The website has become a fascinating mine of information on the U.K. Communications Networks, the U.K.W.M.O. and Royal Observer Corp, thanks entirely to the wonderful feedback of information and photographs from visitors since its inception in 2001. I wish to express my thanks to all those who have helped over the years and encourage others to share anything they know as this might be the little missing piece of the jigsaw needed to complete the full picture.
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Website Last Updated : 17-MAR-2019
| 17/03/2019 | Additional CCP numbers added for Ayr group. Photo added of 1st Generation ADOC control panel. Revised Quarterly testing of 2nd Gen, HANDEL, Quoting Carrier Control Card 1 Updated photos and text for ROC Warning Switchboard. |
| 13/03/2019 | Closure dates for EMSS, Backbone Radio and All Underground, from cabinet papers CAB134-5766, kindly provided by Dave McKay after visiting Kew. |
| 12/03/2019 | Two additional photographs of A.B.C. added to non Civil Defence Carrier Systems, WB1000 |
| 06/03/2019 | Two photos of old fixed survey radiation meter and simulator, supplied by Alistair McCann added to ROC Post Instrumentation |
| 20/02/2019 | Quality Improvement Reload, no new content added. |
| 06/11/2018 | Added WB1000 photos from Ryan White, Non Civil Defence Wire Broadcast |
| 30/10/2018 | Added page Emergency Power Supply, in Telecommunications buildings |
| 24/09/2018 | Added page All Underground Network |
| 23/09/2018 | Website layout completely revised |
| 04/06/2018 | Improved images of Maroon Trainer and PDRM82 ROC Post Instruments |
| 27/04/2018 | Added 4 Images to S+DX gallery. 2 Testers to WB400 page |
| 29/01/2018 | Proposed RN5 replacement Last Ditch Network HF Radio added to LDN Page |
2017 Eleven Updates
2016 Seven Updates
2015 Nine Updates
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Many of us signed the Official Secrets Act, this protected information for 30 years, so anything pre-1988 is now open. The National Archives in Kew, have files previously classified as Secret, open for public inspection. These form the basis for a number of pages on this website. The Freedom of Information Act, has opened younger files too.
A lot more has been discovered in the National Archives. But this topic needs a little more exploring. Clear photographs of the jack fields on any remaining basement switchboards or a list of their routes would be equally helpful. The incoming jacks usually repeat themselves every four or six appearances, so its not necessary to photograph the whole of the switchboard.
Have you worked on a transistorised 24-ch carrier system, where certain pairs were intercepted and amplified in manholes while the remaining pairs went inside the TRS. Some parts were upgraded to Digital with the EDL8.
GPO / BT people may not recognise this codeword for the network explained in the topic 'National Communications / All Underground', I suspect there is more to the network than shown on the map on that page, perhaps a missing leg to Shrewsbury - any ideas?
Do you remember any Carrier Control Area three digit numbers, as I'm trying to ascertain the numbering scheme. A few are listed in topic 'National Warning Scheme / Development of',
The A886's for WB1400 have PW numbers 103xxx, where xxx is the carrier area number, I am trying to find.
Diagram titles suggest there may have been WB400 CCP's without HANDEL phones, where were they and how did they receive the national warning message if not connected to the speaking clock ?
Colour photos of WB600 receiver external or internal sub boards to replace the B/W from BT Archives.
Do you know any ROC Group, Post Radios frequencies, using the ATE Countryman radio, in high-band before the move to 80 MHz.
Any pre-RN1 / RN2 era, VHF links for Home Defence / UKWMO, those shown as "Route Unknown" on Page: Core Communications Network / First Generation, expand the route diagram found toward bottom of page titled "UKWMO VHF Link Details and Frequencies". I have been supplied with two sets of personal notes / diagrams drawn by DTELs staff used to build this diagram. Do you have anything similar?
Any sketches or lists of links (however small an area covered) of the UHF home defence network between Regional Government HQ's and local authority emergency centres. Era prior to the introduction of RN1, possibly using Plessey valve operated multiplex - ATE800 / 900
Already showing RN1 network diagram but have next to nothing for RN2, so any tiny scrap of information in or around one county or RGHQ would aid understanding immensely. Aerial direction diagrams for masts would be useful too. Do you have any examples of the actual GHz frequencies of RN1 links to determine the channel spacing.
Still more to find out. Do you know of a location actually issued with the SSB125 radios. We now know the bands involved but not the actual Regional Frequencies used for training? A recently opened PRO file mentions RN5 as a replacement for the SSB125 radios. Did this ever roll out ?
There is a great shortage of information about all UKWMO communications in Scotland so even the smallest scrap would be helpful.
ROC Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) Annex G shows the English / Welsh / NI 80 MHz ROC Post frequencies for RN4, but the Scottish section is marked 'Details not Available'. I am still missing those 80MHz frequencies for Ayr and Edinburgh Groups.
We have none of the five Scottish groups frequencies used prior to the introduction of RN4, at a time when England and Wales were on VHF highband. Did they even have radios in posts before RN4, as we know that Belfast Group didn't.
UHF / Microwave links equivalent to the RN1 and RN2 in England & Wales, are any details of the network available.
I became interested in the UK Civil Defence for the Cold War, as a result of working as a engineer for 'Post Office Telephones' later privatised and renamed 'British Telecom'. Between 1978 and 1981 I maintained the early warning equipment and visited ROC posts in part of North Northamptonshire and South Leicestershire. At the time I never disclosed this information even to my closest friends. Now twenty-five years have passed since the Cold War ended the Internet provides a good medium to disseminate the details of these defunct systems.
I am always pleased to hear from visitors to the website whether or not you have anything to add to the topics discussed.
Contact Details for Steve Scanlon