RAF Edlesborough (Site of)

 military, radio station

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From Flight, November 1959:

R.A.F. Edlesborough is just west of Whipsnade and a few miles from Dunstable, and its aerial farm implies its function as one of the two main wireless transmitting stations in this country on the Commonwealth Air Forces Network. It has circuits to the Middle East (Cyprus), Nairobi, Ceylon, Malta, Ottawa, Delhi and Aden. The station is commanded by F / L . P . R. Batt; it was established just before the war and its equipment is used to produce multi- channel radio-teleprinter transmissions in the H.F. band. A con- tinuous watch is kept and the majority of its staff are tech licians, for the most part ground wireless fitters. All its circuits have main and secondary elements, and its longest direct link is 5,000 miles, with Ceylon.
Edlesborough's title is No. 810 Signals Unit. There are 27 transmitters a t the station, 15 o f them in constant use. I n the event o f power failure a standby power-house, using a diesel engine and manned by an A.M.W.D. engineer, comes into opera- tion. Power can be restored within 30 sec, but the transmitters have to be warmed up before the circuits are connected again. Aerials used a t Edlesborough are the diamond-shaped rhombic type; outside the buildings are the feeder poles, masts and towers,. The staff can carry out up to and including second-line servicing; third- and fourth-line is done by the R.E.U.