RAF Chicksands AN/FLR-9 HF/DF Array

United Kingdom / England / Clophill /
 military, antenna
The FLR-9 HF/DF array once located here was the first FLR-9 built. This type of circularly disposed dipole array was larger than the older FRD-10s. The AN/FLR-9 is a type of very large circular "Wullenweber" antenna array, built at many locations during the cold war for HF/DF direction finding of high priority targets. The worldwide network, known collectively as "Iron Horse", could locate HF communications almost anywhere on the planet. Due to their large size and shape, these units were often nicknamed "Elephant Cages" or "Turkey Farms".

Chicksands was operational from 1962 until 1996, when it was dismantled. It was used to intercept Soviet, Warsaw Pact, and non-US diplomatic communications.
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FLR-9
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   52°2'39"N   -0°23'21"E

Comments

  • My father who was a farm hand at Wood Farm named Chicksands antenna "Elephant Cage" in the early 1960s which cought on.
  • I worked on the FLR9 from 1964-1967 at chicksands it was quite a set up
  • on the outside of the reflection screen were metal silos the taller ones were called able band the smaller baker band and the big round wooden structure on the inside was called charlie band it was quite a chore to keep them all going.
  • We lived at Chicksands in the early 1960's and my husband worked "on the hill" where the elephant cage was located. At the time it was as top secret as anything that size could be. Love Chicksands and the area.
This article was last modified 7 years ago