Instruments and Observations (continued)

However the major improvement in the observational network in the Timcke era was the installation of radio/radar wind-finding stations. Chapter 1 describes how Warren had sought to improve the network of upper wind observations by acquiring a number of ex-Royal Navy 10 cm radar sets for conversion to wind-finding. Cornish (1996) and Brann (1986) have stated that gun-laying military radars had been used experimentally for this purpose during the war but I have been unable to locate any record of the results of observations made using this equipment.

The difficulty in overcoming selection of sites, construction of buildings and modification of the equipment was explained in Chapter 1. Despite the best efforts of Bill Brann, Max Cassidy and DCA staff the only 277 wind-finding radar operational at the time of Warren's death was the prototype at Bowes Avenue.

The need for accurate and comprehensive observations of upper winds was made urgent by an increasing volume and complexity of civil aircraft operations, by the operation of the LRWE rocket range at Woomera and by the program of the AWRE for testing of atomic weapons in Australia. As mentioned in Chapter 1 Bill Brann was lucky to secure the services of radar engineer Geoff Goodman to assist in the installation program of DCA engineers.

The first routine post-war use of upper air wind-finding by electronic means did not use the 277 radars but employed radio direction-finding equipment which tracked the transmissions from radiosondes. These Metox sets were installed in Cocos Island, Darwin and Port Hedland in 1952 but they had limited range and accuracy and were difficult to manage. I recall that another post-war system used optical pilot balloon theodolites to track radiosondes to find upper winds. This 'sowind' system, which needed clear skies and balloon height information from the results of the radiosonde calculations, was adjudged not worthwhile.

Wind-finding using 277 radar became operational at Alice Springs in August 1953, Cloncurry in August 1952, Hobart Airport in February 1954, Lord Howe Island in November 1954, Melbourne (Laverton) in July 1953, and at Newcastle (Williamtown) in December 1953. A wind-finding Metox was installed at Norfolk Island in February 1955. Thus there were 10 Bureau electronic wind-finding stations in operation by early 1955.

Bureau of Meteorology