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Adventures from the Coldest Part of the Cold War

Adventures from the Coldest Part of the Cold War. Brian Jeffrey – VE3UU. With special thanks to…. Doug Leach – VE3XK Bill Barrie – VE3AAS Brian Martin – VE3IX Marg & Don Heaslip – VE3EQE & VE3NJH Lorraine Jeffrey – XYL. Notice:.

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Adventures from the Coldest Part of the Cold War

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  1. Adventures from the Coldest Part of the Cold War Brian Jeffrey – VE3UU

  2. With special thanks to… • Doug Leach – VE3XK • Bill Barrie – VE3AAS • Brian Martin – VE3IX • Marg & Don Heaslip – VE3EQE & VE3NJH • Lorraine Jeffrey – XYL

  3. Notice: The following program deals with mature subject matter and contains scenes of nudity and coarse language. Viewer discretion is advised.

  4. Tonight’s program… • Why we’re here this evening • Non-technical • A series of short vignettes or stories • One person’s experiences on the DEWLine

  5. What is (was) the DEWLine? • DEW = Distant Early Warning Line • Chain of 54 manned early warning radar stations • Built between 1955 and 1957 • Operational in August 1957 • Morphed into the Northern Warning System in 1983 • Decommissioned by 1994

  6. Personal info… • Graduated from Ottawa Technical HS • Licensed as VE3EBF in 1957 • 1957-8: Electronic Materiels International • Hired by Harry Hayes (callsign forgotten) • Supervised by Bob Knapp VE3CDG (SK) • Earned $1.00/hour • Moved to NRC in late 1958

  7. National Research Council… • Earned $2750/Annum ($1.37/hour) • Maintained the first digital computer sold in NA • FERUT (Ferranti + University of Toronto)

  8. Changing Jobs… • My Mother found the advertisement • Federal Electric Corp wanted technicians • Went to Montreal to write their test • Failed! • Read two books on Radar and rewrote the exam • Passed (Either that or they were desperate!) • Had to resign from NRC • Counter offer • Salary increased from $2750/A to $12,000/A

  9. The adventure begins… • Streator Ill for 12 weeks of training • Non-descript town 90 miles south of Chicago • Billeted at the Columbia Hotel • AKA Tiltin Hilton

  10. In the Middle of a Cornfield… • 12 miles outside of town • Hidden away and out of sight • Was the secret training facility • Decommissioned in 1982 • Now a derelict

  11. Northward bound… • Issued with my Arctic gear in Montreal • Departed Dorval July 1960 for Hall Beach, NWT • 12 hour flight in a DC-4

  12. Hall Beach, Fox-Main… • Celebrated my 20th birthday awaiting transport to my first assignment.

  13. Lateral Flights

  14. Arctic Air Travel…

  15. 1st Home: Pelly Bay… • Code name: Cam-4 • 2 Hours west of Hall Beach (FOX Main) • Typical Auxiliary (Aux) Site

  16. Typical Auxiliary (Aux) Site… Station layout Made up of 25,25’ X 16’ modulesplaced side by side.

  17. The Fishing Expedition… Starring: • Tom Billowich • Brian Jeffrey The Scene: • Pleasant Saturday morning

  18. Other Fishing Expeditions…

  19. Shaving Your Teeth… Starring: • Brian Webb • Brian Jeffrey The Scene: • Saturday night in the Arctic

  20. Brian Webb (sober) Brian Jeffrey (also sober)

  21. Typical bedrooms

  22. Movie Time… • Starring • Brian Jeffrey (alone… very alone!) • The Scene • 1:30 AM, Sunday morning • Recreation module • Watching a movie… alone • A movie called “Psycho”

  23. Recreation Module

  24. Christmas at the Real Pelly Bay • Starring • Father Vandeveld, RC priest • 120 Eskimos (extras) • 5 strangers (From CAM-4) • The Scene • Pelly Bay Mission • World’s largest igloo

  25. Building the world’s largest igloo - 1 35-40 ft

  26. Building the world’s largest igloo - 2

  27. Building the world’s largest igloo - 3 35-40 feet in diameter, holding about 120 people

  28. Truly a Christmas to remember.

  29. Christmas at CAM-4…

  30. Missed Bogie (Target)… • Starring: • Tom Billowich • Brian Jeffrey • The Scene: • 4:15 - 4:30 AM • The public address system came alive • All Hell broke loose

  31. CQ Santa Klause… • Starring: • Brian Jeffrey - VE8SK • A load of happy children • The Scene: • December 1960 • CAM-4’s Emergency Radio Room

  32. Emergency Radio Room • Located away from the Electronic Modules • Contained: • Collins 431-B1, one kilowatt transmitter • Collins 51J4 receiver • 3-Element beam • Rotor frozen in winter- antenna aimed south

  33. Escape from the North… • Waited 12 months • Had gained 30 pounds • Bought some “going home” clothes • 3-piece suit for $29.95 from Sears (mail order) • Somewhat “bushy” • Don’t use the “F” word with your Mother! • Returning North via Winnipeg

  34. 12 Hour flight… 10 Hours of Hell

  35. New Assignment • Sucked in to going to an Intermediate Site (I-Site) • Off to Simpson Lake, CAM-D

  36. Moving the Radio Beacon

  37. Typical Intermediate Site (I-Site)… Station layout Staff: 1- Station Chief 1- Radician 1- Mechanic 1- Cook 1- Eskimo

  38. CAM-D Motley Crew…

  39. Working Around the Clock… • Spring time is airlift time (POL supplies) • Flights operated 24 hours a day for weeks

  40. Happy Landings (Not!)…

  41. Replacing a Klystron

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