you talked to me about what was then a fascinating novelty—radar.
You found it amusing that one of the most important components-—the
wave guide—was plumber’s work, not that of a highly qualified
electronics technician. Somehow that little piece of information stuck
in my memory.
A few days ago, in Burnie, Tasmania, my highly qualified young gentlemen
were clambering around the platform between the Samson posts on which the
scanner is located, servicing the motor of same. One of them contrived
to clutch the wave guide and, a foot-long section came away in his hand.
(There was evidence of an old fracture, which would account for the faulty
performance of the equipment in the past.) There is no radar technician
in the port of Burnie, and, as the vessel was due to sail in a few hours,
there was alarm and despondency among my officers, who came with very long
faces to tell me the sad story.
I said, “Send for a plumber.”
“Send for a plumber, sir?”
“You heard me.”
The radar is now working really well.
A. BERTRAM CHANDLER