1927: The birth of the Radio Research Station


Around 1920, this early radio research was carried out at Ditton Park in Slough under the supervision of R. H. Barfield and an assistant. Their work involved;

At the same time, Watson-Watt was studying atmospherics for the Radio Research Board at the Aldershot Wireless Station. This station had been run under the Meteorological Office, but was transferred to the D.S.I.R at the end of the first World War. In 1924, the huts, equipment and Watson-Watt moved to Ditton Park, where on December 1st 1927 he oversaw the merger of the direction finding, field strength and upper atmosphere research into the Radio Research Station. This occasion was marred by a serious fire which destroyed a 220 foot wooden tower and some surrounding buildings. These wooden buildings were to become the headquarters of the Station until a new building was completed on the site in 1956.


The
Radio Research Station, 1927 The 220
ft Tower before the fire in 1927 The
destruction of the 220 ft tower in 1927
View of the
Northern Part of the
Radio Research Station, 1927
The 220 ft Timber
Lattice mast tower
The 220 ft Mast
after the Fire in 1927

History of Ionosondes | The RAL Ionosondes Group
5/01/2000 Chris Davis